Page 47 of 28 Summers
“Yes,” he says. “I do feel that way.” And then something even more extraordinary happens: her father smiles. “Thank you for coming, Ruthie. You’ve honored us with your presence. We don’t deserve your forgiveness but we are grateful for it.”
“Merry Christmas,” Ruthie says.
Cooper is more than ready to leave Baltimore the day after Christmas, but Mallory is staying until the twenty-seventh and she has begged him not to abandon her. Can he eke out one more day, please?
Sure.
“The Bellos are hosting a cookie exchange tonight,” Kitty says. “Why don’t you two come with me?”
“Absolutely not,” Mallory says.
“What’s the point of a cookie exchangenow?” Cooper asks. “Christmas is over.”
“I think the answer to that is obvious,” Mallory says. “People want to pawn their stale cookies off on the unsuspecting.”
“Well, if you don’t have anything better to do,” Kitty says, “Regina and Bill and the rest of the neighborhood would love to see you.”
Coop’s rescue arrives when Jake McCloud calls the house to ask if Coop will meet him at PJ’s, their old Hopkins hangout, for beer and wings.
“You didn’t go to South Bend for Christmas?” Coop asks.
“Nah. Ursula’s mom came to DC. And those two are going toThe Nutcrackertonight, so I’m flying solo.”
“Perfect,” Coop says. Ursula makes him nervous.
“And hey, invite your sister if she’s free,” Jake says.
“Oh, she’s free,” Coop says.
Cooper knocks on Mallory’s bedroom door. He can hear her playing “I’ve Done Everything for You,” by Rick Springfield, on her stereo and singing out,“You’ve done nothing for me!”at the refrain.
“Come in,” she says.
Coop cracks the door open. Mallory is reading in her purple shag beanbag chair, the one the whole family calls Grover. “Intervention,” he says. “Rick Springfield? Grover? You’re regressing. So you’re going out with me tonight. We’re meeting Jake McCloud at PJ’s at eight.”
Mallory sits straight up. “What?”
“I got you out of the cookie exchange—you’re welcome. We’re meeting Jake.”
Mallory says, “Is this you inviting me because you feel sorry for me? Because I don’t want to infringe on your male bonding. Or…I mean, is Ursula going to be there?”
“Ursula hasThe Nutcrackerwith her mother. Jake is taking the train up by himself.”
“To meet you.”
“To meetus,” Coop says. “He asked for you specifically.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “He did? He said ‘Bring Mallory’ without your prompting?”
“Yes. Can you stop being such a weirdo? I’m going to break the news to Kitty.”
At quarter to eight, Mallory enters the kitchen wearing jeans, a black turtleneck, and a pair of Chucks—that’s normal—but also the new silver hoops that she got for Christmas and makeup—mascara and lipstick.
Jewelry?Coop thinks.Makeup?
“You didn’t have to get all dolled up,” he says. “It’s just PJ’s.”
“Your sister looks lovely,” Kitty says. She has decided to forgo the cookie exchange as well. She and Senior are fixing leftover roast beef sandwiches to enjoy in front of the fire. Apparently, romance in the Blessing household isn’t dead. “You never know, your sister might meet a doctor tonight!”
