Page 26 of Once Upon a Winter
Laura winced but said nothing.
The back door opened and closed, signaling Cooper’s return, much to Laura’s relief. Amid burgers at the kitchen table, they enjoyed pleasant conversation about anything but Philip, then Delia’s phone chimed to signal a text message. To her credit, she ignored it until it chimed again then rang twice.
Laura set down her burger. “Well, now I’m curious.”
Delia picked it up and glanced at it. “It’s just Courtney.” Something caught her eye. “Oh, wow.”
Laura and Cooper looked at her, both curious.
Delia looked wide-eyed at Laura. “There’s been an accident.”
“Who? Mom? Dad?” She sprang out of her chair.
Delia grabbed Laura’s arm and pulled her back down to her seat. “No, they’re fine.” Stunned, she looked up at Laura. “It’s Blair. She slipped and fell at work.”
Thinking out loud, Laura whispered, “Into a vat of perfume?”
Delia said, “No. She was spraying perfume samples into the air, then she took a few steps and slipped on the perfume residue on the floor. She broke her toe.”
Cooper stared in disbelief. “What a freak accident.”
Laura whispered to herself. “The snow globe.”
Cooper raised his eyebrows. “I’m sorry?”
Stunned to realize she’d said it out loud, Laura looked at him with saucer eyes. Drawing a blank, she saw no way out and just said it. “It’s the snow globe.”
Cooper stared.
Delia wrinkled her face.
“The snow globe!” She looked from Cooper to Delia. “Okay, fine. You’ll think I’ve lost my mind, but ever since I brought that thing home, strange things have been happening. Delia, what did you say before Cooper got back?”
Delia furrowed her eyebrows. “Uh, I said Blair thinks she can just kiss my husband and then trot off to work.”
“No, after that,” Laura said. “You wished…”
“That she’d slip and fall into a vat ofEau de la Mort.” Delia frowned at her sister. “I didn’t mean literally.”
“I know that, but the snow globe didn’t! Thank God I corrected your French!”
“And what’s wrong with my French?”
“Oh, nothing—exceptEau de la Mortmeans water of death.”
Her sister’s jaw dropped.
Laura nodded. “Blair’s perfume isEau de l’Amour, water of love.”
Delia leaned back in her chair and rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Laura. There’s Christmas magic, and then there’s Christmas magic. You know which one this is?”
Laura stared, unamused.
“The crazy kind!”
Laura turned to Cooper, hoping for some support, but all she got was a perplexed look.
“You talk to the snow globe?”
