Page 44 of A Cozy Christmas Blizzard
“I’ll see LaVonne home,” K.O. said. She closed one arm around her friend’s waist and steered her out of the condo.
Wynn looked at Zelda and sent K.O. a beseeching glance.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she promised.
He nodded and mouthed the wordhurry.
K.O. rolled her eyes. As she escorted LaVonne, the sound of her sister’s voice followed her into the hallway, which was fortunately deserted. It didn’t take long to get LaVonne settled in her own place. Once she had Phillip and Martin with her, she was comforted, since both seemed to recognize her distress and lavished their mistress with affection.
When she returned to her condo, K.O. found that her sister hadn’t moved. She still sat on the coffee table, so close to Wynn that their knees touched. Judging by the speed with which Zelda spoke, K.O. doubted he’d had a chance to get a word in edgewise.
“Then the girls started to cry,” Zelda was saying. “They want a Christmas tree and Zach thinks we should get one.”
“I don’t believe—” Wynn was cut off before he could finish his thought.
“I know you don’t actually condemn Christmas trees, but I didn’t want to encourage the girls about this Santa thing, and I feel decorating a tree would do that. If we’re going to bury Santa under the sleigh—and I’m in complete agreement with you, Dr. Jeffries—then it makes sense to downplay everything else having to do with Christmas, too. Certainly all the commercial aspects. But how do I handle the girls’ reaction when they hear their friends talking about Santa?”
Wynn raised a finger, indicating that he’d like to comment. His request, however, was ignored.
“I feel as you do,” Zelda rushed on breathlessly, bringing one hand to her chest in a gesture of sincerity. “It’s wrong to mislead one’s children with figures of fantasy. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong. Zach agreed with me—but only in principle, as it turns out. Then we got into this big fight over the Christmas tree and you have to understand that my husband and I hardly ever argue, so this is all very serious.”
“Where’s Zach now?” K.O. asked, joining Wynn on the sofa.
As if to let her know how much he appreciated having her back, Wynn reached for her hand. At Zelda’s obvious interest, he released it, but the contact, brief as it was, reassured her.
Zelda lowered her head. “Zach’s at home with the girls. If you must know, I sort of left my husband with the twins.”
“Zoe and Zara,” K.O. said under her breath for Wynn’s benefit.
“Despite my strong feelings on the matter, I suspect my husband is planning to take our daughters out to purchase a Christmas tree.” She paused. “Agiantone.”
“Do you think he might even decorate it with Santa figurines and reindeer?” K.O. asked, pretending to be scandalized.
“Oh, I hope not,” Zelda cried. “That would ruin everything I’ve tried so hard to institute in our family.”
“As I recall,” Wynn finally said. He waited a moment as if to gauge whether now was a good time to insert his opinions. When no one interrupted him, he continued. “I didn’t say anything in my book against Christmas trees, giant or otherwise.”
“Yes, I know that, but it seems to me—”
“It seems tomethat you’ve carried this a bit further than advisable,” Wynn said gently. “Despite what you and K.O. think, I don’t want to take Christmas away from your children or from you and your husband. It’s a holiday to be celebrated. Family and traditions are important.”
K.O. agreed with him. She felt gratified that there was common ground between them, an opinion on which they could concur. Nearly everything she’d heard about Wynn to this point had come from her sister. K.O. was beginning to wonder if Zelda was taking his advice to extremes.
“Besides,” he said, “there’s a fundamental contradiction in your approach. You’re correct to minimize the element of fantasy—but your children are telling you what they want, aren’t they? And you’re ignoring that.”
K.O. wanted to cheer. She took Wynn’s hand again, and this time he didn’t let go.
“By the way,” Zelda said, looking from Wynn to K.O. and staring pointedly at their folded hands. “Just when did you two start dating?”
“I told you—”
“What you said,” her sister broke in, “was that Dr. Jeffries lived in the same building as you.”
“I told you we went to dinner a couple of times.”
“You most certainly did not.” Zelda stood up, an irritated expression on her face. “Well, okay, you did mention the one dinner at Chez Jerome.”
“Did you know that I’m planning to join Katherine this Friday when she’s watching the twins?” Wynn asked.
