I Messed Up Christmas (A Ghost & Abby Mystery Book 2) by Jo-Ann Carson

Author:Jo-Ann Carson [Carson, Jo-Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780994955692
Publisher: JRT Publications
Published: 2017-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

10

Rock'n Round the Christmas Tree

I swung by home for dinner. I needed to de-mud and see my kids, who would be back at the manor by now. Their sweet faces are the best motivation I have for getting on with things. They mean everything to me.

As my battered old mini slugged its way up my winding driveway, and the neighbourhood hounds howled, I expected to feel relieved. But nothing was normal. Should I expect anything in my life to be normal? The gravel road was lined by cars and trucks. News of my shower had clearly got around.

“I’m home,” I yelled as I opened the un-locked door. Jonathan, my seven-year-old skateboarder, got to me first and gave me a peanut-buttery kiss.

“What happened to you?” he said.

“Do you like the tree?” I asked. It lay on the floor of the main room to my right. It was perfect, as in big, green and fluffy. My heart sped up.

“Mommy, Mommy.” Jinx, my freckled-faced five-year-old jumped me next. “Can we decorate it? Can we? Can we? I want to make gingerbread men.” Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

Harvey, one of the dock guys, walked passed us. He nodded. “Thanks for the shower. You need more shampoo. I’ll bring some by later.”

“Oh, okay, thanks.”

I felt a tug at my leg. Jane, my three-year-old, wanted my attention. I bent down and hoisted her up onto my hip, wondering, not for the first time, if having children attached to me would eventually twist my spine, but loving it all the same.

Jillian, my cousin, came last. A petite woman with pink hair (today) and fiery blue eyes. “What happened to you?” she said. “No, hold that thought. Come into the kitchen. The coffee’s hot and I think there’s an empty chair.”

“You think there’s an empty . . .”

“You’re the one who opened the door to the community.”

“Oh, right. I guess I should have told you.” I hadn’t thought about that, but here she was rolling along with my crazy life. “I love you.” Sometimes that’s all there is to say.

“Back atcha. And you don’t have to apologize. I think it’s great you’re sharing this big old house with others.”

The coffee tasted better than any coffee I had ever had. I swear. Hot, rich and did I mention hot. As it slid down my throat, I felt human again. Or at least witchy-human. I told her about my day, an abbreviated and sanitized-of-all-magic version.

“Uh-huh.” Jillian leaned back and scrunched her nose. “You’re leaving something out.”

“Like what?” I used my most innocent-sounding voice, but I suck at lying.

“Like how did the tree just appear? And who is the hot Italian guy with the mesmerizing eyes who keeps coming around to talk to you?”

“Oh, that.” I took a long, slow drink of my coffee. “I had the tree delivered.” Which was sort of true. “You must have missed the delivery man.”

“I was sitting in the living room when it poofed in front of me. I swear it poofed. Trees aren’t supposed to poof.

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