The Moment Just Before by Remy Rose

Author:Remy Rose [Rose, Remy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Dog Publishing
Published: 2016-04-05T03:00:00+00:00

twenty

Once I became a mother, I discovered I preferred the day after Christmas rather than the actual holiday. The day after, you could relax...take your time neatening things up, put away gift boxes and bags and enjoy the still-decorated tree while your child happily played for hours with her new toys. Christmas Day, though, was stressful, what with always staying up too late the night before wrapping last-minute and worrying you either didn't buy enough presents or bought too many. Once Grace was old enough to get the whole Santa concept, she would get up early, which therefore meant her father and I had to get up early—sometimes well before sunrise. After a quick breakfast of fruit, muffins and much-needed coffee, we'd rush through opening gifts, because we needed to be at my parents' house for Mimosas, egg strata, popovers and presents at 8:30 sharp so we could then be on time for the Wesson grandparents' Christmas at 11:00.

Christmas is one reason, among others, that I was glad my parents decided to move to Scottsdale six years ago, and shameful or not, I was secretly relieved on the holidays they didn't fly back to New Hampshire to spend Christmas with us.

But this year, they did, and we all survived. They arrived two days before Christmas, and my mother, ever the pragmatist, presented Grace with gift cards to her five favorite North Conway outlets and the promise to take her shopping after Christmas (you'll get so much more for your money, Grace, with the post-holiday sales). Judith Stanhope greeted me by pressing her papery cheek against my face, and my father gave me a quick, stiff hug. They were thankfully warmer toward Grace, who ditched aloof for elated, seeing her Nonnie and Papa after two years. Christmas Day was almost pleasant (the mimosas helped), with a fair number of gifts for everyone. My father seemed to appreciate the golf shirts and camera we'd gotten him, and Mom was pleased with her new Kindle. We had lasagna and salad at noon, and then Grace and I drove to the Wessons while my parents cleaned up and napped. Sharon being Sharon had invited them to come over, but Judith being Judith declined. “It just feels odd, Kimberly,” she told me. “I really have no connection to those people anymore.”

This was when I couldn't wait for my parents to fly back to Arizona.

I haven't seen much of them the past couple of days. Thankfully. They took Grace on an all-day shopping spree and visited with Dartmouth alumni, and today, their last day here, went to Grace's track meet. Tonight, I will bring my parents to the airport to take the red-eye out of Manchester. But first, we're going to the Route 2 Diner for dinner. My mother eating in a diner is the equivalent of Queen Elizabeth going bowling, so this should prove interesting.

I asked Mel and Nicole to meet us there. Begged them, actually, because including other people has the effect of diluting my parents, who are tough to take in concentrate form.

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