weekend in December.
Holly felt a soft smile touch her lips. “My sister and I looked forward to seeing Father Christmas every year when we were children. Our parents would bring us to the village, and we’d watch the tree-lighting ceremony and drink hot chocolate and eat roasted chestnuts.”
“Sounds perfect.” Elsa turned from the window, and a sad look haunted her eyes. She moved to the couch and sank into the corner.
The timer on the microwave dinged. Holly waved toward the living room. “I’ll grab the cocoa.” She poured prepackaged mixes into the mugs of warm milk and stirred in the chocolaty deliciousness. She sniffed. “This smells so good.” She walked over to the couch and handed a mug to Elsa, then curled onto the other end.
Elsa sipped the treat and swiped at the corners of her eyes.
“What’s the matter?”
“Just getting lost in my thoughts. This reminds me of home, or at least, what home used to be.”
“If only life were as simple now as it was when we were kids.” Holly sipped her cocoa.
Elsa laughed drily. “Sometimes it helps to talk things out. Tell me about it.”
Holly eyed her guest and realized she actually meant the words. “You first. What’s making you so sad?”
The woman shrugged and looked down at the mug she held between her hands. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say I’ve made some poor choices and my daughter has paid the price.”
Holly caught her breath. It seemed she wasn’t the only one with family issues. “I know firsthand how a strained mother–daughter relationship feels, and I’m sorry you are going through this.”
“You’re a sweet girl.” Elsa’s eyes lit with compassion, but the sadness still haunted her expression. “I really don’t want to talk about me, though. Tell me about you and your mom.”
Holly took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The clock on the wall ticked the seconds as she bolstered her courage. “I don’t want to burden you with my problems, but it’s nice of you to take an interest.”
“I insist. You’ve been beyond kind to take me in for the night. The least I can do is be a listening ear. Who knows, maybe I will be able to help.”
“Okay, since you insist.” Holly drew the mug to her lips and gulped the lukewarm drink, then set it on the floor at the foot of the couch. “As I grew older, I realized my mom favored my sister. It made things...strained between us.”
“Between you and your mom or you and your sister?”
“Both, at times, I guess. But I was mostly speaking of my mom. She thinks the world of Jessica, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t measure up.”
Elsa tsked . “Child, I don’t know your mother, and if what you say is true, shame on her. But my mother’s heart tells me that she loves you as much as your sister, just differently.”
Silence settled over the room. “What do you mean?”
“It’s like your favorite drink or clothing, or whatever it is you are into. Pretend you have a black polka-dot skirt that you love, but you also love your other plain black skirt. You like them both for different reasons. Maybe you enjoy the fun nature of polka dots on the one and the other is practical and goes with everything.”
Was she saying that her sister was fun and she was boring? No, that couldn’t be; Elsa had never met Jessica. Holly sipped her cocoa and chewed on her guest’s words. Was it possible to love equally, but differently?
Elsa chuckled. “I see I gave you something to think about.” She stretched and stood. “It’s been a long day. Do you mind if I turn in early?”
Holly jumped up. “Not at all.” She took the woman’s mug and set it on the kitchen counter. “Your room is this way.” She opened the door to the left of the bathroom and flipped on the light. “As you can see, it’s a child’s room, but I saw no need to make changes. I rarely come in here.”
“It’s fine.” A wistful smile lit Elsa’s face.
“I’ll set fresh towels on
Holly felt a soft smile touch her lips. “My sister and I looked forward to seeing Father Christmas every year when we were children. Our parents would bring us to the village, and we’d watch the tree-lighting ceremony and drink hot chocolate and eat roasted chestnuts.”
“Sounds perfect.” Elsa turned from the window, and a sad look haunted her eyes. She moved to the couch and sank into the corner.
The timer on the microwave dinged. Holly waved toward the living room. “I’ll grab the cocoa.” She poured prepackaged mixes into the mugs of warm milk and stirred in the chocolaty deliciousness. She sniffed. “This smells so good.” She walked over to the couch and handed a mug to Elsa, then curled onto the other end.
Elsa sipped the treat and swiped at the corners of her eyes.
“What’s the matter?”
“Just getting lost in my thoughts. This reminds me of home, or at least, what home used to be.”
“If only life were as simple now as it was when we were kids.” Holly sipped her cocoa.
Elsa laughed drily. “Sometimes it helps to talk things out. Tell me about it.”
Holly eyed her guest and realized she actually meant the words. “You first. What’s making you so sad?”
The woman shrugged and looked down at the mug she held between her hands. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say I’ve made some poor choices and my daughter has paid the price.”
Holly caught her breath. It seemed she wasn’t the only one with family issues. “I know firsthand how a strained mother–daughter relationship feels, and I’m sorry you are going through this.”
“You’re a sweet girl.” Elsa’s eyes lit with compassion, but the sadness still haunted her expression. “I really don’t want to talk about me, though. Tell me about you and your mom.”
Holly took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The clock on the wall ticked the seconds as she bolstered her courage. “I don’t want to burden you with my problems, but it’s nice of you to take an interest.”
“I insist. You’ve been beyond kind to take me in for the night. The least I can do is be a listening ear. Who knows, maybe I will be able to help.”
“Okay, since you insist.” Holly drew the mug to her lips and gulped the lukewarm drink, then set it on the floor at the foot of the couch. “As I grew older, I realized my mom favored my sister. It made things...strained between us.”
“Between you and your mom or you and your sister?”
“Both, at times, I guess. But I was mostly speaking of my mom. She thinks the world of Jessica, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t measure up.”
Elsa tsked . “Child, I don’t know your mother, and if what you say is true, shame on her. But my mother’s heart tells me that she loves you as much as your sister, just differently.”
Silence settled over the room. “What do you mean?”
“It’s like your favorite drink or clothing, or whatever it is you are into. Pretend you have a black polka-dot skirt that you love, but you also love your other plain black skirt. You like them both for different reasons. Maybe you enjoy the fun nature of polka dots on the one and the other is practical and goes with everything.”
Was she saying that her sister was fun and she was boring? No, that couldn’t be; Elsa had never met Jessica. Holly sipped her cocoa and chewed on her guest’s words. Was it possible to love equally, but differently?
Elsa chuckled. “I see I gave you something to think about.” She stretched and stood. “It’s been a long day. Do you mind if I turn in early?”
Holly jumped up. “Not at all.” She took the woman’s mug and set it on the kitchen counter. “Your room is this way.” She opened the door to the left of the bathroom and flipped on the light. “As you can see, it’s a child’s room, but I saw no need to make changes. I rarely come in here.”
“It’s fine.” A wistful smile lit Elsa’s face.
“I’ll set fresh towels on
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