An Island Christmas Read Online Free Page A

worried.
    “I’m not hungry, George.” Jilly gazed out the window, idly watching the crowds pass by.
    George stared at his wife. How could he help her? They were too old to have another baby, which was no doubt what she secretly wanted. Lauren and Porter wouldn’t have another child; they’d confessed that Porter had had a vasectomy, considering two children enough. Felicia might have a child someday, but until then would Jilly remain so downhearted? His wife was an odd mixture of perfectionism and softheartedness.
    He could buy her a puppy, but that meant newspapers on the floor, toilet training, long nights interrupted by pitiful howling, and eventually, as the pug owner had said, chewed shoes.
    Suddenly, he had an inspiration.
    “Jilly!” Reaching over, he took her hand, indicating his desire for her full attention.
    “Yes, dear?”
    “I’m going to buy you a kitten!”
    “A kitten?” Jilly was puzzled, looking for a moment as if she had no idea what the word meant. Then she smiled, her big, happy, generous smile. “A kitten! Oh, George, what a wonderful idea! This is going to be the best Christmasever!” Jilly declared. “Oh, George, let’s order clam chowder and cheeseburgers! No, I can’t wait to drive out to the animal hospital. Oh, should we choose an all black kitten? I’ve always fancied those, wanted to name one Salem or Midnight. Or an all white one? We could call her Snow!” Jilly nearly clapped her hands with joy at the thought. She was out the door before George had even pulled on his coat.

4
 
    By ten A.M. , Felicia and Archie had finished a lazy breakfast of pancakes and bacon, following an energetic session under the bedcovers. Now they were showering, dressing, and preparing for the arrival of friends for the Sunday NFL game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills.
    “Archie,” said Felicia in her sweetest voice, “I have a few early Christmas presents for you.”
    “Oh, yeah?” Archie came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist.
    Felicia gestured toward the bed. “I bought you some things. Would you try one of the shirts on to be sure they’re big enough?”
    Archie stomped over toward the bed—he wasn’t angry, he always sounded like he was stomping—and stared down at the pile of new clothes as if they were rattlesnakes. “What the heck?”
    “For our trip to Nantucket,” Felicia explained.
    Archie looked wary. “I have clothes.”
    “I know you do, but we’re going to be on Nantucket for two weeks. It’s winter and it’s cold. I know we’ll spend most of the time hiking around the island, but some evenings Mom and Dad will want us to eat out. They’ll want us to join them at Christmas cocktail parties, and I’m sure they have a Christmas party planned, as well. They want to show you off, and you can’t be wearing a torn T-shirt that says Take a Hike .”
    Archie made a face. “Come on, honey, give me a break. I’ve already packed my kilt, isn’t that enough?”
    “Do you want to wear your kilt to every cocktail party?” Felicia asked mildly. “Look, Archie, these are from Lands’ End. They’re not dressy, they won’t scratch your neck—”
    “Anything with a collar scratches my neck,” Archie argued.
    “—and you’ll look like the handsome gentleman I know you can be.”
    “I don’t want to be a gentleman. I never have wanted to. Where did you ever get that idea?” Archie dropped his towel and pulled on clean briefs.
    “I don’t want you to be a gentleman, either, but I want you to look like one for my parents. I don’t think it’s too much to ask. You and I have talked about this, Archie. You said your mother has never cared about appearances, but my mom’s a nut job about them. Remember when she and Dad came out here, you looked a bit—um, caveman?”
    Archie swooped Felicia up in his arms, threw her on the bed, and fell next to her, tugging on her hair. “As I recall, that’s a look you