Chapter 3
Gene tried to take the key.
Arthur caught her wrist.
Not hard.
Just firmly enough to shock everyone.
“Don’t,” he said.
Her eyes flashed.
“You are embarrassing me.”
“No,” Arthur said. “I think I’ve been helping you embarrass everyone else for years.”
Silence fell.
Brandon looked at his father with surprise so raw it hurt to witness.
Gene yanked her hand free.
“Brandon, you will apologize to me right now.”
“No.”
She blinked.
He had never said that to her in that tone.
Not at family dinners.
Not when she criticized his job.
Not when she told him adopting Holly would “complicate his bloodline.”
Never.
Brandon placed the brass key in his pocket.
“We are leaving.”
Gene laughed.
“You’re leaving my house?”
Brandon looked around the dining room.
“According to Granddad, no. I’m leaving mine.”
The words hit her like a slap.
Her mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Holly looked up at him.
“Dad?”
He turned instantly.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Are you mad at me?”
His face broke.
He knelt right there beside Gene’s perfect table.
“No. I am proud of you.”
Gene scoffed.
“She’s a child. You’re letting a child destroy Christmas.”
I finally spoke.
“No, Gene. You did that when you wrote Guest on a seven-year-old’s place card.”
A few relatives looked down.
Ashamed.
Too late, but I saw it.
Brandon took my hand.
We were almost at the door when Arthur called after us.
“Brandon.”
We turned.
He was holding the candle tag.
To Brandon’s Girl.
His eyes were wet.
“I want to come with you.”
Gene’s face went white.
May you like
Arthur looked at her.
“I need to know what else you stole.”
