Page 56

Stella pipes up happily, apparently blind to the tension. “I’m going to my grandparents’ place in South Carolina, but I’m going between Christmas and New Year’s. I’ll be seeing some of my cousins. It should be fun.”
Zoe answers next. “I’ll also be going to my grandmother’s but just on Christmas Day. She’s only an hour from here.”
I answer my own question when no one else says anything. “I’ll stay here. Wesley and I might have lunch together or something.”
“You two should come to the Christmas brunch I’m having at the bed and breakfast,” Mia offers.
I smile at her offer. Even though I’ll be eating with a bunch of strangers, I like the idea. Maybe I’ll invite Ethan.
But then I remember. I can’t. I can’t be seen out with him in public anywhere, but especially not at Mia’s place.
“Aurora? Will you spend Christmas with your…dad?” I almost choke on the word. I reach for my glass of water and chug it down.
Aurora doesn’t answer me. Instead, with a smile on her face, she changes the subject. “The final touches today shouldn’t take too long. An hour at most. I just want things done so I don’t have to think about it anymore.”
I scoop another spoonful of soup into my mouth. I don’t know why, but it’s like everything Aurora says annoys me right now. Is it something to do with the relationship I have with her father? How would that even make sense? Aurora and I have been best friends forever. I can’t let anything come between us.
“Great. Looking forward to finishing up decorations,” I conclude.
Aurora barrels onward. “Then, I’ll just confirm the guest list and keep everyone updated on a head count so you can know how much of each dish to make.”
“Wait. We’re cooking?” I ask.
Aurora fixes me with an annoyed stare. “Yes, if you had been at the first meeting, you would know that. Everyone volunteered to make two dishes. We’ll have the desserts catered, so it’s just the other dishes.”
“What am I supposed to bring?”
“Something that’s a finger food and something that has meat. You can figure out what you want to bring specifically.” Aurora turns her attention back to the group as a whole. “Anyway, the current headcount is twenty-one. That’s including us, but I’m expecting more like thirty to forty. Like I said, I’ll keep you updated.”
This meal is starting to feel more like just a place for Aurora to boss us around instead of a meal for us to enjoy together. She continues with more instructions.
When she finishes, no one has anything other to say than, “sure” or “of course.” Aurora is pretty much running the show.
I scoop up the last of my soup and slurp it carefully. I want a second helping, but I want to get the decorating over with.
As we finish eating, I try to engage in the conversation, but it’s like I’m talking to a wall. Aurora’s responses are short and clipped. Mia and Zoe keep glancing at each other. Stella responds brightly, but she’s more interested in the food than conversation. I feel like I’m walking on eggshells, and no one is willing to tell me why.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Mia shifts in her seat and clears her throat. “It seems like everyone is prettymuch done. Aurora, Madison, and I will take the living room decorations.”
I press my back against the back of the chair. I don’t remember saying I would do that, but I guess the living room is as good as any other room.
“Fine.” Aurora waves us away. “Go get it done. You have the dream picture.”
I slowly slide back and follow Mia into the living room. A moment later, Zoe appears.
After we start lining up crepe paper decorations, Mia takes a deep breath, like she’s bracing herself for something. Zoe leans against the wall, arms crossed. She finally grabs a crepe paper mistletoe and holds it in place by the mantle.
“What’s going on? You guys are freaking me out. Do you…have something to say to me?”
Mia exchanges another glance with Zoe. Then, she leans closer to me so that her voice won’t drift into the dining room. “Madison, there’s something you need to know. We didn’t want to bring it up like this, but…it’s important.”
My stomach flips. “What is it?”
Zoe sighs, her expression hardening. “Aurora’s been spreading some…rumors about you.”
I stare at her, my heart pounding. “What? What kind of rumors?” I’m immediately taken back to elementary school when Aurora actually saved me from the rumors other kids were spreading about me.
One of them was saying that I still wet the bed, and Aurora jumped in with a clever comeback that made her instantly my heroine. She’s not my heroine anymore, but I’ll still never forget that day.