It took Nancy a lot of begging and a lot of promises to win it, but finally, she did.
Nancy was sixteen and her father was already out of town on a business trip when Hannah's sister had emergency surgery and needed around-the-clock care for five days. George was out of town, Bess's aunt and uncle were visiting her house, and so, Nancy had argued quite reasonably, her only choice was to stay at the Nickersons' until Hannah or her father returned.
Her father reluctantly agreed. "Nancy, be on your best behavior, all right? Go to my study and take out some of the emergency cash there so you can pay for your own meals and anything else you need. I'll be back as soon as I can."
She knew that she could stay home alone, and had before, but she had always had the option of staying with Bess or George, and often the girls had come over to visit her while she was alone. Nancy's father had told her that he didn't want her and Ned alone in the house together unless absolutely necessary, and she had agreed. She had a feeling that her father would have known if she had violated that particular rule.
So she packed a bag with a week's worth of clothes and lugged it to the Mustang her father had given her for her birthday, and headed over to the Nickersons'. As she drove out of her neighborhood and out to the river road, she saw people starting on their holiday light displays, replacing hay bales and pumpkin-headed scarecrows with holly and reindeer.
The Nickersons were all in their front yard too; other people in their neighborhood were doing the same thing. Edith, James, and Ned greeted her with smiles; Ned immediately went to the trunk of her car to bring her bag into the house. "Have some cider and come back out to help when you're warmed up some!" Edith called as Nancy and Ned headed into the house.
The house smelled like cinnamon and cranberry and sugar, apple and pine; it was absolutely heavenly. Ned took Nancy's bag up to the guest bedroom, which was just across the hall from his room; then they went back downstairs. The tree had already been put on display and decorated with metallic ribbon, a beatific angel, and every single ornament Ned had constructed out of pine cones, pipe cleaners, and construction paper in elementary school. Presents were already stacked beneath.
Edith's decorations hadn't stopped there. Mantelpieces held gleaming candlesticks, red and gold runners and sprigs of holly; a miniature nativity scene had been placed in the front window with a light overhead. Nancy even spotted a bunch of what she thought might be mistletoe over the back door.
For the rest of the afternoon, Nancy and Ned helped wrap lights around bushes, trees, and the porch railing; afterward all four of them went back in, shivering, for another round of cider. Then Edith said that Nancy was welcome to help her make some cookies, if she wanted, and Nancy was happy to say yes.
Nancy and Ned had only been dating for a few months more than a year, but his parents had always made her feel welcome. When she quietly told Ned's mother that she was willing to pay to replace the groceries she would be consuming and for the inconvenience, Edith politely refused to accept any money from her. "Oh, honey, we're just pleased to have you here. Don't worry about it."
That night the four of them roasted marshmallows after dinner and made s'mores, and watched a Christmas movie; Nancy and Ned cuddled together under a quilt with Ned's arm around her and her head on his shoulder. Nancy loved Christmas and spending time with the people she loved, and being with Ned's family made her incredibly happy. She was even happier when she remembered that, while they would still have to say goodnight, at least he would still be close to her—and she would see him again as soon as she was awake.
Once the movie was over, Ned's parents went to bed. Nancy and Ned bid them goodnight, and once they were out of sight, she glanced up at him. "Hey."
"Hey," he said with a smile, and reached up to cup her cheek. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Me too," she murmured, and nestled against him again.
The next day Edith asked if Nancy wanted to see how she made Buche de Noel, and then Ned and James claimed Nancy for a shopping trip. Edith had made a grocery list, but James and Ned both asked for Nancy's input on what to buy for female relatives while they were at the mall. Nancy was flattered by it, even though she couldn't help thinking that Bess would have been a better source of information. Nancy was able to ask what Edith's sweater size was, though, and James went with her to the women's department and nodded with approval when she picked out a cranberry-colored cashmere sweater. "It's very nice. I think she'll love it," he told Nancy, and patted her arm.
"I thought I should get Hannah something," Ned said. "What with all the cakes she's made—"
"That you've consumed almost single-handedly?" Nancy joked, bumping her hip against Ned's and grinning. "You're her favorite guest; she never has to deal with leftovers."
Ned swiped his fingertip over her nose, then leaned down and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. "And you're my mom's favorite guest," he told her. "She keeps telling me that I need to make sure you keep coming back."
Ned laced his fingers through hers as they kept walking; neither of them saw the smile on James's face as he watched them.
Loaded down with shopping bags, the three of them returned home; Nancy was happy to put her gift to Edith under the tree, already wrapped at the department store. She had managed to get Ned and James each alone so she could ask about gifts to the other, so she was happy to have their ideas.
After dinner, Ned said Nancy just had to see the sky from the back porch—and she was already smiling when they "found themselves" under the mistletoe, and just had to take advantage of it. Ned had chosen a time when his mother was still in the kitchen clearing up and his father was looking for something in the den, so Nancy was only a little nervous about one of them walking in to see the incredibly sweet, lingering kiss Ned bent down to give her. When he pulled back, she gazed up at him, her eyes shining. She had thought that spending time at Ned's house would mean spending a lot of time with just him, but so far they had found little chance to be alone.
"Tonight," he whispered, "after everyone's gone to bed, we should definitely watch a movie in the den together."
She nodded, her eyes wide.
Once his parents had gone to bed, she went up to her guest bedroom and changed into her green and red-plaid flannel pajamas, and Ned came out in his pajamas too. They went to the den and picked out a movie, then bundled under a quilt on the couch, spooned up against each other, with Ned's arm over her waist. Nancy closed her eyes, warmth and happiness washing over her.
"Mmm. This is exactly where you belong," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear, and she shivered. "Love you, Nan."
Edith had put up another tree in the den, and the only light was from the television and the colored lights on the tree in the corner. Nancy felt warm and safe and content as she laced her fingers between Ned's and nestled closer to him. She didn't care what was on or what they were supposed to be watching; she just felt perfect joy.
"I love you too," she whispered.