Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Disclaimer: See chapters 1 or 2.
Author's Note: Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews!
Chapter 4
Mason and Olivia arrived home and entered the foyer unnoticed. They walked into the large first-floor living room and spotted the empty space where their Christmas tree would soon be placed. Soon after, piles and piles of brightly wrapped presents would be placed underneath the ornament-filled branches. Olivia felt herself fill with fury when she thought of Karen's pile; every year, it was dismally small.
"Mason, we have to think of something," Olivia declared. "Karen has had a rough year and I want her to get a present she'll absolutely love."
Mason nodded in agreement. "We still have a couple of days until Christmas."
Olivia nodded as well. She jumped when the intercom buzzed, signaling the arrival of their Christmas tree. "Karen! Rosario! The tree's here!" she called out.
Within minutes, the foyer and living room were filled with the sounds of needles scraping the walls and floor, grunts from the movers, screeches from Karen, and laughs from Rosario. It wasn't easy, but within half an hour the tree was set up between the bay window and the large stone fireplace. Karen tipped the movers generously and poked Rosario until she got out the sweeper and vacuumed up the extra needles.
"So, kiddies, let's get decorating!" Karen exclaimed.
Olivia and Mason were soon wrapped up in the spirit of the holidays. With Karen's helpful eye, Olivia and Mason decorated the tree with precision. White lights and satin ribbons went on first, then the family ornaments (including Karen's favorites: mini-bottles of her favorite liquors), and finally the tinsel.
"We have to put the star on top," Mason said, holding up the large, sparkling, golden star. It was hideously gaudy but it was decidedly not a Walker Christmas tree without it. Karen, Olivia, and Mason's heads slowly traveled up the tree until it reached the top.
"How are we going to reach it?" Olivia asked, echoing the thoughts of the other two.
"Rosie!" Karen called out. Moments later, Rosario entered the living room with a scowl. Her usually pristine maid's outfit was covered in pine needles and Karen spied some in her hair as well.
"What do you want, lady?" Rosario asked, holding back some of her favorite insults. She didn't want to upset the children.
"Rosie, we can't reach the top of the tree to put the star on it," Karen complained.
"How'd you get the lights and ribbon and tinsel up there, then?" Rosario asked snappishly.
"We just tossed it up there and hoped it stayed," Karen said. "Worked pretty good, didn't it? Now come on, Rosie, let one of the kids stand on your shoulders."
"Oh, no," Rosario replied. "You can just toss the star up there and hope it stays, too."
"No!" Olivia, Mason, and Karen objected loudly.
"It could break," Mason pointed out.
"Please, Ro-Ro?" Karen asked, pouting obscenely.
"Listen, lady, I've got a bad neck," Rosario told her.
"So? You've got bad legs, too, but you can still walk, can't you?" Karen said.
Rosario looked at her strangely. "There's nothing wrong with my legs."
Karen glanced at Rosario's stocking-covered calves. "Whatever you say."
Rosario glared at her. "I'll get the ladder," she grumbled. She returned several minutes later, hoisting the ladder on her shoulder. She propped it against the tree, ensuring its stability. She turned and faced the family, who were all watching her expectantly. "I'm afraid of heights."
Karen rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "Fine," she said with a sigh. "I'll do it." She walked over to the ladder and grabbed on, intending to take the first step.
"I'd take off your heels, Miss Karen," Rosario suggested.
"What, and let me come back down and find them missing? I don't think so, my little enchilada!" Karen retorted. She kept the star securely in her right hand while she slowly ascended the ladder. She reached the top and carefully reached over to place the star on the tree. She leaned back after her task was accomplished and surveyed the tree.
"Looks good, doesn't it?" Karen asked. She felt the ladder jut out a little from beneath her and instinctively grabbed onto a tree branch to steady herself. "Rosario, stop it!"
"I'm not doing anything, Miss Karen," Rosario replied. "Be careful, this ladder is old!"
"Oh, now you tell me!" Karen snapped. The ladder wobbled a bit more and Karen tightened her grip on the tree branch. Suddenly, however, the tree branch snapped and Karen lost her balance. The ladder went one way, Karen went the other, and seconds later Karen found herself sprawled on top of her maid.
"Karen! Rosario! Are you all right?" Olivia asked.
Karen let out a noise quite similar to an angry growl and pushed herself up. Rosario stood, too, and the two began one of their infamous shouting matches. Olivia and Mason inched out of the room until the coast was relatively clear; then they took off to the respective solitude of their rooms.
Karen sighed when their "fight" was over. "You all right, Rosie?"
"I'm fine. Did you hurt yourself in the fall, Miss Karen?" Rosario asked.
"Falling on top of my Mexican servant wasn't on top of my list of things to do, but I'll survive," Karen replied.
"I'm from El Salvador!"
"You say potato, I say poverty-stricken, Spanish-speaking country," Karen said, waving Rosario's comment off. "How does the tree look?"
"It looks lovely, Miss Karen," Rosario replied.
Karen ran an appraising hand over one of the branches. "Do you think…do you think Stan would like it?"
Rosario smiled sadly. "He'd love it, Miss Karen. He always loves everything you do."
Karen nodded quietly and continued stroking the tree.
"Are you going to take the children to visit him before Christmas?" Rosario asked boldly.
Karen froze. She'd been wondering when this was going to come up. The children hadn't asked her yet; she imagined they were too frightened. "I…I'm not sure."
"I think you should. They should see their father before Christmas," Rosario said.
Karen nodded slowly. "But do you really think they should see their father with a thick sheet of Plexiglas between them?"
"The kids are stronger than you give them credit for," Rosario replied simply. "You asked what Mason would want for Christmas; I think it's his father."
"Well, if I'd wanted your advice, I would have asked for it!" Karen exclaimed loudly, attempting to hide the slight waver in her voice and completely ignoring the irony in her statement. "Why don't you just mind your own business? The next time I need help making a quesadilla, I'll be sure to give you a call!" Karen stormed out of the living room and up the stairs to her floor.
Rosario shook her head and sighed.
Mason and Olivia didn't attempt to speak with Karen for the rest of the night. They'd heard her storm up to her wing minutes after they'd left the living room and suspected that her argument with Rosario went a little worse than most did. It was to be expected among family; the kids didn't think anything else of it.
Though the following day was Saturday, Karen left early claiming Grace needed her help. Olivia and Mason took this opportunity to do some well-intentioned spying in the master bedroom.
"I don't feel like we should be doing this," Mason said unsurely.
"Probably because we shouldn't," Olivia hissed. "But be quiet or else we're going to get caught." When Mason passed the threshold, Olivia hurriedly closed the door. It took her a moment to get her bearings; it always overwhelmed her how huge her parents' bedroom was. She supposed it must seem even bigger now without her dad around.
"Now just be careful and try not to make it look like anyone's been in here," Olivia advised quietly. They slowly moved into the room and Olivia paused near the enormous painting of Karen. It always took her breath away; she adored the painting. Karen looked so stunning but what captivated Olivia most was the look in her eyes; Karen looked so happy. That sparkle had diminished slightly in the past couple of months.
"Stop drooling over that painting and look around so we can get out of here," Mason urged his older sister.
Olivia sighed and approached Karen's dressing room, adjacent to Karen's monstrous closet. She walked over to Karen's large vanity, covered in every type of makeup and perfume available to those who could afford it. Olivia pulled open every drawer until she reached the last one. It seemed reluctant to open and when Olivia finally pried it open, she saw why: it was stuffed full of papers and photographs and various bric-a-brac.
"Hey, Mase," Olivia called out. "Come here."
Mason entered Karen's dressing room and kneeled down next to his sister. "Did you find anything?"
"I'm not sure," Olivia replied, her brow furrowing. "Look at all this stuff. I didn't think Karen was so sentimental."
Mason didn't have enough patience to deal with details. His eyes skimmed over the various items Olivia had pulled out of the drawer. "What is it?"
"A bunch of stuff from when Daddy first met Karen, I think," Olivia said. "There are a bunch of pictures and even some letters and stuff."
"Livvy, I think this is personal stuff," Mason said uncomfortably. "I don't think Karen would like it if she knew we'd gone through her things."
Olivia's motions slowed down as she skimmed through a letter in Karen's loopy, distinctly feminine handwriting. "Mason, I think I know what Karen wants for Christmas."
Mason's expression picked up noticeably. "That's awesome, we can stop worrying so much. What is it?"
Olivia sighed and set the letter down. "Dad."