Chapter 6 Christmas
Sarah drove up to the beach house in her convertible. She was relieved the first semester was behind her. It had been a grueling one, and from what she had heard, the work load was only going to get worse. Sarah was glad for the break. She parked her car, and got her tote bag and suitcase out of the back seat. She was going to keep the same room assignment for the rest of the year, so she had left most of her things at college. Sarah opened the door of the beach house and poked her head inside. "Anyone home?" she asked and she was immediately greeted by shrieks as her sisters came running and tackled her with hugs.
She hugged back. There were cries of "Hi! I missed you!" With lots of talking, the girls headed into the living room. Kelly and Bosley were on the couch. Sarah gave them each a big hug. She excused herself to put her luggage in her room. She was back a few minutes later.
"It is sure nice to be home, and I have missed everyone!" She exclaimed.
"You're just in time for dinner," Jill told her. "We were about to go out. What would you like?"
"Chinese?" Sarah asked hopefully.
"Perfect."
After dinner, Kris, Jill, and Sarah returned to the beach house. Kelly and Bosley had decided to go home. The three sisters settled down for an evening of sister time.
"I know what I would like to do now," Kris said with a sparkle in her eye.
"What?" her sisters asked.
"Put up the decorations, of course!" Kris responded eagerly.
"First we need a tree," Sarah declared.
"Of course," Jill agreed. "We also need cider, eggnog, and refreshments."
"Jill, you just ate!" Kris pointed out.
"But that was Chinese food, and it never stays with you very long!"
"So should we bring up the ornaments and decorations first, or get the tree first?" Sarah wondered.
"Let's bring up the stuff so it's ready," Jill said as she was on her way to the beach house's basement storage room. Kris and Sarah were right behind her. They went down the stairs into the basement. Kris surveyed the boxes stacked along the storage room wall.
"Let's see......I think we put them right along this wall over here...." she led the way. "Here they are!" There were several boxes marked "Christmas" in the corner. The sisters made their way over to them. Each of them took a box. Laughing and talking, they carried the boxes up the stairs to the living room. They made two more trips . Soon there was a pile of boxes in the middle of the floor.
"Ok., now the tree!" Jill declared. She led the way out the front door as Kris and Sarah followed her. They went to several Christmas tree lots until they found the perfect tree. It was a beautiful Douglas Fir, not too tall or too short. All of the branches fluffed out evenly. It looked healthy. The sisters looked it over carefully. Jill held it up while Kris and Sarah walked around it, inspecting it from every angle. They nodded in approval.
"We'll take it!" Jill told the salesman. He helped them tie the tree to the roof of their car. They drove it home very carefully. Once at the beach house, they lifted the tree off of the car between them, and leaned it against the front door. Kris opened the door, and they took the tree inside. They leaned it against the wall and then went back outside.
"Now for the refreshments!" Sarah called as they all got back into the Cobra for the trip to the grocery store. Kris and Jill went to the wine aisle, while Sarah headed for the soft drinks and junk food. They picked up some cheeses, crackers, and fruits and decided they had enough edibles to get them through the evening. They headed for home. Once there, the Christmas decorating began in earnest. Sarah put some of their favorite Christmas music on the stereo. Jill and Kris put the tree in the stand as Sarah began to look for and untangle the lights that always seemed to get tangled from one year to the next, no matter how carefully they were put away. The sisters decorated the tree, and then stood back to admire their work.
"It's beautiful," Sarah said.
"It is," Jill and Kris agreed.
"Should we do the outside now, or wait until morning?" Sarah wondered.
"Let's wait until daylight so we can see what we're doing," Kris advised.
"In the meantime, we can do the inside decorations," Jill declared. Each of the sisters took a box and a main room of the house. Like Santa's elves, they spread through the house and decorated almost everything they could find. A few hours later, the house was fully decorated on the inside. The girls took the boxes back downstairs, except for the ones with outdoor decorations.
Sarah looked at the calendar on the wall. "I just noticed something...Tomorrow is the anniversary of Mom and Dad's accident." Jill and Kris also looked at the calendar.
"You're right, " Jill said. They were all somber for a moment.
"I really miss them," Sarah said.
"Me too," added Kris
"Me three," said Jill.
"San Francisco is kind of far away, or I'd say let's go up and put some flowers on their grave," Sarah mused.
"We can call Grandma and Grandpa, and have them do it. We'll wire up money for flowers, and then put some on ourselves this summer." Jill started to straighten up the mess they'd made while decorating.
"Good Idea," Kris said as she put food away.
The sisters spent the next few days in preparation for Christmas. They decorated the outside of the house. They finished shopping. They wrapped presents. They bought food for Christmas Dinner. Soon it was Christmas Eve. Tiffany had decided to fly back to Boston to be with her family for Christmas. Kelly and Bosley came to the beach house to spend Christmas Eve with the Munroe sisters. They planned Christmas dinner, and getting together on Christmas day for a present exchange. The evening was drawing to a close. Everyone was on couches or chairs enjoying each other's company. Bosley looked at his watch.
"Ladies, I really enjoy being here, but it is getting late and I must run. I will come back bright and early tomorrow." He gave each of the Angels and Sarah a hug and a kiss before leaving.
"Good night, Bosley," they all said.
Kelly rose from her chair. "I should be going too."
"Why don't you spend the night, Kelly?" Sarah asked.
"I would, but Albert will get worried if I don't come home. I will be back in the morning. " She gave each of her friends a hug and left. The three sisters were alone.
"I guess it's time for bed," Jill said.
"Yeah, I suppose," Kris concurred.
"I'll stay up for a little longer, then I'm going to bed too." Sarah added.
" 'Night," her sisters told her and gave her a hug. Sarah turned down the lights and sat in the dark, looking at the tree lights. Then she turned them off and went to bed.
Christmas Day was over. All of the presents had been opened and ooh'd and ah'd over. The three sisters had invited the Kelly and Bosley over for Christmas dinner. Now everyone had gone home. Kris and Jil decided to go out for awhile with Kelly. Sarah was home alone. She put some Christmas music on the stereo and turned the lights on the tree. Sarah walked over to the bookshelf. On the bottom shelf was the family photo album the girls had picked up from their grandparents' house two summers ago. Sarah sat on the couch with her pad of paper, pen and the photo album. She leafed through the pages as memories came flooding back to her. She stopped at a picture of the family. It was taken the night her parents died. Sarah looked at the picture for awhile, lost in thought and memories. A while later, she wiped away the tears and started to write.
Christmas, 1979
Dear Mom and Dad:
Another Christmas has come and gone without you. I miss you both so much. Grandma and Grandpa took good care of me for four years. I moved in with Kris and Jill and have had a great time. But each year I still miss you. Other kids talk about their parents and problems and things they have with them. I listen and think they are lucky to have parents, especially ones who care enough about them to try to make them behave. Grandma and Grandpa have taught me plenty of things, and I had rules I had to follow. Kris and Jill have also taught me things, and they have taught me how to be independent . I've had to follow rules with them as well. I've enjoyed living with them, but I still miss you every day. I now go to college, and I know you would be very proud of me. I'm studying hard to be a private detective. I will have my license in a few years. That is about all for now.
I love you both.
Sal
Sarah knew the letter would never be read by for whom it was intended, but it made her feel better to write it. Taking it off the pad of paper, she folded it and put it in her desk drawer. She then took the picture and put it inside her purse. When the stores opened, she was going to have copies made for herself and her sisters. She planned on framing them.
The rest of the vacation passed quickly. Jill and Kris were pleased with their copies of the family picture. The Munroe sisters had some sister time, and spent time with their friends as well. Sarah looked up her friends from high school. She hung out with her friend Liz, and dated Mark a few times. All too soon it was time to go back to school. Sarah loaded her convertible with the things she wanted to take back with her. The picture of her family was packed carefully in her suitcase. It was going to have a place of honor on her night table, next to the picture of Jill and Harrison Ford. Sarah bid her sisters and her friends a fond goodbye, and drove back to college. It was time to get back to work.