Upon opening the door to the house where she grew up, Nancy was met immediately by a wave of heat and noise of a party in full swing.
"Nancy!" came the cheerful shouts from her friends, clearly a punch or two deep, and she quickly turned her back on the crowd to hang her coat before anyone saw her face. All of a sudden she found herself desperately trying to hide the quick rush of burning tears that had suddenly overwhelmed her as her heart started pounding.
"Nancy?" she had clearly taken too long and the conversation started dying down as she fumbled with her boots and then was left fiddling with the buttons on her sleeves, back still to everyone.
In a moment all that was left was the music as the conversation completely stopped. Nancy heard heavy footsteps approach and felt the familiar comforting hand of her father on her back as Carson's face entered her eye-line, stooping slightly to look directly at his daughter.
Nancy was fully and quietly crying at this point.
"What's wrong?" Carson asked, his concern evident in his tone.
Nancy closed her eyes as she whispered "Ned and I are over". At her confession she was immediately enveloped in her father's arms, face buried in his tacky sweater vest that smelled of Oak and the brandy he had been drinking earlier and had spilled. Nancy's slender body was wracked with silent sobs as she clung to her father's comforting embrace with all her might.
Over Nancy's head, Carson looked at the party goers and mouthed 'they broke up', which was met with a number of low exclamations and looks of sympathy. The only person who did not twitch or change expression at all was a certain dark-haired man with his wrist in a brace. Unmistakable though, was the flush creeping up his neck and, although unheard, the rapid pace of his normally slow heartbeat.
"What do you need, sweetie?" Carson muttered into his daughter's ear.
"I just want to go to bed" she managed to say through his arms and her tears.
"I'll bring you some food and a hot water bottle, Dear," Hannah offered as she came and picked up the gifts forgotten by Nancy's shoes.
Nancy turned abashedly to the staring group and awkwardly laughed while trying to wipe away her tears.
"Sorry everyone," the group protested the need for a sorry "Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson, Ned said to tell you he went home; Hannah this bottle of wine is for you from him, and" Nancy choked but continued in a higher pitch "Bess this necklace is for you"... "Merry Christmas everyone, sorry again" Nancy had deliberately avoided looking at the corner where Frank stood next to George, drink frozen halfway to his mouth since she had entered the house.
Nancy made her escape upstairs to her room and Carson quietly directed George and Bess to follow her. The Nickersons quietly and quickly said their farewells and left to comfort their son. Slowly, conversations resumed at a lower volume than before, many furtive glances shot towards the stairs. Distractedly, the Hardys all continued their conversations as before except with many glances between Frank, the stairs, and each other.
While there was still some fun had, gifts exchanged, and reconnections made, the party ended hours earlier than expected, party goers leaving one by one until it was just Frank and Joe in the living room, Carson and Hannah in low conversation in the kitchen and George and Bess still in Nancy's room with the door closed.
Joe sat quietly on the couch near the fire and looked at Frank inquisitively. The older Hardy standing next to the fireplace and riveted by the flames within
"You ready to go?" Joe finally ventured after a number of minutes of waiting.
Frank walked to the coat room but, instead of grabbing his coat to put it on, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gift clearly labeled 'Nancy'
"Give me a minute"
Frank did his best to quietly climb the stairs. He heard the low conversation inside stop when he reached the landing. He paused for a brief moment, placed the little gift on the floor in front of Nancy's room and then walked down the stairs without the same care.
"Okay"
Joe and Frank put their coat and shoes on, shouting a farewell down the hall to the kitchen. In the distance the undeniable squeak of a door opening and the sound of it shutting after a few furtive steps to the top of the landing and back was heard.
"Merry Christmas, Nan" Frank whispered ruefully as he shut the front door and followed Joe into the night.