A Christmas Howl Read Free

from the show ring, there’s not a lot of excitement in his life. I’d imagine he’d enjoy a day out.”
    â€œOf course he would.” Max sounded amused. “Now tell me the real reason.”
    â€œIt occurred to me that if I was going to spend the day surrounded by your family, I ought to have at least one friendly face to look at. Present company excluded, of course.”
    Max barked out a laugh. “I can’t argue with your logic. Though Eileen might. She doesn’t like dogs. Or pets of any kind, for that matter.”
    â€œ Truly? ” The thought was inconceivable to Peg. “I always knew there was something wrong with those people. How can you raise children and not allow them to have pets?”
    â€œDon’t ask me, I’m on your side. But before you go flying over there like a crusading avenger, I should point out that you’re several years too late to help Melanie and Frank. Those two aren’t children anymore.”
    â€œReally? The last time I saw Melanie, she barely came up to my chest. I’m quite certain she had pigtails.” That might have been an exaggeration, thought Peg. But not by much.
    â€œWell, she’s not in pigtails now,” Max informed her. “Melanie’s almost finished with college. Not only that, but Eileen told me she’s bringing her boyfriend to Christmas dinner.”
    â€œA boyfriend coming to a holiday dinner with the whole family? It sounds like that must be serious.”
    â€œI gather Eileen hopes not.”
    â€œShe’s already met the fellow?”
    â€œSo she said. The young man’s name is Bob. He’s studying to be an accountant.”
    â€œOh my.” Peg held back a chuckle. “He sounds deathly dull. What do we know about Melanie? Is she deathly dull too? Maybe they’re a good match.”
    â€œI barely know anything more about her than you do. But I’m sure we’ll find out tomorrow.”
    â€œI can hardly wait,” said Peg.
    She loved her husband. She truly did. That was why she waited until Max had looked away before rolling her eyes.
    Â 
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    Salute stayed home.
    There was no point in starting off the holiday visit on the wrong foot, Peg decided. And if taking the big Poodle along was going to upset Eileen, well . . . based on past experience with both her in-laws and her Standard Poodles, Peg was sure that her dog’s easygoing temperament left him better equipped to deal with adversity than Eileen’s uptight disposition ever would.
    Peg bid the Poodles good-bye, gathered up her pies, and joined Max in the car for the twenty-minute drive to New Canaan. The grim smile on her husband’s face looked every bit as forced as her own faux-merry demeanor. Before leaving the house, she’d stopped to pin a blinking Christmas tree brooch on the front of her dress. With luck, the tiny flashing lights might liven up the visit. Or at least give them all a good laugh, Peg thought.
    One could only hope. Somehow laughter seemed like something that might be in short supply during the hours to come.
    The trip eastward on the Merritt Parkway passed all too quickly. New Canaan was quiet on Christmas afternoon. It didn’t take long to cut through the quaint town before heading north on Oenoke Ridge Road.
    Max’s brother’s family lived in a lovely colonial home, set back from the road behind a stand of mature trees. The property was bordered by a low stone wall whose tidy appearance was reinforced by the neatly kept lawn. There wasn’t a leaf or twig out of place.
    The substantial, two-story house was painted dove gray and had dark green shutters. An electric candle flickered in each upstairs window. A double door, each side decorated with an ornate wreath, marked the front entrance. Low bushes on either side of the wide front steps had been covered with fairy lights. On approach, the entire vista looked festive and wonderfully inviting.
    And,