A Christmas Howl Read Free Page B

its beautiful tree was empty of people. Why go to all the trouble to put up lavish decorations for the holiday and then not enjoy looking at them?
    â€œPresents?” came a voice from above. “Did I hear someone say there were presents?” A lanky teenage boy with angular features and long, dark bangs that hid his eyes came skipping down the steps.
    â€œOf course that would get your attention, Frank.” He’d only just appeared, but Melanie already sounded exasperated by her brother. “Yes, Uncle Max and Aunt Peg brought us presents. Wasn’t that nice of them?”
    â€œLet me help you with those.” Frank whisked the boxes out of Max’s arms and headed into the living room. “And by the way,” he called back over his shoulder, “Merry Christmas!”
    â€œSame to you,” Peg replied. She hoped the boy would prove to be more interesting than his bland sister.
    â€œDon’t just stand there, Mel,” said Frank. “Go fetch the parents. Do they even know that Uncle Max and Aunt Peg are here?”
    â€œWe do now.” Eileen appeared at the back of the hallway. Striding quickly toward them, Peg’s sister-in-law pulled off an apron she was wearing over her dress and tossed it over the banister. “Honestly, you two, where are your manners? How long have Max and Peg been standing here?”
    Eileen wrapped her arms around Max and kissed him on each cheek. “Teenagers,” she said as she pulled away. “Other parents tell me they’ve survived this stage, but honestly I’m not sure it’s possible.”
    She glanced at Peg as if she thought a handshake might be appropriate. Peg was having none of it. It was bad enough that she’d had to leave her Standard Poodle at home. She wasn’t about to let her sister-in-law treat her like an interloper at Christmas dinner too. When Eileen shifted her way, Peg stepped forward with her arms out. The two women came together in an awkward embrace.
    â€œMichael?” Eileen called as she stepped back. “Max is here!”
    â€œHe and Bob are watching football,” said Melanie. “They probably can’t hear you.”
    â€œOr they don’t want to,” Eileen muttered.
    â€œI’ll go.” Melanie spun around and made a quick assessment of her looks in a mirror hanging on the side wall. Then she went scooting away.
    Eileen looked after her and sighed. “Bob is Melanie’s boyfriend,” she said for Peg’s benefit. She didn’t sound particularly happy about that fact.
    â€œSo I heard,” Peg replied. “Max has been bringing me up to speed.”
    â€œThat’s good, then. You’ll know who everybody is.”
    She should hope so, thought Peg. Considering that she’d been related to most of them for more than two decades.
    A minute passed in silence as they waited. When nobody appeared, Eileen wound her arm though Max’s. “Maybe it would be easier if we went to join them,” she said.
    Eileen led her brother-in-law away. Left to her own devices, Peg trailed along behind like a lost puppy. Her nephew, Frank, seemed to have vanished again, she noted. So much for hoping for any entertainment from him.
    â€œDinner is in an hour,” Eileen was saying. Her voice was high and chirpy. Peg wondered if it always sounded that way or if that was her holiday voice. “And of course you’ll want a drink beforehand. Some eggnog to celebrate the day? Or Scotch? Michael has an excellent bottle of Chivas in the library. If you ask nicely, he might be persuaded to share.”
    Eileen laughed at her own joke. Max didn’t look as though he thought it was particularly funny, but after a moment, he joined in anyway.
    â€œI’ll have eggnog,” Peg said to herself. “Not that anybody cares.”
    â€œOf course you will,” Eileen replied.
    Peg wondered what that comment meant. She didn’t dare ask.
    The