The Christmas House Read Free Page A

sight or even parked on the street. The nexus of the desolate street and the large family celebration inside the house on Festive Lane seemed peculiar and illogical.
                 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    C hapter 2- Christmas Day Approaches
     
    December 24th
    148 Festive Lane
    11:45 p.m.
     
         The party was still going strong as the grandfather clock ticked closer to midnight and the advent of Christmas Day would soon find it’s way to the old dilapidated house. Martha was sitting in a large cloth upholstered, dark burgundy Queen Anne style chair. She struggled to keep her eyes open but it was of little use. It had been a very long day and she was totally exhausted. As she drifted off into a sound sleep, her guests went about visiting with one another. The few children at the party were playing with several dogs in the family room that was toward the back of the house. A younger couple in their late twenties, walked hand in hand to the foyer that led to the second level of the mansion. As they ascended the carpeted stairway, they glanced down to the lower level to see if their actions were noticed. The guests down below were absorbed with each other and not a soul was aware of the absence of the young couple.
         The couple reached the second floor and proceeded down a dimly lit long narrow hallway. They walked in a deliberate fashion as if they knew their way and passed several closed doors on either side of the corridor. As they reached the end of the hallway, they stopped at the very last door on the right. The entrance to this room was complete with a dark wood six-panel door that hosted a tarnished brass doorknob. A Pewter colored plaque affixed to the door at eye level was engraved with the words, “Guest Room”. The young man reached for the doorknob and twisted it to the right as the door opened with a slight creak.
         The room was obviously a guest bedroom but was adorned in regal fashion. The furnishings were antique in style but unlike the rest of the furnishings in the house, this room showed no sign of wear or damage. The bed was a solid, dark wood frame with four tall hand-carved posters, one in each corner. The ceiling of the room was at least 12 feet high and was constructed of inlaid copper tinted foil. The double hung windows boasted beautiful ivory satin window coverings that appeared to be brand new. The top of each treatment had a wide swag in perfect folds and was complemented by extra full pleated draperies below. There was a cherry wood dresser directly across from the bed that was a matching piece to the frame. A large ornate gold-framed looking glass was centered on the chiffonnier. An old fashioned white with blue flowers porcelain wash basin and pitcher set on the far left side as well as a lace doily runner that flowed off each end of the antique bureau.
         The couple entered the room and the young man closed the door behind them. Their tryst was complete. As he walked over to a small two-drawer night stand that sat along the right side of the large queen size bed, the attractive young woman took her place quietly on the opposite side of the bed. The young man lit a long white candle that sat in a polished brass holder with a small finger handle on its base. The candle softly illuminated the room as he turned off the overhead chandelier.
          He climbed into the bed and placed his hands on the shoulders of the young woman. She softly sighed. In the distance they could hear the muffled sounds of rapid conversation overshadowed by Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas” as a holiday album played on the phonograph in the dining room below. He kissed her gently and wrapped his arms around her waist.
         “I love you with all my heart Alyce. Merry Christmas darling,” he whispered into her ear.
         She turned to him and whispered back, “and I love you my love...Merry Christmas Bill”, as they passionately