Subj: A Christmas Story- A Parallel Christmas ch 3
Date: 12/11/00 10:51:08 PM Central Standard Time
From: Melissa
"Mrs. Johnson I could eat your mashed potatoes and stuffing forever," Carolyn said taking the last forkful of her potatoes to her mouth.
"You always did like those the best," Mrs. Johnson said getting up from her seat beside David and Julia.
"It was a lovely dinner," Julia said.
"Thank you Dr. Hoffman," she said.
"And thank you for sharing it with us," Elizabeth said helping her with the dishes. "Why don't you go home, we can take care of everything."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, you go and have fun at your son's, and we'll see you in a week."
"Well thank you Mrs. Stoddard," Mrs. Johnson said and got her coat.
"Good night," Vicki said.
"Thank you all," Mrs. Johnson said as she closed the door.
The family all went into the drawing room, and Roger poured brandies for the adults.
"Are we going to open our presents now," David asked.
"Not yet David, you know that we always wait until midnight," said his father.
"Let's sing some Christmas carols," Elizabeth suggested.
Vicki began to sing Have Yourself a Merry Christmas. Carolyn was only half listening, she was watching Barnabas and Julia. He was really putting the moves on Julia.
She had seen him like this with Maggie, Vicki, and most of the other pretty girls in Collinsport, but never with Julia. She had seen Julia sulking by the fireplace before, and if she had kept it up Carolyn was sure that she was going to give a piece of her mind. But once Barnabas arrived, a totally different Julia emerged.
Carolyn didn't know what to make of it. The sound of her mother's voice brought her out of her thoughts.
"Carolyn would you sing us the song you're going to sing at the pageant?"
"Of course Mother," Carolyn said she went over to the stereo and put in the CD. The pageant was in two weeks; she was going to win the Miss Maine Pageant. She had already won the Miss Collinsport Contest, not that there was much competition, only Maggie Evans, who came in second.
The music and the back ground singers began to play, and Carolyn waited for her cue, "Santa baby just slip a sable under the tree for me, been an awful good girl Santa baby so hurry down the chimney tonight," she sang seductively.
David made faces at Carolyn who stuck her tongue out. When the song was over everyone clapped, "That was great Kitten, but do you think that it's a good idea to stick out your tongue?" Roger asked.
"David was making fun of me Uncle Roger," she said, "So you like it?"
"Yes you were wonderful," Elizabeth said.
The family sang some more songs, and then Elizabeth brought out the Christmas album.
"Remember the year that David was worried that Santa wouldn't come because the Grinch was going to come instead."
"That was after he saw How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the first time," Roger said laughing.
"Shut up Carolyn," David said throwing a pillow at Carolyn.
"David it's all right that we're not making fun of you, we all have a memory that we rather forget."
"Yeah remember when I baked all those cookies, and instead of sugar I used salt," Carolyn said. "Those cookies looked so good, but they were awful. I can still see your face Uncle Roger."
"Yes, and unfortunately I can still taste them," Roger said.
The grandfather clock in the hall struck twelve, Roger raised his glass of brandy and said, "Merry Christmas everyone."