“Fa la la la la!” Anna’s voice rang out from the front hallway.
“Come on in,” Aaron called as Anna and Lola bustled into the living room carrying bags stuffed with sparkly decorations.
David blinked at his sister. “Anna—your hair! It’s…”
She turned her head side to side as she ran her hand over her chopped blond hair. “Short? It’s called a… Lola, what’s it called?”
“A bob,” Lola answered. She’d taken Anna under her wing. Lola’s brown hair was cut in the same short style, but she had a streak of outrageous color through it that was currently green and was different almost every time David saw her. He was secretly relieved Anna’s hair wasn’t colored. Since she’d turned eighteen and left Zebulon that summer, she’d found work as a live-in nanny and housekeeper for a wealthy family. David didn’t think they’d be too pleased if she came home with strange hair. Maybe he was old-fashioned, but Anna’s golden hair was lovely the way it was.
Anna bit her lip. “Do you like it, David?”
He realized he was staring. “Of course! It looks very pretty.” He held out his arms for a hug and gave Anna a squeeze. “I’ve just never seen you with short hair.”
She stepped back and shrugged. “I figured it’s been six months since I’ve been living English, and it was time to shake things up.”
Aaron and Isaac came through the dining room carrying bowls of snacks. They greeted Lola and hugged Anna, complimenting her haircut. David couldn’t help wondering what Mother would think of Anna’s hair. She certainly wouldn’t like it.
The pang of longing that accompanied any thoughts of his mother and other sisters back in Zebulon sank through him heavily. It had been a couple of months since they’d had any letters from either of their families. They worried, but at least their English friend June lived close to Zebulon and would tell them if anything bad happened.
He pushed the thoughts away. It hurt far too much to think of his family in Zebulon. All he could do was focus on his new family. He kissed Isaac lightly, and Isaac gave him a quizzical smile.
“Okay?” Isaac murmured.
“Mmm-hmm. Just happy.” It was mostly true.
“Isaac, I brought you that book we have to read for history. I finished it, so you don’t have to buy it now.” Lola fished a paperback out of one of her bags.
“Awesome, thanks.” Isaac peered at the book. “I’m going to wait until after Christmas to read it. World War II was really sad. There’s so much stuff we never learned about at all growing up.”
Aaron snorted. “Yeah, hard to learn much when they want to keep us ignorant of anything except Amish ways.” He shook his head. “Let’s not talk about that, or I’ll just end up on my soapbox, and no one wants that. Let’s get this decorating party started.”
Aaron offered him a beer, but David took a soda. Although he didn’t drink to numb himself anymore, he was careful not to slip back into old habits. As Anna shrugged out of her hoodie, David noticed her shirt was rather low-cut, just like Lola’s. Anna was quite slim and didn’t have as much to show off as Lola, yet somehow her chest looked bigger than usual. Maybe it was one of those pushy bras that girls wore sometimes.
Isaac followed his gaze and smirked before tugging David with him into the bright kitchen. “If you keep frowning so much your face will stay that way.”
David chuckled. “But don’t you think that shirt is a little…” He sighed. “I don’t want boys getting the wrong idea about my sister.”
“Anna’s not dumb, David. Jen gave her the whole safe-sex talk. Besides, she’s eighteen. When I was eighteen, you were having sex with me. I’m only nineteen now. So why shouldn’t she go out with boys and wear what she wants?”
“I know, I know.” David picked up a tray of cookies Aaron had baked. They made the whole town house smell like butter and chocolate, and he couldn’t resist taking a bite. “She’s still my baby sister. What if it was Katie dating English boys?”
It was Isaac’s turn to frown. “I see your point.”
“I just don’t want her to get hurt.” His other sisters were out of his reach back in Zebulon, and he had to trust that his mother’s new husband was taking care of them. For so many years after his father had died, David had been responsible for his family. It was only Anna with him now, and he wouldn’t let her down. “But you’re right—she’s a smart girl. She always has been. And her hair does look very nice.”
“It does. This isn’t a time for worrying. It’s for spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear.”
“Are you going to start singing?” David grinned. There was a television channel that seemed to play only holiday movies, and they’d watched one every night that week.
“I might.” Isaac plucked a cookie off the tray and beamed. “Our very first English Christmas.”
David smiled and gave him a soft kiss. “Maybe next year we can do our own tree in our very own house.”
Aaron breezed into the kitchen, his bare feet slapping on the pale hardwood floor. With his blue eyes and light blond hair, he and Isaac didn’t look much alike, but their smiles were the same. “Speaking of which, no luck with the house hunt?” Aaron washed his hands at the sink and wiped them on his jeans before going to work chopping carrots and peppers for a vegetable tray.
Isaac and David shook their heads.
“Well, you know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.”
“But you’re not charging us nearly enough for rent,” Isaac replied. “You wouldn’t believe how much these places are.”
“Oh, I believe it.” Aaron grimaced. “Prices are insane in the Bay Area. And yes, we’re charging you plenty considering we don’t want to charge you anything at all. Isaac, you and David have been working your asses off building furniture.” He chopped a red pepper into strips with quick movements.
David wondered what Mrs. Byler would think if she saw how skilled her son was in the kitchen. Would she be completely horrified, or maybe just a little bit proud?
Aaron went on. “You guys paid us back for the stuff we bought you when you first came here, and your rent is more than enough. Save your money.” He scraped the vegetables onto the tray with his knife. “Can you grab the dips from the fridge and then help me bring in the tree?”
Pine needles scratched David’s face as he helped haul the tree in from outside and fasten it into a stand in front of the big picture window in the living room that overlooked the steep street. They all stood back and admired it.
“Good thing we brought extra decorations,” Lola noted. “That is one mofo of a Christmas tree.”
“Yep.” Aaron grinned. “Jen and I always just did a little tree, but we’re going all out this year. Too bad she had to cover a shift at the hospital. It’ll be a nice surprise for when she gets home.”
As they went to work untangling the strands of colored bulbs, Lola asked, “So what’s Amish Christmas like? Guess it’s slightly less flashy and consumer-based.”
They all laughed, and Isaac held his finger and thumb apart. “Just a tiny bit. No tree or decorations, and hardly any presents. Usually my parents put candy in our shoes. That was it. I mean, we didn’t have any decorations in our houses normally, so there was definitely nothing special going up at Christmas. We were supposed to be thinking about Jesus and everything.” He quickly added, “Not that I won’t think about Jesus on Christmas this year.”
Aaron clapped a hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, little brother. You can enjoy all the decorations and gifts and fun stuff about Christmas. I’m sure God won’t mind. And even though I’m not religious anymore, it’s a cultural holiday, and I can still enjoy all the fun stuff too. It’s a win-win.”
“So I guess there was no Santa Claus coming down the chimney in Amish country?” Lola asked.
“I had no idea who Santa was,” Anna said. “I didn’t really understand it until last month; the kids were delighted to explain it all in great detail. They are very concerned with being on the nice list. Oh, I forgot to tell you that the Parkers said I can have the whole week off at Christmas, so I can come and stay if that’s okay? I won’t know what to do with myself without a house to clean and kids to chase.”
Aaron winked. “Don’t worry, we’ll put you to work. You can help me make the pies. Shoofly, apple, and maybe strawberry if we can find some good ones. Jen’s family will love them.”
“We’re going to have pie?” David smiled at the thought. “That’ll make it seem more like home.”
“So you didn’t have decorations or a tree or presents, but you had pie?” Lola asked. “Hard to go wrong with pie.”
“We had a huge feast,” Isaac answered. “That’s really what Christmas was about. Going visiting and having roast and pie and candy. So much food. On Christmas and Old Christmas too.”
Lola’s brows drew together as she triumphantly untangled a line of lights and passed them to Aaron. “Wait, what’s Old Christmas?”
“January sixth,” Isaac said. “We’d fast in the mornings, and it was more…serious, I guess. We did still get to have pie and a big dinner later.”
“On regular Christmas, David would always make us little toys and hide them under our beds.” Anna gave him a smile as she unrolled a long, glittering red rope that was called a garland according to its package.
Aaron turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. “There. The perfect accompaniment to tree trimming.”
David peered at the screen. It showed a fireplace with burning wood, and…that was it. Bells jingled in the merry song playing. He looked at Isaac, who appeared as confused as David felt. “Is that…a show?” David asked.
“They do it at the holidays every year,” Aaron explained. “It’s just supposed to be on in the background.”
“Huh.” Isaac tilted his head. “It’s kind of nice.” A new song started, and he said, “Oh, we sang this one at church last week! Remember, David? It was really fun.”
David nodded with a smile. As he took the lid off a box of ice-blue ornaments, he hummed “Joy to the World” along with Isaac. It was quite a change from the German dirges they’d sung at Amish church. Their Unitarian church was so much fun, and no one minded that he and Isaac were gay. David had never thought he’d actually look forward to Sundays.
They ate and laughed and sang as they decorated the tree. When they finished, it was covered in lights, garlands, glittering decorations, and strings of silver called tinsel. Aaron gave Isaac the star to put on top, and then they turned off the lamps in the living room. It was dark but for the pale glow of the streetlights outside as Aaron got down on his hands and knees to plug in the tree’s lights.
The tree burst into glorious life with red, green, blue, yellow, and pink lights strung around it and a sparkling star on top. David couldn’t stop a little gasp, and Anna clapped while Isaac grinned from ear to ear.
“It’s almost like magic!” Isaac exclaimed.
It was the most vain, worldly thing David had ever seen, and here it was right in the living room. In the tree’s rainbow glow, David watched his Isaac laugh joyfully, and it was glorious.
“Hey.” Jen smiled wanly as she shuffled into the living room in her scrubs and fuzzy slippers. Her long dark curls were knotted on her head, and she yawned widely before noticing the tree. “Oh my God! You guys, that looks amazing. I love it!”
Isaac grinned. Jen worked so hard, and he loved seeing her happy. Anna and Lola had left before it got too late, and now David, Isaac, and Aaron were sprawled on the sectional couch. Jen leaned over to kiss Aaron lightly as he paused the movie.
“Tough day in the ER?” Aaron asked, rubbing her hip.
“Long-ass day involving too many people who don’t wear their damn seat belts. But I see you guys were very productive. Strong work.” She stretched her arms over her head. “Oh, my mom wants to make sure you boys and Anna are coming for Christmas Eve. I assured her you wouldn’t miss a chance to eat her chicken adobo.”
“We’d definitely never miss that,” David answered.
Aaron grinned. “I’ve already regaled them with tales of Filipino Christmas and the culinary delights to be discovered.”
“All right, I’m going to go upstairs and watch the latest episode of The Bachelor or something equally ridiculous.” She gave a wave as she headed through the dining room.
“Your dinner’s on the counter. Just nuke it for a minute,” Aaron called after her.
Isaac and David shared a glance, and Isaac said loudly, “You can watch your program down here, Jen. We don’t mind.”
She popped her head back around the corner. “That’s okay, sweetie. I need some alone time.”
David frowned. “But…”
“It’s fine.” Aaron waved a hand dismissively and pressed the remote. The screech of rubber tires on pavement filled the room as the police in the movie chased the bank robbers.
Lowering his voice, Isaac murmured, “But it’s her house. She shouldn’t have to go upstairs to watch TV.”
Aaron insisted, “She wants to go upstairs. You heard her—she needs some alone time.”
Jen passed by in the hallway with her plate and a bottle of beer. “Night.”
When she was gone, David said, “She needs alone time because we’re here too much.”
“What?” Aaron shook his head. “No, it’s because she’s tired and wants to be alone. If it was just me here, she would have done exactly the same thing. Trust me. She’s surrounded by people at the hospital, and she needs to be alone for a bit to recharge her batteries. She’s an extroverted introvert. It’s got nothing to do with you guys.”
“Okay,” Isaac said, making a mental note to look up “extrovert” and “introvert” later. “If you’re sure.”
“Positive.”
As they watched cars explode and plummet off a bridge, Isaac couldn’t get it off his mind. He could sense David’s tension beside him too. It had been almost a year that they’d been living with Aaron and Jen. They’d never once made Isaac and David feel unwelcome, but Isaac knew they’d all be happier living apart. Just the other day, David had come home with a migraine. The city was so noisy, and David loved his peace and quiet.
Isaac couldn’t get the house they’d seen the day before out of his head. If only the rent was a little less, they could do without some things to afford it. It hadn’t even been fancy—there were lots of things that needed to be fixed in both the houses Margery had shown them. Isaac made a mental list of all the things he’d fix up if they were his houses.
Then he had an idea.