The Malik family got to work, and a short while later stood back to admire their handiwork. Their very first Christmas tree was swathedin three shawls that ran the gamut of red, yellow, and purple in chiffon, satin, and wool. Interspersed between were shiny flashes of costume jewelry, each individual earring, necklace, and bracelet catching the light. On Esa’s suggestion, they decided to top the tree with a bright-red wool hat with a jaunty pom-pom, in honor of the Alaskan chill.
“It’s beautiful,” Sameera said, standing back to admire their tree.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Tom said, looking at her. Beside them, Esa mimed sticking a finger down his throat, but Sameera didn’t mind. She would take her brother’s jokes and teasing over his chilly silence any day.
“It looks a little bare underneath,” Barb said. “We’ll bring over the presents Santa got for you all from the big house later.”
Tahsin, who had been smiling in satisfaction at the tree, now frowned. “Oh yes, presents. We have some for you as well. Santa just had some trouble with the local customs officer.” She shot Sameera an annoyed look; clearly, her mother had not forgiven her for the luggage check their first night.
Barb waved her hand away. “Oh, you didn’t have to get us anything! Just being here with us over the holidays is a gift.” She tugged on Rob’s hand, but her husband’s eyes were still lingering on the small Popsicle-stick ornament. “We’ll let you rest after all the excitement today. Come along, Cal, Tom.”
Once the Cookes had left, Tahsin whirled on Sameera. “We must return to town immediately.”
“Why?” Sameera asked.
“You would have me show up empty-handed to a Christmas celebration? I would never recover from the shame,” Tahsin said, reaching for her jacket and pulling on her boots. “Naveed, we have a lot of shopping to do.”
“But Barb said it was fine ...” Sameera started. Tahsin held up her hand.
“Since you threw out the thoughtful gifts Ididpack, you can come with me to pick out new ones.”
“Anything is better than a chocolate crucifix and karaoke Santa,” Sameera muttered, but she took her mother’s point.
“I have to pick up a few things, too,” Esa said, careful to keep his voice casual. Sameera was immediately suspicious, but Tahsin beamed at her youngest child.
“You want to buy a nice gift for our hosts? Such a generous boy,” she said.
“I certainly am,” Esa agreed. “Can I borrow a couple hundred dollars? You can’t put a price on good manners.”
That settled it. If Esa was going shopping with their parents, she would have no excuse not to join. Someone had to make sure they stayed out of trouble. She thought of the work waiting for her, and her half-finished pitch for Andy. It was Christmas Eve tomorrow, and she would buckle down and finish it all later, she promised herself. Andy wasn’t expected until Christmas Day, anyway, according to that video message to Tom. Tonight she would make herself a double—no, triple—shot of espresso, stay up late finishing her pitch, and put a dent in her billable hours. It would be fine. There was plenty of time.
Besides, it had been nice, trimming the Christmas tree with her mother’s trinkets and dopattas. WatchingHome Alonelast night with her family had been nice, too. Same with the holiday scavenger hunt, though perhaps not the confrontation with Jan.
“Coming, Sameera?” Esa asked, pausing by the door. There was a challenge in his gaze, and the tiniest tinge of hope in the question.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” she said. Sameera reached for her boots and followed her family outside.
Chapter Thirteen
Rob offered her father the keys to the truck for their trip back to town, which Naveed promptly passed to Sameera.
“She’s the designated driver,” he explained.
“That doesn’t mean what you think it means, Dad,” Sameera said, leading the way outside. Part of her was relieved Tom hadn’t offered to accompany them. She needed a break from his relentlessly charming, handsome presence. Their last conversation had been laced with an intimacy she didn’t have the energy or space for in her life.Andy, my job, my family,she reminded herself. Those were her priorities over the holidays. Definitely not enjoying Tom’s smile, hands, words, or attention.
The drive was lively as everyone discussed the scavenger hunt and their first impressions of the village. Sameera also learned that Nadiya had been in touch with their parents and that her sister had asked for regular updates on how events were transpiring in Alaska, even though she couldn’t be bothered to respond to Sameera’s texts. Which was fine.
Esa asked her to stop the car in the middle of the intersection and jumped out before they could ask where he was headed, promising he would find them when he was done.
“Should he be allowed to go off on his own like that?” Sameera asked. “He’s just a kid.”
Tahsin and Naveed exchanged a bemused glance. “He’s almost sixteen, and it’s a small village. We’re happy he’s enjoying himself,” Naveed soothed.
Her father was right. Esa probably needed a bit of space, in any case. She certainly had, at his age, though she hadn’t gotten much of it. Maybe her parents had changed their parenting approach in the years since she was a teenager.
“How has he been?” she asked awkwardly as she pulled into a small parking lot and neatly maneuvered the truck into a spot at the back.
“Alhamdulillah,” Naveed said, and her ears perked up. Though the phrase translated to “praise be to God,” “Alhamdulillah” was actually the Muslim equivalent of “I’m fine, we’re fine, everything is fine.”
