Marriage Matters

Seventy-six

It was tradition for Chloe, June, Kristine and Kevin to attend church together on Christmas Eve. June always marched down the aisle with her head held high, decked out in the most dramatic red suit she could find. She sang the holy carols loud and off-key and each year, ended the evening with a full heart.

Except for this year.

Even though it was the first Christmas with Charley by her side, June felt as though her family had gotten smaller. That afternoon, Kevin called the house and asked if he could come to the ceremony with them. Kristine held up her hand before June could even ask the question. “No.” Her face was drawn. “Tell him I’m sorry, but I really need this time.”

June had been tempted to ignore her daughter’s wishes. To tell Kevin he was always welcome as a member of her family. But she didn’t dare. If there was any hope of the two reconciling, it was clearly going to have to be at her daughter’s pace.

Still, June’s heart ached at the thought of leaving her son-in-law all alone on Christmas. Yes, he had missed more than one holiday in the past, thanks to a delayed flight or the typical travel nonsense, but to actually be in town and denied the opportunity to be with his wife and daughter? That just broke June’s heart.

After church, June laid out her usual spread of Christmas Eve goodies on the dining room table. Meatballs from the corner deli, served in a sweet sauce. Sugar cookies from that bakery down the street. A bowl of holiday popcorn, fresh and crunchy from Garrett’s. Crackers and cheese, chilled cocktail shrimp and, for health, a veggie tray.

Once the snacks were set out, she turned on Christmas music. Settling into her chair in the parlor, she watched Kristine, Chloe and Charley sip on mulled wine and admire the holiday decorations.

“It’s so festive in here,” Kristine said, her voice quiet.

“I know. I’ve always loved those stockings,” Chloe said. Getting up from her chair, she walked over to touch them. They were crushed red velvet with iron-on patches of Santa and his elves in the workshop. Each family member’s name was neatly embroidered at the top. This year, June had ordered one for Charley.

As Chloe touched her father’s stocking, she gave June a questioning look. June sniffed, lifting her chin. “Your father is a member of this family, whether everyone in this room believes it or not.”

Kristine sighed. She looked out the window as though contemplating an escape.

“Don’t even think about it,” June told her. “Or I’ll fill your stocking with coal.”

Kristine shook her head and gave a tiny smile.

Reaching for a meatball from her tiny hors d’oeuvre plate, June wondered if this would be the last year they would uphold their Christmas Eve tradition. Charley had a place in Naples that he migrated to when the snow hit. He mentioned that it might be nice to spend the winters down there, together.

The idea of wintering in Florida was certainly something to consider. June had never dreamed she’d live anywhere other than Chicago, but Charley made Naples sound so lovely. It might be nice to get vitamin C from fresh oranges, learn more about that frustrating game of golf and, of course, start a tropical garden. But if Kristine did not resolve her marital problems, June couldn’t leave her all alone.

“Are you excited about our wedding, my love?” Charley was sitting next to her on the couch, his feet up on the ottoman and his hands wrapped around a mug of mulled wine. Placing it on a reindeer coaster, he put a comforting arm around June.

June thought for a moment. “I’m disappointed,” she said simply.

Kristine ducked her head and looked at Chloe, who was staring down at her hands.

“Grandma, I’m sorry.” The poor girl said this for what very well could have been the hundredth time. “I know that you’re disappointed that I’m not going to marry—”

“No, no, no.” June held up her hand. The left one, of course, so that her new diamond ring could sparkle. “That is not what I mean.” She took a deep breath. “I am simply disappointed that I will be standing up at the altar, without my family by my side. The truth is, it takes a family to make a marriage work. And as the leader of this family, I should have stepped in a long time ago.”

Charley gave a slight nod.

June turned to her granddaughter. “I am delighted you are not going to marry Geoff. You didn’t love him and marriage is hard enough if you don’t have that to hold you together. And as for you, Kristine . . .”

She lifted her pretty blue eyes. “Yes?”

June sniffed. “I think it is absolutely shameful that you will not be standing up there at that altar with me.”

“Mother,” she protested. “I am not going to talk about—”

“Regardless.” June waved her hand, as though to brush away the topic. “I am most certainly looking forward to my wedding. But I will not sit here and say that I can walk down the aisle in good conscience, knowing that my house isn’t resolved.”

“You can, Grandma,” Chloe said. “Mom and I are going to be just fine.”

Pointedly, June looked at Kevin’s stocking hanging up on the mantel. “Well. It’s not you and your mother who I’m worried about.”