Looking Through Windows

Sally

The door closed behind her with a sharp slam, and Sally winced. She had underestimated the wind tonight, and now she was sure to have alerted the kids. Any minute now they’d be barreling into her, knocking her off balance before she’d even gotten her coat off. She waited, but there was no sound of pitter-patter of little feet – or the stampede she was so accustomed to hearing. She strained her ears to hear any sign of life, and picked up something. Whimpering?

Frowning, Sally headed for Cole’s room. The rambunctious seven-year old was usually the first to greet her. Had he gotten into an argument with Charley over who would get to open the first gift of the night? Charley could be a bit on the bossy side, but she always looked out for her little brother.

Sally knocked on the door and the whimpering came to an abrupt halt. She knocked again, announcing herself before turning the knob. The sight made her heart clench. On the bed was Cole, dressed in his blue PJ’s, hugging his knees to his chest and wiping tears from his cheeks.

“Hi, honey,” Sally said soothingly and carefully approached the bed. “What’s going on?”

Cole just shook his head. She took a seat beside him, taking stock of the room. There were toys all over the place and books that looked to have been ripped off the shelves.

“Doing some redecorating?” she asked lightly.

“I got angry,” he admitted with a broken voice and through clenched jaws. “Charley wouldn’t let me help with the gingerbread house.”

Ah. Yes, that would make sense. Charley was a perfectionist right down to her fingertips. Just like her mom back in the day. Back when Carole was the perfect older sister and got all A’s, back when she married Eric after graduating from an Ivy League college, back when she had a high-flying career.

“Where’s your sister now?”

“Don’t know.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll tell you what. If you clean up in here, I’ll go see what your mom and sister are up to, and then we’ll all head out.”

“Mom’s in the shower.”

“Okay. I’ll go find Charley first, then.”

Sally left the room but didn’t close the door behind her. She could hear Cole sighing but shuffling around, presumably tidying up his room. She headed for the kitchen, where she was sure she’d find Charley assembling the infamous gingerbread house. When she got there, though, there was only a heap of smashed gingerbread on the counter and the kitchen door was wedged open. No wonder the front door had slammed with the draft.

“Charley?” Sally popped her head out the door, squinting to make out any shapes in the dark. There was a sudden thunk and Charley’s voice called out.

“Oh, hi, aunt Sally. I’m just taking out the trash. I’ll be right in.”

Sally frowned. It was freezing outside. Why would she be hanging around the garbage bin for this long? Sensing something wasn’t right, Sally headed outside.

“I’ll help.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to, I was just-“ Charley closed the lid and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Cole made a mess of the gingerbread house.”

“I heard. What have you got there?” Sally asked, looking past her niece to the plastic bucket on the ground behind her.

“Oh. Just… trash.”

Sally walked around to pick it up, hearing a sigh leave Charley’s lips as she did so. There were empty bottles in there. The chill of the winter wind had nothing on the chill going through Sally’s body as she opened the lid to the garbage bin. Bottles wrapped in paper, carefully stacked.

“Oh, Charley…” Sally felt tears well up and she crushed her niece to her chest. “Go inside and get cleaned up. I’m taking you and Cole out for a drive.”

“But Mom-“

“I’ll go talk to her now. Go on, get inside. It’s freezing out here.”

Sally watched as her niece briskly walked indoors and hugged herself against the cold. She threw the last of the bottles into the bin, purposely shattering them. The noise brought a thin figure to the window and she looked back at her older sister. They stood there and stared at each other for what seemed like forever until Carole looked away. The snow crackled sharp as shards of glass under her boots as Sally walked back inside.