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other； an ageless wonder even more terrifying than Jude herself； was also in on the fray。 She was pointing directions to poor Ned； and her directions were in sharp conflict to those of Jude。 String them here； string them there。 That branch； no that other branch。 Can't you see that gap there？ What on earth are you looking at？ Meanwhile； Rocky Becker； their twenty…year…old dropout； was sitting on the sofa with a can of something； laughing at them and offering advice that was apparently being ignored。 He was the only one laughing； though。
The scene made Luther smile。 It reinforced his wisdom； made him proud of his decision to simply avoid the whole mess。
He shuffled along； filling his haughty lungs with the cool air； happy that for the first time in his life he was eliminating the dreaded ritual of the tree trimming。 Two doors down he stopped and watched the Frohmeyer clan assault an eight…foot spruce。 Mr。 Frohmeyer had brought two kids to the marriage。 Mrs。 Frohmeyer had arrived with three of her own； after which they produced another； making six； the eldest of which was no more than twelve。 The entire brood was hanging ornaments and tinsel。 At some point during every December Luther overheard one of the neighborhood women ment on just how awful the Frohmeyer tree looked。 As if he cared。
Awful or not； they were certainly having a wonderful time draping it with tacky decorations。 Frohmeyer did research at the university； 110；000 a year was the rumor； but with six kids there wasn't much to show for it。 Their tree would be the last to e down after New Year's。
Luther turned around and headed home。 At the Beckers'； Ned was on the sofa with an icepack on his shoulder； Jude hovering over him； lecturing with her finger。 The ladder was on its side； being inspected by the mother…in…law。 Whatever the cause of the fall； there was no doubt that all blame would be placed on poor Ned。
Great； thought Luther。 Now I'll have to listen to details of another ailment for the next four months。 e to think of it； Ned Becker had fallen off that ladder before； five maybe six years earlier。 Crashed into the tree and knocked the whole thing oven Broke Jude's keepsake ornaments。 She'd pouted for a year。
What madness； thought Luther。
Four
Nora and two friends had just captured a table at their favorite deli； a converted service station that still sold gas but had also added designer sandwiches and latte at three bucks a cup。 As always； it was packed at noon； and the long lines attracted even more folks。
It was a working lunch。 Candi and Merry were the other two members of a mittee to oversee an auction for the art museum。 Around most of the other tables； similar fund…raisers were being plotted with great effort。
Nora's cell phone rang。 She apologized because she had forgotten to turn it off； but Merry insisted she take the call anyway。 Cell phones were buzzing all over the deli。
It was Aubie again； and at first she was puzzled as to how he had obtained her number。 But then； she routinely gave it away。
〃It's Aubie from The Pumpkin Seed； she explained to Candi and Merry； thereby linking them to the conversation。 They nodded with disinterest。 Presumably； everybody knew Aubie from The Pumpkin Seed。 He had the highest prices in the world so if you shopped there you could one…up anyone when it came to stationery。
〃We forgot to discuss your party invitations；〃 Aubie said； and Nora's heart Froze。 She； too； had forgotten the invitations； and she certainly didn't want to discuss them in front of Merry and Candi。
〃Oh yes；〃 she said。 Merry had struck up a conversation with a volunteer at the next table。 Candi was scanning the deli to see who wasn't there。
〃We won't be needing them； either；〃 Nora said。
〃No party？〃 Aubie asked； his words laden with curiosity。
〃Yes； no party this year。〃
〃Well； I…〃
〃Thanks for calling； Aubie；〃 she said softly and quickly and snapped the phone shut。
〃Won't be needing what？〃 Merry asked； suddenly breaking off her other conversation and honing in on Nora。
〃No party this year？〃 Candi asked； her eyes locking on to Nora's like radar。 〃What's up？〃
Grit your teeth； Nora urged herself。 Think of beaches； warm salt water； ten days in paradise。 〃Oh that；〃 she said。 〃We're taking a cruise this year instead of doing Christmas。 Blair's gone； you know； we need a break。〃
The deli was suddenly quiet； or at least it seemed so to Nora。 Candi and Merry frowned as they replayed this news。 Nora； with Luther's words ringing in her ears； pushed the offensive。 〃Ten days on the Island Princess； a luxury liner。 Bahamas； Jamaica； Grand Cayman。 I've already lost two pounds；〃 she said with a cheerful smugness。
〃You're not doing Christmas？〃 Merry said in disbelief。
〃That's what I said；〃 Nora responded。 Merry was quick with a judgment； and years ago Nora had learned to bite back。 She stiffened； ready for a sharp word。
〃How do you simply not do Christmas？〃 Merry asked。
〃You skip it；〃 Nora replied； as if that would explain everything。
〃Sounds wonderful；〃 Candi said。
〃Then what do we do Christmas Eve？〃 Merry asked。
〃You'll think of something；〃 Nora replied。 〃There are other parties。〃
〃But none like yours。〃
〃You're sweet。〃
〃When do you leave？〃 Candi asked； dreaming now of beaches and no in…laws piled in for a week。
〃Christmas Day。 Around noon。〃 It was an odd time to leave； she had thought after Luther had booked the cruise。 If we're not celebrating Christmas； dear； she'd said； why not leave a few days earlier？ Avoid Christmas Eve while we're at it。 Eliminate the whole crazy mess。 〃What if Blair calls Christmas Eve？〃 he'd replied。 And besides； Biff got 399 knocked off the package because few people travel on the twenty…fifth。 Anyway； it was booked and paid for and nothing was going to change。
〃Then why not have the party on Christmas Eve anyway？〃 Merry asked； getting pushy； fearful that she might feel obligated to host a replacement。
〃Because we don't want to； Merry。 We're taking a break； okay。 A year off。 No Christmas whatsoever。 Nothing。 No tree； no turkey； no gifts。 We're taking the money and splurging on a cruise。 Get it？〃
〃I get it； Candi said。 〃I wish Norman would do something like that。 He wouldn't dream of it； though； afraid he'd miss twenty or so bowl games。 I'm so envious； Nora。〃
And with that Merry took a bite of her avocado sandwich。 She chewed and began glancing around the deli。 Nora knew exactly what she was thinking。 Who can I tell first？ The Kranks are slapping Christmas！ No party！ No tree！ Nothing but money in their pockets so they can blow it on a cruise。
Nora ate too； knowing that as soon as she stepped through the door over there the gossip would roar through the deli and before dinner everyone in her world would know the news。 So what？ she told herself。 It was inevitable； and why was it such a big deal？ Half would be in Candi's camp； burning with envy and dreaming along with Nora。 Half would be with Merry； seemingly appalled at the notion of simply eliminating Christmas； but even within this group of critics Nora suspected many would secretly covet their cruise。
And in three months who'd care anyway？
After a few bites they shoved t