An Island Christmas by Nancy Thayer

looks with the piles of different uniforms she tossed on the chairs, over her desk, and on the floor. Her mother had attended all her games and never fussed about the piles of dirty uniforms to be washed.
    Lying here on her soft bed, as daylight dawned, as her new life was about to begin, Felicia struggled to deal with her deepest fears, that she would never have a baby. At the same time, she was insulted that her mother didn’t appreciate how wonderful Archie was, and how much Felicia loved him. She and Archie would be here only three more days. After the wedding and reception, they were moving to a hotel for the night before having a delayed Christmasdinner with the family. Then they were flying to California to begin the first leg of their honeymoon.
    Lauren and her family were arriving this morning and Archie’s mother was flying in this afternoon. With all the coming and going and cooking and eating, Felicia and Archie would be only part of a massive shifting family celebration, like two arms of an octopus.
    And Felicia’s mind was like a goldfish, swimming in circles, going nowhere. Felicia threw back her violet duvet, slipped into her robe, left her fiancé with his big feet sticking out of the end of a twin bed, and dashed across the hall for a quick shower before the day began.

11
 
    “Bring two cars,” Lauren had advised over the phone from Boston, while in the background her husband, Porter, yelled, “Bring a U-Haul!”
    Felicia remembered her sister’s words as she and Archie helped Lauren, Porter, Lawrence, and Portia carry their backpacks, suitcases, duffel bags, and mysterious brown boxes from the baggage claim at the Nantucket airport. She was trying not to feel overwhelmed at the astonishing amount of luggage her sister’s family required, but she reminded herself that first of all, they had brought Christmas presents and more important, Lauren had brought not only Felicia’s wedding gown, but undoubtedly a dress for Lauren to wear to the wedding which would be much more eye-catching than Felicia’s.
    Oh, drat, there she went again. Why was it that the moment she set eyes on her older sister, Felicia morphed from a happy normal woman into a sniveling green-eyed monster? But damn, Lauren looked amazing. Lauren was tiny and curvy in all the right places. Even her long highlightedblond hair was curvy. While Felicia wore a North Face down parka—she was only going to the airport after all—Lauren was clad in a form-fitting black suede coat with black faux fur around the cuffs and hem and high-heeled black boots. Her matching black faux fur hat gave her a sophisticated air. Her only normal accessory was her husband, Porter, a nice enough looking man wearing a camel’s hair coat and a genuinely happy smile.
    “Portia! Stop! I told you, watch for cars! Lawrence, are you sure you don’t have to use the bathroom before we get in the car? Portia, don’t drag your backpack!” Lauren fired out orders to her children as they progressed in a ragged cluster through the parking lot to the cars. “What did you say, Felicia?”
    “I asked how your trip was.”
    Before Lauren could answer, Lawrence yelled, “I want to ride in the big car!” while Portia jumped up and down, begging, “I want to ride with Daddy.”
    “I want to ride with Daddy, too!” yelled Lawrence.
    Archie, who had experience with groups on rafting tours, silently opened the trunks of both vehicles and began loading in the luggage.
    “Porter, don’t forget we have to put the booster seats in for the children.” Glancing at Felicia, Lauren told her, “It’s the law in Massachusetts.”
    Felicia had a slightly wicked idea. “Archie, honey, why don’t you take Porter and the children in Dad’s SUV, and I’ll drive my sister in Mom’s car?” She felt guilty stickingthe exuberant children with Archie, but he was a good sport and this would give her an opportunity for a few private moments with her sister before they hit their