A Bravo For Christmas

“May I please be ’scused till dessert?” asked Sylvie. “I ate everything, even my broccoli, and it was gross.”

Biting her lip to keep her expression appropriately serious, Ava turned to her daughter. “That you ate your broccoli is excellent. Broccoli is very good for you.”

“It doesn’t taste like it’s good for me. Chocolate tastes like it’s good for me.”

Ava bit her lip harder. Grandpa Paul made a faint choking sound as he tried not to laugh. Gramma Kate swatted him under the table.

Ava said, “Sylvie. What do you do when you don’t like the taste of your food?”

“I eat it or I don’t eat it,” Sylvie replied obediently. “If I don’t eat it, I don’t get dessert. But I’m not s’posed to say that I don’t like it because that is rude.”

“Very good. And saying that your broccoli is gross is the same as saying that you don’t like it.”

Sylvie wrinkled her nose but conceded, “Yeah. I guess so. I s’pose I am sorry.”

Ava nodded. “Excellent. You are excused. Clear off your place, please.”

Sylvie beamed a giant smile, displaying the wide gap where her baby teeth had been. She jumped up, grabbed her plate and trotted through the arch to the kitchen.

As soon as she was gone, Kate lowered her voice and asked, “Did you hear about Nick Yancy?”

Ava didn’t know Nick well. He was in his early twenties, a sweet cowboy and something of a star in the local rodeo. In the last few months, Nick and Jody Bravo, one of Darius’s half sisters, had become friends. Jody swore it was only that—friendship. But everyone thought Nick wanted it to be more, even though he was six or seven years younger than Jody.

And the bleak expression on her mom’s face alarmed her. “Did something happen to Nick?”

“Tractor accident,” said her father somberly.

“Oh, no. When?”

“They found him just this afternoon. The story is that a spring locking pin failed. He got crushed in a rollover. They rushed him to Justice Creek General but he died on the way.”

Ava pushed her plate away. “Now, that’s just all wrong.”

Her mom nodded. “He was a fine young man. They haven’t said yet when the service will be. I’m guessing this weekend sometime. We should be there.” Ava’s mom and dad had gone to school with Nick’s stepdad. “But we have the Idaho trip...”

Ava took the hint and volunteered, “I’ll go if I can possibly manage it.”

“That would be good.” Her dad reached across and patted her hand.

And her mom had tears in her eyes.

Nick Yancy, gone. Suddenly, that Ava had embarrassed herself with Darius Bravo didn’t matter in the least. A good man was lost. Life could be so cruel.

But then her mom said, “I saw that nice Ray Tucker at Safeway. He asked how you were doing.” Ray was a CPA now. Ava had gone out with him twice years ago, when they were both at Mountain High Junior College, before she married Craig. “I told him you were going great guns with the real estate, and he said to be sure to say hi to you.”

Ava knew where this was headed and didn’t like it in the least. She replied flatly, “If you see him again, tell him I said hi back.”

“He’s divorced now, you know. And I personally think he’s still carrying a torch for you.”

Ava leveled her sternest look on her mom. “Please don’t.”

“You should be dating. After what happened to poor Nick, it just brings it all home.”

“Mom, I know Nick Yancy was a great guy, and it’s awful that we’ve lost him so suddenly and so young. But it’s just wrong for you to use his dying as an excuse for your matchmaking.”

“I am not matchmaking.”

“Oh, yes you are.”

“I only meant that you never know what can happen, and you need to squeeze every drop of love and happiness from life while you can. Craig was a wonderful man, but it’s been six years and you’re still young, with so much to give. There’s no reason you can’t find a good man who—”

“Mom, can we just not go there tonight? Please.”

Her mother sighed and shared another meaningful glance with Ava’s dad. “I think you’re cheating yourself,” Kate said quietly at last.

“I’m very happy, Mom. I promise you. I have a brilliant, beautiful daughter, good friends and a loving family. I’m blessed with a fine house to live in. My business is booming. I don’t need a man to make my life complete.” As she spoke, she had a sudden, vivid image of Darius in his paper crown and pop beads. She felt her cheeks flame bright pink. Dear Lord, she would have to see him on Thursday at Clara’s house. How awkward was that going to be?

Better not to even think about it.

Her mother asked anxiously, “Honey, are you okay? You look a little feverish.”

“I’m perfect,” Ava said firmly, and she reminded herself yet again that what she’d said to Darius didn’t matter in the least. “Now, let me clear off. I’ll get the coffee going and dish up the apple pie à la mode.”

Her parents stayed until after Sylvie was in bed. As they went out the door, Ava pulled her mom back for a moment and pressed a check for six hundred dollars into her hand.

“Oh, honey. You don’t have to do that,” her mother protested softly.

“But I want to. Gas for the trip. And I know you’re going to send flowers for Nick Yancy from the family. This should help with that, too.” She’d been giving them money since she got her first babysitting job. At least now she could afford it. Back then, it had been tough to part with each and every one of those hard-earned dollars.

“You’re the best daughter I ever had,” said Kate, same as she always did when Ava helped her out a little.

And as always, Ava replied, “I’m your only daughter, so I’d better be the best.”

Kate grabbed her close for a hug. “Thanks, baby.”

“You’re welcome. Love you, Mom...”

* * *

Thanksgiving with the Bravos. It should have been great.

Ava had been looking forward to all the warmth and good times of a big family get-together—but minus her bossy brothers and her mother’s relentless attempts to get her to start dating again. However, no matter how often Ava lectured herself about keeping things in perspective, her own cringe-worthy behavior at the Blueberry troop clubhouse Monday afternoon had turned her anticipation to dread.

Through Tuesday and Wednesday and the first half of the big day itself, she kept up the internal pep talks. She told herself it was nothing. People said ridiculous things to each other all the time. She needed to get over it and move on.

And anyway, there would be a crowd at Clara’s. It should be easy to steer clear of Darius. Given time, they would both forget her over-the-top comeback to his silly, meaningless flirting.

She and Sylvie arrived at Clara and Dalton Ames’s house right on time at two.