Emma sat perfectly still on the edge of the sofa, her hands tucked under her thighs. Noah was looking at the remaining bags under the tree, his eyes wide.
Helen reached down and pulled the very last bag from beneath the lowest branch. It was a small, white paper bag with Tyler’s name written on the tag in green marker.
“Who will receive the final gift under the tree?” Helen murmured, looking directly at Emma with a thin smile. “I believe this one also belongs to Tyler, for his excellent grades this term.”
“That’s three for me,” Tyler said, sliding the white bag toward his pile. He looked at Emma, his expression blank. “Didn’t you guys get anything?”
Emma pulled her long brown hair forward, completely veiling her face as her shoulders began to rise and fall in silent, rhythmic hitches.
“Dad,” I said, my voice remaining low. “Are we finished here?”
Arthur did not look up from the television screen. He pressed the channel button on the remote, the screen flashing from a car commercial to a news broadcast. “The weather is supposed to turn cold tonight,” he muttered.
“Mom,” I said, turning to Helen. “You told me we were keeping things small this year.”
“We did keep them small, Julia,” Helen said, her fingers rising to touch her faux pearls. “But surely you don’t expect us to ignore the children who actually make an effort to be part of this family?”
“Emma made you three drawings last week,” I said.
“Drawings don’t pay the heating bill, Julia,” Brent said, laughing as he leaned back against the cushions. “Maybe if you spent less time hiding out in your little kitchen on Maple Avenue, your kids would get a turn.”
I looked at my brother, then at my mother, who was busy smoothing the crumpled wrapping paper on the floor. Neither of them looked back at me with anything resembling shame.
“Noah, Emma, get your coats,” I said.
“Oh, don’t make a scene, Julia,” Helen said, her voice dropping into a sharp, warning tone. “It’s New Year’s Eve. Don’t ruin the evening because you’re envious of your brother’s success.”
I did not answer her. I reached down, took Emma by her trembling shoulders, and guided her toward the hallway.
