Page 52 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

She grabbed the rope of fir garland Coraline held out for her, and hung it the way her mother liked along the banister.

“Kind of late getting some of this up, aren’t you?” Siena asked.

Coraline waved it off. “I didn’t have much help.”

Siena frowned. “You could have called me over, Ma.”

“You’re very busy, Siena.”

That was true, too.

“Still …”

Coraline flashed her daughter with a wide, brilliant smile. It was her mother’s best defense, and one of her few distractions. Anything could be made better, or ignored entirely, with a single beautiful smile.

“You’re here now, and the Christmas party will be lovely because of it,” her mother said.

“Sure, it will.”

Siena seriously doubted her mother’s annual Christmas party would be any better or worse despite her presence, but she didn’t argue the point. Whatever kept her mother happy and pleased, or so their father liked to say.

Usually a nice fur coat or diamond was enough to keep Coraline happy.

Or a good party.

“What did you get your father for Christmas?” Coraline asked.

Siena worked on weaving another fir garland through the banister. “A custom-made watch from the jeweler he likes.”

“Is it ready?”

“I have to pick it up in a couple of days,” she said.

“Cutting it close, Siena.”

Like she needed to be told.

Christmas was only five days away now. The jeweler was cutting it terribly close.

“And your brothers?” her mother asked.

Siena gave her mother a look.

Coraline laughed as though she knew without needing to be told. “Money, then?”

“Money,” Siena echoed.

It was the only thing her brothers loved more than their father, after all.

“Oh, you did that wrong … Here, give it to me.” Coraline took the rope of garland, and shooed Siena up a couple of steps with a single wave of her hand. “It has to wrap around the top like this, Siena.”

“Yes, Ma.”

She wasn’t even paying attention.

Everything she had already done, her mother would redo, anyway.

So was her life …