The Christmas List: A Novel

CHRISTMAS EVE

Kier Company had never before hosted such an event as their first Christmas bash, and Linda, the party’s chief architect, saw to it that it would not be soon forgotten.

The conference room table was covered with a festive red and gold cloth and arrayed with as fine a spread as the season could offer. There were more than two dozen different pastries and sweets: Mexican wedding cookies, pizzelles, raspberry-topped butter cookies, baked meringues, walnut-embedded brownies, miniature éclairs, and chocolate-dipped strawberries. There were croissants and an assortment of breads and rolls to be made into sandwiches with Swiss, cheddar, provolone, Dubliner, and jalapeño jack cheeses; rare roast beef, smoked turkey, crab salad, honey-baked ham, corn beef, pastrami, and a variety of German and Italian sausages.

Large ice-filled crystal bowls were packed with plump shrimp next to scallop-shaped dishes of cocktail sauce, herring in sour cream and platters of Swedish meatballs and bacon-wrapped scallops.

There were three different kinds of quiches. Sliced bananas, pineapples, apples, mangos, pears, and large seedless red grapes were piled on a silver platter next to cascading fountains of white, milk, and dark chocolates for dipping.

To drink there was hot wassail, soda water with Italian flavorings, and nutmeg-dusted eggnog as thick and rich as melted ice cream.

Christmas music filled the building’s hallways. The classics: Burl Ives, Perry Como, and Mitch Miller as well as newer artists like Mariah Carey and Kenny G.

There was a tall Christmas tree in the front lobby, strung with blue lights and silver baubles each with an employees name written in glitter. Someone had hung a sprig of mistletoe above the water cooler, which a few employees had already put to good use.

Kier arrived late and walked around greeting employees, shaking hands and sharing jokes. Kate, from Collections, placed a Santa cap on Kier’s head and, to everyone’s surprise, he just smiled and made no effort to remove it.

Kier spotted Lincoln at the conference table filling his plate with food. He walked up to him.

“Lincoln, my friend. Merry Christmas.”

“Jimmy. Nice bash.”

“Thanks for coming.”

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I figured a party like this might be a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

“No, it’s going to be an annual event,” he said, smiling broadly. “Did you bring the papers?”

“Got them in my car. But why do you want them? I thought you said everything between you and the Missus was copacetic.”

“Better than copacetic. Sara and I want to burn them. Kind of a ritual.”

“Got it.” Lincoln bit into an éclair, the cream erupting from its sides onto his chin.

Linda walked up to the men. “Hi, Lincoln.”

“Hi, doll. Merry Christmas.”

She grabbed a napkin and dabbed the cream from Lincoln’s face. “Hey, I have a Christmas riddle for you. An honest lawyer and Santa Claus were walking together when they both saw a ten-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Which one picked it up?”

Lincoln grinned. “Probably the lawyer.”

“No, it was Santa. Everyone knows that honest lawyers don’t exist.”

Lincoln shook his head. “Et tu, Linda?”

“Sorry.”

Kier nodded proudly. “Well done.”

Linda smiled and took Kier’s arm. “Thank you. Now it’s time for your toast. Excuse us, Lincoln.”

“Certainly.” He went back to the buffet.

Linda led Kier to the center of the office, turned off the music and whistled loudly. “Quiet please. Quiet.” The group quieted expectantly. “Mr. Kier would like to share a toast.” Linda turned to her boss. “Mr. Kier.”

“Thank you.”

He looked around the room. In one hand he held a glass of ginger ale and he put his free hand in his pocket. “You know I’m not one for speeches. But if any year deserves one, it’s this one. This has been an . . . interesting year. You all experienced my death.” There was scattered laughter. “But, more importantly, you’ve experienced my rebirth. I am grateful for the second chance.

“I hope you all get what you want for Christmas. I got what I wanted. I’ve spent the last three days with my sweetheart. My wife.” He paused. “We humans—at least some of us, are seriously flawed. The things that are the most necessary, the most critical to us, are the things we take most for granted. Air. Water. Love. If you have someone to love, you are lucky. If they love you back, you’re blessed. And if you waste the time you have to love them, you’re a fool.

“This is my advice to you. Make the most of the time you have with those you love, because . . .” He paused, and for the first time ever the employees of Kier Company saw their boss tear up. “. . . because you don’t know when it will end. And the best time to figure that out is ten years ago. But the second best time is right now.” He raised his glass. “To second chances.”

Everyone raised their glasses. “To second chances.”

The noise level rose. Kier lifted his glass again. “One more thing.”

Linda whistled again and the place quieted.

“Thank you,” Kier said. “To show that I’m serious about what I said—about spending time with your loved ones, I’ve instructed Tim that we are officially closed between Christmas and New Year’s. There will be no business transacted at the Kier Company at this time. You all have the week off with full pay.”

The room erupted with wild cheers.

“I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.”

There was even more applause and the employees of Kier Company happily crowded around him. Kier smiled and shook hands and as soon as possible stole back to his office. He took off the Santa cap, shut his door, then sat down at his desk. He immediately called home. “Hi, honey.”

“How’s it going?” Sara asked.

“It’s going well. Everyone seems to be having a good time.”

“Sorry I couldn’t make it. Were they excited about the time off?”

“Ecstatic. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Jimmy and Juliet are visiting.”

Kier smiled. “Tell them hello. I’ve just got this one meeting, then I’ll be home.”

She didn’t say anything.

“Sara?”

“It just sounded so good to hear you say that.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” He hung up, and smiled as he lifted the Allen folder. It was much thicker than the last time they’d met; the plans for the new development had been added. As he perused the file’s contents there was a knock at his door.

“Come in,” Kier said.

Tim Brey poked his head inside. “Got a minute?”

“Sure.”

Brey stepped inside carrying a small package. “Linda said you were hiding out back here.”

“You know how I am with crowds.”

“Well, you wowed this crowd. They were positively giddy.”

Kier smiled. “Is anyone still out there?”

“A few of them. But it’s finally winding down.” He walked up to Kier’s desk. “Karen and I have a little Christmas present for you.” He held out a package wrapped in gold foil tied with a glossy gold ribbon.

Kier took the present. “Thank you.”

“It’s just a little something we found at an Amish shop on our vacation back in Bird-in-Hand.”

Kier unwrapped the gift. “A music box,” he said, “a Christmas music box.” He held it up to the lights. It had brass hinges and corners, and a holly leaf flourish was burnished into its polished lid.

“It’s beautiful.” He opened the lid. Inside was a silver cylinder beneath a glass cover. The cylinder immediately began to turn, plucking from a row of silver tines a Christmas tune: I heard the bells. He gently closed the lid and the music stopped. “Thank you. Give Karen and the kids my best.”

“I will. Merry Christmas.”

“I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said that to me.”

“It’s the first time I wasn’t afraid you would laugh.”

“You’re probably right. Merry Christmas to you, too. Thanks for all you’ve done for the company this year.”

“It’s been my pleasure. So you’ll see Sara tonight?”

Kier smiled. “I’m back home. Sara wanted to come today but she didn’t feel up to it.”

“Well, give her my best. From me and Karen.”

“I’ll do that.”

Brey looked down for a moment then said, “I want to apologize for the things I wrote about you. They were mean, disloyal, and ungrateful.”

“Sounds like a good description of me. I’m sorry I ever acted in a way that made you want to write that.”

“What you said about second chances, that’s true for me as well. Thank you for giving me another chance. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t. I know it.”

“I think next year is going to be a very good year for Kier Company.”

“I’m sure of that too. Merry Christmas, my friend.”

“Merry Christmas, boss. And God bless.”