Chapter 220 Caroling
It was apparent something was wrong with Case. Even when Andrea’s mom had introduced him to the preacher, Brother Eric, Case wasn’t his normal polite self. Still, Andrea didn’t want to press him to see what was the matter. In her experience, insisting that someone was mad when they weren’t ready to admit they were was a good way to make a person mad.
Instead of focusing on Case’s attitude, Andrea decided to focus on the Christmas carols. The party of about thirty headed out with faux candles and song books for those who needed them. Andrea walked alongside her mother who was with some of her friends, Case following behind them as if he wasn’t quite sure he belonged. Karen’s friends kept her busy answering questions about her movies, life in “the big city,” and the wedding, but Andrea didn’t mind. They were all so nice.
They came to the first house, and the song leader, a woman named Debbie Cotton, announced they’d be singing “Joy to the World.” She told them what page they could find the lyrics on if anyone needed them, but Andrea didn’t. She knew this one by heart.
As the song started, she turned to look at Case, who was still standing over her shoulder, and gave him a smile. He forced one on his face, but she could tell it wasn’t genuine. She wasn’t sure if he was even really singing.
An older couple came out of the house and stood on the porch, arm in arm, and Andrea couldn’t help but think that would be her and Case someday. They were so cute, and it was obvious they loved each other so much. It made her want to get all snuggly with Case.
She reached for his arm, and he gave it to her, but it was like he wasn’t there. Something was really bothering him.
They moved on down the block to the next house. Each house got a different carol. Andrea didn’t need the lyrics to any of them. She’d grown up singing these songs at church and with her grandmother before she’d passed who’d been a wonderful pianist. She’d taught Leslie how to play.
After about ten houses, they reached a familiar home. Andrea couldn’t help but smile as they stood outside of the Bloom residence. How many times had she come over here to hangout or watch movies? Mr. and Mrs. Bloom, Malcolm’s parents, came out first. They waved at her, and she waved back. “Those are Malcolm’s parents!” she said to Case between verses of the song.
“Cool,” Case said, but he didn’t seem to mean it. She raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what was wrong.
A few seconds later, Malcolm came out, too. They waved at each other, and Andrea nudged Case. He waved, too, but he wasn’t exactly smiling. Something odd was happening.
After the song was over, they moved. “Is everything okay?” Andrea finally asked. She couldn’t think of anything Malcolm might’ve said that could’ve made Case mad, but he sure was acting like the other man had done him wrong.
“Everything’s fine. I’m just… cold,” Case said.
Andrea stared at him for a moment, knowing that wasn’t the truth, but she didn’t want to ask him more. If his disposition was just due to the cold, why had he been acting strange since before they even left the house?
It was getting colder, though, and the snow was starting to pick up. Debbie had led them back toward the church. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll sing to this last house on the corner and then head back to the church for some hot cocoa and cookies!”
That got a cheer out of everyone (except for Case, of course.) They sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to another older couple and then headed back to the church.
Standing inside with a Styrofoam cup of cocoa in her hands, Andrea was much warmer, but Case was still faking being nice to everyone. Karen’s friends asked him all sorts of questions, and he answered them, but his fiancée knew him well enough to see when he was faking being nice, like he was now.
By the time they headed home, Andrea was so frustrated, anyone who was paying much attention could probably tell she was in a foul mood, too. Her mother seemed to notice both of them were in a bad mood, so she didn’t say much on the ride home, just hummed along to Christmas music on the radio.
When they got home, Andrea went upstairs to take a warm bath, hoping she’d be able to calm down that way. It did help, but she wasn’t sure what to do about Case. She planned to just ask him what was going on, what he was so upset about, but after a long soak, when she went into her room, he was already asleep. Either that, or he was doing a great job of faking it.
Andrea didn’t like going to sleep angry—or frustrated—but she didn’t see that she had any choice. She laid down beside him, trying to put it out of her head and get some rest. There’d be plenty of time to talk about it tomorrow.
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