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robes of bright blue. I don't think there could have

been four happier children than we were early that

morning. Chocolate bars were devilishly divine and

made even

sweeter because they were forbidden. It

was pure heaven to hold that chocolate in my mouth

and slowly, slowly let it melt while I squeezed my

eyelids tight to better savor the taste. And when I

looked, Chris had his eyes closed too. Funny how the

twins ate their chocolate, with wide open eyes, so full

of surprise. Had they forgotten about candy? It

seemed so, for they appeared to be holding paradise in their mouths. When we heard the doorknob rattle, we

quickly hid the candy under the nearest bed. It was the grandmother. She came in quietly, with

the picnic basket. She put the basket on the gaming

table. She didn't greet us with "Merry Christmas," nor

did she say good morning, nor even smile, or show in

any way that this was a special day. And we were not

to speak to her unless she spoke to us first.

It was with reluctance and fear, and also with

great hope, that I picked up the long package wrapped

in red foil that had come from one of Momma's gifts

to us. Beneath that beautiful paper was our collage

painting on which all four of us had worked to create

a child's version of the perfect garden. The old trunks

in the attic had provided us with fine materials, such

as the gossamer silk to make the pastel butterflies that

hovered over bright yarn flowers. How Carrie had

wanted to make purple butterflies with red spots--she

loved purple combined with red! If ever a more

glorious butterfly existed--it wouldn't be a live one--


Tags: V.C. Andrews Dollanganger Horror