“Do you want me to bring the gift boxes in from my trunk after dinner, Mom?” I asked.

“Oh, there’s plenty of time for that later,” Eleanor said, waving her hand lightly.

“Chelsea brought her bags in hours ago, so we already made room under the tree for the big presentation.”

Arthur wiped his mouth with a paper napkin and stood up from the head of the table.

He reached into his trouser pocket, where the metal key fob clinked against his loose change.

He walked through the dining room archway into the front hall.