"I know. Why don’t we go shopping or hang out at the…" Frank was about to say mall, but he caught himself.

Joe just looked at him. "The mall?" Frank sighed.

"I am sorry Joe."

"You can say the word Frank. Yes, she died at the mall and I can still point out the very spot," Joe said, not even showing hardly any emotion.

"I know a better idea! Let’s go and get us a pizza and hang out at the arcade. It has been a while since we have had a good old fashion pool tournament," Frank said with a smile.

"Frank, I don’t know if you remembered, but I am grounded right now."

"I will talk with mom. I am sure she will let you go as long as you are with me."

Joe hesitated at first. But he realized that Frank just wanted to make him feel better. He didn’t want to "rain on Frank’s parade" so he agreed to go as long as Frank handled it with their mother.

The boys made their way back to the Hardy residence. The snow was still fluttering down, coating the ground until you could no longer see the dormant grass. Mrs. Hardy was busy making her chocolate candies when Frank came in the door. Asking his mother about their planned outing, Mrs. Hardy gladly agreed as long as the boys were back in time for midnight services. Frank quickly went back out to the van and jumped into the passenger seat. Soon the boys were on their way to Logan’s Arcade, a local hangout not too far from Mr. Pizza, the other local hangout.

No one was in the arcade that midday on Christmas Eve. Mr. Logan, the old man who owned the place was glad to see the Hardy brothers come in the door. He had not seen a person all day and it was getting pretty lonely. Ever since his wife had died, Mr. Logan through himself into his business.

"Hey Mr. Logan. Isn’t your son coming back to visit?" Frank asked as he got change for the pool table.

"Not until December 27^th! He could not get a holiday pass until then," Mr. Logan said with a smile. His son, an Army drill sergeant stationed at Fort Dix was in his thirties and had just married another lady that was also in the Army. "So I figured I would be open today and tomorrow in case someone needed somewhere to go. I am taking off when he comes instead."

"I am glad he is going to be able to come back to visit," Frank commented and turned towards the pool table. Joe was already getting the cue sticks ready.

"I’m stripes!" Joe called out. Frank stopped and glared at his brother.

"That’s not fair. You ALWAYS want stripes," Frank remarked. It never failed that whenever the boys played pool, Joe always called stripes.

"Its because I am the youngest," Joe said, getting the balls set up. "You break."

Frank picked up his cue stick and broke the triangle, sending billiard balls everywhere. The boys discussed many things over those games of pool. They caught up on school news as well as their own thoughts. Joe was starting to act more like himself, for which made Frank happy. It made him feel even worse about not making time for Joe.

"So do you have your Christmas shopping done?" Frank asked Joe, sinking the solid red ball in the side pocket.

"I guess," Joe said solemnly. "I was just not into this year with everything going on."

"You still have to finish your scrapbook. I figured I would help you do it late tonight. You almost have it done," Frank commented. "Mom is going to love them you know."

Joe smiled at the thought of making his mother happy. It was true. Mrs. Hardy loved those types of gifts.

"So what did you get for Auntie?" Frank asked, letting Joe take his turn.

"I got her a new set of knitting needles," Joe said, getting into position to take his turn.

"How in the world did you pick those out? You know nothing about knitting," Frank said in amazement. Their Aunt Gertrude was the hardest person to buy a gift for in the whole family.

"I just asked the lady at the craft shop. What did you get her?"

"I got her the new Arnold Griffin book. You know how she likes those mystery thrillers. Mom asked her the other day and she had not had a chance to get it yet."

"She will like that. I think we did a good job with her this year. I just hope she leaves mom alone about the house and food this year. Mom always does such a great job and feels real good until Auntie comes along."

"Mom knows how she is by now," Frank said. Joe missed his shot so Frank was sizing up his options.

"So what did you end up getting Callie this year?"

Frank had forgot that he never mentioned to Joe what he had been saving for to give to Callie. Mostly because he just did not feel that it was the right time. Frank, in a way, felt guilty that he still had Callie. Joe had not been on one date since Iola’s death almost two months ago. It was not because no one had asked, but Joe turned each one down. That was one thing that always amazed Frank. While Frank was known for his intelligence, it seemed that all the girls seemed to flock around Joe, even when Iola was alive.

"I got her a ring," Frank finally confessed. The answer caused Joe to quiet down. "She just kept staring at them as we walked by the jewelry store. So they let me make payments on it. I can’t wait to give it to her."

"She is going to love it," Joe commented softly. "This is not THE ring, is it?"

"NO! It is just A ring. It is a ruby, her birthstone."

"Just checking."

"We are not ready for anything like that for at least five years!" Frank said, recovering from being asked about the ring.

"I would never say never my dear older brother," Joe said with a sly smile. Then his smile faded to a slight frown.

Frank stopped and looked up at his brother. "Can I ask you a question?"

Joe shrugged his shoulders and waited for his brother’s response.

"That ring that you were going to give Iola. Was it THE ring?"

Joe stopped and looked down at the floor. Then he looked over at Frank. "I guess you could sort of say that. I know that everyone thought we were getting too serious, but Frank she was special. She was definitely the one even though at times I am sure that people wondered about that. I know how I feel…or felt about her. It was real Frank. But it was a promise ring. Only Iola and myself were to know that though."

"She would have loved it Joe," Frank said softly.

‘She was going to be a veterinarian you know. We were going to go to the same college. I was going to major in criminology, just like we agreed. She was going to work with farm animals. We were going to have our own small farm while operating our detective agency," Joe said with a smile. "She was always good with animals."

"That she was," Frank agreed. Living on a farm, Iola might have seemed "prissy", but she was always willing to get down in the dirt with the boys. Callie was totally different in that way. Callie didn’t care for the outdoors.

"I know they were long term plans, but we were determined to follow those plans," Joe said taking his shot.

"THERE YOU ARE!" a familiar voice called out from the front of the arcade. The boys looked up to see Callie. She walked up to Frank and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I was coming through town on my way to your house when I saw the van. I figured you were not far from it."

Frank loved Callie, but this was not the time he wanted to see her. Joe was finally opening up to him. He needed some more time.

"What do you need Callie? I thought that you were going to meet us at church?" Frank asked returning a hug.

"I just thought that you might like to ride around and look at the lights with me like we always do," Callie asked, grabbing Frank around the waist. "We have not had time to do that this year. Remember how we used to all pile into my station wagon and just drive all over!"

"Yes," Frank replied. Every year, even before any of them even had a license, the gang would get together and look at the lights. Iola, Chet, Tony, Biff, Phil, Callie and the Hardy brothers would pile into Chet’s Queen, Callie’s station wagon and Phil’s car and just ride all over Bayport and the countryside. Then they would conclude their trip at the Morton farm for warm cider and sugar cookies. But no one had mentioned anything about doing this year. "Who else is coming?"

"I know that Biff and Phil said they were ready. Chet is going to ride with them. Tony is still cleaning up at the pizza shop, but we are supposed to pick him up. We are all going to meet at Chet’s house. His mother said she wouldn’t miss it for the world."

"What time?" Frank asked. "What time is it any way?"

"It’s four fifty five! We thought we would leave around five so we could be at the Morton’s around seven. That way it would give us plenty of time before church to get ready," Callie answered.

"I didn’t realize it was that late! We just kept playing pool. I guess we lost track of time," Frank said wide-eyed.

"So are you ready to get going?" Callie hounded.

"Sure. Let’s rack these up Joe so we can stop and grab a bite to eat," Frank said, starting to clean up the pool table.

"You go on ahead. I think I am going back to the house," Joe said, the same glum face returning to his face.

"JOE! We always all go together!" Callie called out. "You HAVE to go! It just wouldn’t be Christmas if we didn’t go out and look at all the decorations."

"Why don’t you come along Joe? It will be fun," Frank added, trying to take the edge off of Callie’s relentless pleas for all of them to go.

Joe stopped and looked at Callie and then Frank. "You two just don’t get it. Christmas is never going to be the same or any other day. We will ALL NEVER be together EVER AGAIN! Go, just go and leave me alone. I just want to go home."

"Joe." Frank said softly reaching out to him. But Joe moved away.

"Go and have a good time. I am not mad, I just want to be left alone… okay," Joe said, almost pleading. Reluctantly Frank agreed and left with Callie to join the rest of the gang while Joe headed back home.

Joe just kept looking at the lights as he made his way down Elm Street and then he glanced over at the empty seat.

"Christmas is never going to be the same without you Iola. I just wish it would get here and go. I can’t believe that I would ever say that. Christmas used to be my favorite holiday. But now it is the one that I have dreaded the most," Joe thought to himself as he turned into the Hardy driveway. His father had arrived home. Both of his parents greeted him at the door and offered him dinner, but Joe didn’t feel like eating. He simply went up to his room, shut the door and put his headphones on, hoping to just let Christmas quietly slip by.