Chapter Ten: Christmas On Sequoia Avenue

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Cheyenne and Sarah drove up into the Calaveras Hills to the address William gave them. As the pulled up onto the brick driveway, Cheyenne suddenly understood how William could drive such a huge car. His house wasn't exactly on the small side. It was a rustic cabin style mansion with large floor to ceiling windows in the front. Behind the house, Cheyenne saw what looked like a big barn. She liked this place.

Sarah parked the car in front of the front door and got out. Cheyenne stepped onto the driveway in her scuffed-up brown boots. She called these her 'good luck boots'. She wore the boots the day she met William and the day he said he loved her. She grabbed the simply wrapped gifts they bought for the family, and walked up to the door with Sarah and rang the doorbell. A shorter woman with black curly hair and warm brown eyes opened the door.

"Oh, hello!" she said with a cheery smile. "You must be Sarah and Cheyenne! Come on in!"

She stepped to the side and Cheyenne immediately looked up as she entered. The foyer was grand, with an arched two-story wood ceiling and a deer antler chandelier. The foyer opened up to a curved staircase on the right, and on the left was a family large room with two leather sofas, a comfortable looking recliner chair, and a cow skin rug.

"Chey! You're here," said William happily as he came around the corner. 

He had on his black baseball cap, a brown t-shirt with a skull and wings on it, and his usual leather band on his wrist that hid a scar from when fell off the loft in the barn and sliced his wrist with a roll of barbed wire when he was nine.

"No, I'm not," joked Cheyenne. "I'm just a figment of your imagination."

"Pity," teased William. "The imaginary Cheyenne looks so much better than the real one."

"Thanks," said Cheyenne sarcastically. They started laughing as both of their mothers watched with amusement.

"William, are you forgetting something?" asked Mrs. Dunn.

"What? Oh, sorry. Cheyenne, this is my mom Catherine Dunn. Mom, this is my girlfriend Cheyenne Brooks, and her mom, Sarah Brooks."

"It's wonderful to meet you both. Dinner's going to be ready in less than thirty minutes if you wanted to head to the family room," said Mrs. Dunn.

"This way," said William, taking Cheyenne's hand. He led her and Sarah to the back of the house where the kitchen was and Cheyenne's mouth fell open.

There was a massive stone fireplace adorned garland, candles, with red and gold ribbon at the far end of the room, the mahogany table was immaculately set with candles, mini trees and a red ornament on all of the place settings. In the back corner, there was a twelve-foot tall tree with an eclectic mix of ornaments and topped with a star that barely cleared the wood beams. On the other side was the kitchen. It was sparkling clean with sleek black granite counters and natural oak cabinets. On the center island, there was an assortment of cheeses, meats, grapes, and crackers with a variety of wine and cider.

"You like it?" asked William looking at Cheyenne with an entertained grin.

"It's gorgeous!" said Cheyenne in awe. "I can't believe you live here!"

"I don't," said William. "I live upstairs in my bedroom."

"Unless you have a kitchen and a bathroom in your bedroom, you can't live in there."

"I mean I spend most of my time in there anyway," said William. "My room is comfortable."

"Whatever you say," said Cheyenne smiling.

"Mom, when is dinner gonna be ready?" asked William.

"Not for another twenty minutes," replied Mrs. Dunn taking a peek in the oven.

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