The Last Wallace

Playing the guitar again made me feel a bit more whole, like I gained back some of what I lost when I had to move to Walkville.

"Play me something?" Daria requested.

I thought of a good one. I played the opening chords of 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' and began to sing, "I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need..."

My sister grinned and sang along.

Later, Daria brought me my coat and insisted, "Come with me. There's something I want to do." She walked me to a Christmas tree stand in town and urged, "Let's get a tree."

With all that was going on, I hadn't thought about decorating the apartment. "Good idea," I agreed.

Daria picked the biggest tree because our huge apartment had tall ceilings. We lugged the thing home. "How are we going to get this in the elevator?" I asked.

The answer was, we didn't. It wouldn't fit. We had to drag it up eight flights of stairs. "Maybe getting the biggest tree wasn't my best idea," Daria admitted and laughed.

We finally got the tree in our apartment. "Now we need a stand, lights and ornaments," I pointed out.

"Already got it covered," my sister surprised me. She brought four big boxes out of the guest bedroom, and they were filled with everything we needed. "I found these in the storage locker," she explained.

It turned out my grandparents had excellent taste in Christmas tree decorations. The lights were all white, and the ornaments were mostly clear glass or gold. A big gold star went on top.

That night, I put Christmas music on the stereo and we turned off all the lights except for the tree. We cuddled on the sofa and drank eggnog while staring in delight at our tree. "It's beautiful," Daria sighed.

"Thank you for thinking of getting a tree," I told her and kissed her. "And I'm glad you picked the biggest one. A smaller tree would be lost in this freaking big living room."

==

DECEMBER 21

For the Wallace Trust Christmas party I wore a silver sequined mini-dress with full sleeves. The tight dress conformed to my body like a glove. Light reflected off the metallic silver in bright sparkles. I loved it.

Daria loved it too. I finished dressing first and she pressed her naked body against me. "You sparkle like a disco ball," she teased.

"Is that a good thing?" I asked.

"Mmm. So hot," she giggled.

My sister stepped into her panties and then wriggled her gold sequin mini-dress up her slender body. She slipped the straps over her shoulders and examined herself in our full-length mirror.

"You look stunning," I told her. I stepped behind her and caressed her bare back. The scoop back of the dress left her bare almost down to her butt. She couldn't wear a bra with it but her firm little boobs didn't need one. The gold dress wasn't super short but it was hemmed well above her knees.

Daria's long red hair was pulled back in a fat plait, the way I loved it. It hung down her bare back in beautiful contrast to her pale skin.

She leaned back against me and fretted, "Are you sure I should go to this company party?"

"Of course you should go. Significant others are invited."

"But I'm just a poor, dumb country girl. I won't fit in."

I kissed her neck and said, "You're anything but dumb. And you're not poor. My money is your money, which means you're richer than any of them. You are a country girl, but plenty of country girls will be there. We're in east Tennessee." I kissed her neck a couple more times.

"Stuff like this makes me nervous," she admitted. "You're the only person I'll know."

I whispered in her ear, "You're a Wallace and you deserve to be there more than anyone." My hands snaked around to cup her little tits through the dress. "I'm going to show off my sexy sister to the world."

"Oh Ellie," she moaned and spun around to plant a fevered kiss on my lips.

As soon as we arrived at the party, my assistant Crystal and her husband approached us. "Ellie, that dress is gorgeous!" she exclaimed.

I grinned and returned the compliment, "Thank you, Crystal. I love yours too." Her red velvet dress had traditional holiday grace. "This is my girlfriend, Daria."

Crystal and her husband talked with us and introduced us to people we didn't know. Daria relaxed and demonstrated her smart, witty side that I saw often but was usually hidden in public by her shyness.

We chatted with Jack Warner and his wife for a while. They were both charmed by Daria. The three of them carried on like old friends.

My sister and I danced, drank champagne and danced some more. At one point while we danced to a slow tune, she looked deep in my eyes and said, "I love being your girlfriend."

I pulled her tighter against me and thrilled to the feel of her long lean body. "Me too," I purred.

She blushed in her cute sexy way. "No, I mean, our alone time is amazing, but being your girlfriend out in public like this makes me... proud."

My hands slowly stroked her bare back while we danced. "I feel that too. Being a couple with you makes me feel better about myself."

"You're proud of me?"

"Oh Daria," I cooed, "everyone who meets you, loves you. The fact that you're with me makes me the luckiest girl in the world."

She put her hand behind my head and pulled me into a fiery kiss. "We've been here a couple of hours," she whispered. "Is it okay to leave yet?"

We quickly found our coats and sneaked away from the party unnoticed. We held hands as we walked home. "I thought you were having fun. Why did you want to leave?" I teased. I knew why.

Daria laughed. "It was fun, but now it's time for fun at home. Alone."

"I should get you liquored up on champagne more often."

She grinned. "I hardly had any champagne. I'm high on going out with my girlfriend."

==

DECEMBER 22

My office phone buzzed and Crystal's voice announced, "Ms Milko is here to see you, Ellie."

Daria? "Send her in Crystal."

My sister walked in and I exclaimed, "Wow! Look at you!''

She wore a dark gray pant suit. The jacket was cut to be formfitting and the trousers were slim to hug her long legs. A white satin blouse peeked out from under the jacket.

We hugged and kissed. "You've been shopping again," I said.

Daria grinned. "I wanted to look businesslike when I came to your office."

"Why are you here? Did I forget something?"

"Nope. I'm taking you to lunch."

"Great! I'll grab my purse."

"Ellie, let's invite Crystal and Mr Warner too."

"Okay," I replied. I had never had lunch with them because I preferred to get away from everyone for quiet time.

Crystal happily accepted our invitation. Daria poked her head into my CEO's office. "Mr Warner, I'm taking Ellie and Crystal to lunch. Will you join us?"

The gruff man surprised me by answering, "I'd love to. How nice to see you again Ms Milko."

"Please call me Daria."

"And you can call me Jack."

"Hold on!" I exclaimed. "You'll call her Daria but insist on calling me Ms Wallace?"

"I don't work for Daria, Ms Wallace," he explained with a smirk.

I frowned and the three of them laughed.

When we were seated at a nice restaurant, Daria surprised me by pulling gifts for Crystal and Jack from her purse. Trust employees didn't do gift exchanges, so I wondered how this would be received. "These are from me," Daria said. "Thank you for all you've done for Ellie and for Walkville during a difficult Christmas season."

The presents were desk-size framed photos of the Wallace family. I wasn't included, of course, but all of the other adults were. Daria found the photo on the internet and had prints made.

Tears formed in Crystal's eyes and Jack's eyes looked shiny too. They both got up to hug Daria. I hugged her too and whispered, "You're the best."

During the rest of the meal, it became obvious that my sister had Jack Warner wrapped around her little finger. She got the old man to tell funny stories about things that happened in town in the past. And the two of them ganged up to playfully tease me about all kinds of stuff.

It was adorable.

After lunch, there was no urgent reason for me to return to the office, so I locked arms with Daria and we wandered the streets. "Thank you for getting them the presents," I told her. "That was so thoughtful."

She smiled. "They're good people."

"I sometimes wonder about Jack," I joked.

Daria leaned close and said, "He's your biggest fan, other than me of course."

"What?" That was unlikely.

"Ellie, you can be so dense! He's like a grandpa who's totally proud of his granddaughter. He thinks you're great."

I was surprised into silence for a long moment. "He gets along better with you," I pointed out.

"I'm like the younger granddaughter he can laugh with, but you're the older one out conquering the world. Believe me, he respects the heck out of you."

==

DECEMBER 23

My mother flew in for Christmas. I took a taxi to the Knoxville airport to meet her flight.

When we saw each other, we rushed to hug and we both cried. It was a stereotypical Christmas airport reunion.

"Look at you, Ellie!" Mom gushed.

"I have lots of fancy office clothes now, so I wore this to impress you," I confessed. I had on my navy blue wool sheath dress and my long black wool coat.

"You look like a real business executive."

I laughed. "At least I look the part. Thanks for coming. I wasn't sure if you would, considering I live in Wallace Town."

"You're my daughter. I'll go wherever you are. Even Wallace Town."

We hugged and cried some more. "Thanks, Mom."

When we arrived at my apartment, Mom had the usual reaction. "Holy crap!" she exclaimed.

"I know, right? It's so nice it's crazy."

"It's a palace, Ellie. Do you get lost in here by yourself?"

"Um... actually I'm not by myself," I confided. "I, um, have a new girlfriend and she's living with me."

Mom smiled warmly. "Honey, that's wonderful!" She wrapped her arms around me. "Can I meet her?"

I called my lover in from the other room and I introduced them, "Mom, this is Daria."

My girlfriend was wearing a green turtleneck sweater-dress with long sleeves. She looked wholesome and cuddly. Her red hair fell in waves over her shoulders.

They hugged. "Pleased to meet you, Ms Thompson," Daria said. My mother went by her maiden name.

"Call me Trisha, honey," Mom responded. "Is my daughter being a good girlfriend?"

Daria smiled. "Ellie is the best."

They chatted and Daria visibly relaxed.

Mom turned her attention to me. "You lit up when Daria walked into the room," Mom teased.

"I'm nuts about her," I sighed.

"I'm glad that you're happy," Mom enthused. She kissed my cheek. "Particularly now that you have so many new responsibilities."

"Daria keeps me sane."

"You're a beautiful couple. I'd kill for your red hair, Daria!"

"Me too," I agreed.

My sister blushed in her cute way.

While Mom got settled in the guest bedroom, I told Daria, "She likes you."

She nodded happily. "I was worried," she admitted, "but she's really nice."

"I was nervous when I met your dad too," I reminded her. "It's natural."

Mom brought us some of her delicious Christmas cookies, which we gobbled up. "Oh my god, will you show me how to make these?" Daria begged.

"Of course. Do you like baking?"

"I'm trying to learn, but the cookies I made last week were awful," Daria said.

"I ate them," I added to be supportive. They were pretty awful.

Daria and Mom decided to go to the grocery store right away for cookie making supplies. I happily let them have at it. "Baking is not my thing," I stated the obvious.

"Getting Ellie to help bake was always like pulling teeth," Mom told my girlfriend.

Daria giggled. "She wouldn't help me either."

A couple hours later, the whole apartment smelled like baking cookies. Daria and Mom laughed and carried on as they decorated the cookies. I sat back and enjoyed the fact that they got along so well.

==

CHRISTMAS EVE

In the morning I woke first, and I woke my sister by sucking on her left nipple.

"Ohhh," she moaned. Her hand stroked the back of my head.

I sucked her other nipple too, until she was squirming. Then I nudged two fingers into her snug little pussy.

"Ellie, your mom is here!" Daria objected.

"Then you better not be too loud." My fingers found her sensitive g-spot and worked it firmly.

"Oh god," she groaned.

"Shh," I playfully shushed her.

"Elllllllllie," she moaned.

"Mom is gonna hear my naughty little sister cum on my fingers." I knew that would get her. Calling her little sister was her trigger.

"God!" she gasped. Her willowy body writhed like a snake.

"Almost there, sis. Give me a big one." I slid down to flick my tongue over her clit, and with my free hand I edged a finger into her ass.

"Ellie!" she yelped. Her back arched and her head thrashed. Two big tremors shook her whole body, then a lessening series made her tremble and shiver.

I chuckled. "Mom probably heard that."

Daria blushed but grinned. "It was your fault. You're awful!"

We showered and dressed. My sister brushed my hair and asked, "Ellie, are you going to sell the town?"

It was a question that nobody else had dared to ask. I think they were afraid of the answer.

"I don't know. Maybe. It might be for the best."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what I'm doing," I truthfully answered. "And I don't like being responsible for Walkville all on my own."

Daria stopped brushing and wrapped her arms around me. "You're not alone. You have me and all the people working at the Trust."

"I know, but the final decisions still come down to me."

She held me for a long moment. "You can't sell," she quietly stated. "Your family built this place and they never intended for it to be sold off to the highest bidder. Everyone in Walkville is counting on you."

"It's too much, Daria," I told her sadly.

"I'll support whatever decision you make," she softly said, "but you don't give yourself enough credit. You're strong and you're smart, Eleanor Wallace. I believe in you."

We invited Daria's dad, her friend Ava and Ava's fiance Steve to join us and Mom for dinner, then we made our way as a group to the Christmas caroling event on Central Square.

"Wow," I exclaimed when I saw the crowd. The square was nearly full and more people were packing in.

"Everyone loves caroling on the square," Ava told me and Mom. "It's so much fun and is a big tradition."

There was a live band and a huge screen with the lyrics to the carols as we sang. The event kicked off with singing Jingle Bells, to the delight of the kids in attendance. It was followed by O Christmas Tree, Deck the Halls, O Come All Ye Faithful, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Carol of the Bells was particularly fun because everyone struggled to keep up with the fast pace of the lyrics.

The second-to-last carol was Silent Night. Unlike the boisterous songs, it was quiet and restrained. People spontaneously linked arms and slowly swayed as they sang. I was grateful to be there at that moment, and overwhelmed with emotion, tears rolled down my cheeks. Daria and Mom noticed and leaned into me for comfort as we swayed.

"Our final carol of the night is Hark the Herald Angels Sing," the conductor announced. "You can belt this one out, so shake the whole town with your voices!"

The band played and the crowd joined in at maximum volume. Some may have been shouting more than singing, but it was a joyous noise regardless. "Hark! The herald angels sing! Glory to the new born king!"

When we reached the end of the song, I was hoarse. Bells at a nearby church rang as a perfect punctuation to the night. Everyone cheered.

==

CHRISTMAS DAY

Daria and I dressed in comfy sweats and prepared breakfast for my mom and her dad, who arrived bright and early bearing gifts.

We gave Daria's dad his gift first; pairs of tickets to three upcoming University of Tennessee women's basketball games. He and Daria loved that team and it was something they could do together. "Hot damn!" Earl exclaimed. "Thank you!" He gave his daughter and I big hugs.

I wanted to get him a new truck or even a new house, but Daria said he wouldn't accept something as big as that. I stashed the idea in the back of my mind for the future because I wasn't going to live in luxury while my sister's dad lived in an old trailer and drove a worn out truck.

Our gift to Mom was next. I handed her a small box and said, "I'm not sure how you're going to react to this."

She opened the box and pulled out a key. She looked confused.

"It's the key to an apartment in the building next door," I explained. "It's yours if you want it. Free of course. Do you think that maybe you'd like to move down here?" I was afraid she'd turn it down. She had a life and friends in Maryland.

A smile bloomed on Mom's face. "Is it as nice as this apartment?"

"It's beautiful!" Daria gushed. "Wait until you see it!"

"I'd love to move here, honey," Mom told me. "I was missing you already."

We hugged and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "I've missed you too, Mom," I confessed.

I opened my gifts next. A book and a briefcase from Mom. I gave her a look and said, "A briefcase?"

She tried to hold it back, but she laughed. "You're a business executive now, honey."

Daria laughed too. Her dad didn't laugh, but only because he didn't want to offend me, I think.

"Everyone at the office is going to be so surprised when I start carrying a briefcase," I said and laughed too. The mental image was too weird. I hugged Mom and told her, "I'll carry my lunch in it." She laughed again.

Daria gave me a book too, as I'd suggested. It was a literary novel that was a surprise bestseller. When I unwrapped the other gift from her, I blushed deep red because Mom and her dad were watching.

Daria giggled and said, "For once you're the one who's blushing!"

It was the "Velvet Lilly" lingerie set from Fleur du Mal. Demi-bra, thong and garter belt in an icy blue. The velvet embroidery and mesh panels were beautiful, sophisticated and super sexy.

"Oh my. It's beautiful," Mom said.

I went to Daria and gave her a big kiss. "Thank you. I love it," I softly told her.

Finally it was Daria's turn to open gifts. Her father handed her a largish box first. It was a big, fluffy white robe. She put it right away and exclaimed, "It's so warm! Thanks Dad." She gave him a hug.

I brought out a stack of gifts that I'd stashed behind the sofa. Daria gave me a stern look and complained, "Ellie, we agreed to not spend too much."

I smirked. "I'm a rich girl so 'too much' doesn't mean the same to me."

My sister/girlfriend rolled her eyes but smiled in anticipation of being showered with gifts.

"This one first," I instructed.

She unwrapped it, laughed and blushed bright pink. It was a "Roses and Thorns" lingerie set from Fleur du Mal. Like the set she gave me, it included demi-bra, thong and garter belt. "The red and green colors are going to look so good with your red hair," I enthused with a growl of desire in my voice.

The next three boxes she opened were a long black wool coat, a warm hat, and gloves. "I hate it when I see you shivering outside," I explained.

She came to me and gave me a kiss like I'd given her. "Thank you," she lovingly said. To my surprise, she made herself comfortable on my lap and asked, "Now, what's in this last little present?"

"Open it and find out."

She opened the slim box and read the papers inside. "Ellie!" she gasped. "It's too much!"

"No, it isn't," I assured her. "It's a gift for both of us."

"What is it?" Mom inquired.

"A two-week trip to Hawaii at the end of January," Daria told them.

"Wow," her dad said.

"We'll escape the cold weather and I'll get away from the Wallace Trust stuff for a while. It will be great," I said.

"Thank you," my sister told me. She kissed me again as tears of happiness welled in her eyes.