CHAPTER 19
Tyler
Family time, although Priscilla did not fully appreciate it, mattered deeply to the Austins. So no matter the circumstance, the spirit of Christmas had to be kept.
Liza traditionally signaled the start of the Christmas holidays by decorating a tall Fraser fir, which she usually did by herself when no other family members were around. She hung not only strings of lights but also a variety of ornaments, including strings of popcorn and beads. That Christmas, she topped the large tree with a striking black porcelain angel.
This year, after decorating the tree by herself, Liza prepared the Christmas dishes from scratch including cakes, cookies, pies and candy—along with taffy pulled around popcorn balls. When her visiting daughters came to the kitchen to help pull the taff
