Chapter 4: December 24thChristmas had always been a big affair in Zack’s household. The preparations began from the first day of December since there was so much to do. There were cards to be mailed, presents to be bought, donations to be arranged, business associates to invite to dinner, meals to plan, sweaters to knit, and, of course, decorations to be put up. Zack only enjoyed a handful of those activities. His mother tried every year to make Christmas more than just another holiday in which business occupied his father’s thoughts. Zack had been grateful for everything she did to make Christmas, well, a holiday.
It wasn’t that his mother hadn’t succeeded, exactly. It was just that the expectations his father placed on him made Zachariah feel out of place. From his refusal to go into th
