Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“I feel the same way.” My heart is overflowing with happiness and gratitude.
Connor crosses to the massive tree, which is piled with gifts that weren’t there yesterday. He holds up stockings with Everly and Victor’s names. “Who wants to open presents?”
“You have stockings for us?” Victor’s eyes are wide.
“Of course. We all have one.” Connor passes them out, and Everly and Victor sit on the floor cross-legged in front of the tree.
I tuck myself into Connor’s side. “Thank you so much. These two are the best gift.”
He kisses my temple. “I’m glad it makes you happy.”
Everly and Victor dig into their stockings, oohing and ahhing over every little thing. There are standard stocking items, like chocolate and teenage necessities, but there are also gift cards for Everly for a local bookstore, and ones for her new favorite café where they don’t give her trouble for drinking the unlimited coffee. Victor gets a STEM subscription box.
My stocking is strawberry-themed, and all my favorites are tucked inside—from my preferred body lotion to the bubble bath I splurge on occasionally. At the bottom is a tiny festive jewelry box with another bracelet, this one holiday themed and clearly made by Connor’s hands. My heart swells when I realize he’s made one for all of us, and he’s wearing one of his own to match.
Connor kisses my temple after he opens each item in his stocking. I filled it with his favorite treats, including imported chocolates and maple fudge, as well as a pair of hand-knitted gloves and socks to match the toque I made. Meems added a few of his favorite childhood candies, and there are small gifts from the twins, too. He’s so much more relaxed today, no longer in fight mode. And I feel like I’m part of a real family.
I want to hold on to this, nurture it and never let it go. The lines between reality and fiction have blurred. I wish I knew what Connor’s intentions were. He’s always focused on making me happy, and last night he said it was for me—not Meems. Is that possible?
Once the gifts are opened—Connor assures me he tried not to go overboard for the twins, but he was unsuccessful—we move to the dining room for brunch.
“You could have twenty people in here!” Everly exclaims.
“We used to host Christmas dinners every year,” Meems explains.
“Not anymore?”
“My parents usually go away for the holidays,” Connor explains. “Sometimes Meems goes with them, but she stayed home this year.”
“You can’t go because of hockey, right?” Everly drenches her pancakes in maple syrup.
“That’s right.” Connor nods.
Everly’s mouth pulls to the side. “That’s too bad.”
“It’s okay.” He reaches out and covers my hand with his. “I have everything I need right here.”
Everly’s expression turns dreamy, and Meems’s smile is radiant. I lean in to kiss his cheek, wishing I could see inside his head to confirm that this is the truth.
Everly and Victor stuff themselves silly on pancakes and eggs and a mountain of fruit salad, and after brunch, Connor takes Meems to the guesthouse for a nap. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but the doctors have been cautiously optimistic. She still tires easily because her heart is working hard, but her naps have been shorter over the last several weeks.
Everly and Victor take the elevator to the second floor to explore—Everly can’t get over the fact that there is a “for real” elevator—and she and Victor freak out over the library. Eventually they appear at the top of the stairs again.
“This place is amazing!” she shouts.
“It is,” I agree.
“And huge!” She grips the banister, eyes alight with devilish glee. “I want to slide down!”
Victor grabs her by the waist and hauls her away. “This is not the movies, and we don’t need a trip to the hospital on Christmas Day.”
“I almost broke my arm doing that when I was a kid!” Connor calls out as he returns.
I turn toward him with a laugh. “This is not shocking in the least.”
“Better me than my sisters.”
I thread my arm through his, and rest my cheek against his bicep. “How’s Meems?”
“Happy but tired.” He kisses the top of my head.
Everly and Victor run down the hall to the east wing, shrieking and laughing.
“Thank you for bringing them here today.”
“It was the least I could do after you endured yesterday. And you love them,” he says.
“I do.” I look up at him. And I love you, too. I want to say the words, but fear keeps them inside.
CHAPTER 39
CONNOR
“Thanks for inviting us to join you.” I accept a back pat from Roman as we arrive at his place on Christmas afternoon.
“The more the merrier.”
Mildred folds Lexi into a hug. More than once I’ve caught my wife on the edge of what I hope are happy tears today.
“I just want Mildred to be surrounded by the people she loves the most.”