Chapter 31
PIPER
“Marv! Get in here!” Mom calls out as we all assemble next to the tree in the family room for the annual Christmas Eve photo.
The house smells of cinnamon cookies and coffee, with the faint scent of wood smoke from the fire. With the colored lights illuminating the tree and reflecting off the decorations around the room, it’s more festive than a Hallmark movie.
“Nah, this is for family,” Marv says, flapping a hand in her direction and taking a step back.
“You are family,” Mom replies briskly, then drags him to stand next to her.
I lean back against Brody, warmth suffusing every part of me as he nuzzles my neck, occasionally nipping at my skin and making me shiver.
“Hey, you two in the back row. Stop making out!” Mia calls to us, then shifts the camera to her face. “Okay, say ‘jingle bells’!”
“Jingle bells!” we say, and she takes a few pictures, then checks the screen on the back.
“It’s—”
“Perfect except for me?” Hudson says, and everyone laughs.
Mia grins. “Busted.”
Marv steps forward, his hands outstretched. “Let me take one with you in it.”
“Yes!” Mom says. “Come on, Mia.”
Mia looks between her camera and Marv like she doesn’t trust him with her baby.
“I went to film school,” he tells her. “I know my way around a camera.”
She reluctantly hands it to him, and he moves it in his hands, checking it out. But as Mia edges toward us, he cries out and pretends to drop it.
Mia shrieks, lunging for him, then shakes her head as he winks at her and says, “Gotcha!”
We all crack up, and Mia rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “That’s a Hudson-level prank.”
“And you still fell for it,” Hudson replies with a smirk.
“Come on, honey,” Mom says to her. “Stand here.” She puts Mia next to Hudson. “Now, son, put your arm around her.”
“This isn’t going to end well,” Ethan mutters behind me.
“Why not, Daddy?” Martha asks.
Hudson flinches as if he’s just been poked. “Hey,” he says to Mia. “Cut that out.”
“You need to smile for the camera,” she says to him.
“I know how to—will you stop?”
“Stop what?” she asks, but her hand is behind her back, her finger already poised to poke him again.
Suddenly Hudson grabs her in a headlock and gives her a noogie.
Mia shrieks, then executes a move straight out of the WWE, grabbing his legs and sweeping them out from under him, bringing them both to the floor. We scatter as Mia and Hudson grapple on the rug.
My best friend is really strong, but you’d have to be a bull to get the better of Hudson.
“Submit!” he shouts.
“Never!” she yells back, twisting to free herself like a snake having a seizure.
Both of them are red-faced and out of breath. I don’t think they realize we’re all still here until Ethan hands Martha to Dad and steps forward with Brody to separate them.
“How old are you?” Ethan asks as if Hudson were his son, not his younger brother.
Hudson’s chest heaves. “She started it!” he protests, jabbing a finger at Mia.
“Me? You’re the one who gave me a noogie!”
“Say sorry,” Ethan says to Hudson.
“Why do I—”
“Both of you say sorry,” Ethan continues with the kind of authority no one dares question.
“Sorry,” Hudson and Mia mumble at each other.
I sneak a glance at Harper, Mom, and Dad. They’re grinning like this is the best form of Christmas entertainment. Marv, meanwhile, is still taking pictures of the drama.
“Now you need to kiss and make up,” Martha says, her tone imitating that of her father.
“What?” Mia and Hudson exclaim together.
“If you’re really sorry, then you’ll kiss each other and make everything better.”
There’s an electric silence as Mia and Hudson stare at each other. Then Mia shakes her head.
“I’m good, thanks,” she mumbles and goes to the far end of the group, running her hands through her hair.
Hudson smooths his own hair down, then goes to the opposite end from Mia.
“Let’s try again, shall we?” Marv says. “Say ‘jingle bells’!”
“Is it present time yet?” Martha asks Mom as we all settle into couches and chairs a few minutes later.
“Almost, sweetie,” Mom says. “Grandpa just went to look for Santa.”
“Grandma,” Martha says patiently. “I know it’s really Grandpa.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The real Santa is too busy preparing for tonight, so he needs his stunt doubles. Like Grandpa.”
“Okay, but you must remember to play along. Don’t let Grandpa know you know.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
She climbs onto Ethan’s lap, and he drops a kiss on her head.
“So, you do presents on Christmas Eve, then?” Marv asks.
“It’s a nod to my Nordic heritage,” Mom says. “We still open some presents on Christmas Day, but it can get a bit busy, and it’s really—”
“About the children,” Martha interrupts seriously, then adds. “Like me.”
“And what do you want for Christmas?” Marv asks her.
“A new mommy,” she says firmly.
I freeze, and Brody stops breathing beside me. My gaze darts to Ethan’s tight expression.
“You’ve already got a mommy, sweetheart,” he says quietly.
“I know,” she replies calmly, as if this is a speech she’s been practicing for a long time. “But I want a mommy who talks. One who gives me kisses and cuddles.”
I grip Brody’s hand as tears prick my eyes.
Ethan clears his throat. “It’s not that easy.”
Martha shifts on his lap to look at him directly and puts a little hand on his cheek. “I know, Daddy. But don’t worry. I’ve taken care of it for you.”
His eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Huh?”
“I made a wish when we went to the spring.”
Martha glances from him to Marv. “If you make a wish at the spring, it always comes true. Especially if it’s about love.”
She looks around the room at the rest of us. “I know she’s not going to be here for Christmas. That’s too soon for the magic to work. She’s coming next year.”
Silence. I don’t know what to say, and it seems no one else does either. I want to hug Martha and Ethan, take away the pain on my brother’s face, and reassure his little girl that it’s okay to want a mom who’s alive.
“Well, um …” Mom begins. “Just as long as she doesn’t arrive when Grandpa and I are on our cruise.”
Martha’s face falls. “I forgot about that. When are you going?”
“Fall, sweetie. Not for ages yet.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“A month,” Mom says, then winces as Martha’s mouth falls open.
“But that’s forever!” she gasps, her chin wobbling.
“No, no, sweetie! It’s not long, I promise!” Mom says, getting out of her chair and taking Martha’s hands. “And Nana and Papa will still be here.”
Martha nods. “Okay.” She takes a breath. “They can meet my new mommy first.”
“Sweetheart—” Ethan starts, but the door opens, cutting him off.
“Ho, ho, ho!” Dad says loudly. “I hear some people want to open their presents early!”
“Santa!” Martha yells, sliding off Ethan’s lap and running to his side. “Look, everyone! It’s Santa!”
Everyone except Ethan chimes in excitedly.
I glance his way and mouth, “You okay?”
He nods, then forces a smile and turns to Martha, who’s pulling Dad into the room.
“You have to give out our presents first,” she says, holding up a bag. Dad reaches for it, but she hugs it close to her chest. “You can help me.”
“Okay,” he says, his eyes twinkling. “Who’s first?”
Martha pulls out a present. “For Grandma and Grandpa.”
He follows her across the room so she can give it to Mom.
“Thank you, honey. Can I open it now?”
“Not yet, because everyone got the same. Kind of. You’ll see.”
She hands out the rest of the gifts to each of us, then claps with excitement as we open them, revealing candles.
“We got them from the Christmas market. And I decided which one was best for each of you.”
We all thank her as she twirls in a circle, basking in the appreciation.
“Who’s up next?” Dad asks.
Harper raises her hand.
Martha skips over. “Can I help you, Aunt Harper? I’m Santa’s little helper.”
“Sure you can, sweetie.” She gives Martha a bag. “But before you open them, I’ve got a small announcement.”
I sit up straighter, conscious that I’ve still got my own announcement to make.
“I’m going to open my perfume shop next year!” she says, an excited grin splitting her face. “I signed the lease yesterday.”
“Oh honey, that’s wonderful news!” Mom exclaims, leaping up to hug her.
Then we’re all on our feet, showering her with congratulations. It’s what she’s always wanted, and I’m thrilled her dream is becoming a reality.
“I’m in the unit next to Lola,” Harper tells us. “And we’re going to work together to bring more love into people’s lives!”
“I can’t wait to tell everyone!” Mom exclaims. “They’re going to be so excited, especially Eileen!”
“I made you all a scent to celebrate,” Harper continues.
“Have you made one for me?” Martha asks.
“Sure have. It’s got top notes of unicorns and candy canes.”
Martha dives into the bag Harper gave her, rooting through it until she finds the one with her name on it. Then she hands the bag off to Dad, saying, “You can do the rest, Santa.”
Dad gives us our gifts, and I unwrap the tissue paper around mine to reveal a beautiful glass bottle with my name written in calligraphy on the side.
Popping the stopper, I smell cinnamon, coffee, and vanilla.
My clever sister has created a scent that will always make me feel happy and remind me of home.
“Some of them have your name on them,” Harper says. “Others have a word that I thought would be a good representation of you.”
“Power,” Marv reads on the side of his bottle. “Thank you, Harper! This is neat. I’m gonna wear it to all my meetings.”
“Fire,” Hudson reads. “Love it.” He looks at Mia. “What did you get?”
She shows him. “Light. Thank you, Harper!”
Brody takes the stopper out of his bottle and hands it to me to smell.
“Oh, my,” I murmur as the scent travels through me like olfactory Viagra. “I thought you smelled divine already, but with this …”
He raises an eyebrow, then sprays a puff of the scent above our heads, the fine droplets floating down like mist.