Chapter 30
Ash
“Which is your favorite Christmas movie, Carm?” Nat asked.
“That’s a tough one,” she sighed. Kaley was fast asleep and curled into her by the chair next to the fireplace, “I’m not really into Christmas movies like that.”
“Try,” Laney said, chuckling.
“I always enjoy watching Christmas Vacation,” she laughed. “There’s something about Eddie and Catherine and that motor home that I find downright sexy,” she teased, humoring us as we lounged around, enjoying our Christmas coziness.
“I love Little Women,” Laney said, bringing up her all-time favorite book and movie. “The one with Winona Ryder. Maybe it’s not technically a Christmas movie, but it’s one of those movies I wouldn’t watch if it weren’t Christmas time.”
“How cute. The book that brought you and Collin closer together,” Avery chuckled.
“What about you, Av?” Nat asked, placing a candied almond delicately in her mouth.
“I’m sort of with Carm on this one. I’m not that into Christmas shows.
If I had to think of one that puts me in the Christmas spirit every year, it’s Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer.
When I was broke, and my sister helped keep a roof over Addy’s and my heads, we’d watch it together on TV, and Addy would squeal every time his nose lit up.
Seeing my baby so happy on Christmas, even when I didn’t have much to give her, was all that mattered, and that show always seemed to do the trick. ”
“It’s still my favorite,” Addy said, half-listening to our conversation while playing a card game on the floor with her little sister, Izzy.
“Is your sister still not talking to you?” I asked Avery, knowing the two had a falling out soon after she and Jim started dating.
“I have no idea what happened to her,” Avery said. “We started talking a little before the holidays last year, but then she fell off the face of the earth again.”
“Did you ever find out what her deal was?” Laney questioned.
“I don’t want to dampen the holiday spirit too much, but I just saw my sister for who and what she is.
She only was there for me because it put me in a position to depend on her.
Once my life and situation got better, she wanted nothing to do with me.
Honestly, she gets that from my mother. She only wanted to be in my life if she could manipulate it,” Avery shrugged.
“Anyway, let’s change the subject. Those crazy guys put a lot of effort into us having a holly, jolly Christmas, and disappointing family members have no business ruining it. ”
“Speaking of the men who insisted we have the best Christmas ever,” Nat said. “Where the hell are they?”
“Think about it,” I said with a laugh. “Jake and Collin are going to put all of them through hell, trying to find the best tree in the forest. I’m fairly confident they’ll arrive as soon as the sun sets so it’s dark, cold, and highly miserable out there to haul a Christmas tree into the house.”
“They’re probably holding hands and singing around the chosen holiday tree,” Carmen said with a laugh. “Although if my honey bunny and grandson are cold, I’ll kick all their asses.”
“It is getting late,” I said, growing more concerned after checking the time. “What if they got into some trouble?”
“They have cell phones,” Nat said. “And after Spencer’s attitude this morning, I’m quite confident he’s chomping at the bit to use his and would use any excuse to do so.”
“All I know is that we still have to decorate the damn tree, read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and get these kids settled into bed before Santa harnesses up the true North Pole reindeer and heads our way,” I said.
“I’m going to check on what’s being made for Christmas Eve dinner,” Carmen said. “I’m starving.”
“The more I think about it, the more something doesn’t feel right,” I said, feeling uneasy.
“I think Jim and Spencer have been crying about that all week,” Nat said. “Don’t worry about the guys. Between the two brilliant business tycoons and two genius doctors, they’ll be all right.”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” I advised Nat. “Those two doctors act like foolish teenage boys sometimes.”
“And those foolish teenage boys,” Laney added, “have had Jim and Spence at their mercy all week.”
“In the name of fully immersing themselves into the Christmas spirit for us,” Avery added. “Jim knows his brother well, and he always has a backup plan in the event Jake screws something up.”
“True,” I acknowledged. “I’m just surprised they’ve been gone all day and haven’t returned with a tree yet. It’s just a Christmas tree.”
“At the rate Jake and Collin have been riding my husband and Jim’s asses all week on Christmas crack, I bet they’re making them ride in that cold weather to various Christmas farms all over this mountainside to ensure their final night of retribution makes a big impact.”
“Yeah, you guys are right,” I conceded, knowing those scenarios were far more likely than anything terrible happening. “Let’s see if the food is ready. Watching Christmas films all day has made me work up an appetite.”
I walked over to the chair where Carmen had nestled Kaley and gently roused her.
“Hey, beautiful.” I gently caressed my daughter’s rosy cheek. “If you don’t wake up now, you won’t be able to sleep tonight, and Santa will skip our house,” I said with wide excited eyes.
“Oh no,” she grumbled, trying to ignore me and return to her cozy nap.
“Someone’s in a nice and toasty Christmas Eve coma,” I laughed. “Come here, honey,” I reached to help her up. “Daddy’s going to be back soon with John and Papa, and we need to be awake when they get home to see the perfect Christmas tree they got for us to decorate tonight.”
“Okay,” she agreed, half-smiling and wrapping her arms around my neck so I could pick her up.
“Let’s see what we can find to eat in the kitchen, eh?”
We all took our lazy afternoon butts into the kitchen, and when the fragrance of the fondue foods being prepared for us to enjoy for dinner filled my senses, I practically drooled.
From the look and smell of the various breads, vegetables, meats, and seafood being arranged on platters, I was going to be so full that I wouldn’t be able to move by the time I devoured this delicious meal.