Chapter Forty-Four
brEANNA
MARLEY PLANNED the family tree trimming party for the same weekend as the Christmas parade. She thought since everyone would be in the spirit after taking the kids to the carnival on Friday, that we could have the family party on Saturday.
I couldn’t be further from being in the spirit.
And since Marley is now just over a month out from having her baby, and Sloane a few months, they can’t carry all the boxes from the attic like they usually do. So, Mato and I are at the house early, helping while Marley points and manages.
Mato’s gone with Mason and Jax to get the Christmas tree, and Gray and Mr. Harlow are in the stables, leaving me with Marley and Sloane. I’m pretty sure the men of the family have made it their mission to make themselves scarce since Marley is at her uncomfortable stage.
I’m pulling smaller boxes full of decorations from bigger boxes in the den.
The furniture has already been moved around to make room for the tree, and the fire is crackling in the fireplace.
I woke up this morning with puffy eyes from crying so much last night, and not even ice packs could get rid of the swelling completely.
Marley and Sloane walk in with three cups of cocoa, and Marley hands me one of them before she practically falls into one of the big leather chairs. “Okay, sit down and tell me what’s going on.”
Tears burn my eyes again, and I take a deep breath, trying to hold them back. “I can’t talk about it without crying, and I don’t want to bring everyone down.”
Marley rubs her stomach with a smile, and I realize just how tired she looks.
Dark smudges are under her eyes and her color is off.
“Bre, I constantly feel like I have to pee, my ankles are swollen, I can’t get comfortable at night no matter how I lie, and this little guy’s knees and elbows keep punching my lungs.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly Miss. Cheerful today. So. Give it to me.”
She leans back and rests her mug on top of her very round stomach, and sets her feet on the coffee table. Sloane’s mouth is twitching as she suppresses her laugh, and she leans back in the other chair.
Setting the bright red taper candles and silver holders down, I perch on the stone hearth of the fireplace with the warm cup in my hand while letting my shoulders slump forward. I tell them everything while tears stream down my cheeks like waterfalls that have an endless supply.
When the worst part left my lips, Sloane gasped and Marley’s fingers covered her mouth as her eyes became glassy. They ask the same questions that ran through my mind yesterday and make their own colorful comments.
Marley sets her mug on the side table next to her chair and leans forward as far as her belly will let her. “So that was the change in Mato yesterday at the carnival?”
Sloane’s cheeks are wet. “I noticed that and wondered what was wrong.”
I watch as Marley scoots to the edge of the chair and hefts herself up before she sits next to me on the hearth, Sloane follows her lead and sits on the other side. She wraps her arms across my shoulders, “What can we do, honey?”
About that time, Nova and the twins run into the den, all looking very serious. Niki is the most outspoken of the twins, and she takes the lead. “Mama, Beckett said that Santa won’t go to the cabin to leave gifts for Koda and Nova; he says they have to come here to get them.”
Nova steps up to me and puts one little hand on my knee and lifts her other to wipe tears from my cheeks. Her brown eyes look as if they are about to cry. “Why’re you crying?”
This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen. Pasting a smile on my face, I grab her hand and kiss her palm. “I stubbed my toe on the chair and it really hurt. But I’m okay now that I get to see your pretty face.”
Her head tilts ever so slightly, her eyes boring into me like she can look into my soul, and considers what I just said. Accepting it, her eyes turn very serious as she says, “You want me to kiss it?”
This makes me laugh, and I pull her to me and pepper kisses on her neck and cheek as she squeals in my ear. Keeping her hugged to me, I lift my head and kiss her forehead. “I feel better already just because you’re here.”
At my side, Marley answers Niki’s question. “I didn’t know Beckett had a direct line to Santa, who, by the way, delivers presents wherever he wants to. If Nova and Koda are at the cabin, that’s where Santa will leave their presents.”
This satisfies the girls, and they run out of the room to go tell Beckett he’s wrong. I watch my little girl in her pink glitter tights and cream sweater that says ‘Cheer’ in cursive red letters across the front, and her long black braid down her back, run out with them.
The next thought to run through my mind almost kills me. Will they be here for Christmas morning?