shoulder.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” I leaned into her, needing a little motherly support.
“I know you’re disappointed Grey’s not with you.”
I shrugged. “We are spending the second half of the holidays together. Besides that, he can’t just up and leave the Palm. We’re getting ready to do an extensive renovation.”
We walked under a sparkling set of candy canes hanging from one of the airport pillars. “Everyone needs time off from work. I’m just sorry we aren’t going to get to meet him. You do live together. I hoped we would have met him by now.”
“I know, Mom. Soon. You’ll get to meet him soon. We’ll plan something.” I said it, but didn’t believe it. With the upcoming condo conversion, I had no idea when either of us would have another break again. Mason had started the reconstruction plans as soon as the ink was dry on the contract. That guy didn’t mess around.
My father appeared triumphantly with my suitcase in hand. “Here it is, pumpkin. You girls ready?”
We both nodded and followed him out of the airport.
I hadn’t been home since I drove out of my parents’ driveway in September. I smiled when I saw the candles in the windows and the light-up Santa Claus my father always attached to the front porch. When I was a little girl, I thought that Santa was the most beautiful Christmas decoration on the street. All the neighbors’ houses were decorated with white and colored lights. I sighed. This felt like Christmas.
“Come on, come on. I have to show you the tree. I’m dying for you to see what I did with it this year.” My mother slid out of the passenger side and jogged up the steps.
My father gave me a knowing look. “You better go. I’ll get your bags.”
I walked in the house. All the things I had missed about home hit me as I walked through the door. It was as if all the Christmases in my memory were bundled together and unwrapped in this one instant. Everything was festive and perfect, just like Christmas was supposed to be.
“In here, Eden. Come see,” Mom called from the living room.
“Ok, ok. What’s different with the tree this year?” I stopped in the doorway. “Wow, Mom. It’s amazing.” I stepped closer to examine her latest work of art.
The twinkle lights sparkled all over the tree. All of our family ornaments were on display, but there were new ones. It sparkled from the inside out. There had to be at least fifty glitter snowflakes. Some made from mirror, others coated in a white shimmer.
“I can’t believe you added all of this. Where did you get the idea?” I circled to the other side, not wanting to miss a single decoration.
“Oh, it just hit me one morning when I was doing child’s pose. It threw off the rest of my class, because I wanted to get out of the studio and start on the ornaments.” She laughed. “I used crushed glass on most of the snowflakes. I’m hoping we’ll have a white Christmas this year. The tree should get us started.”
My mother had always been crafty, but this looked like the work of a professional.
“I think it’s the prettiest tree we’ve had.” I reached for my phone in my back pocket.
“What are you doing?”
I stepped back and snapped a photo. “Taking a picture to send to Grey. He has to see this.” I forwarded the picture along with a message.
Wish you were here to see this in person.
Seconds later, he wrote back.
Me too, baby.
Why don’t you change your mind? Promise you’ll love it.
I bet I would.
I sighed. There was no changing his mind once it was made up. That determination could be an amazing characteristic, but right now, it made me sad that we were in different states.
“How about we get you settled in your room, and I’ll have dinner ready in a few minutes? I bet you’re tired from the trip.”
“A little.” I shuffled down the hall in search of my old bedroom.
Other than summer and holiday breaks, I hadn’t spent much time
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” I leaned into her, needing a little motherly support.
“I know you’re disappointed Grey’s not with you.”
I shrugged. “We are spending the second half of the holidays together. Besides that, he can’t just up and leave the Palm. We’re getting ready to do an extensive renovation.”
We walked under a sparkling set of candy canes hanging from one of the airport pillars. “Everyone needs time off from work. I’m just sorry we aren’t going to get to meet him. You do live together. I hoped we would have met him by now.”
“I know, Mom. Soon. You’ll get to meet him soon. We’ll plan something.” I said it, but didn’t believe it. With the upcoming condo conversion, I had no idea when either of us would have another break again. Mason had started the reconstruction plans as soon as the ink was dry on the contract. That guy didn’t mess around.
My father appeared triumphantly with my suitcase in hand. “Here it is, pumpkin. You girls ready?”
We both nodded and followed him out of the airport.
I hadn’t been home since I drove out of my parents’ driveway in September. I smiled when I saw the candles in the windows and the light-up Santa Claus my father always attached to the front porch. When I was a little girl, I thought that Santa was the most beautiful Christmas decoration on the street. All the neighbors’ houses were decorated with white and colored lights. I sighed. This felt like Christmas.
“Come on, come on. I have to show you the tree. I’m dying for you to see what I did with it this year.” My mother slid out of the passenger side and jogged up the steps.
My father gave me a knowing look. “You better go. I’ll get your bags.”
I walked in the house. All the things I had missed about home hit me as I walked through the door. It was as if all the Christmases in my memory were bundled together and unwrapped in this one instant. Everything was festive and perfect, just like Christmas was supposed to be.
“In here, Eden. Come see,” Mom called from the living room.
“Ok, ok. What’s different with the tree this year?” I stopped in the doorway. “Wow, Mom. It’s amazing.” I stepped closer to examine her latest work of art.
The twinkle lights sparkled all over the tree. All of our family ornaments were on display, but there were new ones. It sparkled from the inside out. There had to be at least fifty glitter snowflakes. Some made from mirror, others coated in a white shimmer.
“I can’t believe you added all of this. Where did you get the idea?” I circled to the other side, not wanting to miss a single decoration.
“Oh, it just hit me one morning when I was doing child’s pose. It threw off the rest of my class, because I wanted to get out of the studio and start on the ornaments.” She laughed. “I used crushed glass on most of the snowflakes. I’m hoping we’ll have a white Christmas this year. The tree should get us started.”
My mother had always been crafty, but this looked like the work of a professional.
“I think it’s the prettiest tree we’ve had.” I reached for my phone in my back pocket.
“What are you doing?”
I stepped back and snapped a photo. “Taking a picture to send to Grey. He has to see this.” I forwarded the picture along with a message.
Wish you were here to see this in person.
Seconds later, he wrote back.
Me too, baby.
Why don’t you change your mind? Promise you’ll love it.
I bet I would.
I sighed. There was no changing his mind once it was made up. That determination could be an amazing characteristic, but right now, it made me sad that we were in different states.
“How about we get you settled in your room, and I’ll have dinner ready in a few minutes? I bet you’re tired from the trip.”
“A little.” I shuffled down the hall in search of my old bedroom.
Other than summer and holiday breaks, I hadn’t spent much time
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