there was no avoiding tradition—
including Molly, who, unlike her unfortunate roommate,
looked as though she"d never had a drop last night and was
acting twice as obnoxious as any of the youngsters.
She was still bouncing around, though it was a little
past seven, and everyone was up by now. A few stragglers
were still in the kitchen getting their coffee, as was Everett,
who was continuing his baked-goods duty from yesterday
and seeing to the cinnamon rolls he"d prepared in advance.
Alex stared down into his coffee, liberally dosed with
sugar, until Molly passed by, and then he shot her a glare.
“I hate you. I want that known.”
90
A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper
Ally clucked at him from across the room where she was
taking pictures of the children as they finished off their
stockings.
“You love me, and I don"t care,” Molly sang out, a lot like
her brother, and then treated Alex to a quick, hot, sideways
glance that could have been, and probably was, an imitation
of how Everett looked at him. Then she grinned at his shock
and flounced back into the kitchen for more coffee.
“I don"t!” Alex collected himself enough to call out. “And
bring me a cinnamon roll, you horrible creature.” Exactly
how much that girl had witnessed during their teenage years
was now apparent. He was only really surprised that she"d
kept silent as long as she had.
“Uncle Alex is grouchy.” He actually heard a child say
those words, but when he looked over, no one was looking at
him.
“You"ll be grouchy this early on Christmas morning
someday too,” his mother told him. Alex appreciated calm
Rachel so much better than her annoying sister. It"s why he
got her nicer presents. He almost couldn"t wait for Molly to
open her gifts and make the inevitable comparisons. He
wouldn"t have much longer to wait.
He wasn"t sure whether to be grateful or not for the
reprieve as it only gave him more time to think about what
he"d done last night. He"d done all this, avoided Everett for a
year and proved to himself that he was strong enough and
sane enough now to be good for Everett, so he could finally
have Everett if Everett still wanted him, and now he felt
91
A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper
frozen. Though perhaps petrified was a better word, turned
to stone with fear. A cranky, sick-to-his-stomach stone.
Everett wouldn"t hurt him for the world, but there was
love of family and there was burning passion, and though
what he felt for Everett was a melding of the two, it did not
mean the same was true for Everett anymore.
He rubbed his face, which was rough with the need to
shave. He wasn"t the only one, just as everyone but Molly,
somehow, looked in need of a hot shower. Robert was
sipping water and coffee in turns. Ty looked positively ill.
Alex found that more pleasing than he should.
“You don"t look like you have any Christmas spirit.” A
child"s voice brought his attention back to Rachel"s oldest,
Beth, staring at him.
“Bah! Humbug,” he grunted like he imagined Scrooge
would have, and then slurped at his coffee. George came in
just then and gave him a look, but didn"t comment. He had
another camera. Alex shut his eyes.
“Is everyone here? Is it time for presents?” George called
out, once again making questions into orders. Those hiding
in the kitchen almost immediately began streaming into the
living room and curling up wherever there was room. They
brought with them the scent of fresh cinnamon rolls.
Alex opened his eyes. He"d claimed the chair by the fire,
and he wasn"t moving, not even for rolls. It didn"t matter
anyway. When he looked up, Everett was there with napkins
and hot cinnamon rolls that dripped with too much icing for
everyone. He got halfway across the room, glancing
92
A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper
purposefully over in Alex"s direction with a plain one in his
hand, before Molly swung him around and pulled him and
all
including Molly, who, unlike her unfortunate roommate,
looked as though she"d never had a drop last night and was
acting twice as obnoxious as any of the youngsters.
She was still bouncing around, though it was a little
past seven, and everyone was up by now. A few stragglers
were still in the kitchen getting their coffee, as was Everett,
who was continuing his baked-goods duty from yesterday
and seeing to the cinnamon rolls he"d prepared in advance.
Alex stared down into his coffee, liberally dosed with
sugar, until Molly passed by, and then he shot her a glare.
“I hate you. I want that known.”
90
A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper
Ally clucked at him from across the room where she was
taking pictures of the children as they finished off their
stockings.
“You love me, and I don"t care,” Molly sang out, a lot like
her brother, and then treated Alex to a quick, hot, sideways
glance that could have been, and probably was, an imitation
of how Everett looked at him. Then she grinned at his shock
and flounced back into the kitchen for more coffee.
“I don"t!” Alex collected himself enough to call out. “And
bring me a cinnamon roll, you horrible creature.” Exactly
how much that girl had witnessed during their teenage years
was now apparent. He was only really surprised that she"d
kept silent as long as she had.
“Uncle Alex is grouchy.” He actually heard a child say
those words, but when he looked over, no one was looking at
him.
“You"ll be grouchy this early on Christmas morning
someday too,” his mother told him. Alex appreciated calm
Rachel so much better than her annoying sister. It"s why he
got her nicer presents. He almost couldn"t wait for Molly to
open her gifts and make the inevitable comparisons. He
wouldn"t have much longer to wait.
He wasn"t sure whether to be grateful or not for the
reprieve as it only gave him more time to think about what
he"d done last night. He"d done all this, avoided Everett for a
year and proved to himself that he was strong enough and
sane enough now to be good for Everett, so he could finally
have Everett if Everett still wanted him, and now he felt
91
A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper
frozen. Though perhaps petrified was a better word, turned
to stone with fear. A cranky, sick-to-his-stomach stone.
Everett wouldn"t hurt him for the world, but there was
love of family and there was burning passion, and though
what he felt for Everett was a melding of the two, it did not
mean the same was true for Everett anymore.
He rubbed his face, which was rough with the need to
shave. He wasn"t the only one, just as everyone but Molly,
somehow, looked in need of a hot shower. Robert was
sipping water and coffee in turns. Ty looked positively ill.
Alex found that more pleasing than he should.
“You don"t look like you have any Christmas spirit.” A
child"s voice brought his attention back to Rachel"s oldest,
Beth, staring at him.
“Bah! Humbug,” he grunted like he imagined Scrooge
would have, and then slurped at his coffee. George came in
just then and gave him a look, but didn"t comment. He had
another camera. Alex shut his eyes.
“Is everyone here? Is it time for presents?” George called
out, once again making questions into orders. Those hiding
in the kitchen almost immediately began streaming into the
living room and curling up wherever there was room. They
brought with them the scent of fresh cinnamon rolls.
Alex opened his eyes. He"d claimed the chair by the fire,
and he wasn"t moving, not even for rolls. It didn"t matter
anyway. When he looked up, Everett was there with napkins
and hot cinnamon rolls that dripped with too much icing for
everyone. He got halfway across the room, glancing
92
A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper
purposefully over in Alex"s direction with a plain one in his
hand, before Molly swung him around and pulled him and
all
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