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Piper and Peter stood in the foyer, passing a flask back and forth. I laughed and snatched it out of Piper’s hand.
“Aren’t you driving?” I asked.
“No, Mom,” Piper said.
“Well, good,” I said and then took a sip, coughing as the heat of tequila went down my throat. “Jesus!”
“Yeah, isn’t it great?” Peter asked with a laugh.
“Put that away or give it to your abuelita,” Nina said, appearing before us.
Peter looked scandalized and hid the flask.
I kissed my abuelita on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I made tamales for tomorrow and brought Mexican hot chocolate with me tonight. Come drink some.”
I wandered into the kitchen with her to pour out the hot chocolate for people in attendance and didn’t say a word as Isaac pulled down a bottle of Godiva Liqueur to add shots for the adults. I hugged my parents and said hello to Annie, who was sitting by the Christmas tree and looking through the few presents, picking them up, and shaking them, as if she could figure out what was inside.
Finally, Isaac got everyone together and held his mug up. “To our first Christmas all together. May we have many more to come!”
“Cheers!” everyone called but especially Aly, who spilled hot chocolate on the floor as she lifted her cup.
“Oops,” she said into the silence.
My mom waved away Isaac’s parents and found something to clean up the spill. They worked together so effortlessly. As if they had somehow known that we’d end up here. In high school, our families had spent so much time together. We’d been just one giant family, but now, we truly were all one. And it felt as if it had been meant for this moment.
Each person got one gift to open. We oohed and aahed over the presents. Aly somehow managed to open four from various people, including an art set, Barbies, hair scrunchies, and some kind of goo that I didn’t understand. Isaac went over to investigate.
Then, Aly rushed over to me with a light-brown box in her hand, tied off with a red ribbon. “Peyton, it’s your turn!”
“Oh, Aly, what did you get me?”
“It’s a surprise!”
I took the box from her and pulled on the ribbon. It easily came away. I used it to tie a bow and place it on Aly’s head. She giggled and wore it like a headband.
Then, I opened the box, finding a sea of white tissue paper within it. I removed it like a magician pulling an endless amount of fabric out of his sleeve. I laughed as the cascade fell to the ground, but my laughter stopped when I reached the bottom.
Nestled in a poof of tissue paper was a small black box. I gasped as I retrieved it from its spot and let the brown box fall away.
My eyes lifted in shock, and there was Isaac with a wide smile on his face, pleased that his surprise had worked. And everything else slipped away in oblivion. I couldn’t see our families. I didn’t hear Aly’s excitement. I just saw the man of my dreams, standing before me, offering me the world.
Isaac took the box out of my hand and then sank to one knee. A sob escaped my lips, and my hands flew to my mouth.
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
He popped open the box, revealing the circular, haloed diamond within.
“Peyton, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” he asked.
“Yes!” I gasped.
Tears clouded my eyes as he slipped the ring on my finger. I stared at it in amazement and then flung my arms around his shoulders. Our families cheered.
“It worked!” I heard Piper cry out.
They must have all been in on it. God, this man.
“I love you,” he said against my hair.
“I love you, too.”
“My turn!” Aly cried, elbowing her way in.
Isaac picked her up, and we crushed her between us.
“How do you feel about Peyton becoming part of the family?”
“Yes!” Aly said. “I want that. Peyton can be my mommy.”
Isaac coughed and nodded, speechless.
“Do you think you could be my flower girl, Aly?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’ve watched the flowers a lot. I can definitely be a flower.”
Oh, The Nutcracker! How it seeped into every part of our lives. I didn’t even have the heart to correct her. It was too precious.
Our families came forward and congratulated us. There was another toast and hugs and kisses. And then Aly was yawning, and everyone else was heading home.
