She grinned. “Absolutely.”
4
FARRAH
My hair was still dampfrom the bath and subsequent shower as we hung out in the bed in our matching robes, eating decadent treats delivered by room service. I swallowed a bite of my flourless chocolate cake as I looked up at one of the pictures on the wall.
You couldn’t tell if you didn’t know, but it was Gage and I laying next to each other in bed in robes, holding newspapers in front of our faces.
Even being present for the photoshoot, it was hard to believe it was Gage and me from all those years ago. We were different now–more mature, more patient, more familiar.
Following my gaze, Gage said, “Can we bring that home when you do the redesign?”
I grinned and nodded. “But I think we should take another picture like it. Can you pass me my phone?”
He reached for my purse sitting on the nightstand and gave me my phone, and then I swiped to the camera, holding it out so I could take a selfie of the two of us in our robes, sitting on the bed. Not posed, just enjoying our life together. And I froze the moment forever with a touch of my finger.
We both looked at it for a moment, studying it quietly. I grew misty-eyed before I reached over and kissed him again.
Our relationship wasn't perfectly posed photo shoots. It was us raising children and fighting for what we wanted out of life. It was stolen smiles at the dinner table and the way he always fell asleep holding my hand.
It waseverything.
LIV AND FLETCHER’S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE
1
LIV
Fletcher draggedthe last of my four Christmas decoration totes into the living room, setting the red and green boxes next to his singular cardboard box. In his chicken scratch doctor handwriting, I could just make out XMAS in faded black Sharpie.
As he stood up and brushed the dust off his hands, he said, “How does one accumulate so much stuff you only use once a year?”
I adjusted my red headband decorated with enamel Christmas trees. “How does one have a child and only have one measly box?”
He shrugged. “My house in Dallas had permanent lights outside, and we did a real tree inside every year... But I’m guessing that’s about to change?”
I nodded, going to give him a side hug. My ugly Christmas sweater jingled as I did.
His muscular arm wrapped around me snugly. “I can’t wait to see the look on Maya’s face when she gets home.”
This was our first Christmas as a family. Since she was staying the weekend after Thanksgiving at her mom’s place, Ithought it would be the perfect time for us to get everything set up to surprise her when she returned.
“Where should we start?” Fletcher asked, game for anything that would make me smile.
I went to the line of my storage totes, reading the notes I wrote on masking tape on the outside. “Let’s set up the Christmas tree first.”
We pulled open the lid, taking out the flocked tree I’d gotten years ago from Grandpa Griffen. He had no need for it when he downsized and moved into the retirement home, so I gladly took it off his hands.
I had so many memories with that tree. Baking salt dough ornaments with Grandma and painting them with Grandpa before hanging them on the branches just so. Stringing a needle and thread through popcorn and cranberries to make a pretty red and white garland. And then eating the garland and having to do it all over again. Not to mention, the simmer pot Grandma always had going that made their home smell like cinnamon apples and anise.
That made me think… “You figure out this puzzle,” I told Fletcher. “It will be like a low-stakes operation.”
He chuckled. “You’re giving up already?”
I shoved his shoulder playfully. “I’m going to get a simmer pot going.”
“Okay...” I could already tell his mind was working to organize all the pieces. This tree was older and wasn’t as simple to set up.
