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“That means you’re an auntie too,” Ava said to Aine as she put the puppy in her sister’s arms.
“He’s so sweet,” she murmured.
“Uh, I think he’s a she,” said Tabon, lifting the puppy’s tail.
“What should we name her?” Ava asked, scratching the puppy’s ears.
“We’re naming ours Jingle Bells,” shouted the girls, who were rolling around the floor while their dog jumped over them and back again.
“How about Dasher?” suggested Aine when the puppy squirmed out of her arms and raced across the room.
“Perfect,” said Ava, looking at Tabon, who nodded.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” said Sierra, hugging her mom.
“I agree,” whispered Tabon, kissing Ava’s cheek.
“Me too,” she whispered back.
Chapter 16
Aine and Striker
“The boss isn’t gonna like this,” Onyx said.
“Which boss is that? Because from where I sit, we’re all the boss.”
“I’ll tell Doc you said that when he rips me a new one.”
“It’s Christmas. He’s not going to do any such thing.”
—:—
Aine rested her head on her mother’s shoulder.
“I’m proud of you,” she said.
“Me? Why?” Aine asked.
“I know how worried you are, but you aren’t showing a bit of it to anyone in this room.”
“I’m okay—”
Her mother kissed her cheek. “Neither of you girls think I know anything about you, but you’re wrong. I admit that I wasn’t a very good mother to you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell when you’re hurting.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“What for?”
“That you think that about us.”
“How could you not, sweetheart? I’m the first to admit I wasn’t there for either of you when I should’ve been. If you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you and your sister.”
“As long as you’re part of our lives, that’ll be enough for us, Mom.”
—:—
“Can’t you drive any faster?”
