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ChapterForty-Seven
Emilia
Abby:Your brother made Thanksgiving awkward.
Me:Be nice. Rafe was fine with everyone else. You just kept making snarky remarks.
Abby:You forgave him too easily. He put you through hell, Emmy. And he needs to grovel some more.
Me:What is with you and West wanting Rafe to grovel?
Abby:We’re protective of you. You’re my sister, and West, well, you’re definitely not his sister. But you’re still important to him.
Me:I appreciate you caring, but I’m a grown woman and can handle Rafe.
Abby:Of course you can. But the Wolfe family takes care of its own.
Me:I know. Are you sure you don’t want to visit the orchard with me and the twins to help decorate?
Abby:Nah. It was your idea to decorate it for Christmas, like we used to do when we were kids, as a surprise for Aunt Lori. I’ll help later, but right now, I’m applying for some jobs.
Me:I want you to find your dream job but also I’m selfish and want to keep you.
Abby:I know. But Samantha Evans is working out well for you. You’ll be fine.
Me:Good luck! And remember, we promised to make gingerbread house materials with Avery later.
Abby:Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Two days after Thanksgiving, I walked beside Avery and Wyatt, carrying a big tub of weatherproof ornaments and doing my best not to freeze my ass off. “Maybe we should’ve used a horse and cart to get this stuff up here.”
Avery readjusted her grip on the two big bags of stuff she carried. “Maybe next time. I sometimes wish it would snow, and then we could have a sleigh.”
Wyatt grunted. “Then we’d have to shovel snow all the time and always be cold and wet. No thanks.”
“But we could also have snowball fights and build snowmen and make snow angels.”
“I prefer paintball guns.”
I smiled. The twins, West, and I had all gone to a paintball place a couple weeks ago. It’d been my birthday present to them.
Avery and I had ended up winning against West and Wyatt. And no, I’d never let West live it down either.
The orchard came into view, and as soon as the twins had a lull in their bickering, I spoke up. “Are you sure your dad said he’d meet us there?”
Avery skipped a few steps. “Yep. He wanted to set some stuff up first before we came with the ornaments and bead garland things.”
The leaves had all fallen, so the branches were bare and perfect for decorating.
I couldn’t remember the last time the Wolfe family had put Christmas decorations up in the orchard. Probably not since their dad died all those years ago.
But Aunt Lori had gone on about it over Thanksgiving and her memories with her late husband, and I’d started a group text with just the Wolfe siblings. We all agreed we could re-create the Christmas orchard from her memories and give it to Aunt Lori as an early Christmas present.
We reached the sign that read “The Wishing Tree Orchard.”
I asked, “Have either of you made a wish lately?”
Both of the kids nodded, but Avery spoke first. “Yep. And I think it might come true this time.”
