Page 67 of When in December

My sister was out of the driver’s seat while the lights of the car were still on and her children, presumably, were still in the back seat. She left the door open as she held on, careful not to let go until she was steady.

Snow lifted and clumped into the edges of my boots, soaking my socks with every step I made out from the mudroom door. “Sarah.”

“I need you to take the kids,” she said without greeting. “Just for the day.”

“No.” I didn’t pause before I replied, “What are you even talking about right now?”

“Please.” Sarah looked between the car and back to me again.

I looked at the car, tilting my head away and letting my voice drop in case my niece and nephew were listening. “I thought you wanted them to have some magical fairy-tale winter-wonderland holiday here.”

“That was the plan.”

“Well, this place still isn’t you holiday dream home.”

Her shoulders slumped with impatience before taking notice of my pajamas. “Aaron, please … are you okay?”

I narrowed my eyes.

She cocked her head down toward where I limped to the one side of my body, trying to get myself standing straight. “Is your leg?—”

“It’s fine,” I cut her off. “Just fell asleep when I had to come bounding out into the snow for you.”

She huffed. “This shouldn’t be a big ask.”

“It isn’t?”

“You know I wouldn’t leave them here if I had another choice. The nanny is off. My backup babysitter isn’t available. Liana barely thinks that she even needs a babysitter anymore, which is a whole other issue. I tried to make this easy for you. They’re all packed and everything.”

I stared at her.

She stared right back. A quirk twisted at the corner of her lips. “I bet you wish you were at that retreat I signed you up for now.”

I barked a laugh.

“I know you don’t like kids?—”

“I didn’t say that,” I grumbled.

My sister didn’t bother to correct herself or elaborate. “You’re their uncle. We have to leave for the night. I’ll be back in twenty-four hours.”

“What’s going on?”

“Nathan’s aunt fell ill. It doesn’t look good,” Sarah explained.

“Nathan …”

“Myhusband, Aaron.”

I blinked. “Oh.”

“Yes.Oh. Anyway, he was close to her,” said Sarah. “We have to make sure we visit in case she doesn’t make it when we go up to see his side of the family for the holiday.”

“You could just go to his side of the family instead of coming here for Christmas, you know,” I offered.

Her mouth set into a thin line. It was the signature look that Mom used to make at us. A face that said,We aren’t talking about this right now.

Or ever.

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