Page 19 of This December

“Your mom is something else.”

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me.” I laughed.

Olly came running up to us with a huge grin. “Dad said yes! Let’s go!”

“I got front seat.” I stuck my tongue out at my nephew. “You’re still not tall enough to sit up front, and he’s my date tonight, not yours.”

Olly narrowed his eyes with a look that was so similar to Aspyn that I shivered. But after a beat, he opened the rear door and climbed in, slamming the door behind him.

Cole muffled his laughter. “If you want, you could pee a circle around me. You know, to keep the predators away from your territory.”

“Really? I had no idea you’re into golden showers. Remind me again later.”

The look on his face was priceless.

I waited a beat then couldn’t hold in my laughter any longer.

This time, Cole was the one glaring at me. “I can’t believe you seriously said that within earshot of your whole family.”

My lips twitched. “Most of them are in their cars—including Olly. And it was totally worth it to see that look on your face.”

“Let’s go.” Cole huffed before stomping off to his Range Rover. My laughter followed him the whole way.

Someone had let the others in on my little surprise I discovered when we pulled up to the parking lot a few minutes later. My entire family was lined up like a Greek chorus, watching Cole’s Range Rover park.

Suddenly this didn’t seem so fun.

A kernel of fear twisted in my stomach at what embarrassing thing my family would do next.

But it turned out I was worried about nothing. Mom commanded everyone’s attention when we got near.

“All right everyone! Here’s our lineup tonight.” She passed out packets to everyone old enough to read. “One song per house. Please, no alternate Batman smells lyrics during ‘Jingle Bells.’ Olly, I’m looking at you.”

Olly hunched his shoulders and hid behind Cole, whose shoulders were shaking.

“Everyone have their hats and gloves?” Mom asked, surveying the littles. “Samantha, where’s your hat?”

“I say we wait ‘til the second verse, and then let the alternate lyrics fly, Olly,” Cole whispered to the little boy still hiding behind him. “You in?”

“Yes!” Olly shouted, clutching his fist.

I shook my head. “You guys are going to get it.”

“I had no idea you were such a goody-goody, December,” Cole scoffed.

“No, I have a healthy fear of my mom, thank you very much. You’re going to regret it.”

Cole wrapped his arm around my shoulder and grinned down at me. “I don’t believe in regrets. You only live once.”

“Let’s see how you feel after tonight. You’ve been warned about our singing abilities—more than once.”

Cole’s laughter had me grinning as we joined the main cluster of my family.

Let the games begin.

Breaking News From the Babbler

Cole Jackson Spotted Caroling in Lake Tahoe

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