Page 8 of Wrapped in You

Directly beside her husband, Sophie's mother blushed. "Be honest with me," she ordered Sophie. "I'm supposed to make six dozen of them for a Christmas party for foster families in Willow Creek next week. If they're garbage, I'll use a different recipe."

Sophie knew that her mother respected and upheld Sophie's opinion when it came to baking and cooking. But as she took a cookie from the jar, Sophie reminded her, "I learned everything about baking from you!"

"You're the one who went to culinary school," Mary said.

"But you're the brilliant baker who made me fall in love with working in the kitchen!" Sophie took a bite, closing her eyes as the creamy icing and buttery cookie melted in her mouth. "Mom! This is insane!"

Mary clasped her hands together. "Insane in a good way? Or a bad way?"

Sophie laughed and ate another bite of cookie. "It's the best Christmas cookie I've had in years. You have to share the recipe. Maybe I can bring some to the set soon."

"That's right. A Christmas film needs Christmas cookies," Joe said, tapping his nose.

Sophie remembered the director, who'd made fun of her Christmas decor that first afternoon. "You'll never believe it, but the director hates Christmas," she explained as her mother stirred the curry. "He asked me to tone down my Christmas decorations at the catering stand."

Joe's jaw dropped. "The director of the Christmas film hates Christmas?"

"He should be arrested." Mary scoffed.

Sophie giggled. "I don't think it's illegal to hate Christmas."

"It should be if you're directing a Christmas film," Joe countered. "He's taking advantage of other people's Christmas spirit! He's profiting off it!"

"Take more Christmas decorations from the attic," Mary ordered. "You need to shove Christmas cheer into that horrible man's face!"

"I'm going to tell Mayor Ackey about this," Joe grunted as he headed back to the living room with his beer and a cookie. "Maybe he can throw this director out of town."

Sophie laughed. Her heart swelled. As ever, her parents were on her side, so much so that they took it too far.

Suddenly, the front door opened, and Cindy, Vic, Annie, and Peter came through the foyer and into the kitchen like firecrackers. Annie was already crying; Peter was already demanding a Christmas cookie. Cindy had lipstick all over her face and explained, as she kissed them hello, that she'd tried to put on makeup in the car. "It was a disaster, obviously," she pointed out.

Sophie split a Christmas cookie down the middle for Annie and Peter and led them into the living room to kill time before dinner. Cindy was in the bathroom to fix her makeup, and Grandpa Joe was putting on the grandkids' favorite television show so that he and his one and only son-in-law could talk about basketball. Sophie sat on the floor with her niece and nephew, watching their captivated faces as their favorite brightly colored characters came on screen.

It reminded Sophie of five or six years ago when she and Jeremy had agreed they would "never, not in a million years, let their children watch television" for the benefit of their brain development. They'd been so naive.

Sophie hated that she missed Jeremy more around Christmastime. But it wasn't hard to imagine Jeremy here at the house, talking about sports with her father and brother-in-law. He'd grown up alongside her and fit so easily into her life.

And then, he'd wanted out.

It's okay. I have Culinary Tastings. I have my career, she thought.

Maybe it was like Jeremy said. I was too obsessed with my career. I still was. Perhaps that was why I'd never have a family of my own.

Maybe that was okay?

Peter and Annie turned to look at Sophie with big, eager smiles. Sophie's heart melted.

She thought,I'll be the best aunt in the world. I'll come to every elementary school performance. I'll come to every soccer game. I'll be the first one on my feet, applauding at high school graduation.

"Dinner's ready!" Mary called from the kitchen.

Sophie and Cindy hurried to set the table and pour wine for whoever wanted it. Vic put the kids into high chairs as he continued to focus on what Joe was telling him about the Knicks. Sophie and Cindy locked eyes across the table and chuckled as Mary bustled in with a big vat of curry. "I made naan from scratch!" she announced.

"Of course you did," Cindy beamed. "You're the perfect hostess! Just like Sophie."

Sophie rolled her eyes and turned to help Peter with his bib.

"Sophie was just telling us about her evil director," Mary said as she scooted her chair closer to the table.

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