Page 17 of Snow One Like You

“Now admit it.”

“Admit what?”

“I’m the smartest, most awesome big brother you’ve ever had.”

Lulu laughed brightly, and I smiled at the sound, hearing the anxiety gone from her voice.

“You are,” she admitted.

“I win.”

She gasped, and I snickered. “You’re my only brother, you punk! You can’t keep winning by default!”

“Sure I can.”

Lulu sighed melodramatically, then muttered, “Avery and Owen want to say hello.”

The phone switched to a video call, and my nephew’s cute face filled the screen. He grinned at me, and my heart melted. I didn’t want kids, but I loved my niece and nephew like they were my own.

“Hey, sport!” I greeted him jauntily.

“Uncle Sowen!” His cute little face morphed into a sad frown. “Mommy says we can’t come foh Cwismas.”

“I know, sport. But it’s not safe for you to come here in this weather right now.”

“But we were gonna ski,” he pouted.

“We will,” I promised. “You should be able to come see me a few days after Christmas, and I’ll take you and your sister all over the mountain.”

“Yay!” he shouted, dropping the phone on the floor and doing a little happy dance over it.

Suddenly, Avery’s face was in front of the screen, so close that I was practically looking up at her nose. “Unca So!” she squealed.

Laughing, I told her, “Not so close, sweet girl. I can’t see your face.”

Lulu gently pulled the phone back and showed Avery how to hold it.

“There’s my girl.”

Avery’s smile was huge, and while I didn’t really care about spending Christmas alone, I missed their tight, happy hugs.

“Santa’s come! Kissmas!”

“Yep, Santa’s coming soon! Are you being my best girl?”

She nodded enthusiastically, then screeched when Owen grabbed the phone again.

“How will Santa find you, Uncle Sowen?” He looked panicked, and I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing.

“Don’t worry, sport. He’s magic.”

“Oh yeah,” he agreed matter-of-factly. “’Kay. Love you, bye!”

Avery grabbed the phone, glaring at her brother, then put it right up to her face again. “Ludjew Unca So!”

“I love you, too, sweet girl,” I murmured. I heard the creak of a floorboard just outside the kitchen and glanced behind me, assuming Cammie would be there, but I didn’t see anyone.

Lulu took the phone from Avery and smiled sadly at me. “I really wish we could be together. The kids are really bummed you won’t be here for Christmas morning.”

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