Page 42 of Spicy Nick

I nod in agreement. “Perfect present, perfect Christmas.” I glance over at my daughter and nod. “Perfect daughter. Thanks.”

“De nada,” she replies looking pleased with herself—as she should.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a few of the cats hurrying in to crouch in the doorway, checking out the new arrival with raised noses and suspicious eyes. A couple, braver than the rest, venture all the way into the room, tails held high, expressions running the gamut from fascination to disgust.

So, okay. Maybe it’s not the perfect Christmas gift forallof us. But it’s early days; it still could be.It’s okay, guys, I think at the cats.It’s nothing to worry about, just a little change. You’ll get used to it.

“I guess maybe now our family reallyiscomplete,” I tell Scout, mostly joking. I think.

“Maybe it is,” she teases in return. “But nothing’s off the table yet.”

A few minutes later,Luna, tired out from the excitement—or the attention, or all of the traveling back and forth, falls asleep and is gently transferred back into her box for a nap. Scout and I, finally recalling our duties as hosts, ask if anyone would like something more to eat or drink. And apparently, everyone does. So, we all remove to the dining room (leaving the puppy asleep in the living room, under the watchful eyes of the cats) and drag the leftovers back out, along with what’s left of the gingerbread house.

Everyone’s in good spirits as we sit down to eat. We’re passing bowls and dishes back and forth. Seth and Deirdre are telling us all about their day—most of which was spent in transit, rushing up to Berkeley to spend time with Deirdre’s family, and then back again with Luna, after Kate called them to say that she’d changed her mind again and could they please, pleases, please bring Luna back to Oberon with them?

It seems she’d started having second thoughts when she’d heard about our supposed baby. She was concerned that we wouldn’t be up to the challenge of dealing with a new babyanda new dog at the same time.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I tell her. “Did it somehow slip your mind that we had a dog and an entire clowder of cats when your brother was born?”

“No, but a puppy is different,” Kate argues. “They’re more work than a grown dog.”

“No lies detected,” Seth agrees. “Although, in Luna’s case, most of the hard part’s already been done for you. She’s already housebroken and will respond to basic commands, so…”

I’m about to ask if there’s anything else I should know about, but it’s at this point that Mandy lets out a shrill of excitement, and all eyes turn in her direction just as she says, “Are you kidding me? You’re engaged?”

Deirdre, who seems to have frozen in place just as she was reaching across Mandy with the breadbasket, grimaces in Seth’s direction. “Oops?”

“Yeah, not exactly how we’d planned on announcing that,” he grouses, scowling at his sister.

But the secret’s out now, and the next few minutes are an endless round of hugs and kisses and congratulations, punctuated by the popping of corks and the pouring of Prosecco into flutes hastily retrieved from the glass cabinet.

And then Lucy gets a good look at her future daughter-in-law’s new ring and turns to gaze accusingly at her own mother. “Mom? Isn’t thisyourring?”

“Well, it was,” Aunt Rose confirms. “But your father and I discussed it with Seth, and decided it was time someone else got to wear it.”

“Hold on,” Mandy says, gaze ping-ponging between her grandparents and her brother. “You all knew about this, but you kept it a secret fromMom?”

“Yes, thank you,” Lucy said. “That’s just exactly what I was thinking.”

Mandy shakes her head. “No, I meanhowdid you do that? And she didn’t catch on?”

“Dan,” Lucy wails in mock dismay. “D’you see how mean they’re being to me?”

“I see ’em, babe,” he tells her. “But don’t you worry; you still have me.”

“Mm, very true,” she answers. “And thank God for that.” And then they’re kissing again—without benefit of mistletoe—because when have they ever needed that?

“It’s actually very easy to keep a secret, Mandy,” my Aunt Rose says; “The trick is not to tell anyone.”

“Ha! That’s you told,” Seth says with a laugh as Mandy folds her arms across her chest and mutters crossly about being dissed by her own grandma.

I glance at Scout and our gazes meet over Cole’s drowsy head. “He okay?” I ask.

Scout nods. “Yes, just tired. I think I’m going to put him to bed now. It’s getting late.”

“Need any help?” I ask hopefully.

Scout smiles and shakes her head. “Thanks, but…well, someone’s got to stay and make sure that no fights break out, don’t you think?”

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