Page 37 of A Break in Communications

“Not a person in this world who could take me away from you, baby girl,” she said.

So—apparently she’d gotten her momentum back, and she thought she could take me. That was fine. I tucked a blonde curl back behind her ear, and I said, “That’s the right answer,” and I kissed her again, my lips against hers—the swooping, stomach-dropping sensation of it was different now, like there was nothing now that could stop me from doing it all I liked—and I lingered there for a second before I pulled back and enjoyed that dazed look in her eyes. “Now—let me bring you up to speed with the conversation, so you can weigh in on this, because we’re at an important impasse out here right now on the subject of Christmas markets.”

To her credit, Lucy recovered faster this time, which was hard to not take as a challenge. She stayed in my chair with her hands folded on my shoulder, head resting against mine, and I looped an arm around her waist, seeing if I could get a rise out of her, but she remained steadfast through the whole conversation.

It was about another hour or so before the kids showed up—we had a glorious few hours with just the grownups there at the house before the hustle and bustle of everyone showingup with kids was scheduled to arrive, my cousins Danielle and Amy crowding in with their husbands whose names I couldn’t be bothered remembering and bringing a gaggle of laughing children, and my youngest aunt Linda bringing up the rear with her kids too, the house getting even louder than it was just with Grandma’s music.

And of course, the kids loved Lucy too. She got down on one knee and introduced herself asCousin Anna’s girlfriend, and they all squealed and crowded in to talk over each other. Didn’t take fifteen minutes before they all loved her too and she could talk about each kid’s favorite thing, and I think I was glowering at it all, because Veronica put a hand on my shoulder, making me jump at the sudden approach.

“Being jealous of a bunch of kids isn’t a good look,” she said. “You’ll get your girlfriend back.”

I rolled my eyes. “Getting jealous of children happens all the time, people just don’t admit to it. This is why I don’t want kids. I don’t want to share.”

She shrugged. “Hey, props for self-awareness. Nothing better than not inflicting your issues on another generation.”

“Thanks, Veronica. You’re loaded up with compliments today.”

She elbowed me, heading towards the door behind me. “Your girlfriend’s already giving you compliments enough. I’m going to go get my serious socks on. Amy’s kids are going to drag us into the snow in twelve minutes and you know it.”

She was wrong—it was closer to ten minutes before Amy’s youngest daughter Isabella was dragging us to the door shouting about going out in the snow, and we got bundled up and headed out to the back yard, which was expansive enough to count as a snowy field in of itself, set on a hill with dense snow-covered trees around the edges, evergreens lining the lot with sheets of snow resting in the deep jade-green boughs, and we were aboutfive seconds in before two of the kids took a sled and barreled into a Christmas lawn ornament, a little elf sculpture carrying a present getting taken out. I wondered if vehicular elfslaughter was an automatic ticket to coal for Christmas.

Dad and I went up to the spot at the top of the hill with the swing seat, lined with snow and with string lights wrapped around the sides and the top, a little bit away from everything, and I was almost fool enough to expect a serious conversation with him once he brushed the snow out of the seat and gestured me to sit with him, but we got Dad-style small talk instead. Asked me how life and work were going and let me get about five words in before he interrupted me to weigh in on some trivial detail, and then he launched off into a side tangent, told some irrelevant story, went from there into a funny story from his work, and then jumped to talking about Lucy, nodding to himself as he leaned forward, arms folded on his knees.

“She’s a good one,” he said. “You know, your mother and I, we’ve developed a pretty good eye over the years. Once you’re our age, you’ll see it too—just know right away when you see someone who works. We were a little apprehensive when we heard about you bringing someone home after only dating her for a couple of months, but—Lucy won us over in no time.”

I deadpanned. “Dad, you just like her because she talked about basketball.”

He chuckled. “She’s a clever one, that Lucy.”

He never really responded to anything I said. Also, Lucy didn’t even know anything about basketball—even I could tell from listening—she just let him talk about it and he took it as that she was cool.

But, hey. That was how Dad showed love, I guess. I’d just have to make sure when I actually did date someone, she’d have to be able to do the Lucy thing where she could keep up with myfamily members on random topics, or else they’d all throw her out and tell me to bring Lucy back.

“She is really good,” I said softly, casting my gaze across the yard to where she was playing some kind of game with the kids. Seemed like she was playing a snow monster they all had to run from, deliberately trudging slow and dramatically through the snow to give them all time to get away. She made a pretty good monster, actually, all things considered. Little pretty for one, but whatever. “Kind of person everyone just… likes,” I said, finally.

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Well,” he said, just a little awkward. “She’s Dad-approved. I’m proud of you. Now, I gotta get back to find your mom. Don’t know what she might be scheming with your aunt Linda.”

He chuckled like we were all in on some big joke, and he stood up, walking back towards the house. Absently left staring at Lucy from afar, I folded my hands in my lap, letting the swing drift back and forth, and I didn’t realize I was staring until she turned and looked at me, making eye contact from across the lawn, over the heads of a crowd of little kids, and it made something nervous kick up inside me.

She smiled slyly at me, raising a hand in a half-wave, and I rolled my eyes, smiling and waving back. I didn’t know where she got off being so corny-cute with this whole thing.

Whatever. I’d show her up later. I glanced at my phone just for something to look at other than Lucy, and I instantly regretted it, because I had a message from Kelcey, just ten minutes ago.Hi Anna! How’s it going?

God, if she said a word about Veronica, I was going to give it to her straight. I opened the message, because I was a masochist, I guess.What do you want, Kelce?

heyyy,she sent. I forced myself to let out a long, slow breath. The girl was spoiled and sheltered. She could lose the job and never have to work again, probably. Only made senseshe wouldn’t be too worried about professionalism and proper conduct. It wasn’therfault she was a dumbass. She started typing again.how’s the party with Lucy??

fine,I replied.what do you need help with?

I’m a little jealous,she sent.I’m sure you two are having the best time

Kelcey, tell me what you did

is there still room for me to join?

If this was just her trying to get an invitation to come see Veronica, I was going to leave the party, go find wherever she was right now, break in if necessary, and strangle her. I’d just have to ask Veronica first to make sure she wasn’t into that.no,I sent.I’m putting the phone away now

wait wait just one question

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