Page 6 of Puck Me at Midnight

I can already hear the familiar sounds of Sam’s laughter echoing from the living room as I walk into the living room, the snowstorm raging outside in stark contrast to the warmth inside. Emma is in the kitchen humming along to the song on the radio. Her presence is calming. She always knows how to make things feel easy, even when everything else is chaotic.

“Guess I’m not going anywhere after all,” I say, leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen with a grin.

She turns, her eyes lighting up when she sees me. “Yeah, looks like it.” She tilts her head as if considering something. “The boys and I are having our own little celebration here. How about a ‘party for four’?”

I raise an eyebrow. “A party for four? Think Sam and Charlie will be okay with me crashing their party?”

She shrugs playfully, grabbing a bag of chips from the pantry. “I’m sure they’ll be excited. We’ll have snacks, music, and some decorations. Just the four of us. It’ll be fun.”

The thought of a quiet night, just me, her, Sam, and Charlie, fills me with warmth. The idea sounds perfect. “That sounds great,” I say. “I’m in.”

I can’t help but smile as I watch her move around the kitchen, setting up the snacks and arranging little plates and bowls. She makes everything feel effortless, and amid the chaos that’s been my life recently, this is exactly what I need. No big parties, no loud noise, just us.

The boys are practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, running around the living room and asking Emma a thousand questions about what we’re going to do next. Sam insists on wearing his superhero cape for the party. Charlie keeps tugging at Emma’s sleeve to help him with his party hat. It’s a flurry of energy and chaos, but it’s the kind of chaos I’ve grown to love.

When the decorations are up, and the snacks are laid out, we all settle down on the couch together. The room is cozy, the warm glow of the Christmas lights mixing with the soft glow of the lamps. Emma’s made it feel like a holiday. It’s not extravagant, but it’s everything that matters.

Sam hands me a silly paper hat—bright, colorful, and ridiculously small—and I raise an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

He grins ear to ear. “It’s tradition. You have to wear it.”

I’m not sure if I can fit my head into it, but I do, and Sam watches me with such a proud look on his face that I can’t help but chuckle. Charlie tries blowing on a noisemaker, but instead of the loud sound I expect, he blows in the wrong direction and makes a tiny, high-pitched squeak. He looks at it in confusion, then laughs so hard that it’s impossible not to laugh with him.

“Looks like you’re getting the hang of it,” I joke, ruffling his hair as he snickers.

Emma watches us with a soft smile, her arms crossed as she leans against the couch. I catch the way she’s looking at the boys—affectionate, patient—and I realize just how much she’s done for all of us. How much she’s done forme.

We’re all laughing together, the sound filling the house. I haven’t felt thisalivein a long time. I’ve been walking in a fog since Sam and Charlie came to live with me.

As the night wears on, we all huddle together on the couch. The storm rages on outside, but inside, it’s warm and comforting. Sam is still wide-eyed, determined to stay awake until midnight, while Charlie has drifted off, his little hand clutching his stuffed dinosaur. Emma gently strokes his hair, glancing over at me, and for a brief second, everything feels still.

“Sam’s gonna make it,” she says, her voice soft. “He insists he’s not going to sleep until the clock strikes twelve.”

I look over at the boy, his face half-lit by the Christmas tree lights, his eyes starting to droop. He’s determined, though. I can tell. He’s got his party hat on, his noisemaker in hand, and a superhero’s confidence, even as his little body struggles to stay awake.

I chuckle softly. “Only five more minutes. I think he’ll make it. I’ve never met anyone more stubborn.”

“Like someone else in this house?” Emma teases, her smile warm as she looks at me.

Before I can say anything back, Sam gives me a serious look, then points at my paper hat that I’ve let slip off. “You have to wear it until midnight. It’s the rule.”

I laugh, a genuine, unforced sound that feels new. “I’ll wear it, buddy. I’ll wear it until midnight.”

The minutes tick by, the warmth of the house wrapping around us like a cozy blanket. The storm outside seems so far away now, the only reminder of it being the occasional gust of wind against the windows. We all settle in, watching a kid’s movie that the boys picked out, and even though it’s just a simple evening, I feel a sense of peace that I haven’t felt in ages.

Finally, the clock strikes midnight. The sound echoes through the house, and we all look toward the TV, then back at each other, still snuggled together on the couch. Sam’s eyes are barely open, but he’s smiling, and Charlie is curled up next to Emma, his breathing slow and steady.

I can’t help but look at Emma at that moment. Everything feels like it’s falling into place. My chest tightens, and I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I know that this moment, this night is something I’ll never forget.

I lean in toward her, drawn to her like a magnet. She looks up at me, eyes meeting mine with that same warmth, that same softness, and before I know what I’m doing, I kiss her. It’s brief—just a gentle touch of lips—but it’s electric. A spark that sends a shiver through me and leaves me breathless.

When I pull away, I can see the surprise in her eyes, but there’s recognition there, too. We both knew this was going to happen, but neither of us was ready to admit it.

“Happy New Year’s,” I whisper.

A blush spreads across her cheeks, “Happy New Year, Spike.”

The boys are still asleep, oblivious to the shift in the air. I glance down at them, then back at Emma. This is what I need.

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