Page 47 of Falling for the Forward

“And Darling.”

With a single note bark of laughter, I say, “I’m not sure about that.”

“He’s part of our family. You love your family.”

“We got you and Darling a present!” The words spill out of Charlotte like she can’t hold them in any longer.

“It was supposed to be a surprise, Charlotte!” Olivia snaps.

“It’s okay, I’ll still be surprised.”

Charlotte searches beneath the tree and finds a box--holding it up. “Is this it, Suki?”

Suki squints, trying to see the tag. “If it says ‘To Carter and Darling,’ that’s it.’”

“It does.” Charlotte runs over to me with the box, her eyes bright with happiness.

It’s wrapped in shiny silver paper adorned with shiny red and green ribbon. I open it and move aside the tissue paper, groaning.

There are two sweaters in the box, both red and cream, with snowflakes and reindeer.

“Matching sweaters!” Hallie cries like it’s not obvious.

“Are you serious?” I mutter.

Suki is holding back a laugh. Olivia and Charlotte are already on the way to the stairs to find Darling.

“Put yours on, Uncle Carter!” Hallie begs.

I shake my head and give Suki an aggravated look. “No pictures.”

“Yes pictures.”

“If my teammates see those, they’ll still be making fun of me when I’m eighty.”

“You have to wear it, Uncle Carter.” Hallie’s tone is no-nonsense. “It’s a present.”

“You’re getting a chicken suit for your birthday, Halls.”

She giggles. “No, I’m not.”

The girls are soon racing back downstairs, Darling waddling into the room in front of them. Suki helps them get Darling’s sweater on, which fits him like a condom.

“It’s a little snug,” Suki says, kissing the top of his head. “But you’re a growing boy, aren’t you?”

I thought I’d get away with wearing the sweater over my T-shirt and pajama pants, but the girls insist I go change into jeans and a dress shirt so I’ll have a collar beneath the sweater.

They’ve got Darling on the couch when I get back downstairs.

“He’s not allowed on the couch,” I remind them.

“Just for the picture,” Olivia says.

“And then another one with you in a wingback chair,” Suki says.

“This is ridiculous,” I grumble.

I can’t believe I agree to it, but I end up on the couch with Darling’s front end on my lap. It takes a lot of coaxing from the girls and Suki to get me to smile.

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