Page 2 of The Merriest Christmas

I could read between the lines.

Everyone was scattered now.Since several of my brothers had graduated, secured jobs playing for MLB teams, and movedaway, Mom was kind of down.She did a good job hiding it. And I mean, of course, she loved Finn and me.But when you're used to sharing Christmas with all six of your kids, naturally, she'd feel a little melancholy, thinking this would be the first one we didn't spend together.

Not if I had anything to say about it.

That was all I really wanted for Christmas: for my family to be happy and together.

And I'd all but guaranteed it would happen.

All the arrangements had been made.

If everything went to plan—and it should—everyone would be here.

I checked the clock after I parked in the driveway.

Mom would be getting home in a couple hours.That should give me enough time to get the house set up.Loaded up with bags from the car, I walked inside and placed everything on the kitchen counter.

"Hey, Finn," I said, noticing my little brother sitting at the kitchen table.

He had a book in his hand.

As usual.

"Good read?"

"Yeah," he said then read something that made him smile."It's for book club.Have you started yet?"

"Nope," I admitted, "but it's the first thing on my agenda after getting the house ready for Mom.Speaking of which, did you—"

"Move the couch, so there'd be more room for gifts?Yeah."

"Oh awesome, what about—"

"Hung the stockings on the mantle too."

"And—"

"I also detangled the lights, made sure we have wood for the fire, and got the boxes of decorations out of the garage like you asked me to."

I blinked as he set down his book and looked up at me.The glasses weren't annoying at all, but that raised brow?I knew he was going to say something sarcastic before it even left his mouth.

"And I solved world peace."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah.What exactly have you been doing?" he asked.

"Well," I said, lifting the bags from the counter, "I went to the store and got all the things that will make it a fantastic Christmas."

Finn had the nerve to scoff.

"You laugh, but you have no idea how hard it is to plan something like this, Finn.I have to be on top of everything.There can be no surprises."

"Isn't that the point of wrapping presents?"

I rolled my eyes."There's more to the holiday than presents.That's like the grand finale.But then there's everything else."

"Like…"

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