Page 63 of Teach Me to Laugh

That was when Beckett demanded. “Whatisthatthingsupposed to be?”

“You’ll love it when it’s on.” Raina said, winking.

“Already know I like it when it’s off.” Beckett countered and Isabelle Andrews, Raina’s mother, gasped.

“Beckett!”

“What?” Beckett asked, feigning innocence. “It’s true. I don’t know what Maddy was thinking buying that thing.”

“I was thinking it looked like something Amara would love. I also bought one for myself. It’s pink.”

“Where’s mine?” Raina asked, suddenly affronted.

“It’s a Christmas exchange,” Kaiden explained. “You don’t get one.”

“But my two besties have matching jammies.” She pouted, but her lips twitched just enough to let us all know she wasn’t serious.

“Yours is in my suitcase.” Maddy said, shrugging. “I couldn’t resist. By the way, it’s yellow.”

Raina clapped. “Squee!”

“You had to indulge her, didn’t you?” Kaiden asked.

“Now you feel my pain.” Beckett mumbled. “Try getting her out of that once she’s bundled in.”

This time, when Isabelle gasped, the room erupted in laughter.

Incidentally, I drew Raina’s name. Knowing Raina, I bought her a massive bag of colorful marshmallows, wine, and white chocolate. Kaiden gave me a look and Raina giggled hysterically, because apparently he’d bought and given to her the same thing before they’d left home to join us at the cabin for Christmas. But honestly, it was no secret the girl loved her marshmallows and white chocolate. The wine was just insurance for the next time Raina was feeling a little crazy, we would dance it up in Maddy’s apartment instead of at a club.

Raina shopped for Beckett. He warily unwrapped a soft charcoal gray housecoat I knew, instinctively, that I would be stealing. The thought made me warm inside. The housecoat came with a pair of slippers, that if my feet weren’t unbearably tiny and his ungodly huge, I would have considered stealing as well.

I knew Beckett drew Maddy’s name, because he’d whined for days until I’d joined him at the mall where he bought the books I selected, knowing she’d love them. She was ecstatic as any true book lover would be as she declared, “It’s going to be an early night for me.”

The only person left was Kaiden, which Raina decided she and Maddy would shop for together. I was a little stunned to watch him unwrap a shiny blue fishing rod and tackle box filled with fishing paraphernalia.

Kaiden raised a brow, “Fishing?”

Clearly, Kaiden didn’t fish. “I thought we needed something more than,” Raina’s cheeks turned pink as sheavoided her parents’ eyes. “More than skinny dipping to get us to the lake in the summer.”

Isabelle muffled a chuckle and Daniel shifted, but they both knew they’d raised a wild child, who even though she was wild, had a good head on her shoulders.

“Maddy?” Kaiden asked, “You agree?”

“While I know Raina can get pretty much anyone to agree that skinny dipping can fix pretty much anything, I personally believe that fishing is good for the soul.”

“Well, in that case,” Kaiden shrugged on a grin. “Thanks.”

The next were the parents. Kaiden and Raina had given both their moms family birthstone rings that blended their family colors together. Seeing that had my heart feeling silly in my chest, because I ached for it in a way that sucked, because I’d never have it. Never. Still, I was happy my friend did. She deserved to have all the beauty this world could offer. The men, as Raina had been involved in the shopping of their gifts, received fishing rods.

Again, the room erupted in laughter and Keith, when his laughter had died, looked to Beckett and announced. “We’ll need to get you a rod so you can join, son.”

Maddy’s breath caught and Beckett stiffened, but only slightly. “I’d like that, Keith.”

Keith smiled, surely thinking of the son he’d lost as well as the beauty he was gaining in his continued life, “Me too.”

After, we all opened our gifts from the parents. Everyone got pajamas with slippers and the girls all got scarves and baileys while the boys were given flashlights and whiskey.

I had to admit, while reflecting later that night after board games and Gracie’s famous Christmas popcorn with red and green M&M’s, melted white chocolate chips drizzled with butter and salt—freaking delicious—that it was the best Christmas I’d ever had. It was filled with so much love and laughter and realness—I was so happy I’d forced myself far enough out of my shell to come.

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