Page 29 of Aussie
Christian’s face lit up, and he nodded, lifting the gun again as Aussie continued guiding him. As they went through the movements, Aussie felt a deep respect for the kid’s resilience, and he knew he’d do everything in his power to help Christian find the stability he deserved.
???
Ava stepped back from the living room, her hands on her hips as she admired her work. She had just finished setting up a beautiful artificial Christmas tree, strung with lots of twinkling lights, and was now just waiting for ornaments.
Piles of other decorations sat nearby—garlands, stockings, and all the festive touches she’d planned for weeks. She’d even found some small, battery-operated snow globes for Christian to place around the house. This was going to be his best Christmas ever, and she was determined to make every moment count.
She thought back to earlier when she’d gone to put Christian’s laundry away in his room. She had stumbled upon a crumpled piece of notebook paper lying on his nightstand. Curious, she had picked it up and smoothed it out, only to find the title “What I Want for Christmas” scrawled at the top. Her heart twisted as she read the first item on the list:a family to love me like Ava does. She’d sat on his bed, clutching that piece of paper, feeling the weight of what that simple line meant. She would give anything to adopt him, but she knew the courts were hesitant to approve single parents. Not that it hasn’t happened. It’s just hard.
The list had a few other items, mostly essentials: clothes, some new shoes, and school supplies. A laptop was on the list, too. Just thinking about how much she cared for him, Ava felt a surge of protectiveness. This holiday was going to be perfect for Christian, no matter what.
About an hour later, she was stirring a pot on the stove when she heard the front door open, and her heart skipped a beat as Aussie and Christian walked in.
Dinner was nearly ready. She’d prepared lemon rosemary chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus. Sheglanced up just as Aussie walked over, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her, and to her surprise, he leaned in, kissing her cheek.
Ava’s cheeks warmed, but she quickly smiled, noticing Christian watching them with a huge grin. “So, how was the range?” she asked, her voice slightly higher than usual.
Christian launched into a lively explanation, describing everything from how Aussie had taught him to adjust his stance to how he’d hit a bullseye near the end of practice. Ava listened, joy filling her at seeing him so happy. When he finally paused, she glanced over at Aussie, feeling a quiet gratitude.
“Dinner smells amazing,” Aussie commented, and before she could second-guess herself, she invited him to stay.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his eyes meeting hers with a warm glint.
“Yes, of course. I’d love for you to stay,” she said, and Christian’s eyes lit up with excitement.
As they all sat down to eat, Ava could hardly contain her excitement for what she had planned next. As they finished the meal, she got up and motioned toward the living room. “Christian, I have a little surprise for you,” she said.
Christian looked over, his mouth falling open when he saw the tree and all the decorations. “You got a tree?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Ava chuckled. “I did.”
“Can we decorate it tonight?” he asked, moving toward all the shopping bags filled with ornaments.
“Of course, we’re going to decorate it tonight.”
He grinned from ear to ear and then turned to Aussie. “Will you stay and help?”
Ava’s heart raced as Aussie looked from Christian to her. She gave him an encouraging smile, silently hoping he’d say yes.
“Absolutely,” Aussie replied, his face breaking into a smile. “I’d love to.”
???
Aussie couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so relaxed and at home. Sitting down for dinner with Ava and Christian, a warm meal on the table, and laughter filling the air made Aussie feel like he’d walked into a moment he hadn’t known he’d been missing.
Watching Christian’s animated grin as he talked about the shooting range and Ava’s gentle smile as she listened, Aussie found himself thinking about the future, about the possibility of something more permanent with them. He couldn’t imagine his life without Christian or Ava. Somehow, those two had woven themselves into his heart. He knew it wasn’t exactly wise to get attached, but he was already too far gone.
“Will you stay and help us decorate?” Christian asked, his face bright with hope as he glanced from Aussie to Ava.
Aussie’s heart did a little flip. “Absolutely. I’d love to,” he said, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face. “I don’t get to decorate much anymore.”
For the next two hours, they transformed Ava’s house into a holiday wonderland. The tree sparkled with strings of multi-colored lights, and Aussie found himself placing ornaments on the tree with Christian, letting him take the lead in deciding where everything should go.
Ava joined in, laughing as she hung garlands over doorways. Every so often, Aussie and Ava would catch each other’s eye across the room, a shared look that said more than words could. His heart felt lighter with every stolen glance, every moment they shared.
Christian, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. Aussie watched him carefully position every ornament, making sure each one was just right. He’d never seen the kid so happy.
Ava had given him the freedom to take charge of the decorations, and Christian took that responsibility to heart, beaming with every choice he made. Watching him filled Aussie’s heart with both joy and a pang of sadness. He wanted Christian to have the stability of a real home and family. And he knew the perfect person who could provide that for him—Ava.
