Page 76 of The Twelve Months of Christmas
“I can bring the candy,” Molly offered. “It will all be on sale after Easter.”
“I’ll bring eggs and the coloring,” said Ava.
“What should I bring?” Arianna asked.
“Yourself, and your girl,” Sunny told her. “And your mom if she’s feeling well.” Arianna needed the fun, but she didn’t need the work.
“I want to call it a Very Bunny Christmas,” Sunny said when she was at Arianna’s doing a photo shoot of recommended supplements.
Arianna looked doubtingly at her and nodded. “Okay.”
“It will be great. You’ll see.”
All her plans were great, if Sunny did say so herself the day of the party. The family room was festive with pastel balloons hung all around it. The artificial Christmas tree in the corner was sporting foam eggs and carrots she’d ordered online alongside red and green ribbons. In the background she was playing a selection of songs ranging from “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” and “The Bunny Hop” (which, of course, she had taught everyone) to the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah” sung by the Royal Choral Society at Albert Hall, no less. Her mom had informed her that it was always sung at Christmas, but she didn’t care. She thought it worked just fine for Easter, too.
She was thrilled that her parents and her sister, Rae, had shown up, bringing along Will, her fiancé. He’d jumped right into the fun pool and scored points for insisting he liked the cupcakes Sunny had proudly baked from scratch, even when it was discovered that she’d neglected to add the sugar.
Molly had brought a friend as well, an older man with broad shoulders and a big smile. Only his white hair hinted that he might be older than Molly. He wasn’t a clotheshorse, that was for sure. His pants and shirt looked like they’d been around for a decade. The Santa hat he was sporting looked new, though.
“What’s the story with Reggie?” Sunny asked Ava.
Ava frowned and shook her head. “Don’t ask.”
“He seems nice.” Molly obviously thought so. She was looking at him like he was the last piece of chocolate on earth.
“He is, but he’s not right for her.”
People had said that about Travis, too, but even with the challenges they had with the kids and the Weed, there was no one Sunny would rather be with. She looked to where he stood, talking with Will and Rae and eating one of her cupcake fails and felt her heart flip over. A man who’d watch holiday rom-coms with you, ate whatever kitchen disaster you made with gusto and had absolute magic hands was the stuff soulmates were made of.
“What’s next on the program?” Ava asked, closing the subject.
They’d already colored eggs, done a hunt for nests of jelly beans hidden around the house—everyone had participated but Bella—and eaten the lasagna Sunny had bought at Costco. Now it was time for pictures.
“Okay, everyone, it’s time to get your pictures taken with Santa Bunny,” she called. “Come on, Mom, you and Dad go first,” she said, summoning her mother. “Tell Bunny what you want for Christmas.”
Her parents obediently joined the giant stuffed plush rabbit wearing a Santa hat that Sunny had set up on the couch.
“I want someone else to cook Christmas dinner, Santa Bunny,” said her mom.
“Uh-oh. Did you hear that, Rae? That means Dad’s cooking. We’re in trouble,” Sunny said.
“We’re in trouble if we have to eat what you cook,” Rae teased.
Paisley sang to Santa Bunny and Sophie hugged him and asked him to make her Grammy well, which had the grown-ups all tearing up. Travis put them back in a happier mood by sitting on the bunny’s lap and posing with a “hang ten” gesture. Like Reggie, he was wearing a Santa hat, but he’d gone the extra mile and glued on paper bunny ears.
Another thing to love about her husband. He was so supportive of her and got into the spirit of everything.
Bella was the only one who refused to have her picture taken with “the stupid rabbit,” and pronounced the whole party stupid.
Travis’s easy smile fell away. “Bella, come with me,” he said, escorting off into the kitchen.
Everyone chatted determinedly, trying to ignore the low-voiced scolding taking place in there. But it got harder to ignore as Bella’s voice began to rise. Right along with the crescendo of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” which was playing again.
“I hate her!” Bella cried and the Royal Choral Society sang, “Hallelujah, hallelujah!”
Sunny’s face flamed as everyone sat in stunned silence.Yes, people, the Grinch had a love child and here she is.
She was well aware of how Bella felt. Hearing those words again shouldn’t have come as a shock. But they did.
