Page 85 of The Twelve Months of Christmas
“It’s awesome,” gushed Paisley.
Sophie agreed enthusiastically. “I liked Santa Bunny,” she added.
“Santa Bunny?” Josh repeated, and looked questioningly at Sunny.
“Christmas-in-April party,” she clarified.
He nodded. “Of course. What do you like best?” he asked Dylan.
“I like getting presents every month,” Dylan said, making the adults chuckle.
“I’ll bet,” said Josh. “I’d like that, too.”
Bella had wandered over, sneaking to the edge of the group. It made Sunny think of a feral cat her family had once adopted. The animal had been fearful and suspicious yet longing for the food the humans left out. What was Bella longing for?
Josh smiled at her and asked, “What do you think of your mother’s idea?”
Bella was quick to correct him. “She’s not my mother.”
True, of course, but the way she’d said it, the sullen expression—no matter how much Sunny braced for those snubs, they still cut deeply.
A stern look from her father inspired Bella to add her assessment of the monthly celebrations. “It’s okay.” Damning with faint praise.
Everyone was quick to jump in and cover the moment with lots of positivity. Josh got them to pose in front of the tree and Sunny noticed Bella joined them—standing as far from Sunny as possible, but at least she was there.
One of these days, Sunny vowed,she’ll be willing to stand next to me.
“It was a lovely party,” Mia said with a tired sigh as Arianna drove them home.
“Yeah, except for the resident downer girl,” Arianna said, shaking her head.
“These kinds of adjustments aren’t easy for kids,” Mia said.
Arianna stole a look in her rearview mirror at her daughter. Sophie had music playing on the iPad her other grandma had given her for her birthday and was bobbing her head in time to her favorite kid sing-along. She seemed happy enough, getting shuttled back and forth between her parents. How would she adjust if she wound up with a stepmother? How would Arianna adjust to Sophie having a stepmother? Or a stepfather, if Arianna ever was ready to trust a man again after Wyatt?
“Still, they have to,” Mia continued. “It’s too bad that Bella doesn’t realize what a good deal she got with Sunny. And she doesn’t even have to live with her full-time.”
“Like you did yours,” put in Arianna.
“Poor Myrtle. She wasn’t all that bad, but I couldn’t forgive her for having the nerve to step in and take my mother’s place. I’d always thought my father would mourn my mother forever and his falling for Myrtle was such an insult to Mama’s memory. Of course, I couldn’t wait to leave home.” Mia shook her head. “I regret that I realized too late what a stinker I’d been. I regret my resentment and unwelcoming attitude.”
They’d had this conversation more than once. The broken relationship left unmended had been one of Mia’s few regrets in life. Her stepmother had died of an aneurysm a few years after she left home. Seeing her father widowed again and mourning so deeply had made Mia realize how unfair she’d been to want to hold him back from having a companion to love.
“Life is short, but sadly, the young don’t realize that,” Mia said.
Life is short. Those three painful words reminded Arianna how precious the time with her mother was. As they walked into the house, she told herself to be thankful that Mia was still with her and that they were getting to enjoy so many fun activities together.
“That kid is a beast,” Molly muttered as Ava drove her and Reggie back to her house. “If I was Travis, I’d take away her phone.”
“It’s probably glued to her hand,” Reggie said.
“Well, they should unglue it,” Molly retorted. “I don’t know why every child in America needs a cell phone these days. When I was raising you, we got along just fine without one.”
“These are different times,” Ava said. “Once Paisley’s a little older, I’m getting her one. That way we can always reach each other if there’s an emergency.”
“Good point,” said Reggie, probably sucking up.
“I guess,” Molly said, “but if that girl was mine, she’d be in the corner all right, with her nose to the wall.”
