Page 2 of A Candy Cane Christmas
“I can hear your frustration with me,” Gabe said, his voice somber.
“And I can hear your frustration with me.”
It came with being polar opposites. Gabe was the straight and narrow one, the organized one. Hell, he’d probably been born holding a planner in his hand, ready to make his very own doctor’s appointments at one minute old. And then there was me. Organized, I was not. In fact, as my mom liked to remind me, I’d done everything in my power to make my birth an unforgettable experience of pure and utter chaos.
“So let’s table the conversation for now. Seeing as you didn’t know about me playing mall elf again, it’s clearly not the reason you called me on a Thursday evening.” We usually FaceTimed on Sundays because, of course, my brother had put a weekly reminder in his phone.
“Oh, right. Uhm. Okay, so here’s the deal: I’m aware we made plans for Christmas, but unfortunately, I have to cancel.”
Damn. That sucked.
Slowing my steps, I took a moment to breathe through the onslaught of disappointment and focus on what was important: the fact that my brother just canceled the plans we’d made in July. That was a big deal. Basically unheard of.
“Do I need to worry?” I asked, biting my bottom lip. What in hell could bring my brother to cancel plans he’d made four months ago?
“What?”
“Are you okay?” He wasn’t sick, was he? Or Willa? Was his wife okay?
“What are you… of course, I’m okay, Luci. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Phew.
I let out the breath I’d been holding and closed my eyes for a moment.
“Canceling plans is just so… unlike you.”
Gabe chuckled. “You mean it’s more in your wheelhouse?”
“Nah, I’d totally forget all about canceling my plans until like December 23rd. And then I’d panic for a day, only to finally cancel on Christmas Eve.”
Now Gabe was full-on laughing, while something inside me loosened. He really sounded okay. In fact, now that he wasn’t on my ass about not working too many jobs at once, he almost sounded… lighter than usual. More relaxed.
“That’s probably accurate,” he said. “Anyway, the reason we’re not going to be able to fly out on Christmas is… uhm… Willa’s pregnant.”
I blinked, my steps faltering yet again.
“Come again.”
“I’m going to be a dad.” Gabe audibly swallowed. “We just found out the other day. Willa’s actually already five monthsalong, but we didn’t suspect a thing. We thought… the chances of her conceiving without assistance were basically zero, but… I’m going to be a dad, Luci.”
“Are you happy?” I asked, though I could hear the emotions in his voice.
“So happy. The happiest.”
“Congratulations.” I didn’t think I’d ever meant it as much as I did at that moment. My worrywart big brother was going to be a worrywart dad. Wow. “Is Willa doing okay?”
Gabe laughed softly. “Thank you, Luci. Yes, she’s fine. In fact, she’s doing great. Which, as illogical as it might sound, is the reason I’m canceling our Christmas plans. We always planned to go on one last vacation together if she ever got pregnant, just the two of us. So that’s what we’re going to do. Earlier today, I booked a cruise. I’m sorry I didn’t ask you beforehand, but it’s really important to…”
“Nah, don’t worry about me,” I said, running a hand through my hair, or at least that’s what I would’ve done if not for the jingling elf hat. “I’m stoked. Seriously, Gabe. You’re going to be a dad. That’s amazing. I’ll be fine celebrating on my own for one year.”
It kinda sucked, but I wasn’t going to rain on his parade right now. Nope. I’d simply have to go out, buy a tub of ice cream, and wallow in silence.
“But Mom and Dad…”
“Deserve their vacation, too. I’m gonna be fine, I promise. It’s not a big deal. I can spend Christmas alone, watching my favorite holiday movies and eating my weight in pizza.”
I’d expected Gabe to react with a gasp. However, I had not expected the gasp to echo through the stairwell. And neither had I expected it to sound so high-pitched and childlike.
