“I’m so sorry,” Rebecca replied, taking her daughter’s hand. “This is all my fault. I never should have pushed for everyone to come up here so close to Christmas. I promise things will be different next year. I know it doesn’t make up for me ruining this holiday for you, but…”
“Mom, you didn’t ruin anything,” Sarah interrupted. “I mean, I’m disappointed, but we’re still with family and they’re not going to remember this. Plus, Dave and I talked about it last night and we’ll stage the whole thing once we’re home and take more pictures while they open their gifts from Santa. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Lord knows this isn’t the way any of us envisioned Christmas Eve going.” Then she turned to Gage. “I think the only one happy about the turn of events is my brother.”
“Sarah…”
“What? It’s true! We all know he didn’t want to be apart from Hannah and now he didn’t have to.” Then she looked at Hannah. “Although I bet you’re a little bummed to be away from your family.”
Rather than get into it, she simply shrugged. “I got to talk to my mom a little while ago and we’re going to video chat tomorrow when both my sisters are there with them, so…it’s all good.”
And my parents are proud of me! Greatest gift ever!
It almost came tumbling out, so she figured the best way to prevent it was to eat. Gage had definitely worked wonders with everything on such short notice and she was more than happy to taste everything and praise his efforts.
He obviously adored the praise because she could see him blush with every word they all said about how delicious the food was.
After dinner, they all went down to the lobby and met up with a ton of the residents for a dessert open house. It was a bit of a mish-mosh of things–everything from leftover cakes and cookies to fruit, nuts, and popcorn. It was the first time she’d seen everyone be disorganized and yet having fun with it.
Christmas music was playing and people were singing along, a fire was roaring in the giant fireplace in the common area, and It’s a Wonderful Life was playing in the theater room. Everyone kept coming over to Sarah, Dave, and the twins and fussing over them, and one of the residents had dressed up as Santa and was giving out candy canes.
Hannah and Gage settled themselves on one of the large sofas in the common area and were more than happy to sit cozily and people watch.
“If you were home with your family, what would you be doing right now?” he asked.
“It would be fairly quiet. It’s been just the five of us on Christmas Eve for the last few years.”
“How come?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It just feels like our extended family started to scatter a bit. Cousins got married and began having kids, people move away…sort of like what you’re looking at with your sisters and your mom. Eventually there are in-laws to deal with and you have to make time for everyone. Since none of us–meaning me and my sisters–are married, we haven’t had to deal with that. But I’m sure it will happen.”
“My sisters have been great about alternating, so there’s always at least two of them with Mom for Christmas. They break out this big calendar every year and make sure they’re all not with their in-laws.” He paused. “Although, some years it’s been a massive get-together with both sides of everyone’s families. Talk about loud.”
Laughing softly, she rested her head on his shoulder. “That actually sounds nice. If everyone lives close by, I’m sure it could be a lot of fun. The more the merrier, right?”
“Well…I’m not so sure about that. Look at this group here. A week ago they were in an almost vicious competition with one another and now look at them.”
“They’re all on their best behavior tonight.”
“That’s because Santa is coming.”
“I think I have some explaining to do,” she said with a grin.
He chuckled, and it was low and growly and made her snuggle closer. “So what would Santa be bringing you if you were home?”
“Pajamas.”
“Um…”
“Yup. Every year we all get new pajamas. They don’t all match anymore–thank God–but up until a few years ago, the whole family would get matching pajamas. It’s both incredibly sweet and ridiculously dorky. But…I’m sure there’s a package with new pajamas waiting for me back in Raleigh. My mom said she sent presents, so that’s sure to be one of them.”
“We used to do that too–the new pajamas on Christmas Eve thing–but I think we stopped when I was around twelve.”
“It’s a great tradition,” she murmured, wishing she could open one of those presents tonight. It was crazy how it was those little traditions that really made the most impact.
“How about we make one last round and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and head upstairs?”
She readily agreed, suddenly feeling a little melancholy.
It took almost thirty minutes for them to walk through the door of their suite and when they did, she paused.
There were gifts under the tree.
“Um…”
Gage quietly led her over to their little artificial tree–decorated with some of the handmade stuff they’d accumulated over the last few weeks–and guided her to sit down. “I know it’s not much…”
“How…I mean…what did you do?” Then she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “I don’t have anything for you! Oh, Gage…”
He gently placed a finger over her lips. “Trust me, it’s not much, but I felt bad that you were stuck here instead of being home. Or…at least back in Raleigh. Don’t be upset with me. I thought I was doing something good.”
And that was the thing about him. He was always doing something good–always thinking about everyone else–and she hated how she hadn’t done the same for him.
Before she could say anything else, he placed a box in her hands. It was big and square and a little weighty, and when she opened it, her tears readily fell. “Oh my goodness…”
It was a snow globe and the scene inside of it was downtown Evergreen.
“I wanted you to have something to always remember this Christmas,” he said softly.
Carefully, she shook it and then looked closer and saw it was the main street in town and spotted one of the cafes where they had eaten, the Christmas shop, along with several others. “This is amazing. Who…?”
“There’s a local craftsman who makes them. I always used to wonder who would want a snow globe of Evergreen, but then it felt like exactly the sort of thing I wanted to give to you. I know it’s not much…”
She cut him off with a kiss and didn’t stop kissing him until they were both breathless and in bed wrapped around each other.
The roads were clear and after lunch the next day–Christmas Day–Sarah and her family left for home. Gage had made a small roast with all the trimmings for dinner, but it was a much quieter meal than they’d had in almost a week.
And somehow, it seemed fitting.
Now, they were back up in their suite and he was watching Hannah pack. She was leaving in the morning and he wasn’t going with her.