“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Arianna said. “As you can see, we are busy decorating for the holidays. Normally, at my house, we wait until December first to do this, but Mom’s not feeling well...” She could feel her throat closing up. She cleared it and forced herself to continue. “Her tumor is back. Not the news we’d been hoping for, obviously. But we’re not going to let that stop us from celebrating the joys of the season, just like we’ve been doing all year long. If you’re facing similar health challenges with a member of your family, I urge you not to put off anything. Celebrate that birthday early. Have your Christmas now. Make the most of every moment because, as we’re learning, none of us knows how many we’ll have.” She motioned to the beautiful scene emerging around her. “How lovely is this? And how blessed am I to have such good friends who’ve all come over to help my family get a jump start on the holidays. I hope yours are merry and bright, but if you’re struggling through dark times, fight the darkness and light those candles right now.”
As if on cue, Ava was helping Sophie light a candle in the middle of an arrangement on the coffee table.
“Perfect,” said Sunny, ending the video.
“When we’re all done I’ll get a picture of all of you in front of the tree,” Arianna said.
Which she did. She also had Sunny take one of her and Mia and Sophie together on the couch. And then she got Ava to take one of her and Sunny, who was going to get special acknowledgment on the website. She’d caption iteveryone needs a sister of the heart. It was so true.
“Wow, Christmas central,” said Alden when he came over later, carrying a canvas grocery bag filled with who knew what, Buster at his side.
“You like it?” Arianna asked.
“Yeah. It’s seriously impressive. Did you do all this?” he asked Sophie, who was hanging on his arm.
“I helped,” she said.
“Everyone came over yesterday,” Arianna elaborated.
“They should go into business.”
A side hustle for Sunny and Molly? Maybe.
“And the tree looks like a Christmas tree again,” he observed.
“Yes, it does. We’re going to do Christmas early this year,” Arianna said, and her smile faltered.
He got her meaning and he, too, sobered. He nodded. “Good idea.”
“Want to have Christmas with us next weekend?” she asked.
“Sure.”
Funny, last December she’d been snapping at Alden. This December he was joining her family to celebrate Christmas. This December he was like...family.
She reined in her thoughts before they could drag her further down the yellow brick road. They were in a relationship, but he’d given no indication he wanted to make it permanent, and she wasn’t about to push.Enjoy what you’ve got right now, she told herself. Just like she was doing with her mother. Every moment was worth savoring.
“Are we going to have presents?” asked Sophie.
“Of course,” Arianna said just as her phone rang.
It was Wyatt. Oh, joy. He was supposed to be picking up Sophie for an overnight. If he was calling, it was probably to cancel. Actually that would be fine with her, and she suspected Sophie wouldn’t mind staying put.
She moved into the kitchen to take the call.Don’t lose it. Don’t yell. Things had been somewhat better since the incident on the Fourth of July, but this man tried her patience like no one else.
“What is it, Wyatt?” she said, keeping her voice calm.
“I’m having car trouble. You need to bring Sophie over to my parents’.”
“Why don’t you use their car?” Honestly, it was so... Wyatt of him not to think out the details.
“Because I’m not there.”
“Then why is Sophie going there?”
“Because that’s easiest. I’ve got someone picking me up and I’ll pick her up at my parents’.”
Someone picking him up. Arianna knew what that meant. The someone was a girlfriend.
