Her father seconded it. “And I’ll take some of that wassail you made, Rae.”
Once everyone had their food, it was time to open presents. Jeanette was thrilled with the air fryer Sunny and Travis had given her and Sunny’s mom was delighted with her Keurig. The kids enjoyed their present treasure hunt and there were whoops and squeals of delight with each gift card they found. Travis had splurged on perfume for Sunny, her mother had made sure she’d have enough Starbucks to last her through Valentine’s Day and Jeanette had given her a cookbook, Ina Garten’sCook Like a Pro. Had Travis blabbed about her beef Wellington disaster?
No matter. “I’ll get a lot of use out of this,” she told her mother-in-law.
“Good. Man doesn’t live by take-out alone,” said Jeanette.
Okay, so Sunny still hadn’t earned the perfect-wife award. But at least her mother-in-law was accepting the fact that she was there to stay.
The gifting went on, accompanied by smiles and thank-yous. At last there was nothing left under the tree. Soon it would be time to eat the ham and garlic mashed potatoes (which Sunny knew would be as good as anything Ina Garten could come up with). Everyone was happy. Sunny was happy.
But the tiniest bit disappointed. The kids had come to accept her, even like her a little, and she’d hoped to find some small thing under the tree from them. There’d been nothing.
Oh, well. Better luck next year.
She was about to get up and start working on pulling dinner together when Bella said. “Sunny, me and Dylan have something for you.” She pulled a shiny red gift bag from behind the overstuffed chair she and Jeanette had been sharing and handed it over.
“For me?” From the kids! Sunny dug into the tissue paper and pulled out a mug that dubbed her the world’s best stepmom. “Oh, my gosh,” she said, teary-eyed. “Thank you.”
“Very sweet,” Jeanette approved as Sunny gave both kids a hug.
“The good guys always win,” Travis whispered when nobody was listening, and kissed Sunny.
The kids left to go spend the rest of the day with their mom, and it was hard to let them go, but Sunny made sure they saw her drinking wassail out of her mug before they left. The rest of the family hung out, ate dinner and stayed to play Heads Up. By the time they all left, she was ready to kick back and watch a Christmas movie with Travis—Christmas on Candy Cane Laneon the Great American Family channel.
“Happy endings all ’round,” he joked when the ending credits rolled.
“There’s nothing wrong with happy endings,” she informed him.
Nothing at all, and this was going to go down as her best Christmas yet.
Mia made it to Christmas, but Arianna knew it would be their last one together. Alden had wanted to take her and Mia and Sophie to his parents’ house for their Christmas celebration, but Mia had been too tired. So he’d promised to come over later.
Meanwhile Arianna and her mother and daughter opened presents and had a holiday brunch—breakfast casserole for Arianna and Sophie. Prepared tube food for Mia.
Mia had finished the blanket she’d been crocheting for Sophie, who was thrilled and wrapped in it right away. Mia had ordered books online for Arianna, all on various health-related topics.
“I thought you might find some good information for the website in them,” she said.
Arianna had come up with one final present for her mother—a picture Sunny had taken at the Christmas-in-July party and Arianna had framed it. It showed all three of them in their Fourth of July tops and shorts and sporting their Santa hats. Mia was wearing her wig and smiling, and Sunny had caught Sophie mid-laugh.
“This is a treasure. I’ll keep it on my bedside table,” Mia said, and held out her arms for a hug.
She’d lost weight and there was hardly any of her to hug. Arianna bit back the tears.
By late afternoon Mia was fading. “I think I’ll go up to bed,” she said.
“I’ll help you,” said Arianna.
They left Sophie enthralled with the adventures ofShaun the Sheepand made their way upstairs, Mia holding her mother’s arm.
While Mia used the bathroom and brushed her teeth, Arianna put the treasured picture on the nightstand.
What was this? She picked up the pink envelope sitting there. It had her name on it.
“What’s this?” she asked as Mia came out of the bathroom.
“That’s something for you to open later.”
