Logan had gotten Cinderella pajamas because she would watch that movie nonstop and talk about finding her own Prince Charming. Mama would tease Dad about how hard it’d be to see their little girls date because there was no doubt Lo would be a handful.
Smile slipping, I lick my bottom lip and glance over at him from the movie. “Anyway, our traditions would usually start on the night of Christmas Eve. After dinner, we’d open our one present and then snack on cookies while waiting for Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas to come on. Our parents would always make us go to bed after that because Santa would be on his way.”
Rolling my eyes, I let out a tiny laugh. “I think Lo tried telling me once that Santa didn’t exist. She’d been snooping through Mama’s closet and found wrapped presents that had Santa’s name on it.”
He looks amused. “You didn’t believe her? Did she show you the presents?”
I shake my head. “I think once she realized I still believed in the creepy guy, she didn’t want to ruin it. Plus, I’m pretty sure Mama moved the presents once she realized Lo had been looking around.”
The arm he has around me tightens for a moment before loosening. “Your sister loved you, huh?”
I rest my cheek on his chest. “Of course she did. Lo loved everybody. It didn’t matter what they did to her, she looked past the bad things and saw the good. Like when Dad left. She never stayed angry at him like me.”
“When did she…?”
Biting down on my lip, I close my eyes and let out a heavy breath. “A year after he left, give or take. She never saw the version of Mama I did after he moved out or when she got sicker. I kind of owed it to her to keep her in the dark for as long as I could.”
His thumb brushes against my arm in circular motions. I sink into him and the feeling he creates. “Why?”
I reach up and thread our fingers together, letting a moment pass before I answer him. “She let me believe in Santa. She deserved to believe in Mama for as long as she needed to.”
I just wish she’d got to for a little longer.
My shoulder hurts throughout the next day, making it hard to roll the cookie dough like Cam asks me to do. After waking up draped across Kaiden, my entire side was stiff. He tried helping me up when he noticed I was struggling, but I kept telling him I was fine.
Now he’s side eyeing me from the other end of the island where Cam put him to work placing the cookies on the sheet to cool off. He told me to stay in bed and watch movies, but I could hear Cam frantically rushing around downstairs and wanted to help. Now that I can barely flatten the remaining dough in front of me, it seems like I’m holding them back from finishing.
Dad left to go pick up Mama and Grandma right before we started, saying he’d take them to their hotel before bringing them here to have an early dinner with us. I’ve been nervous about it since I woke up, the worry of how Mama will act plaguing my conscience any time I’m not being distracted by cookies or meal plans or Christmas music.
Kaiden appears next to me, gently nudging me out of the way and taking over. “I can’t keep watching you mess these up,” he comments, shooting me a wink.
Cam gasps. “Kaiden!”
I wave it off. “He’s right. I’m not doing a very good job. Maybe I can help decorate them when they’re ready?”
Cam’s expression brightens. “Of course, sweetie! It’s Kaiden’s favorite part. When he was little—”
Kaiden groans.
“—he would bounce in his seat until we got the frosting ready to color and apply. He’d spend at least ten minutes on each cookie trying to add the right amount of detail and yell at anyone who just slapped the frosting and sprinkles on them.”
“Dad wouldn’t even spread the damn frosting around. He just put a spoonful on top and doused the thing with whatever sprinkles was closest to him.”
Cam laughs. “He did that on purpose.”
I grin. “Are you still like that?”
Kaiden says, “No” the same time Cam answers, “Yes.”
Glancing between them, I see how light Cam’s eyes are as she watches her son. The holidays are meant to bring people together, and it seems like it has here.
Cam looks from him to me. “He’s nowhere near as obsessed with perfection, but if we put him in a baking competition, he’d win first place hands down.”
Kaiden’s face turns pink. “Mom. Jesus.”
Cam’s eyes widen as she stares at him.
He grumbles and rolls the dough flat, not meeting her teary eyes.