Epilogue: Christmas Day
Nina
“So your mom’s coming over this afternoon?” Joel asked, as Nina sipped the coffee he’d brought her.
“Mmm,” she said. “Zach and Teri said they’d aim for two or so. We’ll do presents then, okay?”
“Sounds good.” He settled back into bed. “It’s nice to have all this family. Zach and Teri and your mom and then the whole pack. I always thought having your family all in a pile sounded awful, but...it’s good to live close to them.”
Nina nodded. “I spent so many Christmases alone,” she said softly. Joel kissed behind her ear. “But even more than that, I wouldn’t—I wouldn’t trade what we have now for what I had growing up. I used to miss that, when I was on my own, but now I don’t, because this is better.”
Joel pressed his face to her shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” he said, and she put her arm around him and just enjoyed being close.
***
Leah
Emily squealed as she tossed wrapping paper around, completely ignoring the mountain of toys her step-grandparents had used it on.
“That’s always how it is,” Jeff’s mother said, smiling. “The paper’s the best part.”
Leah smiled at her. She and Jeff’s family had had kind of a rough start, because they weren’t much for the idea of fated mates, and so the lightning-fast way she and Jeff had gotten together had made them cautious. Especially since she’d been a single mother with nowhere to go.
But they’d come around pretty much the instant they’d laid eyes on Emily, and now Leah was so grateful for the type of parents she’d never known in her own home.
Emily lost interest in the wrapping paper as Jeff pounced on her, then let her go, stomping after her as his little-known alter ego The Tickle Monster. A couple of his nieces and nephews chased after him, and soon everyone was in a giggling pile on the floor.
“He’s so good with all the kids,” Jeff’s mom said, watching fondly. She cast Leah a sidelong glance. “Ever thought about adding any more to the family?”
“You know,” Leah said, as Jeff somehow tickled three children at once, to shrieks of laughter, “it may be time to get going on that.”
Her mother-in-law’s face lit up. Leah smiled at her, and then stood up. “All right,” she called, “I hear some people are being terrorized by The Tickle Monster. It’s time for the spirit of Christmas to get revenge!” And she plunged into the pile.
She and Jeff ended up face-to-face. “Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” he returned. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” Leah said, and proceeded to tickle him until he collapsed in laughter.
***
Alethia
Alethia’s eyes blinked open to the sight of Grey coming in the door to their room with an honest-to-God breakfast tray, heaped high with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and orange juice.
“Where on Earth did you get that?” she asked, sitting up and scrubbing a hand over her face.
“Merry Christmas to you, too,” he said with a little grin.
Alethia laughed. “Merry Christmas. I love you. Thank you for breakfast.”
“My pleasure,” he said, as she scooted up the bed so he could set the tray down. “I picked it up a little while back. I figured it’d be good for a special occasion.”
“And this is one,” Alethia agreed, picking up a fork. “You have some, too.”
He picked up a slice of bacon. “So, I have a question.”
“Sure.” Alethia took a bite of pancake and rolled her eyes to the ceiling in pleasure. Grey’s pancakes were one of her favorite things in the whole world.
“You said you took the test right before you gave it to me last night.”
Alethia nodded, chewing.
Grey raised his eyebrows. “So you didn’t have a present for me?”
Alethia froze.
Grey took in her face, and then dissolved into laughter.
“I’m sorry!” Alethia said. “I couldn’t think of what to get you—and I was going to go shopping, but then Lillian, and the party, and there was so much to do, and it just, it slipped my mind. I’m a terrible mate.”
Grey lifted his head, the corners of his eyes still crinkled with amusement. “You’re the only mate I want. Next year I’ll give you a Santa list, okay?”
“Good,” Alethia said, “because this year’s going to be hard to top.”
He kissed her belly. “Merry Christmas,” he murmured to it.
Alethia touched it, cupping the spot that would be starting to swell soon. “Merry Christmas, baby,” she said. “I love you.” She looked at Grey. “And I love you.”
“I love both of you.” He kissed her mouth.
Alethia couldn’t remember ever being this happy.
***
Teri
Teri took a deep breath of the cold winter air of Glacier National Park. She grinned at Zach. “You ready?”
“Whenever you are,” he said.
They’d come in to the Park even though neither of them were working because, Teri had argued, it was their favorite place in the world, and why not spend Christmas in your favorite place?
They were going over to Joel and Nina’s cabin later, but for now, they were right in the heart of the Park, together.
“Merry Christmas,” Teri said to her mate.
Zach leaned in and brushed a kiss against her cheek. “Merry Christmas.”
Then they shifted, and both rushed forward at once, racing each other to no particular finish line, just taking joy in being together.
***
Lillian
Lillian drifted awake slowly, her eyes blinking open as she realized what the day was. She stretched slowly, careful of a possible attack of nausea.
But she felt fine. She felt good. And when she rolled over, Cal was stretched out next to her, smiling.
“Merry Christmas,” he said.
“Merry Christmas.” She smiled. “What do you want to do today? Before we go see Teri and Zach and Joel and Nina, I mean.”
“Well.” Cal took her hand. “I thought maybe a nice breakfast, and then we could spend some time in front of the fire, and talk about what sort of Christmas traditions we’re going to want for our family.”
Lillian felt the smile spreading over her face. “That sounds perfect.”
He kissed her, soft but deep. “I love you, Lillian.”
“I love you,” she murmured against his mouth, and felt the happiness swell inside her until she thought she might not be able to contain it all.
The End