“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Ryan,” Charlie commented. She carefully set the cake I had finished decorating not too long ago into a box. “I thought you two weren’t an item.”

“Of course I spend a lot of time with him. He’s a friend. I help out with his nieces. We're not together.”

“Sure. That’s the only reason.”

“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Charlotte.”

She laughed at my use of her full name. I used it when I was annoyed. “He’s nice. I knew his sister; she was pretty cool. I didn’t even know she had a brother.”

“You knew Beth?”

“Only a little bit.”

“But yeah, Ryan moved to New York years before you came to Manchester.”

“You like him?” Charlie asked with a mischievous grin.

I continued wiping the counters. “Of course, I do. We grew up together. He’s Eric’s best friend. He practically lived in our house when we were growing up.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

I sent her a warning glance. “Okay, okay, I’m changing the subject… But are you alright, Lucy?”

“Strange topic but yes. Why?”

Charlie plopped down on a stool. “You’ve been quiet lately. You seem really stressed. It’s money, isn’t it? We still aren’t getting enough orders even for the Christmas season. Look, if you need to cut my pay or let me go it’s—”

“Charlie, stop. You let me worry about all of that. You should be focused on school and not worrying about me.”

“I care about you, Lucy. Not many people have been good to me in my life. You have, and you didn’t have to. I want things to work out for you.”

Turning the stove off, my gaze settled on Charlie. I cared about her too. I’d met her when she was seventeen purely by chance. She had just moved to Manchester after being passed around foster homes and group homes for most of her life. Once she came of age, I encouraged her to pursue a college education. When I started my catering business, I gave her a job. I hoped I could continue to provide her with that source of income past the end of the year. But it wasn’t looking so good.

“Things will work out just fine,” I assured her with confidence that I didn’t feel. “And thank you for caring. Now, get that cake where it needs to go, and I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I managed to maintain my composure until she was gone. I dropped onto a stool in the kitchen and stared off into space for God knows how long. I hadn’t realized I had been crying until the tears started making plopping noises on the table. The back door swung open, startling me. I thought it was Charlie returning for something until I saw Ryan’s stormy face.

“You don’t answer my calls, you don’t respond to the doorbell, and I find you’re back door open for anyone to walk right in. Stop causing me unnecessary stress, woman.”

Normally, I would have had a witty come back, but not that afternoon. I felt defeated, in no mood to talk. Ryan stopped in his tracks when his gaze landed on my face.

“Lucy, what’s wrong?” His obvious fear and concern made me want to reassure him. I was in distress, yet, my instincts were to comfort Ryan. Yup, I had it bad. But, all I could do was hiccup and cry harder. He was by my side in an instant. Bending down in front of me, he cupped my chin. “Did someone upset you?”

His face twisted with rage and I almost laughed because I remembered when he gave Tyler Jacobs a black eye for making me cry in high school. It was the sweetest thing a guy had ever done for me.

“Come on, Luce, talk to me. What’s wrong? Please don’t tell me this is because of what I did…”

“Well, no…” My shoulders sagged, and I wailed, “It’s just everything.” I pulled away, embarrassed to be caught in such a state and stood up, wiping my eyes. Glancing at the time, I realized that I had been seated in the same spot, bawling for about two hours.

“Everything like what?” He looked almost as distressed as I felt. So, I spilled. I was tired of keeping everything to myself. “Things haven’t been going well financially. My catering business is flopping. No one will hire me without references and to get references I need to get hired. Most prefer the bigger, well-established names for their fancy parties, not an unknown caterer. I’m so behind on my car payment and the van payment. My bills are piling up, and I’m going to have to let go of my only employee. I feel like my world is about to crumble. I’m such a failure.”

He was silent for a while. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this?”

“Why would I? There’s nothing you can do.”

“I have more money than I know what to do with.”

“Don’t even go there. I don’t want your money.”

“Don’t be stubborn and prideful, Lucy.”

Pointing a finger at his chest, I spat, “I’m stressed enough. I don’t need a lecture from you.”

He rolled his eyes, grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. With a gasp, I stumbled against his chest. Immediately, I relaxed into his embrace. “Fine. No lecture. Just support… and I’m sorry for barging in, but you really should lock your door.”

“You said no lecture.” My words were muffled against his chest.

“Sorry. You were supposed to come over this afternoon. I tried calling several times when you didn’t show. When Eric tried and couldn’t get you, I got worried.”

Groaning, I lifted my head. “I’m sorry. I totally forgot that I promised Maxi I would come over for our afternoon-tea play date.”

“How about you come and make it up to her? Help pick out a tree with us.”

“I can’t, Ryan. Look at me. I’ll kill the fun for everyone.”

“Come on, don’t be so stubborn. Let’s get you out of the house and leave your troubles behind for a few hours. After we pick our tree, we’ll decorate it, and then I’ll take you home. The girls would be ecstatic if you came along.”

I supposed it couldn’t hurt. Besides a few hours with Maxi guaranteed a few good laughs and I missed having Becky in my arms. With a sigh, I gave in. “Alright.”

* * *

“What do you think about this one?” Ryan asked.

Maxi scrunched up her cute little nose and shook her head, making her bobble hat almost fly off. “Too small!”

I dipped down to the little girl’s level and tugged her hat back on. “There you don’t want your ears from getting cold.”

We all had about a thousand layers on to keep out the dropping winter temperatures while we wandered around the Christmas tree lot. Ryan pushed Becky's stroller over a layer of loose covering of fir needles as I held on tight to Maxi's mittened hand. She tended to pull in excitement as we ambled through looking at all the trees on offer.

“We should get a big one, a really big one,” Maxi exclaimed.

“How big?” I asked. “The same size as your Uncle Ryan?”

Her eyes widened and studied him for a moment, then decided with another shake of her head that that wouldn’t do. “Bigger!”

“Any bigger and I don’t think it’ll fit in the house, Maxi,” Ryan said with a chuckle.

"But how will we put on all the decorations? There won't be enough room! We have to get a big one, or everything will be ruined!" she explained very loudly as her face twisted with disappointment. I could tell the poor little thing was becoming a little overwhelmed with the process and responsibility of picking a tree.

Especially since Ryan had told me that he'd promised her that they'd decorate the tree with all the unique baubles Beth and James had accumulated over the years since the girls were born. He'd gotten the boxes out of storage and was promptly informed by the six-year-old that each one had a story; Maxi had been told them each year by her parents, a tradition of sorts, for as long as she could remember. And now, the baubles and shiny trinkets had become her treasures. Her responsibility. And she was taking that responsibility very seriously. We had to get her a tree that would do her parents' memories justice.

Ryan looked in horror and worry at his niece and the meltdown she was about to have in public.

Before her eyes screwed up and the tears began to flow, I ducked down again on my haunches and faced her. "Maxi," I said with a cautious smile, "I have an idea, but I need to know what you think about it."

“What idea?” she said with a frown.

“Well, I was thinking, what’s better than one tree?”

Maxi sniffed, not understanding, and gave a little shrug.

“How about we get two trees?”

“Two?”

I nodded, excited that a smile was beginning to form on Maxi’s lips. “One very special tree for all your mom and dad’s decorations so that we can remember them properly, and another tree for you and Becky and your decorations. And your Uncle Ryan of course.”

"But I don't have any decorations only mommy's."

“Oh, but you will. We will start a new tradition,” I said, “You and me, we will pick a new one each year, and we will make more at home. Have you ever made popcorn string before?”

She shook her head, but I could see by the light that was back in her eyes that she approved. "Can we eat it?"

“Right off the tree!” I said with a laugh. “I’ll even show you how to make chocolate decorations that we can hang up too.”

“No way!”

I nodded my head. “Yes, way. So what do you think? What do you say to two Christmas trees?”

"Two Kissmas trees sounds perfect, Aunty Lucy!" She squealed with delight as she wrapped her arms around me, and my heart melted realizing what she'd just called me. Aunty Lucy. I hugged her back, squeezing all the love I could muster into her.

After a moment I straightened back up, and Ryan gave me a thankful wink. I knew I was blushing, but I didn't look away from him. He was the first to break our impromptu staring contest when Maxi squealed again.

“Ooooh look! Merry Kissmas!”

“What?” Ryan asked confused, “Don’t you mean Christmas, Maxi?

“N-uh! Kissmas! Look!” She bounced up and down as she pointed above us.

Draped across the lot were strands of multi-colored lights, but that wasn’t all, sprigs of mistletoe were attached periodically along the lengths.

"The mistletoe?" I asked.

Maxi nodded, tugged on my hand and pulled me back down. She planted a huge kiss on my cheek then ran to drag Ryan beside me.

"Mommy and Daddy did this all the time at Kissmas."

She took Ryan's hand and forcibly joined our hands together. Ryan, with a sheepish smile, shrugged and took my hand, then gave it a little squeeze.

"Kiss! It's the law! It's Kissmas!" Maxi demanded as she peered up at us. The four of us, including Becky in her stroller, were under the mistletoe.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and stared at Ryan.

“Well, since it’s Kissmas…” he said.

“Yes, apparently it’s the law too,” I whispered, breathless.

He leaned in and made sweet contact with my lips. I closed my eyes trying to hold onto the moment forever. This was everything I wanted. Everything in this magical winter scene; Ryan, the girls, all of us together, was what I'd dreamt about since I could remember.

But it was over too soon.

Maxi was clapping and I could feel eyes on us, people were starting to stare. Ryan coughed, and I laughed, bringing my hand to my lips. Trying again to hold onto to the memory, the sensation of his lips.

Meanwhile, Ryan planted a happy kiss on Maxi's cheek and did the same to a giggling Becky.

But before I could lock the memory away, Ryan and the girls were starting to move through the aisles lined with trees wrapped in their nets.

He looked back and held out his hand.

“Come on, Aunty Lucy, we have two Kissmas trees to buy,” he said and winked at me again.