CHAPTER 24 - DREAM

The past week had been wonderful as we prepared for Christmas, and I was determined to make the most of my time with Chance and Star.

We’d gone shopping for gifts while Star stayed with Cynthia and then just us girls had gone out to buy everything for a big dinner and a few gifts for Chance as well.

It had been years since I felt like I belonged to a family and it was nice having a little one around. I guessed that my own child would have been a year younger than Star, and not a Christmas or season had gone by that I hadn’t wondered what it would have been like. Boy or girl? Blond or brown hair? Green or brown eyes? There would forever be that missing part of me, but I finally felt like I could move on and really begin to heal.

Aside from Christmas plans, I had made arrangements for Nick’s death announcement to go into the papers and had requested that donations be made to the local woman’s shelter in lieu of flowers.

I had his body cremated with a small life insurance policy through his bank and had already arranged for the ashes to be taken to his parents’ grave and buried between them.

I looked up to see Chance standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

“Come on; breakfast is finally ready. You be sure and tell Star she did an amazing job no matter how runny the eggs are, all right?”

“Sure thing. But I hope they aren’t as runny as you think.”

“Oh, believe me, baby; they are.” He walked out ahead of me, and I was surprised that he hadn’t taken my hand like he usually did.

We’d been so close over the past few days even though I’d taken to staying in the guest room. I had, however, been sneaking into his room after Star had gone to sleep, and the two of us hadn’t let her see us kiss, much less lay around together.

I got to the kitchen well behind him and found him putting our plates on the table. “I made eggs all by myself, Dream. She pointed to the skillet, and I tried not to wince at what I saw.

The eggs were not runny, but they were green. As were Star’s hands. There was also a little bit of color on her cheek, and her clothes, and the little tube of food color with the green lid was empty beside the stove.

“You made me green eggs? That’s amazing. Even I can’t make green eggs. I turned to look at Chance who was shaking his head.

“I didn’t know you were making green ones, Star.” He walked over and took the food coloring box and tucked the empty bottle into the pack and put it up in the cabinet. “You know you’re not supposed to get into the top cabinets.”

She frowned and looked at her hands, which she wrung together in front of her.

“You’re not in trouble, but next time ask and don’t wait until I go get Dream to soak them in the dye.”

She shrugged her little shoulders. “But if I had asked, it would have spoiled the surprise.”

“And if you had asked, you wouldn’t be as green as the Grinch.” Chance gave her a warm smile. “Someone might arrest you for trying to steal Christmas.” He winked, and she held out her green-stained hands and chased him around the kitchen.

“I can’t wait to try them,” I said, as they stopped running in circles and came over to join me at the table. “This is a lovely Christmas eve breakfast, Star. Thank you.”

“I’m not done yet, she said, then she pulled a tray of toast from the over where she’d stored it for the big reveal. She’d cut the toast with a huge star-shaped cutter and slathered them with butter.

“Your toast looks delicious.” Chance picked his up when she put it on the plates and then she ran to the fridge and grabbed a large jug of orange juice.

“Now you can eat.” She climbed up into her chair and fed Jackie a pretend bite of toast as Chance took the first bite of eggs. His lips and mouth turned green, and I couldn’t help but laugh when he smiled.

“They’re really not too bad.”

I laughed so hard that Star joined in and laughed with me. But he just shrugged. “Go ahead, Dream, try the eggs.”

I carefully took a bite and tried my best not to get a bit of green coloring on my lips, but it was no use. By the time we were done, we all had green lips and tongues, and Chance took a special Christmas picture of the three of us to send to Austin and Lola.

When we were done with the photo ops, we all cleaned up and retired to the living room where Star sat beneath the tree and whispered to Jackie over the presents.

“Jackie asked if we could open a present. I heard some of the kids in school say they get to open one on Christmas Eve.”

Chance looked up from his phone from texting Austin. “I tell you what, if you and Jackie are really good and don’t ask me again, I’ll let you open one tonight an hour before your bedtime. But then you have to go to sleep so Santa can come bring your gifts from him.

He was so good to the little girl, and I loved to see him being like a father to her.

Star got up and ran to her room, and I shifted to sit closer to Chance. “Did Austin and Lola like our picture?” I was growing tired of behaving, and waiting for Chance to give me the all clear to show my affections for him in front of Star, but with her gone, I stroked his thigh.

He put down his phone and let out a long breath. “They did. So what are your plans for the new year?”

“Well, I was hoping to put down roots here. I mean, there is this really hot guy I like, and he’s pretty amazing.” I leaned closer and kissed his lips, but he gave me a quick peck and pulled away, staring at the bottom of the stairs as if Star could come down any moment. Was he that afraid she’d see us?

Before I could ask, Star came bounding back down the stairs and Chance got up to see what she was getting into.