is making her famous loaded baked potatoes and banana pudding. You don’t want to miss it.”
I can see the relief on Chase’s face, but he still looks for confirmation from Scott. I feel Scott’s nod, and Chase looks pleased.
When Robert had mentioned in passing that he was planning to spend the holiday season in Aruba with his young blonde girlfriend, we’d honestly been pleased because that meant there was no reason to lie about not wanting to spend the holiday with him. He’s a bit less obnoxious now that he’s not CEO, but he drives the siblings crazy and there’s not enough good blood between them to allow them to let it go. Instead, they all just flinch at his continued barbs, regress into old habits, and as for Scott, he needs extra reassurance of how much I love him for days after an encounter with his dad.
So I’m glad he bailed. We might actually have a happy holiday memory for the siblings without Daddy Dearest. Hallelujah!
Chase nods, then smiles, looking at me then at Scott. “You found a good woman, Scott. Madison . . . good luck.”
The night air is cold, but that’s okay as Scott and I head into Stella’s. I’m not working tonight. Stella said that I’m off the schedule for all of December and part of January until my leg’s ready to work again. But tonight is the annual Christmas party at Stella’s, and this year, it seems more important than ever.
“Merry Christmas,” Stella greets us as we come in, dressed in what has to be one of the most glorious ugly Christmas sweaters ever. “It’s good to see you looking so happy.”
“It’s good to see you smiling, Stella,” I reply, giving her a hug. I look around the place, seeing the smiling faces all aglow with holiday spirit and feeling at home.
The party goes well, and things get even better when Carl shows up. Apparently, after he’d sobered up Halloween morning, he’d realized what he’d done to me and was horrified, much like I knew he would be. He’d taken off, ashamed and unable to face his actions and apologize. He’d started a bender that only got worse when he got word about Daryl’s accident.
But somewhere in the mess, he’d truly hit rock bottom and decided he wanted a change. He’d returned to Bane sober after a month in rehab, proud of his thirty-day chip and wanting to apologize to everyone to make amends.
It was a tearful reunion, but Stella forgave her son for missing Daryl’s funeral, and Carl promised he’s going to be better. His apology to me was awkward because Scott had stared him down, virtually slicing him to ribbons with his eyes. But I forgave him, even if I won’t be alone with him. It brings up too many triggers for me after everything. But he’s understanding about that too, knowing it’ll take time and being trustworthy to build up people’s opinion of him once again. He’s even got a new job, one that keeps him away from alcohol.
“To a Merry Christmas,” Stella says, lifting a glass of ginger ale in deference to Carl. “While we will miss those who are not here, we’re happy to have a new member to our extended family. Scott, you’re a genuine pain in the ass . . . but we’re glad to have you with us.”
With cheers all around, it’s time to really enjoy the Christmas party.
“So who wants to see how many Christmas cookies I can eat in ten minutes? Who’s ready to film?”
“NO, TIFFANY!” several of us shout at the same time.
Epilogue
Scott
December 25th
Scorpio – The best gifts are not found under the tree.
The morning air is chilly, but it feels good to watch over the city with Madison from our apartment, making a new tradition as we blend her family and mine. “Thanks for this.”
Maddie shrugs. “Chase and Liv were so surprised by my invitation for Christmas, and I’m kinda curious to see how they handle Aunt May. She’s feisty.”
I laugh. “You told me she was, but I don’t know if I really understood until I saw her tackle a pissed-off Rottweiler with a rolled-up newspaper!”
There’s a knock at the door, and I open it to see May, all decked out in holiday finery. Well, for her, that means her hair is down long and she has on a blouse with her jeans instead of a t-shirt. But I know she made an effort to make a positive impression, and that’s good enough