I greet her warmly, inviting her inside and taking her coat.
“May, it’s good to see you again,” I say, giving her a hug. “How’re the puppies?”
“Sagging . . . oh, you mean the dogs,” May jokes, making me laugh. I have laughed more over the past month than in the entire previous twenty-six years of my life, and it feels good. “They’re doing great. I was able to make some last-minute placements. Seems some folks really do want to give a dog a home for the holidays.”
“Good,” I say. “Glad they got their Christmas wish and are home for Christmas morning.”
“Are you two planning something?” Madison asks, and I shrug. “Scott Danger, don’t you try that look with me. You had the same look on your face last night at Stella’s, and I know you’ve got something on your damn mind.”
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” I tell her, laughing.
May takes off for the kitchen, taking over like it’s hers even as she oohs and ahhs over things she takes delight in, like the fact that there are two ovens and a refrigerator large enough for her biggest cookie sheet. I’ve never noticed or cared, but I’m glad she’s excited. May and Madison bustle this way and that, and I watch from my perch on the barstool, enjoying their easy camaraderie.
The doorbell rings again, and I go to open it, greeting Chase and Olivia. There are no hugs this time, but we’re finally getting comfortable with one another.
“Merry Christmas, Chase, Olivia. Come on in. The bosses are in the kitchen, and I think our job is to stay out of their way.” I guide them into the living room after tossing their coats on the entryway hooks.
From the corner of the kitchen, I hear Maddie’s voice ring out, “I heard that!”
I grin, yelling back, “Am I wrong?”
May comes into the living room, wiping her hands on a towel. “Hell, yes, you’re wrong. Now, all three of you, get in here and wash up. I need someone to peel the potatoes, someone to set the table, and someone to knead the dough for biscuits. Decide amongst yourselves who does what. I hear y’all are good at that these days.”
Yep, feisty. That’s May. I grin at Chase and Olivia, who return the smile, all three of us following orders and filing into the kitchen to help. Apparently, none of us get to be the boss today.
The hustle and bustle in my kitchen increases as the five of us work alongside each other. I’d never considered that the sizeable space might seem small, but with all of us in the middle of food prep, it does feel full.
Once everything is prepped and the ham is locked away into the oven to bake, I take a chance on being the whiny kid ready for some Christmas fun. “Come on, let’s open our presents.”
It’s the best Christmas morning ever as each gift is opened with as much noisy paper tearing and throwing of ribbons, bows, and other crap as possible. Food is cookies, of course, with a side of fudge and great coffee, and with each gift, my excitement grows.
“Oh, Aunt May, that’s beautiful!” Madison exclaims when May models a leather jacket I got her. “You look like Jamie Lee Curtis in it!”
“Hell, I’m never taking it off then,” May says. “Thank you, Scott.”
I nod and open a present from May, a key. “What’s this?”
“Key to the front door of the shelter,” May says. “You deserve it for everything you’ve done for us.”
I laugh at her practicality, knowing that this is a big gesture from her. “Thank you, May.”
Olivia seems to like the cashmere shawl I bought her, and Chase grins like a loon at the pair of home plate baseball tickets I bought for him . . . and me.
Finally, it’s time for Maddie’s surprise.
I reach behind the quirky Charlie Brown tree Maddie had begged me to get, trying not to mess up her carefully arranged ornaments or messily tossed tinsel. Grabbing the large, flat box, I offer it to her.
“What is it? Can I shake it?” she asks, giddier than I’ve ever seen her. It’s adorable, and I want to bottle the flush on her cheeks and make her whole body pink up that prettily for me.
“Don’t shake it, just open it,” I say, nerves sweeping through me.
Maddie looks into the box, pulling out the thin stack of papers. “What are these? I don’t understand.” Her eyes jump from the papers to