grinned at the sight of her daughter in her rainbow unicorn onesie pajamas. The fluffy pink tail swayed as Ana rocked back and forth while talking to her friends, and the golden horn on the hood bobbed.
Ana turned her head, and her face lit up when she saw Gabriela. She hurriedly waved to her friends, Julie and Max, and raced toward the car, carrying a small bag decorated with cartoon candy canes in one hand. She opened the door, tugged off her backpack, and slipped into the car.
“Today was so much fun!” Ana was already opening the little cellophane bag as she slammed the passenger door. She pulled out a mini cupcake with squished green icing, holding it out to Gabriela. “I saved this for you.”
Gabriela’s heart clenched. How she’d ended up so blessed with such an amazingly thoughtful daughter, she didn’t know. “Oh, nena, thank you. Tell you what, how about you split it in half, and we’ll share?”
Ana smiled big. “Sounds good.”
“Get that seatbelt on first, though,” Gabriela said as she drove away from the curb. “Tell me about your day.”
Holding the cupcake up high in one hand, Ana used the other to reach behind her and grab the seatbelt, pulling it across her body and snapping it in.
“We did a little bit of work in the morning, but after lunch everyone passed out their snacks and drinks and we all snuggled in our blankets and watched Finding Dori.” She tore the cupcake in half and held the bigger piece out to Gabriela. “Me, Julie, and Max all laid together on the floor. Julie had this huge pillow that we all got to share.”
Gabriela accepted the offering, her thumb landing in the dark green icing. “That sounds fun.” She glanced to the left, making sure the road was clear before exiting of the school parking lot. “Maybe we should have a movie slumber party in the living room during Christmas break.”
Ana perked, brows shooting up. “Can we? Please? Please? Please?”
“Yes. And I’ll even let you choose the movies.”
Ana pumped her fist. “Yes!”
Gabriela chuckled and popped the cupcake chunk into her mouth, making sure to lick the icing off her thumb. It was almost too sweet, but it was delicious.
“I’m so excited for Christmas break,” Ana said around the cupcake in her mouth. “Oh, I got something else for you, but you can’t open it until Christmas.”
Gabriela glanced at Ana, who unzipped her backpack and pulled something out. It was a small bundle, no bigger than her palm, wrapped in red tissue paper with a white bow on top.
“Aw, I can’t wait to open it, Ana. Thank you.”
“I made it in class. You’re going to love it!”
“I know I will because you made it.”
Somehow, Ana’s smile grew larger, and she carefully tucked the gift in her backpack.
“I have a surprise, too,” Gabriela said.
“Really? For Christmas?”
“Well, that too, but this surprise is for when we get home.”
“What is it? Tell meeeee!”
“We’re going to bake Christmas cookies.”
“Yay!” Ana bounced in her seat. “The kind that I like, with the icing?”
“Yep.”
“You are the best!”
They chatted some more as Gabriela drove home, making plans for Christmas break to go sledding and ice skating, to watch movies, and to build snowmen. By the time the car was in the driveway, Ana was so hyped that she couldn’t sit still.
Gabriela turned off the engine and handed the keys to Ana. “I need you to open the door and go to your room.”
“How come?”
“Because…I have gifts I don’t want you to see yet. And I need to hide them from prying little eyes.”
Ana laughed. “I don’t pry!”
Gabriela snorted. “That’s what they all say.”
“Okay, fiiiiiine.” Ana unbuckled, wrapped her hand around the strap of her backpack, and opened her car door. “And then we’ll make cookies?”
“And then we’ll make cookies.”
“Sweet.” She jumped out of the car.
“Ana, wait,” Gabriela said before Ana could close the door. She reached into the back seat and grabbed her coat, holding it out to her daughter. “Can you take this in for me?”
Ana took it. “Sure.”
“Thank you.”
Her daughter closed the car door and took off toward the house.
Gabriela picked up her purse and exited the car. The chilled air touching her bare arms made her skin prickle with goosebumps. “And remember, no peeking!”
“I won’t!” Ana called over her shoulder as she slipped the key into the lock.
Reaching down, Gabriela pressed the button to pop the trunk. After making sure the car was locked, she closed the door and walked to the back,