Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,63
we’d seen a lot of pancakes and ice cream nights in our lifetime thanks to my mom.
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” my mom greets when she walks in the kitchen with presents. She’s so comfortable here that she doesn’t even ring the doorbell anymore.
“Merry Christmas! What’s all that?” I point the spatula in the direction of the gifts.
“Just a little something for you guys.” She says waving me off.
“We said no exchanging.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I have a lot to make up for.”
Eli stumbles into the kitchen looking sexy as ever with that just rolled out of bed look. “Merry Christmas.”
Mom and I both say the same to him. Eli walks into the kitchen and wraps his arms around me from behind. He kisses my neck and in a husky voice says, “I love you.”
My stomach gets those little butterflies. “I love you, too.”
Eli takes over making the last of the French toast while I go and set the table. Finally, Fallon decides to join us just as I set her plate down. “Merry Christmas, Squirt.”
She walks around, gives us all a kiss on the cheek and then wraps herself in mom’s arms. “Can we open our presents now?” Fallon asks then yawns.
“Tired still?” Mom says lifting her up on her lap.
My sister rubs her eyes. “Yeah, I tried to stay up and wait for Santa.”
Eli and I exchange a knowing glance. We know she stayed up late because we kept checking on her to see if she was sleeping so we could put the presents out. Fallon finally passed out around midnight.
When we all finish eating, we pile into the living room, and watch Fallon tear through her presents.
“Ready for the last two?” Eli asks.
“Yes!” Fallon shouts.
“Okay, let’s go.” Eli stands, holds his hand out for me and Fallon. We all follow behind him outside. It’s freezing but thankfully we have on our warm pajamas.
“So this first gift is for your mom really.” Eli says stopping on the back deck.
“Me?” Mom’s eyes go wide in shock.
Eli gives a little nod. “That pool house,” he nods towards the new addition he just added this fall. “isn’t really a pool house. It’s a mother-in-law suite. I want you to be close to your daughters. It has everything you need; all you have to do is move yourself and your clothes in.”
Mom’s eyes water with tears. “Eli…”
I slide my arms around his waist and Fallon still has a hold of Eli’s hand.
“There are rules though.” Mom turns her head towards him. “There will be no drinking, no smoking or doing drugs allowed.” She nods. “I’m doing this for them, not for you. Fallon needs her mom and she doesn’t need to feel guilty for not wanting to live with you. Layla doesn’t need you but I know deep down inside she wants to rebuild your relationship. That is what this Christmas present represents.”
Mom takes a few steps over to us and opens her arms. She’s afraid it might not be welcome and she should be scared but that’s not what this is about. Eli did this for us, all of us. I open up my arm and so does Fallon. Mom comes over and together we all hug. Maybe, just maybe, Fallon will get the family she should have had all along.
“Now this next gift is a gift for the both of you. You each have a half of it.” Eli says to me and Fallon.
“What is it?” I ask eagerly.
He shoots me that killer smile and holds up his finger. He jogs across the lawn and pulls on a rope. A tarp falls away revealing a treehouse. A. Treehouse.
I cover my mouth with my hand. I can’t believe he did this. He actually remembered me telling him the story about wanting one. Fallon tugs on my hand pulling me over to the tree. It’s huge and running right down the middle of it is the tree itself. I don’t know how he did it but he did. The wood is stained making it a dark color, it has a wraparound porch with a railing and all, and there is a set of stairs on one end and a slide on the other.
Fallon and I climb the stairs with Eli behind us. “Fallon, yours is that one.” He says pointing to the pink door. “Layla, this is yours.” He tilts his head towards the purple one, my favorite color.
Fallon pushes her door open and squeals, “Look at all this!”
Eli chuckles as I open mine.