"Merry Christmas, Papa."
I picked her up and smothered her with kisses. "Merry Christmas, my darling."
“I looked at the clock like you told me to and waited till the little hand was pointing to the six."
I was so proud of my little pup.
Abi peered over my shoulder. "But can I wake Daddy now? It’s time." I agreed and she raced into our bedroom and jumped on the bed. "Daddy, Merry Christmas."
My mate fake-groaned. “Who is this jumping on my bed?"
"It’s me. Abi."
“Do I know an Abi?" My mate’s eyes were still closed but he couldn’t hide his grin.
“I’m your little girl, the one you say is the smartest pup in the whole wide world."
"Sounds familiar." He kissed her and then tickled her sides and they almost rolled off the bed.
"What do we do first? Presents or eat breakfast?" It was a silly question because everyone always chose presents, though Hawthorn and I insisted on making coffee first. Abi grumbled about grownups and coffee as she sat under the tree staring at the large object we’d wrapped last night and the bulging stockings hanging from the mantle.
The next thirty minutes were filled with the tearing of wrapping paper, plus oohs, ahhs and squeals. Abi’s present from us was a tricycle which she insisted on riding around the sofa until I told her it was for outside. I unwrapped a locketHawthorn had made that contained a picture of the three of us. On the back it was inscribed, "To us & the teddies."
My present to my mate was a voucher for a seven-day stay at a mountain resort. We’d met two baker brothers who resurrected the bakery in Ivybrook and one of them had agreed to take over for us while we took a week off. My mate had agreed to the idea but I knew once the time came, I’d have to drag him out the door.
We'd invited Mrs. Trent, Benjamin, Marg and Adrian for dinner. It’d be a small gathering but that was how we liked it. We’d taken part in the town’s Christmas Festival with the community but today was for close friends.
We made breakfast of cereal and toast, not that our daughter ate much as she was too excited for what came next and to take her tricycle to the local park.
"Ready." Hawthorn held Abi’s hand. "What time are people coming?"
"Not until five. We have plenty of time."
"Good. Because I have plans for the morning."
"Oh? Whatever could they be?" Abi and I looked at one another, pretending we had no clue what he was talking about.
He grinned. “I thought we could do something that commemorates a very special day. We're making teddy bear cookies."
We’d done this since our daughter was born. It brought back so many memories of me obsessively making those cookies when I was nesting, before I knew I was pregnant. It was now a family tradition.
My mate and Abi galloped downstairs. The space was twice as large after we’d knocked down the wall between the two buildings. There were new ovens, more display cases, and a proper sitting area with tables and chairs. We'd hired two part-time employees to help with the rush hours which gave us some breathing room.
But the heart of the bakery was still the same with the smell of bread cloaking the space six days a week. And for me, the aroma signaled I was home.
Abi sat on her stool as my mate turned on the ovens. She understood the rules we’d set up when she was in the bakery though we always monitored her and she was never allowed in the space alone.
"I need some help because I’m not sure I can do this alone." Hawthorn booped our daughter’s nose as he prepped the ingredients.
“Me, me. I know."
My wolf loved being with Abi. He was so proud of her and couldn’t wait until she met her own wolf.
"I remember walking into the bakery that morning and trying to figure out why you were making so many teddy bear cookies." Hawthorn was helping Abi measure the flour and he explained what he was doing and why, similar to what he’d done while I was giving birth.
"I didn’t understand either but I knew I had to do it and each one had to be perfect." I’d discarded so many of the teddies.
When the dough was ready, Abi and Hawthorn rolled it before cutting out the first teddy bear shape. “And I suggested you might be pregnant."
