I smile. Piper’s eyes grow heavy. Together, with our fingers laced and our noses touching, we drift off to sleep in the best fort on the best Christmas Eve of my life.
“You think they did it?” Stacy’s voice cuts through my dream.
“Uh, is that a serious question?” Joe replies.
“I hope they didn’t ruin the pool table,” my dad huffs.
“Ooh, they’re so sweet together,” Mom coos.
“Mom, don’t take a photo!” Stacy admonishes.
“I’m sending it to Misty,” Mom replies.
Fuck. I force my eyes open.
Mom, Dad, Stacy, and Joe peer in through the open flaps of the fort.
“Are you coming up? Uncle Hud! Santa came!” Frankie bellows from the top of the stairs.
“Yeah, he did,” Stacy jokes.
I groan and close my eyes.
Beside me, Piper stirs, and I snap my eyes open in time to see her wake up and freeze as my family comes into her line of vision.
“Merry Christmas, Pipe!” Mom says cheerfully.
Panic washes over Piper’s expression as she turns toward me.
Joe laughs.
I reach over to take her hand and give a reassuring squeeze. Her panic eases and she relaxes slightly. “Piper and I are together now,” I announce to my family, holding up our joined hands.
“It’s about time,” Dad replies.
“Finally!” Stacy cheers.
“Good for you,” Mom says.
“You owe my fifty,” Stacy hisses to Dad.
Joe snorts. “Welcome to the family,” he says to Piper.
She clears her throat. “Um, Merry Christmas?”
We all laugh.
“Santa came! I repeat, there are presents under the tree!” Kimmy calls down.
My family dutifully turns toward the stairs.
I glance at my girl. “Coffee?”
“Please.” She grins. “Merry Christmas, Hudson.”
I kiss her softly. “Merry Christmas, Pipe.”
Epilogue
