Paige swipes her eyes and nods with determination. “You got it.”
“Fun,” Amy repeats, glaring at Chaos. “If anyone tries to ruin it, I’ll put them under the tree.”
Chaos backs away slowly. “I’m gonna… go volunteer somewhere else.”
Eagle laughs. “Relax, kid. She won’t kill you before Christmas.”
“I make no promises,” Amy sings.
Before I can respond, the front door swings, open and a gust of air blows inside.
“Hope!” Mom barrels into the clubhouse like she’s storming the beaches of Normandy, arms wide open, tinsel already hanging around her neck like a trophy.
Dad follows behind her, carrying two massive boxes, and what looks suspiciously like a cookie tray.
My heart leaps. “Mom! Dad!”
Mom nearly tackles me in a hug. “Sweetie! You look beautiful. Are you eating? Are you sleeping?”
“Mom, I’ve been gone less than two days.”
“That’s long enough!” she insists.
Dad sets the boxes down with a grunt. “Where do you want Christmas?”
Amy waves them over. “Over here, Ted.”
“Amy, I’ve told you repeatedly to call me Dad,” Dad says.
Amy squints. “Why mess with a good thing?”
Chaos whispers from behind the bar. “Are all her friends like this?”
“Yes,” Mom answers proudly. “Now, where’s Frost?”
Hawk steps forward, offering a restrained, intimidating nod. “We got him out of the clubhouse since Hope wants to surprise him.”
Mom rocks on her heels. “I love a good surprise!”
Dad shakes Eagle’s hand enthusiastically. “Thank you for helping our daughter out.”
Hawk looks mildly terrified by my parents’ eagerness. “Sure. I’m grateful to her for pulling Frost out of his funk.”
Paige leans toward me. “Your parents are adorable.”
“I know,” I whisper.
Dad looks around the vast room. “So! Where’s the main tree going?”
Hawk gestures toward the open space near the bar. “We usually put it there.”
Mom gasps. “Perfect! We can fill the whole ceiling with lights!”
Chaos rubs his face. “The electric bill is gonna murder us.”
Amy slaps his shoulder. “Shut up, and grab a ladder.”
Everything quickly turns into joyful chaos as boxes are opened, lights untangled, and decorations hung. Mom puts Dad in charge of finding a good extension cord, and Paige talks excitedly about garlands while Amy threatens the Christmas tree like it's an enemy combatant, and Glitch encourages her delusions.
