“Mrs. Latrina, can I help with anything?” I asked once I got all the way inside the kitchen and Kiyan went over to the table to join his dad and Ava.
“Nope. I already have plates made.” She smiled handing me two plates to take to Kiyan and his father. “Do you or Ava have allergies?”
“No ma’am,” I answered when I returned to her.
“Eat pork?” She was hovering two perfectly cooked pieces of bacon over the plate with a pair of tongs while she waited for my answer.
“I do. Ava is a little picky with food.”
“Well, let her pick away.” She added a piece of bacon and half a sausage link to Ava’s plate along with some grits and a biscuit. My mouth watered at the sight of the food.
I smiled and thanked her after accepting our plates then made my way to the table. Ava tried fussing a little when I took her iPad but got it together quickly when I threatened to not to give it back once she was done.
Over breakfast Kiyan’s parents and I got to know each other more. I’d learned from Mel that they were from Chicago, but they went a little deeper with their roots. I shared a little about myself and my parents with them as well when they asked if me and Ava had family here. Around this time of year, it was always a little rough for me because my parents loved Christmas but seeing them became scarce after I married Aldrick then I lost them both very close together.
After we were done eating, we headed out. I saw why Kiyan’s mother liked to get to the tree farm early because it was already swarming with people by the time we made it. Luckily, there were plenty of trees that were up to his and his parents standards. When I saw the one that they’d chosen, I wondered how we’d get the massive tree back to his place. I knew from the décor, and the height of his ceilings that he’d definitely need a pretty good-sized tree, but we’d rode in his G-Wagon and there was no way that he was getting that tree on top of his car.
“How in the world are you getting this back? It’s way too big to tie to the top of your car.” I’d stayed back with him at the tree farm while his parents took Ava to see thereindeer. I didn’t think she’d go at first, but she shocked me by latching onto his dad’s hand and tugging him away when she heard the mention of Santa.
“They have a delivery service,” he chuckled. “Regardless of the tree’s size it wasn’t going on top of my ride.”
“I didn’t even think of that.” I shook my head and palmed my face. “I would have been in here trying to tie mine to the top of my Camry.”
He tore his eyes away from the men that were tying up the tree. “Your husband didn’t go out and get a tree for your family?”
“Oh, no,” I shook my head. “He barely liked to celebrate any holidays, so going out to get a tree wasn’t happening.” I chuckled awkwardly. “And, like I said, I didn’t have a way to get a live oneand bring it home, so Ava and I got a nice full fake tree that we could just put up every year.”
“You know the more I learn about your husband, the less and less I like him, and the less I understand how he ended up with a woman like you.”
“Aldrick hasn’t always been as horrible as he is now.”
“No?” he angled his head to the side. “Your eyes light up when I give you the simplest comment. When you hear how beautiful you are, you’re stumped like it’s the first time you’ve ever heard it, and you flinch at even a hint of kindness. None of that translates to amarriedwoman.”
“I know, but I didn’t focus on that. My focus was just on my daughter and taking care of home.”
“But who was taking care of you?” he asked and it paused me.
I was always so busy with things around the house or making sure that Ava and Aldrick were good, I never really stopped to think about that. To me, I was good. I had my routine down pat, and I was too busy to think about myself.
“Who made sure that you weren’t breaking under all of that pressure?” he continued. “I’ve never been married, but I’ve watched my father show up for my mother everyday my whole life. She pours into him, and he turns around to pour into her in return. It’s more than providing money and a roof. He took care of her physically, emotionally, and mentally.Daily, so that she could do her part in return. That’s what marriage is, taking care of each other. You deserved that. Youstilldo.”
“I—I don’t even know what to say to that,” I admitted.
I’d gone so long without any compassion from my husband that it had become a norm for me. We had sex like any other couple, but it was almost mechanical—like we did it because it’s what we were supposed to do. Date nights didn’t exist anymore because I didn’t want to leave Ava with anyone else, and he wasn’t willing to go out with her, so it faded into the background.
Reaching for my hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze and me a smile. “You don’t have to say anything, love. I just wanted to remind you that you’re as special a woman as my mom is and you deserve the kind of love that she experiences every day.” He gave me a firm nod. “They’re done with the tree, so we can go find Ava and my parents.”
With my hand still in his, he led me through the farm toward the area where Santa and his reindeer were. I expected to find a small fenced in area where there would be a man dressed up with a couple of deer, but instead there was a small barn that had been all dressed up for the holiday withNorth Poleacross the top. There was a small stand with a hot cocoa bar set up outside the door, so I got some for me, Ava, and Mrs. Latrina since Kiyan declined and said his father would too. I did, however, get us all one of the gingerbread cookies that Mrs. Claus was giving out before we entered.
It was so cute on the inside. They had people dressed up like elves and a little assembly line set up to make it look like it was Santa’s workshop. It was adorable. We moved further inside where we found families lined up so their child could tell Santa what they wanted and take pictures. Ava was at the front of the line when we made it to them.
She was a bit skeptical when it was her turn to go up, so I went with her. I was so grateful that the owner, who I learned was the one playing Santa, was being so patient with her. She was so excited to see him and the reindeer, but clammed completely up when she made it up front, but with some encouragement from us all, she was able to tell him what was on her Christmas wish list and get an amazing picture. I was also able to get her with Rudolph and the rest of the gang as well.
Once we wrapped things up there, we went into town to hit some of the stores since Kiyan insisted. I was only going to get a few things to appease him, but his mother wasn’t going forit. She made sure that we got plenty of clothes, shoes, and toys for Ava, and more than enough for me as well. I felt bad on the inside, but they were very insistent. I grabbed some wrapping paper to wrap the things I got for Ava even though she’d seen some of it. I wanted her to get up and still be able to unwrap her stuff on Christmas day.
“I noticed that you didn’t put any of the gifts under the tree,” Mrs. Latrina said as she kneaded the dough that she prepared earlier.
We’d been back to Kiyan’s place for a few hours, so while Kiyan and his parents did the tree and Ava took a nap, I wrapped her stuff then stored them in the closet area in the room we were staying in. By them time I was done, Kiyan was in his home office getting some work done, so I let him know I was going to help his mom with dinner since he’d told me she was in the kitchen preparing to cook.
