Celebrate.Three grandchildren. Three married sons. Their family unit is growing, and they cannot be prouder.
Christmas hasn’t been the same since Brandon left. The year after he was traded, Mom stopped buying those hideous Christmas sweaters. The lame jokes he and Byron used to share disappeared, too, leaving an uncomfortable silence in their place. The little presents he used to pick out for everyone are just fading memories now, though I still remember the chocolates he’d send from Australia—always my favorite.
But more than anything, I miss him. I miss the good years when it was just the two of us stealing moments alone. The way he’d hold my hand under the table, out of sight from everyone else. The way his eyes locked onto mine, so full of something I thought was real. I let out a shaky breath, realizing how foolish I was to believe we had a future.
Loud laughter brings me out of my stupid daydream.
Everyone is happy and where they should be in life.
Everyone except me.
My brother, Jobe, runs into the room, chasing Summer. She screams and turns to see how close he is without slowing down. Everyone is playing around and laughing,and I can’t find the happiness to join in. While I love being around my family, I feel disconnected, like I’m stuck in some sort of limbo instead of finding love like my brothers.
“I’m calling Shelly to collect the children and prepare them for bedtime,” Mom announces. “It’s time we moved into the dining room.” My father enters the room with a fancy bottle of whiskey. “Bring it with you, Carson.”
He looks around the room. “What did I miss?”
Zara lands a hand on my father’s shoulder. “General family chaos.” She laughs.
Shelly arrives to take the children upstairs, and I couldn’t be more grateful for our nanny.
We take our seats at the table, mine beside Byron. It is the only time our family will be together, and I want to chat with my family without being interrupted by the children. I love them dearly, but tonight, I need adult conversation with the people I love and trust. Tomorrow, my brothers will be with their wives’ families, except for Byron. We’ll both be at the midday game, then he’ll head to Giana’s parents later, and I’ll be anywhere but home alone.
I can’t face a big empty house at Christmas, a time when the world celebrates joy.
It’s Christmas morning,and I’m already dressed, waiting for Rocky, my driver, to pick me up for the game. The room is quiet except for the soft tapping of my fingers on the keyboard as I type out an email. Just as I hit send, my phone buzzes, the screen lighting up with an incoming call.
Jesus, it’s Christmas.
Lex is the best scout, but surely, it can wait until game time.
“Merry Christmas, Lex.”
“Merry Christmas, Charlotte. Are you sitting down?”
“Why do Inothave faith you’re bringing good news.”
“The Stingers want Vince. The board wants the trade to happen before January.”
“For whom?” My heart thumps in my chest as it speeds up. “You know my answer.”
“I do. His name hasn’t been mentioned again, but I wanted to bring you up to speed. If something is mentioned in the meeting before the game, I don’t want you to be surprised.”
“Do my brothers know?”
“They are head of basketball operations, so yes.”
“Yet I’m chief governor. Why was I not alerted first?”
“Charlotte, you have bigger things to worry about. The final decision is yours. I only wanted to prepare you.”
“Thank you. I’m grateful for the call.”
“I’ll see you at the game.”
Three hours before tip-off, Rocky is waiting outside my home, and Dwayne is already in the car.
“Merry Christmas, gentlemen.”
