“Popcorn strings first. Mom helps us make popcorn strings every year.” She shoved one end of the string into Jasmin’s hand. “This goes on before anything else.”
Traditions. They had traditions and she felt privileged that they would let her be a part of that. Because Kevin was taller, he roped it around the top of the tree before she and Jamie took over to do the middle down to the bottom. Once that was on, everyone else joined in. Loretta helped Connor as he struggled to get the strings over the branches and carried him when he wanted to reach higher up on the tree. Red and green, silver and gold, one by one different colors adorned the tree, changing it from insignificant and lifeless into something magical. She got sucked into it—the carols, the laughter, the arguments about where the angel should go. She loved every second.
“Here,” Loretta said, handing her and Kevin a glittered white snowflake. Each one had their name written on it with a black marker. “Now every year when we put it up, we’ll think of the two of you.”
Again, Jasmin felt her throat constrict and tried to smile through it. She turned and hung hers up on the third branch from the top. As she did so, Kevin came up behind her and hung his on the branch right next to hers so that the edges of the snowflakes were overlapping.
“You know, two snowflakes are never the same,” he whispered against her ear. “But even though they may be different, it’s possible for them to fall on the same spot. Maybe it’s just the Law of Gravity.”
She half turned to look at him over her shoulder and he stole a quick kiss.
“Or maybe…it’s something more, Jasmin.”
Her heart felt like it was ready to burst. She just couldn’t get a hold of herself tonight.
“Who wants hot chocolate?” Loretta sang.
The kids erupted with Yes’s and I do’s.
“I’ll help,” Jasmin offered. She actually just wanted to get out of there to have a few minutes to pull herself together. She followed Loretta into the kitchen.
“Mugs are in that cupboard on the top shelf.”
As Jasmin walked to the other side of the kitchen, she noticed a cardboard sign that read:
WANTED: Two lonely kids looking for a family to rent so we can decorate a Xmas tree. A home-cooked meal is not required, but it would be nice.
Her breath caught for a second. “Did…did Kevin do this?” she asked softly.
Loretta turned to her and smiled. “Yeah. He’s so cute. Wade and I found him sitting with that sign outside the supermarket. He told us he’d been waiting there for hours. I read that sign and my heart just melted.”
“He has a way of doing that.” She lost herself in that sign for a few moments before turning to the other woman. “Thank you so much for this, Loretta.”
She didn’t know if it was the shakiness in her voice or the expression on her face that made Loretta cross the kitchen and pull her into a tight hug.
“There’s no need to thank me. Kevin didn’t give us any details, but I took one look at the two of you tonight and I can see that this has been a hard road for you both. We just wanted to do something to make it a little easier, even if it’s something small.”
“It isn’t small,” Jasmin said, squeezing her tighter.
So much for pulling herself together; she was an even bigger mess now. They made the hot chocolate and drank it around the fire as Wade told them stories about Santa and his elves and how they all needed to be good children if they wanted to get the swing set they’d asked him for. Jasmin wasn’t really paying much attention to what he said. She was just trying to absorb all the magic of this one night.
Eventually, she couldn’t take anymore and began bidding her farewell to all of them.
“Thanks again for having us,” she said as she walked with Kevin to the door.
“Not a problem at all,” Wade said. “And if you’re ever in Alabama again, be sure to stop by.”
After a few hugs, she walked out, marching straight down the pathway to her car. Kevin waited for them to close the front door before he chased after her.
“Hey…Jazz.” He caught her elbow and turned her to face him. “Are you all right?”
“No, I’m not all right. The next time you decide tonotbe a jerk, how about you give me a heads up first?”
He coughed out a short laugh. “Are you seriously mad at me right now?”
“Yes!” she shouted, throwing her hands up. “Why? Why would you do that to me?”
The question was irrelevant because she already knew why he did it. No matter what happened with her mother tomorrow, this was something she would have never experienced. And because this was their last night together, it was his last opportunity to show her what a real, happy family was like. She hated him for it and yet she didn’t hate him at all.
