Heck, I had no clue how to even tell them about my biggest predicament. Forget not having a job; I was knocked up.
Inhaling slowly again, I centred myself; I didn’t have to worry about that yet. The time would come when I’d have to fess up and admit a night of reckless decisions led to a baby, but that moment wasn’t today.
“Well, your mother and I were about to go have breakfast.” Dad said, signaling that the call should end.
“Have a Merry Christmas, Ellen. We’ll talk soon,” Mom added.
“Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad. Talk to you later,” I said right before they disconnected.
I sighed. I’d tried once to show them how to FaceTime. I’d even bought them an iPad and set it up for them, wanting so desperately to at least see their faces every once in a while, but they couldn’t understand the concept, and had refused to learn.
Sometimes Mom would send pictures over email. I supposed that was better than going a full year without seeing their faces, but it still hurt.
At four o’clock on the dot, I was walking up the front steps of the elegant white house that Sage’s aunt and uncle resided in, holding the gingerbread bundt cake I’d spent the day making and the gifts I’d purchased.
Ed and Emelia’s house was only a few blocks away from Parker and Tabitha’s place, nestled on a beautiful lot surrounded by tall pines and birch trees. A fresh cover of snow blanketed the yard and rooftop, making it look like the ideal Hallmark movie set.
I rang the bell, and it wasn’t long before the door was swinging inward to reveal Sage. She threw her arms around me, hugging me and wishing me a Merry Christmas, and taking some of the bags off me.
Sage led the way into the beautiful house, pausing in the living room to set my bags of gifts under the tree and introduce me.
I’d met Ed and Emelia during my brief visit over Halloween, but I hadn’t met any of Sage’s cousins or their partners. I greeted Joseph, Livia’s fiancé, and Patrick, Madeline’s husband, as well as nix and Ed, then Sage put her hand on my elbow and led me down the hall toward the back of the house.
We passed an elegant dining room, the table set and ready for people to gather around. Everything looked so warm and cozy, and Christmassy.
We stepped into the gourmet kitchen, finding Sage’s cousins and aunt busy prepping for dinner. The kitchen was stunning. Heck, the entire house was stunning, like it should be featured in a holiday décor magazine. Even the white sand-coloured cabinets were decorated with garland and bows.
Sage’s aunt stopped stirring the pot of gravy, turning away from the five-burner gas stove, and greeting me with a bright smile. “Nellie! It’s so good to see you again. Merry Christmas, love!”
“Merry Christmas, Mrs. Alcott.”
“Oh, please! Call me Auntie Em,” Emelia insisted, waving away my formalities with her hand.
“Okay…” I said, trying to push down the welling emotions that her maternal warmth coaxed out of me. I wasn’t used to it, and it made me feel homesick for something I’d never really had to begin with. “Well, thank you for letting me crash your holiday dinner. I brought gingerbread bundt cake,” I added, setting the cake down on the granite countertop.
“You are always welcome here, Nellie. And thank you so much, it looks and smells delicious!”
Before I could respond, Emelia was wrapping her arms around me in a hug. For a moment, I didn’t know what to do with my arms.
My mother wasn’t a hugger, neither was my father. Emelia, however, was a hugger, and she had the strange ability to make me feel comfortable. I found myself hugging her back.
“We are so glad you moved to Hartwood Creek, Nellie. How are you liking it so far?” Em asked, pulling back to study me.
“I’m loving it. My apartment is so quiet, it’s a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the city. Plus, the town is so charming in the winter, with the snow blanketing everything. It’s like the set for a Hallmark movie.”
“Actually, it’s been used as the filming location for a few of those,” one of Sage’s cousins said from the other side of the counter. She had dark hair and a smile as welcoming as her mother’s.
“That’s Cate, she works in film and has directed a few of those movies,” Sage explained.
“That’s so neat!” I exclaimed. “I always thought working in film would be a fun career.”
“It really is, I love it,” Cate replied.
“Our resident celebrity,” one of her sister’s said, putting her arms around Cate in a hug.
“Oh, stop, Livia,” Cate huffed, rolling her eyes. Another Alcott sister leaned against the opposite counter, her hand massaging her protruding belly.
“You’re too humble, Cate. Brag a little,” she said, her hand still on her stomach. All three women looked like their mother, with their dark hair, bone structure, and sparkling light eyes. Madeline’s hair was in a trendy bob while Livia and Cate wore their hair longer. Livia’s hair was curly, like Emelia’s, while Cate’s hair was straight like Ed’s and Madeline’s.
