Willow hadn’t been able to do much since she was limited as to how much she could move around, but Hannah had spent most of the reception by her side and I’d often seen the girls talking and laughing as they’d discussed whatever it was that teenage girls talked about.
I forced myself out of bed and went to the bathroom to take care of business before searching out my pajama top. Bullet eyed me from where he’d stolen my spot on the bed and he actually dropped his big head to my pillow when I shook my head at him. I chuckled and then went around the bed to drop a soft kiss on Seth’s temple before leaving the room. I could already smell the coffee brewing as I neared the kitchen, but I was surprised to find the room wasn’t empty. Nicole was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs facing the window, her eyes on the light snow falling outside. Since I didn’t want to startle her, I flipped the light switch for the chandelier above the table a few times. She turned slowly in her chair to look at me, but didn’t react in any other way. I went to the table and sat next to her, concerned by her solemn expression.
Seth and I had had multiple sessions with a sign language teacher, but we were far from fluent. I mentally crossed my fingers and signed what I hoped were the right words.
Everything okay?
Nicole nodded, but didn’t sign anything back.
Did you sleep okay?
That question earned me another nod, but nothing more.
Are you hungry?
This time a shake of the head.
I tapped my fingers on the table as I thought about what to say next, but Nicole beat me to the punch and began signing. Relief went through me when I recognized the words.
Merry Christmas.
I smiled and signed the words back to her and added her name for good measure. She smiled and then she was sliding a piece ofpaper that had been sitting face down on the table in front of her across to me.
I turned it over and felt my insides light up at the sight of five carefully drawn people and a dog in front of a house that had the same colors as our house. One of the taller people had dark hair, the other one had blond hair.
Is this for me?I signed.
Nicole nodded and then pointed to the blond-haired figure.
And Seth?
Another nod.
I felt tears threatening, but I managed to hold them back.
Thank you.
You’re welcome.
I carefully reached out to touch her cheek and she let me. I took the picture over to the refrigerator and stuck it on it with a couple of magnets. I searched the cabinet for the package of instant hot chocolate Seth and I had bought in anticipation of the kids’ arrival and took it along with a bag of marshmallows back to Nicole and showed it to her. She nodded without me even needing to ask her if she wanted them. I got her drink ready and tossed a few marshmallows in and then took the rest of the bag back to the table along with the mug. As she topped off the drink with an insane number of marshmallows, I got myself a cup of coffee.
We sat in silence for a few minutes just drinking and watching the snow fall, but when I saw Willow appear in the doorway to the kitchen, I got Nicole’s attention and pointed behind her. Nicole got out of her chair and ran to her sister and hugged her. They began signing back and forth, but their motions were too quick for me to catch much. The only words I got wereMerry Christmas.
“Morning,” I said to Willow as she stepped farther into the kitchen.
“Morning,” she said quietly.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good,” she responded. She was still clearly nervous around me, but I hadn’t really expected anything different.
“Would you like some hot chocolate?”
Willow nodded and stood behind Nicole’s chair as I prepared it. She ran her fingers over her sister’s hair as Nicole drank. By the time I was putting her mug on the table, I heard the clicking of nails on hardwood and Bullet came trotting into the kitchen with Jamie right on his heels.
“Santa came!” he shouted and then he was throwing his arms around his sister’s legs.
“How do you know?” Willow asked as she reached down to pick him up, but he squirmed out of her reach and grabbed her hand instead.
