Milo belched.
"Sounds like Milo had his share of cookies too," Owen said, patting the dog on his furry head.
"Ready for dinner?" I asked them, pulling the meat out of the oven and starting to dip it in the egg wash and peppery breadcrumb mixture I had prepared. The oil in the fryer was hot.
As the brothers cleaned off the table, the doorbell rang.
"I bet it's Eddie," Jack said, wiping off his hands to answer the door.
"Your drunk Santa security guard?" Oliver asked.
"He saved Chloe's life, so he's not that bad," I heard Jack say from the hallway as he opened the door.
I heard his voice fade away, then I heard him say, "Belle?"
70
Jack
Istood in the doorway, staring at my sister. She looked just like I remembered her. Her hair was a little longer, but it was still in the French braid she always wore.
"Merry Christmas," she said. "Can I come in?"
I stepped back from the door, allowing Belle to enter. She had a well-worn backpack, a duffle bag in one hand, and two large red paper sacks in the other.
My brothers all stopped and looked at her when I led her to the open living area.
"You're back," Owen said.
"Of course," she replied. "It's Christmas." She set the bags in a corner and turned to face us, spreading her arms wide. "Come here, you guys."
My brother and I ran to her, and all the Frost siblings met in a big group hug. I felt my eyes starting to tear up.
"I thought we weren't going to see you again," I told her.
"You're my little brothers. Of course I was going to come see you," she said, looking slightly offended.
"I’m so sorry for everything," I told her.
"None of that was your fault," she replied, ruffling my hair.
"You gave up your life for us," I insisted.
"Just my childhood," she quipped.
"And your twenties and early thirties," Owen added.
Belle stepped back and made a face. "Don’t remind me how old I am," Belle joked. Then she looked serious. "You guys are my brothers, so what could I do?"
"You didn't have to slave to make sure we had a nice childhood and pay for our college," I told her.
"I'm wasn't going to let you not attend college," she scoffed. "The last things we need are more idiotic, uneducated men running around. No, our parents are totally oblivious to the way the world works if they thought they could just dump you out on the street and expect you to make something of yourselves. I remember how hard it was working and going to community college. I knew you guys wouldn't be able to handle it. So I did what had to be done."
"But you never fulfilled your dreams," I said.
Belle shrugged. "I put five kids into Harvard, made enough money to help you and Owen launch billion-dollar companies, and just spent the last two years traveling to exotic places in the world. I did okay."
"Are you going to leave again?" Matt asked. He was the youngest, and I knew it had hit him hard when Belle left.
