A Holiday for the Books by Mignon Mykel

Author:Mignon Mykel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mignon Mykel

Monday, December 25

Caleb

“It’s Christmas!”

I groaned as the bedroom door swung open and Brody yelled loudly. No sooner than I realized my arm was stiff—I still held Sydney to me—the bed was being attacked by our children.

Sydney pushed her face into my chest but under my arm, I could feel her shoulders shaking with laughter. God, that felt good.

Opening my eyes, I watched as Brandon lifted Braelyn to the bed and then even he crawled into the bed with his siblings.

I pressed a kiss to Sydney’s head before reaching out for Brae with my free arm, pulling her in close. Our boys lay around us and, even though my heart physically ached at the missing body, I was so fucking grateful for what I had in this moment.

“Did Santa come?” Sydney asked, resituating herself beside me to make room for Brooks between us. Brandon lay on his stomach at the end of the bed, with Brody beside him, but on his back. This full-sized bed wasn’t big enough for the lot of us.

“Grandma said no peeking until everyone was awake,” Brody mumbled, the disappointment in his voice evident.

“Did you see Grandma?” I asked, pushing up to sit against the wall, resituating the pillow at my back.

“Mmhmm. She was sitting at the bottom of the stairs when we tried to go down,” Brandon offered, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the mental image of mom. “She said no children were allowed downstairs until at least six-thirty.”

Curious, I looked over Sydney—who was smiling from ear to ear—to my old-school alarm clock.

“Only ten more minutes, guys.” Thankfully. Frankly, I was surprised they lasted until now.

…Pretty sure three years ago, the boys dragged Sydney and me out of bed at five.

“That’s forever!” Brody exclaimed. “That’s like, ages,” the dramatics continued.

“Santa’s not—” Brandon started.

“Brandon,” my voice warned at the same time Sydney’s did. He figured it out two years ago, after Christmas break, when some kid ruined it for his entire class.

Brandon frowned at us before saying, “Not even here right now. Chill.” The chill was very much for Sydney and me. I glanced at Sydney, whose brows were lifted high as she stared at our oldest.

We were going to have our hands full with that one, if the last week was an indication.

I shook my head minutely and, my voice low, said, “Brandon. Tone.”

He looked down at the bed but otherwise stayed quiet.

“Alright, guys.” I hugged Braelyn tightly to my chest, where she giggled. “Brooks and Brae, let’s get you cleaned up, then let’s all go downstairs.”

“Is it time?” Brody jumped to his knees on the bed.

“Not really,” I answered, with a shrug. “But Grandma can’t say no to me,” I added, winking at my boy. Then, as if no time had passed, Sydney and I got to work. I got Brae cleaned and zipped back up in her jammies, while Sydney walked Brooks into the bathroom.

When they came back, Brooks was jumping up and down, holding Sydney’s hand. “I di’nt potty!”

Sydney was grinning down at him.

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