“Where’s aunt Ellen?” I ask quietly, unsure if I should even ask.
“She’s staying in bed today. I don’t think we’ll be seeing her,” he answers quietly. “I wasn’t entirely sure we’d still be seeing you.”
I feel a sickness form in the pit of my stomach, and I wonder if it’s because she’s so hurt by seeing my photograph last night, and she’s missing Sadie. I wonder if I caused it.
“I was thinking that I might spend part of my vacation with some friends. I mean, I’m really grateful to be here, but maybe it might be nice to see them, too.” I’m not quite sure how to tell him that I want to leave without sounding ungrateful.
He just looks relieved again, and doesn’t even try to hide it.
I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. He really doesn’t care, and I strongly suspect that my aunt won’t, either.
“Thank you,” I tell him with a little smile. Breakfast goes quietly, save for a few comments about the meal, which is as normal a breakfast as one could expect.
When the meal is over, I thank my uncle and say goodbye. He wishes me well, along with a happy new year, and I pack my bag and send a quick message to Wills to let him know I’m on my way.
Wills replies immediately with a ridiculously excited happy-face selfie. I send him a snowball splat gif and tell him to be prepared. I’m already feeling so much better about the holidays. I know I’m going to have the time of my life, and I’m not even there yet.
I stop by the only store open on Christmas day in the state of New York and pick out gifts for my boys. I send Blair a text too, asking him to join us later if he can. The Rashnikov cabin isn’t too far from Wills’ family place, so I’m hoping he might actually be able to join us.
I know Wills will be happy to have him there. Blair texts back and says he can come tomorrow, and he can’t wait to see me. I send him a kiss and feel as if I’m riding in Santa’s sleigh right through the sky as I drive to Wills’ home.
In less than two hours, I’m here. I barely have the car in park before Wills is coming through the front door and rushing to the car with the biggest grin on his face. He pulls me out wraps me tightly in his arms, kissing me a long minute before letting me go.
“Merry Christmas, Teddy!” he tells me happily. “Now it really feels like Christmas. Now it’s right.”
I’m so happy that there are practically sparkles igniting all through me. “I agree completely. It hasn’t been Christmas at all until just this moment. Thank you!”
He leans down and kisses me, and suddenly I hear a thud and Wills raises his head and yells over his shoulder, “You’re going to pay for that!”
I laugh in surprise and look around Wills. Three boys a little younger than him have come outside, and they’re all packing snowballs in their bare hands. It looks like they’re all three building some bulk, much like their older brother, and it makes me smile to see them. They’re just younger versions of the real thing.
“We came out to see if you need any help bringing in bags and things, and thought we’d make good use of the snow!” the middle boy calls out to us.
They launch their snowballs at Wills, nearly hit him, and he waves them over to meet me. They are all cute and very sweet. The two younger ones are blushing, and it makes me smile.
“These are my brothers. In order of age and size … this is Harry, second in line to the Stryker throne, which is a family joke. We’re actually all named after British princes and kings. My parents are serious American Royalists. This is Charlie, and this is the baby of the family, James. Boys, this is Teddy White.” Wills is so happy to introduce us.
“Your girlfriend!” James giggles and his cheeks turn pink.
“You’d better believe it,” Wills says adamantly as he kisses me in front of them. Then he looks at his brothers again. “Okay, mush you huskies. Carry all the things in for the lady!”
The brothers and Wills get into my car and haul out all the bags and boxes, and I’m glad that I stopped along the way to pick up more things. It’s going to be a full house and a busy, bustling holiday. It’s exactly what I wanted. A true Christmas with my true family.
Before we go inside, I stop Wills. “About what you said earlier,” I say, “I haven’t actually taken the last name White yet.”
He looks at me funny. “But you are going to, aren’t you?”
I’ve thought about this for a while, but I haven’t made up my mind. “I don’t know,” I say honestly. “But for now, it’s still Price.”
Wills takes my hand and walks into the house with me to introduce me to his parents.
It’s an even bigger house than the one we were in last semester with Blair’s parents over Thanksgiving, and that’s good because there are a lot of people. It’s big and it’s clear that there’s a lot of money invested in it, but it’s still homey and I feel comfortable there right away.
The other thing I love about it is that it’s actually decked out for the holidays. There are lights all over the house and the trees and bushes around the front, and there are decorations and lights in the windows. They have a wreath on the door as well, and jingle bells on the door handle inside.
When I walk in, I can smell Christmas dinner cooking, and it smells divine. It smells like you think it’s supposed to, full of ham and cinnamon, cloves and pies. He takes me to the kitchen and his mother is buzzing around with her hair up in a pretty style and an apron on. She turns and beams at me, and then comes to me and hugs me tightly.
“Welcome! I’m Alice. We’re so glad that you could come! I hope you’ll stay until after New Year’s with us. Wills has been so looking forward to having you here, and since he talks about you all the time, we’ve all been so anxious to meet you.” She looks bubbly and cheerful, and I like her right away.