For Erin, it wasn’t about what people would think. She loved theChristmas Eve party. Sure, she agreed with her mom on the chicken wings and the cleaning, but not knowing who would show up was half the fun. Every year someone she didn’t expect would arrive, and she’d get to catch up with an old friend—or introduce a new friend to her favorite traditions: figs wrapped in prosciutto, holiday punch, and Melissa’s lemon-polenta cake.
Had her mom only cared about the party because—what? People might think something was wrong if she didn’t host it? Like she was worried about judgmental people. Erin had always thought of her mom as one of the judgmental people. She’d had certain standards she held everyone to; they’d always felt higher for Erin.
If Erin were truly her mother’s daughter, Cassie would’ve never known she was stressed about the party. There would be chicken wings, and the floors would be mopped.
Every year after the party, Erin needed a nap.
It was almost eight by the time she woke up. There was a note on the kitchen counter from Parker—she and Cassie were apparently doing some last-minute Christmas shopping.
Erin heard the front door as she was picking through the leftovers.
“Come eat!” she called.
The air fryer beeped to let her know the wontons were ready. They were the only dish to get an actual plate instead of being served directly from Tupperware.
Only Parker appeared in the kitchen. Erin raised her eyebrows at her daughter.
“She’s putting your present upstairs to wrap later.”
“Oh my God, Parker, she didn’t have to get me a present!”
Parker shrugged and grabbed a wonton off the plate, tossing it back and forth in her hands to cool it down. “She wanted to.”
Erin opened the fridge to find the sweet chili sauce. Thewooshof cold highlighted her warm cheeks. Hopefully Cassie didn’t feel beholden to her. She certainly didn’t have to buy Erin a gift.
“Speaking of presents.” Erin didn’t bother getting a dish for the sweet chili sauce; they could pour it. “You both should open your Christmas Eve presents after we eat.”
“Can I pick which one to open?” Parker asked.
“Sure,” Erin said. “You can pick any present wrapped in purple tissue paper.”
“Mom.”
“What?”
“I’m just saying we should get to pick which one we open,” Parker said. “Instead of having it always be pajamas.”
“Who says it’s going to be pajamas?”
Parker groaned. “It’s been pajamas for the past eighteen years. I’ve caught on.”
Cassie appeared then, coming to sit beside Parker at the kitchen island. She reached straight for the mashed potatoes.
“I always get to open one present on Christmas Eve,” Parker explained. “And it’salwayspajamas.”
“Oh no, that sounds terrible,” Cassie said, scooping potatoes onto her plate. “A new pair of comfy PJs every year. How awful.”
“Thank you,” Erin said. “See, Parker, some people know how to be grateful.”
Parker rolled her eyes. Cassie rolled her eyes right back. She didn’t look at Erin.
Erin couldn’t help but look at her, though. She hadn’t seen Cassie since the conversation with Adam, which still made Erin’s hands want to ball into fists. Cassie was quiet—they all were, like the party had taken their socializing energy for the day. But even Cassie’s hair seemed flat, the normally rosy glow of her cheeks dampened.
After eating, they moved to the living room for the present opening. Parker grabbed the two presents wrapped in purple tissue paper from under the tree. She clambered onto the couch beside Cassie and held one out to her.
Cassie just looked at her.
“Take your present,” Parker said.