“Gross!” One of my brothers yells from his spot at the kitchen table.
There’s a whizzing sound then Micah’s hand is up, catching the foam ball before it can make contact with me. “Boys, don’t throw things at your sister.”
“Why not?” My nine-year-old brother Benji taunts.
Micah turns around and glares at the table. He’s all bark when it comes to my siblings. Even though they’ve been staying with us all week, he hasn’t complained once. No, he’s embraced all of them like they’re his own family. “Because you’ll give someone a black eye on my wedding day, and that will make me cranky.”
“Not to mention, Santa will skip the house tonight,” Mama adds as she slides another perfectly golden pancake onto the platter and passes it to Micah. “Eat up. We got a big day.”
He asked her to move here. He offered to build her a house on the Kringle Ranch and pay her relocation costs. Mama said no but I could tell she was tempted. He told her the offer will always stand.
Things are different now with my family. An anonymous benefactor went through and paid off the family home and caught my mama up on her overdue bills. Then they helped her enroll in night courses so she can get a higher paying job in a few years. The person even set up a scholarship system so each of my siblings can go to college if they want.
Both Mama and I know that it was Micah, but every time I try to bring it up, he acts like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about. He won’t ever admit it because he doesn’t want me to feel indebted to him.
He settles at the kitchen table across from Benji. Then he immediately pulls me into his lap and feeds me from his plate. My family doesn’t even comment on it. They go on like this is normal because in the past week, they’ve gotten used to seeing Micah do this. He loves taking care of me and dotes on me all the time.
“I got a question, Micah,” Benji says. “How much would you pay me to not wear my clown mask today?”
“Oh, you can wear it,” Micah answers. “You just can’t wear it anytime during the ceremony or photos.”
Benji scowls at him, and I laugh before I kiss Micah again. I can taste the syrup on his lips. He squeezes my thigh under the table but neither of us try to go any further. Still, my heart is pounding when I pull away from him. “I’ll go wake our little princess, so she doesn’t miss the ceremony.”
* * *
“So, what do you think?”I ask as I twirl around in my wedding dress with the full skirt and sweetheart neckline. Creating a wedding in just a few weeks should have been hard but it wasn’t. It helps that Cassie and West also got married today. In fact, everyone just celebrated their vows. Now I’m in the back and it’s my turn.
“Fits you like a glove,” Cassie says.
“You look incredible,” Peyton gushes.
“Love the shoes.” Sydney nods to my sequined heels. She’s the one who found them for me. She’s a regular part of my life now. She works with Micah at the office and lives with his parents. She sees Abby frequently and she’s happy that we’re adopting her.
We’ve made every effort to locate Abby’s birth father and give him a chance to come forward. So far though, we haven’t had any luck and at this point, I doubt we will. But Abby still seems like a happy baby, and I know Micah loves her just as fiercely as if she were his flesh and blood.
Abby squeals her agreement. She’s getting old enough to be a part of more events. I love watching her discover more of the world and getting to be the one who introduces it to her. Yesterday, I read her a story book about Santa. I’m not sure she understood what I was saying but she did stare in fascination at the big, jolly man.
Mama chuckles and passes my little drool machine to Peyton to hold.
The girls exchange a look before excusing themselves.
Mama reaches into her purse and produces her gold necklace, the one with the ruby teardrop pendant. She’s worn it for years and before that, my grandmother. “It’s yours now.”
I admire the sparkling jewelry for a moment before I turn my back to her and shift my hair so she can put it around my neck.
“I didn’t want to like him,” she admits as she fastens the clasp.
“I know.” She didn’t exactly hide her dislike or distrust of Micah, even after she suspected he was the one who paid off all the bills and made life easier for my family. Southern pride runs deep, even deeper when poverty is involved.
Still, it’s nice to see her without those worry lines on her face. Nice to see her laughing easily and not worrying about every dime she’s spending when she’s shopping with me. She’s finally getting to enjoy life a little bit, and I love that for her.
“But it’s hard to hate the man who loves your daughter so fiercely. I think he’d give you the world if you demanded it, lay siege to cities with only a word from you.”
I turn to her as my eyes fill with tears. I have to blink to keep them from falling. “He’s my whole world.”
She reaches out to pat my cheek. “That’s good. Because you’re his.”
There’s a knock on the door then Mrs. Kringle is poking her head in and telling us we can start any time I’m ready. I glance at my mom, my heart so full of love it feels like I’ll float away. “I’m definitely ready.”