I brought my bag when she first mentioned it, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend Christmas morning with them. We were close, but I wasn’t family. Not even August was staying the night.
“We’ll see.”
She gave me a face. “You’re my sister, Petal.”
“Hey Petal.”
I looked up to see August in the doorway. “August. Hello.” I went over and gave him a hug.
“This is Beth. Beth this Petal, April’s longtime friend,” he said.
Beth was similar to August. Unassuming. Shy. Plain but still pretty.
“Hi Beth,” I said, extending my hand. “It’s so nice to meet you finally.”
“You too,” she said.
“I came to grab more wine,” August said.
“Here,” Jude said, handing him two bottles. “Can you put one on the table. Try not to drink the other too quickly.”
August made a face at Jude. At one time, they’d been best friends. Now, the distance was there, but it was closer now than it had been last year. Would that be the case for me and Cy? Overtime, would our friendship mend to what it had been before we slept together and I’d kept the baby from him too long?
August put his arm around Beth and led her out of the kitchen.
“She’s perfect for him,” April whispered to me. “I bet they have the quietest sex ever.”
“April!” I laughed.
“Tell me you don’t think about your brother having sex,” Jude said as he snuck a cupcake.
“Not in detail no. But just knowing them—”
“I’m happy for him,” I said. I didn’t know how serious they were, but he looked happy and that was something because August had never looked happy after his parents died, except maybe around Maya.
Speaking of Maya. “Where’s your little scientist?”
“She’s doing something with Christmas ornaments and lights,” April said, pulling a salad out of the fridge and handing it to me. “Toss.”
“I hope she doesn’t burn the house down,” Jude joked.
I took two large salad spoons and tossed the salad. “Someday she’ll invent a cure for cancer.” That made me think of Jane. I knew Cy was going to do all he could to give her a nice Christmas. He wouldn’t say it, but I suspected he worried this could be the last one. My heart broke for him. I hoped that the baby would be able to help him cope if that was the case.
Then again, Jane, as weak as she seemed, didn’t look like a woman that would go gently into the good night. She was going to fight to live. For him and for the baby. She’d told me that.
Jude’s phone rang.
“No work tonight, Jude,” April admonished.
He looked at the screen. “Not work. Give me a minute.” He blew her a kiss to appease her. It was sweet, even if I felt a little envious. He left the room to take the call.
“Does he work a lot after hours?” I asked.
“Nah. But it’s Christmas Eve and we have family here,” April said putting her arm around me. “How is Blossom?”
“Blossom?” I arched a brow.
“You’re Petal, so I’ve named your baby Blossom. Or Stamen. That’s the male part of a flower, did you know?”