♥ Amy ♥
By late afternoon, the house felt full even before anyone arrived. The table was set, the good plates were out, and the smells of roast, potatoes, and spices filled every corner. My lower back ached, but seeing everything ready gave me a small rush of pride. When the doorbell finally rang, my stomach flipped.
“They are here,” I called out to Caleb. He shot me a quick smile as he hurried out of the living room. Catherine, Caleb’s mother, swept in first with a tin of biscuits and a scarf as red as her lipstick.
“Merry Christmas Eve,” she said, pulling me into a hug that smelled like perfume and cinnamon. “Look at this place, it is beautiful,”
“Thank you,” I said as I hugged her back carefully. Next to come in was Colin, Caleb’s father. He carried a cooler bag and his usual calm
