Among The Wildflowers

𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪-𝕤𝕚𝕩: The Greatest Gift of All

It's Christmas Eve and Nic has her freckled nose pressed up against the cool glass of the window.

She watches as the thick, white, snowflakes fall, coating everything in sight.

Without taking her eyes off the falling snow, she calls over her shoulder to Gina.

"How many inches did the weatherman say?"

"Fourteen."

"Wow," Nic says,"that's a lot. And that's why we can't go to Gran and Grandad's for Christmas?"

Gina nods, sadness in her eyes,"Yes. I wish we could've gone this year. I would've loved for ya to see Dublin. But there's always next year."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Gran and Grandad said they sent ya some things in the mail, though."

Nic turns away from the window, a huge smile on her face.

"They did?"

"Yes, it should be here soon."

"What is it?"

Gina smiles,"Well if I told ya, it'd ruin the surprise."

Frowning, Nic turns back to the window. She watches the snow for a bit more, then she leaves the couch and walks over to watch Gina frost cookies.

"Can I help?"

Gina glances at her daughter whose eyes are glued to the plate of sugar cookies.

"Eat 'em or frost 'em?"

"Both," Nic says with a smile.

Gina gets a clean butter knife from the drawer and hands it to her daughter.

"Let's finish frosting 'em first, yeah?"

"Then we eat them?"

"Then we eat them."

"Sounds good to me," Nic says, eagerly.

She picks up a cookie shaped like a candy cane and squirts some red frosting onto it. Once it's to her liking, Nic holds it up for her mother to see.

"Very good," Gina says, with a soft smile,"you're a natural."

Nic's cheeks flush and she reaches for another cookie.

When all the cookies are frosted, Gina hands one to Nic and puts the rest on the counter. She then takes the soup that's been heating up on the stove, and pours it into two bowls.

"Put these on the coffee table, please," she says, handing the bowls to Nic.

"We're eating on the couch?"

"Yup, while we watch a movie."

Nic grins, taking the bowls from her mother. She walks them over to the coffee table and sets them down.

"What are we gonna watch?"

"Well, what do ya wanna watch?"

"I don't know," Nic says, plopping down onto the couch. She grabs the remote and starts surfing channels.

Gina grabs two spoons, two napkins, and two bottles of water. She sits down next to her daughter who has settled on How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

"I've always wanted to watch this one."

"You've never seen it?"

"No," Nic says,"Last lady I lived with said it was stupid. She wouldn't let her kids watch it either."

"Well, I love this movie, so I'm very excited to see what ya think."

Nic smiles and rests her head on Gina's shoulder, pulling the blanket up to her neck. Halfway through the movie she falls asleep, snoring softly.