Page 6 of Blame It On the Lattes

“Can we go?” she asked excitedly, finally having finished her bite.

“When is it?” Avery asked nicely, though I could see the daggers she was shooting into my sister’s head.

“Two weeks.” Cassidy pinned Avery with an equally threatening look as she lifted her fork to her lips and took a bite of chicken.

“I don’t know if we’ll still be here,” Avery said gently to Kennedy, her eyes softening as disappointment washed over her face.

“Okay.”

I could feel the tension mounting on Avery’s shoulders from where I was sitting, and though I didn’t know the whole situation, I wasn’t happy with my sister for what she just did. Once dinner was over, I sent Avery and Kennedy to the living room with my parents to watch a movie while Cassidy and I cleaned up.

“What the hell was that shit you just pulled on Avery?” I bit out angrily as I filled the sink with hot water.

“What are you talking about?” she asked while setting down a stack of plates from dinner.

“Why would you tell Kennedy about Frosty Fest without checking with Avery first? Now you’ve gone and disappointed Kennedy while also making Avery feel like shit for not being able to promise her daughter they can go.”

“Look, I know you mean well, but you don’t know anything about what’s going on with Avery and Kennedy.”

“You’re right. I don’t. But I know a lot about family and friendships, Cassidy, and you don’t do shit like that to someone you love.”

She sighed heavily, pushing the air forcefully out of pursed lips.

“I don’t want them to leave, okay?”

I pulled my head back in surprise, not believing what she just said.

“This isn’t aboutyou. It doesn’t matter whatyouwant. You don’t get to make things harder for Avery just because you don’t want them to leave.”

“I’m not trying to make things harder for them. I’m trying to help out the best I can. She doesn’t have anything right now, Sam. Not a penny to her name. Her dumb-ass ex took it all when she filed for divorce. She’s having to start over, and the only thing she got from him was a beautiful daughter who she loves with all of her heart. If I can keep them in Sugarplum Falls, then I can help them. I can give them a safe place to live where Avery doesn’t have to worry about how to pay the rent. It’s less than three weeks until Christmas, and she can’t even afford gifts for her daughter. How isSantasupposed to come, Sam?”

She turned away and wiped the tears from her eyes, not wanting anyone in the living room to see. Thankfully, the TV was up loud enough that no one could hear what we were talking about.

“Shit,” I muttered, shoving a hand through my hair. “I didn’t know it was that bad.”

“She’s my best friend. She’s like the sister I never had. I love her and Kennedy so much that it kills me that this is what they’re going through right now. So yeah, it was a shitty thing to do by getting Kennedy excited about Frosty Fest, but what else am I supposed to do? How is she supposed to experience the magic of Christmas if we don’t help? They’re literally in the most Christmas-obsessed town, and yet they haven’t experienced any of the joy it brings. You can’t fault me for wanting to give that to them.”

“We’ll figure it out,” I assured her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

“You don’t have to do anything, Sam.”

“It’s family, Cassidy. We rally around our family and help them. You know that.”

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