Page 22 of Holly Ever After

“Who left the lights on in the car? Holly, did you forget again?” Dad yells from the window as I make my way to the door. A minute later, he pops his head out again. “Never mind, it was me.”

Welcome to family dinner night at the Winter’s residence, a circus wrapped in chaos, dressed up as a gathering.

A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts.

“Holly, would you get that?” Mom shouts from the kitchen, her voice competing with Dad's power tools running in the background. He decided tonight was the perfect time to fix a loose cabinet handle.

I open the door, smile already on my face. When I see it's Sean, my shoulders slump, but not as much as they used to. He holds a bottle of wine in his hands and his infuriating smirk on his face.

“What are you doing here?”

“Your mom invited me. As she always does. You'd know that if you had come home more.”

Ugh. He's right. “Well, I’m home now. Come in.”

As we head into the living room, the family chaos fully unfolds. Mark is chasing Mia around the coffee table. Rachel is flipping through a pregnancy book while simultaneously devouring a plate of cheese puffs. Mom is still in the kitchen, the clattering of pans and bowls a background symphony to this madness. And Dad's now debating whether to continue his one-man DIY show or to actually join us for dinner.

“Sean! How are ya, buddy?” Dad hollers, ditching the screwdriver on the table and enveloping him in a bear hug.

“You know I can fix whatever you need,” Sean offers.

“Ah, it keeps me young.”

Mark and Sean share a hug, while Mia climbs into his arms. It’s effortless for him. I can feel the scowl on my face soften as I watch. Rachel waves a cheesy hand at him.

Mom pops her head out of the kitchen, an apron covered in something that looks like a failed science experiment. “Sean, darling! Where’s your mother?”

He tries to hide the flinch, but I see it. “She was tired.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Mom breathes. “Well, you know what to do. Make yourself at home.”

And just like that, he's swallowed into the family circus, fitting right in, as if he belongs here. The familiarity of it all hits me like a ton of bricks. It's both comforting and irksome.

My phone buzzes on the table. Another message from Adam. I resist the urge to throw it out the window, settling for flipping it face-down instead. I glance up to find Sean watching me, a knowing look in his eyes. I divert my gaze, annoyed at myself for caring what he thinks.

“So, Dad, you fixed that cabinet yet?” Mark asks, trying to wrangle Mia into her highchair.

“Nah, but I think I've successfully stripped the screw,” Dad replies proudly.

Mom rolls her eyes as she walks in, holding a tray of steaming garlic bread. “Oh, Holly, could you help me set the table?”

“Sure.”

I snatch a piece of bread as I pass by and follow her into the kitchen. The chatter and clatter of the household dim to a hum as we lay out plates and forks, working in sync in a way only a mother and daughter can. The shared silence is a small sanctuary.

“So, you and Sean seem to be getting along well,” Mom ventures carefully, a gleam in her eye.

I stiffen. “We are not getting along. We are... coexisting. For your sake.”

She hums, arranging the cutlery meticulously before fixing what I’ve already laid out. “Coexisting is a start. But I heard you went ice skating together.”

“We brought Mia to the ice rink together.”

“Well, whatever is going on, it’s nice not to see you both bickering all of the time. I always said—”

“Stop right there. I swear, if you start on with any of your matchmaking—”

“I wouldn't dream of it,” she interrupts, but there's a playful mischief in her eyes that says otherwise. “Besides, I still have hope for you and Adam.”

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