Page 11 of Feels Like Falling

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ELLISON: Maybe we can put the cows on the Christmas card

MONTANA: What Christmas card?

ELLISON: Ours silly (eye roll emoji)

MONTANA: Do best friends send out joint Christmas cards?

ELLISON: Are you saying you don’t want to send out joint Christmas cards, Max?

ELLISON: I could always send the other ones…

ELLISON: I think I have like 500 or so left

MONTANA: 500??!! How many did you fucking order??

ELLISON: My finger slipped and it went from 100 to 1000

MONTANA: That’s a hell of a whoops

ELLISON: But so worth it

MONTANTA: Wait…

ELLISON: (angel emoji)

MONTANA: Who the hell did you send 500 Christmas cards to with me in my boxer shorts wearing cowboy boots and a Santa hat?

ELLISON: It’s hard to remember

MONTANA: Who would even WANT to see that?

ELLISON: The entire female population

ELLISON: Probably most of the men too

MONTANA: But seriously—you’ve sent 500 of those???

ELLISON: I think it’s a compliment honestly

ELLISON: You should be flattered

MONTANA: You’re in so much trouble when you get home

ELLISON: Can’t wait!

ELLISON: (kiss face emoji)

Swallowing a huff,I look up and meet three sets of eyes and matching grins, and dammit all to hell, I forgot I wasn’t alone.

“Anything you’d like to share?” Grandad asks as Mason snickers.

“Not even a little,” I grumble, dropping into the chair next to Mason and stealing a cookie off his plate. He’s about to protest when Celeste places another in front of him. He beams at her, and it’s so genuine I can’t be mad.

But I also can’t let him win, so I swipe that cookie too and shove it in my mouth. Celeste gasps, Mason pouts, and Grandad barks out a laugh, holding his stomach and drawing Hermie’s attention from his bed in the corner.

Leaning back, I smile and chew, feeling remarkably better than I have all day.

5

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