Page 14 of A New Year Baby

It is Christmas.

“Mrs. Frost is pretty great too,” Eve adds. “She can make you a delicious hot cocoa.”

“Oh, let’s go, Mama,” Luna says. “Let’s go!”

“Alright,” I finally say, and I watch as Eve unbuckles Luna from her car seat and takes the cake box. Anxiety floods my body, and I feel frozen as I watch them leave the car.

“Stell?” Eve says softly. “You coming?”

I clench my jaw. “Eve, I’m terrified.”

“It’s okay,” she tells me. “Just pop in for five minutes and say hi. No pressure—you don’t have to stay, okay? Come on.”

“Okay,” I finally respond, rolling up my window and taking my keys out of the ignition. I move to Eve’s side as we walk toward the house, where I lived so many fond childhood memories.

My heart aches as we step onto the porch, and I have to stop for a second.

They both wait for me.

“Do you want to do this another day?” Eve asks. “If Christmas is too much pressure, how about a movie night, next week? How about New Year’s Eve?”

“Oh… no. I don’t really celebrate New Year’s Eve,” I tell her quietly. “Not since… the flash mob.”

“Then just come in,” she encourages me. “You can sit in my favorite green chair. Adam brought it home for me, all the way from Alaska. You know, my Grandma Evelyn’s chair?”

“I remember—that was an ugly ass chair, Evie.”

She smiles whimsically, like a woman in love. “I know, but it’s so comfortable.”

“I wanna sit in the ugly green chair!” Luna says enthusiastically.

“How can you say no to that cute face?” Eve asks.

“Okay,” I say, stepping forward and entering the house. Against my better judgment. “Evie,” I say quietly. “What the heck are you getting me into?”

“Nothing you can’t handle,” she answers. “Jack isn’t even here, so don’t worry. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

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