Page 32 of Santa Baby

I go over to Talia and pull her out of the paper and away from the women so I can step to the window with her and have a little bit of privacy. She’s wearing the bracelet I gave her as a wedding present right before she walked down the aisle to me. The diamonds and light emeralds are the very image of wintergreen and match her eyes perfectly. She has a matching necklace and earrings too, but she left those in the room because of Noelle's penchant for pulling on shiny things.

“What’s going on?” She turns happy eyes that sparkle like the gems in her bracelet up to me.

“I have another gift for you.” She gives me a look of amused incredulousness since I’ve been giving her gifts since Thanksgiving night. I can’t help it. I love to spoil my little angel.

“You’ve already given me so much and all I need is you and Noelle. Those are the two best gifts I could ever receive.”

“I know but I saw this and wanted it for you.” The words have a double meaning for sure.

She takes the box from my hand and opens it. Lying inside on the velvet is a heart-shaped necklace that has a little stone hanging from it. A little stone that is the same color as Noelle’s birthstone. Hanging beside it are more bales - the little metal circles that hold the stones on the chain.

“It’s a mother’s necklace with places to put all the children’s birthstones on it.”

Her hands shake as she takes it from the box and touches the empty circles hanging from it.

“There’s room for more.”

She gasps and looks up at me, “How did you…how did you know I want more?”

There is so much love in her eyes that I can only tell her the truth. “Because I want that too.”

She throws her arms around me and our lips connect in a kiss that holds so much promise I can tell, for us, every day will hold the magic of Christmas no matter what time of year it is. As long as I have my little Christmas angel by my side and my Noelle close by.

She gives me a wicked little grin before leaning in close, "Why don't you take me upstairs and tell me more about the necklace and all the spaces it seems to have hanging from it, Santa?"

How can I tell my angel no when she's asked Santa so sweetly?

Epilogue II

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Two Months Later - Valentine's Day

Talia

I bustle around and try to keep the nausea at bay. This is not my moment, and I won’t take the attention away from Kit for one second. I fluff the white tulle on her dress and give her a big smile.

“You’re gonna vomit, aren’t you?”

I look up into her eyes with surprise, “How can you tell?”

“I’m three and a half months pregnant, Talia. I know vomiting.” I stand and give her a big hug.

“I’m fine, sweetheart. I just caught a bug or something.”

She gives me a sly grin, “Are you sure you didn’t catch what I have?” She pats her still-flat stomach.

“I…,” I'm not sure. I can’t tell her one way or another because I'm not certain.

I think back over when my last period came and can’t think past Thanksgiving. The color leeches out of my face as her smile grows bigger and bigger.

“Oh my God! You are, aren’t you?!” She hops up and down and throws her arms around me.

“I don’t know for sure, Kit.”

“What don’t you know for sure, Talia?” Anita comes up behind us causing us to spring apart and look guilty as hell.

“I…”

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