Page 65 of 27 Kisses

“I’m just trying to be nice,” Jonah snaps, and they both start screaming over each other.

Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. What else can go wrong?

“I’ll go,” Chad says, leaving the room.

Justine hisses and breaks out of Miles’s hold on her as she lunges herself at— Oh God, no. Not the tree.

I yell as I try to intercept her. Justine flaps her wings against the tree branches and then puts her entire body into it as she tries to escape through the branches. The tree falls, and I gasp. Lanie screams. But the tree’s stopped by the bookcase. Crystal trees fall to the ground, and the sudden whiff of poop suggests Justine’s thoughts on the matter.

“Shit on me. See how it turns out for you,” Miles says as he grabs the emu. Simon screams, trying to get out of the way.

“What the fuck is going on out here?” Garrett asks as he storms into the room. Everything stops. Almost everything. Vivian and Jonah stop arguing. Reginald stops cleaning, holding the stem of the broken wine glass as the towel covering the mess is stained red. The cream carpet visible under the towel is now a pinkish color. Miles stops with Justine still flapping in his hands, and Simon stops screaming. Lanie and her grandmother are still standing on the couches.

Garrett scans the room, taking in the scene. His eyes land on me, and I’m reminded of his simple request.“Can you keep everyone happy for just a few minutes?”

I failed. Utterly.

Garrett opens his mouth to yell—I have no doubt that he’s going to do it—when the television un-pauses. “I love you, Aidyn, you big goof,” Emily says, and the me on the television kisses her.

Garrett jerks his head toward the screen and stares. His mouth falls open. Maybe it’s the pain evident on Garrett’s face that has Isaac scrambling for the remote, which must have fallen somewhere near the tree.

Everyone watches as a younger me bares my heart to Emily. “I love you more than anything or anyone in this world.”

Garrett makes a choked sound.

“Isaac,” I whisper frantically. My heart is breaking again, but this time it’s not about losing Emily. I remember this Christmas. The last one Garrett spent with us. The Christmas I proposed.

Seventeen

GARRETT

One Day until Christmas

When Nat textedme to check on Jonah, I could’ve texted her back. Should’ve texted her back. But I called instead, needing a break from too much family time. I realized this was a mistake when, after discussing Jonah, she asked about Aidyn.

“Did you propose?”

“No. Of course not. You don’t propose on Christmas.”

“Some people do.”

“I don’t.”

The screaming and yelling and then a crash caught my attention, and I rushed to investigate.

I wasn’t prepared for what I found. My mother and Lanie standing on my couch. Justine squawking in Miles’s arms. The Christmas tree slumped against the bookcase while ornaments and crystal Christmas trees littered the floor.

Vivian and Jonah glaring at each other with Chad standing behind them. The air smelling like pine needles, shit, and…wine.

I’d almost gasped at the sight of Reginald cleaning red wine out of my carpet. But it was Aidyn’s face—a mixture of guilt andfear—that caused an uneasy feeling to crawl up my spine. And then I heard it…

Emily’s voice. “I love you, Aidyn. You big goofball.”

I couldn’t look away from the television as a much younger Emily and Aidyn stared lovingly at each other.

Aidyn was just as I remembered. So handsome. Rugged. His blue eyes shining with love. Love for my sister. My chest ached as I gasped for air. As Aidyn told Emily how much he loves her, my heart broke all over again.

“I love you more than anyone and anything in this world.” The proof was in his eyes. His smile.