https://youtu.be/aAkMkVFwAoo

"OK, so from what I hear preggies can't drink egg nog. Gimme that cup." Mia snatches the etched glass cup out of my hand, spilling some of the egg nog on the linoleum kitchen floor.

"Mama!" I call into the living room.

"Girls! Ya'll about grown now!"

A knock on the door takes away her attention. "Let me get the door." Mama opens the door. "Welcome, welcome!"

"Merry Christmas, Mama." Penelope kisses Mama on the cheek and steps inside. "Brought you something." She gives Mama her favorite bottle of red wine.

Mama pulls it away from her face to read the label. "Oh, this put a dent in your wallet. I love this brand! Thank you, Penelope!"

"Nothing's too good for my hot mama!"

Mama bends down, hands on knees and tries to twerk.

"Work it, Mommy!" Penelope throws down pretend dollars.

"No! Don't work it!" Mia yells. "Not like that!"

"Break your back, Mama! Show 'em how it's done." I cheer her on.

Mama stands up laughing and out of breath. "Oh, you're the sweetest." She closes the door behind her. "Make yourself at home, dinner is almost ready."

Penelope removes her boots, leaving them at the door. She takes off her gloves, hat, scarf and coat. She looks at the spread on the dining room table. "Mama! This looks amazing. I can't wait to dig in. You make your famous rolls, this year?"

"You know it! Every year!"

Penelope looks over the table. "What we have yams, greens, cornbread, black eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, dressing, string beans, mashed potatoes, pot roast, carrots, sweet potato pie, cheesecake, apple pie. My mouth is watering just thinking about dinner."

Mama laughs. "Baby girl, if you can just take your coat and sit it on that coat rack in the living room, I can go check on the turkey."

"Sure thing!" Penelope goes into the living room and hangs her coat and purse on the rack.

"Piña!" I run up to her and grab her hand. "Girl, your hands are ice!" I pull back, then looking both ways, I whisper. "Can you go in the kitchen and get me some of Mama's eggnog punch." I look behind my back. "Make sure to put one of those scoops of vanilla ice cream in the cup too."

Penelope peeps game. "I got you." She sneaks into the kitchen and helps herself to the punch, making two cups of it and creeping back to the couch in the living room. Sliding down next to me, she passes the cup with a long dessert spoon. "Here you go."

"Thanks!" I whisper.

The doorbell rings.

Penelope and I look at each other.

"Who else is coming? It's always just us."

"No se, Chica."

Mama calls from the kitchen. "Mia, can you get the door. Let me baste this turkey."

"Gotchu, Mama." Mia opens the door. "Nick? What are you doing here?"

I peek around the corner. "They must be getting serious."

"Who, girl?" Penelope asks. "Spill the tea."

"Mama girl! Her and Nick. They're a thing, now."

"Wha?"

"The baby shower."

"Oh. Plenty people got together at your shower. I started back talking to JC, Troy and your one friend, and now Mama and Nick."

I stop in my tracks. "Troy and Aya? They're still talking?"

"Yes! JC and I saw them at that one café we go to for Boba, the other day. All curled up, deep in conversation. They hit it off. Honestly, they're a cute couple."

A wave of nausea passes over me. "A cute couple?"

"Yes, they're at the PDA stage. It's the best stage in a new relationship. Head over heels in love."

I swallow to hold down what's trying to come up. "Oh. Good for them." I sit my eggnog punch down and make a B line for the restroom. Closing the door behind me, I run water and cool myself down with a quick face splash. I pat myself dry before exiting.

The excited chatter in the kitchen grabs my attention. Nick holds on to a red Santa sack as he makes his rounds greeting everyone in the kitchen.

"Hey, Nick! So, you found a second home, huh?" I tease.

Nick zings me with an exuberant smile. "Aria! You're coming along nicely. I can see your glow, baby girl."

I glance at the ivory linoleum as my cheeks burn slightly.

He laughs. "Your mother! She's an amazing woman! What can I say?"

"Well, give me a hug." I embrace him. "Welcome to the family!"

"What's in that sack, Nick?" Mama asks, baster still in hand.

"Oh, just a little sum sum, I got for you all."

We all break out in excited chatter.

"Not fair! We didn't know you were coming!" Us, girls exclaim together.

"No worries." Nick opens his arms. "By nature, I'm a giver!" Nick sits his overly stuffed sack down on the floor and takes off his boots, leaving them at the door.

I take his coat, hanging it on the coat rack.

Mama goes to the oven and pulls out the turkey. "Christmas dinner is ready. Everyone, find yourself a seat at the table. Pour yourself a drink and I'll bring in the turkey."

The party leaves the kitchen and we make our way to the dining room.

"Nick, want to help me carve it?" Mama asks.

Nick stays behind.

"Ari, can you take these dinner rolls and sit them on the table?" Mama passes me a small woven basket with rolls under a white napkin.

I sneak a peek as I'm leaving to witness the two whispering sweet nothings, looking like two kids in love. "I'm so happy for Mama! All those years dedicated to our good-for-nothing daddy!"

"Long after he left," Mia adds. "She deserves to be happy." Mia takes a seat across the table from me.

"Hot Mama deserves to be sobre la vaca, sobre la Luna, for once. I've never seen her like this. Her face just lights up when Nick comes around." Penelope opens the napkin in the basket and takes out a dinner roll. She places a room temperature pat of butter on it. It melts, drizzling on all sides. "Hmm!" She takes a bite and the expression on her face is like someone has hurt her feelings. "Always the best homemade bread!"

"Pass that basket!" Mia reaches in Penelope's direction.

"Let's wait till everyone is seated, hungry wolves!" My lip curls.

"Girl! It's just a roll! Mama won't mind." Mia takes the basket from Penelope, grabs a roll and spread butter on it. She takes a bite and closes her eyes to savor it. "Oh my mmm! Why do we only get these once a year?"

My stomach grumbles. "Well, they are taking their time! Pass me one!" I reach for the basket but Mia moves it just out of reach.

They laugh and each take another roll placing it on their bread plate.

"Wolves, remember?" Mia cackles. Penelope gives her a girly air high five.

"You two suck so bad, right now. Ya'll do remember I have a passenger on board?"

"Well," Mia sucks her teeth. "There is a little one involved." Her eyes move from side to side as she considers my condition.

"I mean, are kid neglectors now?" Penelope takes a bite.

"When it comes to our wolf nature, though." Mia replies.

"When you say it that way." Penelope polishes off the last of her first roll and goes in for the other one.

Mama comes in with the carved turkey and sits it in the center of the dining room table. "Mia, Penelope! You haven't even said grace!"

"Tried to tell them, Mama!" I squint and cock my head to the side at them both.

Mia cuts her eyes at me. Penelope looks into my eyes and slides a finger across her throat.

My eyes water from laughing so hard.

Mama and Nick take seats at the heads of the table. "Let's say grace."

We all lock hands and bow our heads.

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