After dinner, Maddy shooed her parents out of the kitchen. "You two get outta here." 

"We got this," said Nathan, collecting dishes.

"Maddy, let me help," said Carol.

"Mom, really. Sit down and relax. Would you like another glass of wine?"

"No, thanks. I'm still a lightweight."

Christmas music played in the living room. Nathan sang along to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as he rinsed dishes at the sink.

Maddy scraped dinner scraps into the trash bin. Satisfied that her parents were out of earshot, she said, "Hey, listen. The tree was super sweet. And our time together last night. That was really special."

"Yeah, it definitely was."

"But I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

Nathan's smile faded. "This is my least favorite kind of conversation."

"I mean, I just lost my job, and things sort of fell apart with..."

"With that guy you were 'kind of seeing."

"And there you were when I was at my most vulnerable."

"Don't just blow this off as an emotional Christmas reconnection," he said, his voice raspy with desperation. "I felt something and you did, too, Maddy. I know you did."

"I'm not saying I didn't feel something. It's just–"

Reggie poked his head into the kitchen. "What's a guy gotta do to get a beer around here?"

"Sorry, Dad." Maddy went to the fridge and grabbed another beer.

Reggie cracked the top. "So, Maddy. What did you do to get yourself fired?"

"Reggie!" Carol huffed.

"I screwed up their biggest account."

"Oh, dear," said Carol. "So she fired you at Christmas?

"If I ever need a transplant I want my boss' heart. It's never been used."

"Zing," said Nathan.

"Ex-boss." Maddy corrected herself. "Could we talk about something else?"

"If you guys don't need any help with the dishes," said Carol with a yawn. "I think maybe we're going to turn in. It's been a long day."

Nathan flashed the thumbs-up sign. "We got this."

"Don't you two stay up too late," said Reggie. "Santa's on his way."

"We won't." Maddy offered a polite smile. She watched her parents cross through the living room on their way to the bedroom.

"You're throwing a lot of really confusing signals at me," said Nathan.

"I'm trying to work through a mix of all kinds of different feelings, okay?"

"Don't overthink it."

"Like I said, I was super vulnerable. And then you ambush me with this amazing Christmas tree--"

"Ambush?"

"Okay. That's not the right word. But it kinda felt like... like manipulation."

He dried his hands with a towel. "Sure, that's one way you could look at it. Or maybe I was there when you needed me the most even though you won't let yourself admit it."

"Nathan, I don't exist just for you."

He gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "I think I do for you."

........

Christmas morning found Maddy and her mom in the kitchen, Maddy in her pajamas, Carol dressed in her robe. Maddy set the oven to 350 degrees and arranged six gooey dough balls onto a greased cookie sheet. She filled two mugs with coffee and placed one before her mom at the kitchen table. Carol's uncharacteristically sullen mood worried her. 

"What's going on?" Maddy asked.

"Nothing." Carol stirred a splash of cream into her coffee.

"Come on, Mom. I know it's not nothing." She sat in the chair across from her mother.

There was a long pause before Carol finally raised her eyes to meet her daughter's. "We're selling the flower shop."

Maddy's lip trembled. "You're selling?! Why?"

"Business isn't what it used to be and it's probably not going to improve. Your dad's trying to put on a happy face, but I know it's tearing him up inside. All the years we put into building that business."

Reggie entered, rubbing his eyes. "Do I smell coffee?" When he saw the glum faces, he knew that his wife had divulged their secret.

"Merry Christmas, sleepyhead," Carol said to her husband.

"What time is it?"

Maddy checked her phone. "Almost eight-thirty."

"Holy smokes. Must have been all those stairs."

"Can I get you some coffee?" she asked.

"I thought you'd never ask."

She shoved the tray of dough into the oven then filled another mug with coffee. 

Reggie grumbled, "So you tell her on Christmas morning?"

Carol replied, "She knew something was going on."

Maddy brought coffee. "Merry Christmas, Dad."

"Merry Christmas, baby." He sipped his coffee. "Don't you worry about the shop. Or your mother and me. We had a darned good run. And the offer is just too good to turn down."

Carol gave a small nod in solemn agreement.

"Who's buying?"

"Some guy with a chain of pizzerias."

"You can't let them turn Taylor's Flowers into a pizza shop. It's just not right."

"It's time, Maddy," he replied. "We're not twenty-five years old anymore."

"We can talk about this later," said Carol. "It's Christmas."

Maddy rinsed her coffee mug in the sink then followed her parents into the living room. "So." Maddy grinned. "Who wants to go first?"

"I will." Carol offered a gift-wrapped box.

When Maddy opened it, her eyes went wide. "My favorite buttercream cookies from Kay-Dee's Bake Shop!" She bit into a cookie, then hugged her mom. "Thank you so much. Now I really miss home."

"There's also a Macy's gift card in that box. Well, there should be."

Maddy produced the gift envelope, licking frosting from her fingers. "It's here."

Her dad said, "There's something else for you." He handed Maddy a wrapped frame.

She carefully peeled back the wrapping paper. When she saw the framed newspaper clipping from her hometown newspaper, her eyes filled with tears.

The headline read: LOCAL GIRL WINS NATIONAL AWARD. Pinned beside the article was a blue ribbon - NATIONAL JUNIOR JOURNALIST AWARD.

"Oh. My. God!" Maddy's voice thinned. "You kept these?"

"That award was a big deal," said Reggie. "Got you that scholarship and everything."

"You guys are so sweet." She presented an envelope to her mother. "Here. This is for you." She turned to her dad. "I was gonna give you a ukulele, but apparently you couldn't wait for Christmas."

"You should hear my rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock."

Carol replied, "No, you shouldn't."

"Since I posted a little ukulele jam sesh video, my social is blowing up."

"He doesn't even know what that means," Carol said. When she opened the envelope and began reading, her eyes grew wider and wider. "Oh, Maddy!"

Reggie leaned in beside his wife. "Punta Cana?"

"You guys are always talking about how you hate the winter. So I'm sending you to Punta Cana for a week to thaw out."

Carol's hands shook. "Madison, this is far too extravagant."

"Especially now," Reggie added. "Since you lost your job."

"Well, it's a non-refundable trip. So, you're just gonna have to go and enjoy yourselves."

"We can't take off for a whole week. Who's gonna run the shop?"

"I'll fill in while you're gone. I've got nothing else to do."

A group hug ensued with Maddy sandwiched between her mom and dad. "I love you guys."

"We love you, too," said Reggie. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."

"That is such a beautiful tree," her mom said. "Nathan really is a sweet guy."

Maddy agreed. "Yeah, he totally is."

When they broke from their group hug, Maddy scampered into the kitchen. She grabbed her phone, heaving a deep sigh. She unblocked George and called.

"Hey, Christmas angel," he said. "Do you like the necklace?"

"I wanna talk to you about that. Can you meet me?"

"Uh, you mean now?"

"Unless you're busy," she said with sass.

"Never too busy for you. I can send Hubert."

"No. Can you be at Columbus Park like in twenty minutes?"

"Columbus Park?"

"Can you?"

"Yeah. Okay. I just–"

"Bye." Maddy ended the call. She poked her head into the living room. "Can you keep an eye on the cinnamon rolls? They should be done in about ten minutes."

"Smells good." Reggie patted his belly.

"Listen," Maddy said. "I need to run out for a little while.

"On Christmas day?!" Carol's voice rose.

"I won't be gone long. I just need to return something." Maddy darted into her room to get dressed.

She threw on a pair of jeans, boots, and a sweater then gave her hair and make-up a quick touch-up.

When she entered the kitchen, she found her mom and dad staring wide-eyed at the contents of the jewelry box, their eyes nearly bulging from their heads.

"Is this real?" Reggie gasped, gobsmacked at the sight of the sparkling diamond necklace.

"Mom!"

"I couldn't stand the suspense," Carol gasped.

Maddy snapped the box closed and dropped it into her bag.

Her mom plopped onto the closest chair. "Madison! Who gave you that necklace? Was it him? That George fellow?"

"I'm giving it back."

"Maybe you should take some time to think this through," said her dad. "Don't be so hasty."

Maddy slipped into her coat. "I'll be right back. We can talk about it then."

Reggie almost pleaded. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

"And be careful on those stairs!" her mom added.

When Maddy opened the door, she was shocked to find George climbing the last flight.