Page 86 of Choices

"Feliz navidad, mi amor." I whisper, kissing her hair. "Your brood is awake already."

"Ugh. It's too early." I don't blame her. We kept her up pretty late with our Christmas Eve sexscapades.

I roll out from under her. "I'll make us a pot of coffee and get the kids set up with their stockings. Is that alright?"

She smiles and opens one eye at me. "I knew there was a reason I loved you." Her eyes go wide as she realizes her confession.

I kneel on the bed and kiss her quickly. "I love you, too, Hannah. Get dressed, get the others up and I'll meet you downstairs."

The kids excitedly break into their stockings while the adults sip coffee. I can't help but watch the scene in front of me - three happy, excited kids, a blanket of snow in the background, and so many adults with smiles on their faces, joyful and content to give three great kids a wonderful Christmas. It's so far removed from the Christmases of my childhood, it's hard to recognize.

Maria makes chocolate pancakes for the kids and French toast for the adults. She loves these kids and this family as it if were her own. And as a childless widow, we may as well be.

She gives me a quick kiss to my cheek and I take the opportunity to slide a present into her hands.

"Rico..." she begins to admonish.

I shake away her concern. "Maria, you're my bestgirl, and I'll be personally offended if you don't wear them every day." I say deadpan.

We each always get her a present, but she gets flustered if we do too much at once, so I decided to slide her mine now. A pair of diamond earrings.

I know we'll never replace her late husband, but sometimes we do things we think he would have wanted.

She blushes before kissing me on the cheek again and running away to the safety of her kitchen.

We watch as the kids open small presents, and pass small presents out to the adults - things Hannah let them pick out. A mug here, funny socks there, a day planner and fancy pens for Lauren, but really, what do you get someone who literally has it all. I had the material stuff before. Now I have what really matters in life. Love. And a family to love. And a family to love me. I literally could want for nothing more. I watch Santiago and Matty and the looks on their faces say they're thinking along the same lines as me - treasuring the unconventional family we've found and love.

I am a little anxious about how Hannah's going to handle the big presents, though. Lauren shoots me a look like 'it's time'.

I stand. "So, we got each of the kids one big present, but you have to decide - inside or outside first?"

"What?" Hannah asks, clearly taken off guard. But she looks at the kids.

"Inside or outside?"

"Outside!" They unanimouslyshout. I chuckle. Clearly, they're dying to play in the show. Wrestling on some snow clothes, we're finally ready to march down to the barn as a group.

We trudge through almost twelve inches of snow, the kids and Matty throwing snowballs at each other and shouting. But when we get to the barn door, I turn and pause.

"Aiden, your present is still inside, but Viv and Jack's presents are in the barn. Are you ready?"

Three sets of eager, bright eyes shine up at me, and suddenly I know there's absolutely nothing I would deny these kids. Fuck, they're going to be spoiled rotten.

I shake my own head before I open the barn doors and let our ragtag group in.

A high-pitched squeal follows and it's Jack. Looking into the first open stall is a small blue four-wheeler, a helmet and gloves. He runs over to it and hops on without waiting for us and begins to play-ride it, making vroom vroom noises.

Hannah inches closer. "This is the kind of thing you discuss withmomfirst." I smile but give her a kiss on the temple.

"He's got a helmet, and it only goes like 2 miles an hour. We made sure it was safe first, mi amor."

I take a moment to back away and inch towards Aiden. "We can get you one, too, of course, but I didn't know if you'd want a four-wheeler or a dirt bike."

Aiden looks at me with wide eyes, glancing between his mother and me. He gives a small, conspiratory nod before a second scream breaks out.

Viv.

Her scream is followed by a choked sob. Hannah has her hand over her mouth and tears streaming down her face as she stares into the second stall.