Living with Trouble

Christmas Eve special

All I want for Christmas is you, baby ~ Mariah Carey

☆

"Victor smile, show your future kids how in love you are with your soon-to-be wife," Kendal squealed from behind the camera.

We were home for the holidays, and I forced Victor to wear matching pajamas with me on Christmas Eve. Kendal thought we were adorable and insisted that we take a picture in front of the large tree.

Victor rolled his eyes, his arm wrapped around my waist. I held out my left hand which had a hard shiny diamond on the silver band of my ring. I couldn't stop staring at it ever since it was slipped onto my finger.

Kendall snapped a picture, the smile on her face never leaving. "Okay now give Aniya a kiss on the cheek, and keep that hand out!"

I giggled, loving my future mother-in-law's enthusiasm. Victor turned his head and dipped his head to press his lips onto my cheek delicately. Another picture was taken.

I turned my head so that my lips touched his and right on time Kendal took another picture. "These are so cute," she looked over the photos.

"Okay, I'm done," Victor broke away from me and strode over to the living room.

I huff, dropping my arms to my side. "He's such a baby," I mumbled. I joined Kendal's side to look over the photos and she was right, they were adorable. "Can you send those to me?" I asked.

"Of course I will, I'm going to print them out and give you guys your copy." Kendal grinned, she was dressed in an ugly sweater, Santa sitting in his chair saying "Ho Ho Home." One thing about Kendal is that she loves Christmas.

Every inch and corner of the house was covered in Christmas decorations. From the tree to the little snowman soap dispensers in the bathroom, the house was definitely in the holiday spirit. "Thank you, Kendal."

Kendal gave me a death stare, a grave look forming on her face. "Aniya, you have to stop calling me that. You're my daughter-in-law, call me Mom. Please!"

I laughed, holding onto her forearm, "Okay, I'm sorry. Thank you, Mom, I appreciate it." I looked at the woman who welcomed me into her house all those years ago when my mom and I were at our lowest point. I couldn't have known where I would have been without her.

"No problem," she smiled warmly. "I have to go pick up your Mother from the airport." She checked the watch on her wrist. My mom was coming from a business trip from Los Angeles, her restaurant business has been continually expanding. "I'll be back in a few, good luck with Mr.Grinch over there," she nodded in Victor's direction who sat on the couch, scrolling on his phone.

"Thanks, I'll need it," I laughed before joining my fiancé in the living room. Nico stood in the kitchen, baking peppermint brownies, his sweet tooth the same as ever since he was a little boy. He was now 15 and stood tall like his older brother. Every time I came back to visit I felt emotional because the time was moving too fast.

I ventured over to the kitchen, the smell of chocolate enticing. I picked up one of the remains of the broken peppermint Nico used as a topping and threw it in my mouth.

"Hey, don't eat that. I'm going to use it for the brownies," he scolded me.

I put my hands up like the guilty person I was. "My bad Nico," I fought to hold back a smile. "So how's school been going? Freshman year and all." I leaned my upper body on the counter.

He shrugged, wiping his hand with a dish towel. "It's cool, I made some new friends and all my teachers are nice. It's weird though," he tilted his head squinting. "A lot of girls keep bothering me and making up dumb excuses to hang out with me."