Fate || BENNIFER

Good Intentions

Jennifer's P.O.V

The air was filled with a festive buzz as Christmas Eve descended upon our home. Ben and I had spent the entire day preparing for the evening, ensuring that every detail was perfect for our guests. Our personal chef, a dear friend who had been with me for years, had outdone himself with the holiday feast, our favorite dishes adorning the table.

Ben and I stood embraced, our arms wrapped around each other in a tender, loving embrace. We were mesmerized by the sight that was our Christmas tree, the lights bathing the room in a soft, golden light, casting a magical glow over the scene before us. Beneath the tree, an array of presents already lay waiting to be opened in the morning.

I had carefully selected matching outfits for our children, and they looked adorable in their festive attire. But their boundless energy had quickly undone my efforts to keep them looking neat and tidy. The dresses were now slightly askew, hemlines riding up as they twirled around the room. The shirts had come untucked, and the pants were scuffed from crawling on the floor. But even in their slightly disheveled state, I couldn't help but marvel at how adorable they looked.

Ben's mom was the first to arrive, her arms full of wrapped presents and a warm smile on her face. The children squealed with delight and rushed to greet her, eager to see what surprises she had brought for them.

"Hello, my dears!" She exclaimed as she greeted us with hugs. "Oh, everything looks absolutely beautiful in here! You've really outdone yourselves this year."

Not forgetting the tiniest member of the family, she turned her attention to our fifteen-month-old toddler cradled in my arms.

"And who do we have here? Is this little Grace?" She cooed "More like big Grace." Her tone of voice eliciting laughter from Grace.

The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of my parents, and they were greeted with hugs and kisses before they moved to place their presents near the tree. Not long after, my sisters, Lynda and Leslie, arrived with their own children. The sound of their laughter and excited chatter filled the air as cousins reunited. Our kids were overjoyed to have other kids to play with, running to greet them with open arms.

"Do you think he'll come?" I asked softly. We all wanted his brother to join us.

"I hope so." He replied with a smile, wrapping an arm around me and squeezing gently.

As we waited for Casey, we gathered around the table, and multiple topics were brought up, until Ben's mom began reminiscing about Grace's first steps.

"Oh, she looked so cute taking her first steps." She exclaimed. "She didn't hold onto the bars of the crib for balance, not even once."

As I was listening intently, I felt a strange sense of confusion wash over me. It took me a moment to process the information before I spoke up, my brow furrowing in puzzlement.

"Wait, she took her first steps in the living room." I interjected.

Ben's mom's expression changed in an instant, her face paling as she realized her mistake. Ben, sitting beside me, brought a hand to his face, a look of regret crossing his features.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Ben's mom murmured, her voice filled with remorse.

I turned to Ben, my eyes searching for an explanation.

"Ben, what is she talking about?" I asked, my voice tinged with confusion.

Without a word, Ben reached for his phone and began scrolling through it. Moments later, he found the video he was looking for and pressed play. The screen came to life, showing a precious moment captured in time.