Always Been You

Epilogue

Semi edited.

~~~Lexi's pov~~~

We get to the living room and sit down on the couch and watch the girls open their presents.

When Liv walked into the room she was so excited to see the bike under the tree.

One of her best friends learned how to ride a bike recently and she wanted to also so they could ride together.

Piper and Liv come over to me and hand me a bag.

"Merry Christmas Lexi" Piper said.

"Thank you."

"We didn't know what to get you so Piper said we should make you something" Liv said making me smile.

I give them both a smile. "Well I can't wait to see it."

I open the bag and see a photo album.

I open the album and the first picture is of me holding Piper the day she was born, then one of me holding Liv when she was born.

I turn each page and see each pic is of me with the girls.

Some of them are when I'd see them in person, but most unfortunately are of us on FaceTime.

I wish I would've been there more for the girls growing up, but I can't dwell on the past.

I shut the book and reach over to hug the girls. "Thank you so much, I loved it."

"We wanted to give you something to show you how much we love you. You've been there for us more than our actual mom and we wanted to thank you for loving us" Piper said.

I wrapped her up in my arms as the tears ran down my cheeks.

They may not be my blood, but they're mine in any way that matters.

"I love you girls so much. Thank you" I hugged Piper then grabbed Liv to give her another hug.

They did a similar gift for Hudson making him cry as well.

After the tears, the girls tore into their presents and enjoyed playing with their new stuff while we watched one of the many encores of A Christmas Story.

"What do you think your mom has planned?" Hudson asked when we were getting ready to leave for my parents.

Every Christmas my mom does Christmas themed games.

Each year is different so I'm kinda excited to see what she has planned this year.

*

"Go, go,go, go!" I cheer Hudson on as he tries to hook all the candy canes.

This years games were minute to win it Christmas addition.

The one we're doing right now is one day player has a candy cane in their mouth and they have to try to hook as many candy canes from a bowl in a minute.

I watch as he pulls off three candy canes and rushes over to the bowl that he puts the ones that he grabbed in, and goes back to the other bowl to get more.

"Time's up! " Mom said.

She walks over to Max's bowl and counts to see how many he has then she goes over to Hudson's bowl and counts how many he has.

"The winner is Team Reindeer with 12 candy canes!" She announces making my brother's family cheers.

The next game we play is one for the kids and they have a blast doing it.

They have to try and bounce ping pong balls into a bowl, but a person from the other team has to throw cotton balls at that ping pong ball to make them not get it in.