Lacey's Christmas Journey

Seven: Winter Break and New Beginnings

Lacey John
I locked the door to my office and met McCallan near the main entrance. "So, how do you feel you did this semester?"
She shrugged. "I think I did okay. I'm so excited to start music, though!" The smile on her face was worth working on my day off.
"Oh? I took that too. It's the one constant elective I chose. I always tried to get my counsellor at the time to pull strings to get me into that class every time I didn't have it." I smiled as we headed out to my car. Cam agreed to pick up Boston from his school, while Emily and Jim would be taking Eve for the week.
"I wish Ms. Cane would do that for me. I don't think she likes me very much, but she pretends to like me because of her job." She replied as we got in the car.
"Ms. Cane doesn't really like anyone though," I said as we drove off PGSS property. "I could try and pull strings for you, though. I did that to get Gideon his classes for next semester."
"Why do you work with A's to G's again? I thought you were only supposed to work with H's to P's?" she asked, referring to the first-letter-of-your-surname basis that all big-city schools had with their principals and counsellors.
"Because Ms. Baker had her baby and won't be back until next September," I replied as I turned on to Cam's street. "Since I was the next counsellor, they gave her job to me. So I handle A to P now, at least until she gets back."
I pulled into Cam's driveway. "Oh yeah, your gifts from Brad are at your grandparents' place. I'd have let him leave them at my place for you, but I'm talking to him right now." I told her as I got out of my car.
Knowing not to ask about the subject, she gave me a hug and ran into the house. I followed after her.
Boston stopped me before I went into the kitchen. "Melissa's in there."
I quieted him and tried to hear any voices.
"What? You can settle down with her but not me? How does that make sense, Cameron?"
"For God's sake, Melissa, these are my brother's kids, and that's Lacey, who I'm sure you'd know nothing will ever happen with if you actually listened to me when we were together!" Cameron snapped. "Besides, you're the one who cheated. You don't get to play the blame game or the jealous card."
I walked into the kitchen. "What's going on here?" I asked, just to save Cameron.
Melissa glared at me. "That's none of your business. Get lost."
"Actually, I should be the one saying that to you," Cameron glared at her. "You lost that right when you fucked Oliver on the side."
With a frustrated growl and bumping my shoulder, Melissa stormed out of the townhouse.
"I'm sorry about that. She was driving past and Boston was playing out front. She kind of flipped her shit." Cam looked embarrassed.
I chuckled. "Well, I found it amusing. Kind of. Anyway, I'm hungry, do you have anything to eat?"
"We made pepperoni pizza!" Boston offered with a dorky smile on his face. "Well, Uncle Cam did most of the worked, but I helped too!"
I smiled and picked him up. "Okay, buddy. Why don't we get ourselves a couple slices and put on a movie?"

Cameron White
Lacey was fast asleep. She was a warm, adorable ball in my arms while Boston slept on the floor.
"You like her," McCallan grinned as the movie credits rolled for How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
I coughed and cleared my throat. "And how would you know that, young lady?"
She smiled. "I can see it in your eyes, the way your voice softens with her. The things you do for her. You even flipped on Uncle Brad, and you never do that. It's quite obvious you love her, Uncle Cam."
I looked away from her, into the dark kitchen. "I do, I love her so much, but... someone like her could never love someone like me."

*****************

McCallan openly favoured Lacey for the rest of the day. Our conversation last night had gotten heated while she tried to convince me that I deserved Lacey and everything the world had to offer. It ended with me going to my own room and letting the three of them sleep with Christmas movies playing in peace.
I finished washing the dishes and felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked over to see Lacey standing there with an unamused expression on her pale face.
"Why isn't McCallan talking to you? What did you do to her?" she asked softly.
I looked down. "We got into an argument last night, about what I deserve. It got heated and that's why you guys woke up alone. She was trying to get me to deserve and I was trying to convince her that I didn't deserve much."
Lacey pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my cheek. "I'm sorry, Cameron. I agree with McCallan. You deserve the world and everything it has to offer. You're an amazing uncle, an amazing person. Don't let your father looking down on you affect how you feel about yourself."
I shook my head. "It's not my dad. I never cared what he thought, making my mom proud is all that's ever mattered to me." I looked up at her. "It's knowing I'm always the second choice. Brad's always the cool uncle, always the first choice." Even with you...
She sighed. "I can't change how you feel, Cam. But you'll always have me. Always have Callie and Boston. Don't push us away because of Brad." She kissed my cheek again. "I... I'm in love with you, Cameron White. And it scares me, because seeing you upset... it upsets me too. Knowing how you really feel about yourself hurts..."
I started to notice how close we were, her breath on my face. I leaned down and connected our lips, closing my eyes. I pulled away after a few seconds and gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry. Maybe I can change my views for you." I tucked her hair behind her ear. "Be mine?"
She chuckled with a big smile on her face, "I was always yours, cheese ball."
I looked over her shoulder to see McCallan with a big grin on her face. I never thought I'd say this, but maybe my fourteen year old niece was right after all.