Live To Party

❤️Like a child on Christmas morning❤️

Connor and I got them matching sweaters 😏

  I launched out if bed at the smell of pancakes and bacon. I ran down the hall from my childhood room where I grew up.
"Merry Christmas!" Mom yells as she pulls me I it a hug carful not to spill her coffee.
"Why are you in uniform?" I ask.
"I fell asleep last night and forgot to take it off." Mommy brushed my cheek with a kiss.
"Where are the other girls?" I ask as I sit at the bar and eat a m&m from the bowl.
"Klo! Aubré!" Mom hollers. I winced from her voice voice what she developed from being in the job. Mommy's voice very different considering she worked in the NICU. Calm and passionate meets loud and ruthless. Effect match if you ask me.
"Morning." Kloé kiss each moms cheeks.
"Morning." Aubré did the same. As if one cue there was a knock at the door. I raced Aubré to it. I beat her.
"Hey!" I hug Rob.
"So good to see you."
"Good to see you." He smiles. Brí follows him in.
"Family dinner is At 5. We are going to have a full house." Mommy says as she puts a tray of cookies into the oven.
"The real question is when are we off?" I say. Aubré points her finger at me in agreement.
"You got somewhere else to be?" Mom says all snappy.
"Jenn, Shelby, Tyler, Jc-" Aubré moans in annoyance.
"Kian, Trevor, Ricky, Connor-"
"We get it." Bríar cuts me off.
"8." Mom says.
"Minimum." Mommy bats an eye at us.

  I huddles with the cup of hot chocolate in front of the tree. I could feel the fire's heat breathing on me. I held the soft, snowflake blanket close. That was a great Christmas.
"Stella!" I turn my head to see my cousin Maya has arrived.
"Oh I've missed you." I pull her into my arms.
"What did Santa give you?" She asked.
"I got shoes, gift cards, and lots of hugs."
"Wow! Money!" I laughed at her excitement.
"What did you get from Santa?" I asked.
"My very own wrench set to help dad in the garage. And some dolls from mom." I laughed.
"You are a daddy's girl."
"Can I sit with you?"
"Of course." I open up my blanket, carful not to spill my drink. She hops in my lap and I close the blanket back up.
"So tell me what is going on in Maya's world?" I played with her thick locks. You mother was American and her father African American. She was the most adorable think I've ever laid eyes on. I can't believe she's only 5. I feel like I've known her longer.
"Daddy is fixing a new car! It's so pretty."
"Is he?"
"Yes! It's gonna look good!" We chuckled together.
"Stellán Marie!" I hear mom yells in a surprisingly well Spanish accent.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Ugh oh, you're in trouble!" Maya belly laughs.
"Why the...is there a dog in my kitchen?" She stopped herself from saying a bad word around the nieces and nephews.
"Nokia is with Kian."
"Get your damn time share dog out of the kitchen!" Grandma Carter yells.
"She's at Kian's." I push Maya to the side and she takes my hot chocolate.
"Kian with his family. She's with them." I walk I to the kitchen and Nokia is sprawled on the floor on her back. Leg up with her tongue out.

  The last flash went off indicating that the photo was snapped.
"Christmas 2k(#)." My grandma tried to be cool.
"Grandma stop it." Kloé says.
"I'm hip, dawg." She waves her hands in the air. Most of us laugh.
"That's not even cool." One of her grandkids says.
"I think you're cool grandma." Maya says.
"Oh thank you sweetie." She picks her up and hugs her. A car pulls up to the font of the house with Holy Jolly Christmas blaring from the stereo.
"Love you mom."
"Love you mommy." Aubré kisses each of their cheeks before walking to the car.
"It's not 8." Mommy says.
"It is somewhere." She walks to the car.
"Use protection!" My 9 year old cousin Russ yells.
"Russell!" His mother scowled. The older kids laughed.
"Love you!" I waved to Aubré as they drove away. She blew me a kiss. Wish I could get off. That easy. I didn't even know she had a boyfriend.

  "Rocking around the Christmas tree." Ricky sings as he dances.
"It's a happy holiday day." Trevor chimes in. I opened a gift from Kian. It's another Kendra Scott necklace. He knows how much I love them. We would have probably got me Victoria secret if we were still dating. 
"Thank you." I tell him.
"Welcome." Ricky sings softly to himself.
"Is that on your new album?" Jenn asks.
"No."
"Shelby?"
"Yes."
"Ricky!" Ricky won't share any songs in his upcoming album.
"What is this?" I asked surprised. I picked up a present under the tree. To Aubré from Jc.
"Nothing." The door slammed.
"Here." Aubré yelled.
"Don't." He gritted his teeth.
"Aubré!" I yelled.
"Stel." Jc grabbed the present from my hands.
"What?" She walks in and pours a glass of Eggnog. The guys are laughing at Jc and I fought over the gift.
"What's that." She motioned to the box. I let go and it smashed Jc to the ground.
"Nothing." He says.
"Let me see." He reluctantly gave it to her.
"Did you get me a gift?" She asked with an odd expression.
"Ok come on. Just tell them why you hate each other." Connor says.
"No way." Aubré says.
"We had a one night stand accidentally." Jc says.
"I better get going." Ricky and I say in unison. We looked around the room. Eyes were on us. We left without a sound.