Josh's POV
"I hate you," Rebecca told me for the millionth time. As much as I wanted to remain serious, I couldn't help but grin up at her.
"I fixed it, didn't I?" I retorted, my grin growing bigger.
"You could have burned my place down!" I rolled my eyes.
"I told you I shouldn't help. I only get in the way. You're exaggerating the situation." She furiously signed something in sign language. "You know this isn't fair. Do you want me to curse you out in German?"
"Then it's a good thing you don't know German!" she shouted. "Honestly, Josh. Just play the freaking piano. That's all you can ever do."
"Princess, it's nothing to freak out about!" I exclaimed with a laugh. "Why are you freaking out?" She pointed a spatula at me.
"I am not freaking out," she stated in a serious voice.
"Put the weapon down, Princess," I told her.
"Do not 'Princess' me. I am very angry at you right now!" She grabbed a frying pan. "You lied to me!"
"Okay, so I forgot to do the macaroni, it is not a huge deal!" I responded with a laugh. She dropped the kitchen supplies on the sink and began smacking my arms.
"It is a huge deal when it's my cooking! And when my family is coming for dinner!" I grabbed her hands to prevent her from hitting me. "And you left the stove on all this time!"
"Princess, it's Christmas Eve, do you really want to spend the night smacking me for making a teeny tiny mistake?"
"Yes, I very much do want to do exactly that!" she exclaimed. I shook my head. I pressed my lips to her forehead.
"Do you still want my help?" I asked after she stopped trying to fight me. Before she could say anything, we heard a cry come from Amber's nursery.
"You can help by checking Amber," she told me with a sly smile. She leaned over and gave me a sweet kiss.
"Is that supposed to be a punishment?" I asked with a chuckle. "You know I have no problem with taking care of Amber."
"Yeah, until she needs her diaper to be changed." I rolled my eyes at her. I kissed her forehead once more before going to Amber's nursery. Her cries subsided when she saw me enter the room. I lifted her up in my arms and rocked her gently. She squirmed angrily in my arms.
"Calm down little dinosaur," I cooed. Amber didn't need her diaper changed, so I don't know what it is. A few moments later, she began quieting down. She didn't fall asleep, but she stared up at me with wide eyes. I made funny faces at her, causing her to smile and giggle at me. I ran my fingers through her small tufts of hair. She reached out and wrapped her tiny hands around my fingers. I smiled at her. I walked back to the kitchen where Rebecca was making the macaroni I had failed to make.
"And you thought she hated you," Rebecca told me. She sent me a gratifying smile. "Thank you for calming her down."
"Anytime," I said. "Do you need help with anything that doesn't involve me cooking?"
"Can you make sure the gifts are under the tree?" she asked. "Josh, you do know you can go spend Christmas with you family, right?" I looked down at Amber quickly. "You just avoided eye contact with me. Are you hiding something from me?" I laughed nervously. "Spill it, Balz."
"I may or may not have invited my parents over for dinner." She gaped at me, slowly lifting the spoon she was holding, pointing it at my chest. "I thought 'why not?'. And I couldn't tell my mom no after she asked if I was joining them for Christmas."
