Dear Carol Bells

| Bonus- New Year's Eve |

| December 31, 2018 |

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SURPRISE! And Happy New Year's Eve! Here's a bonus chapter for this holiday! 

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| Bonus- New Year's Eve |

Third Person P.O.V

Carol couldn't stop the laughter from bubbling out of her as she watched Nicholas and his siblings become tangled up in their game of Twister. Even little Noelle--or Elle as she was nicknamed as to not get confused with her dad-- was laughing, the spinner board forgotten in her palms.

"Elle, the next one!" Nicholas grunted out as he struggled to maintain his position with his left arm under his sister Raini, his right leg curled up where his left leg should be, and his right arm stretched on the opposite side of his left arm.

Between him was Raini's body mixed in with Joy, their sister-in-law's limbs, and her husband's. It was quite the sight to behold so Carol quickly pulled out her phone and snapped lots of pictures while Mr. Saints was recording the whole thing on the camcorder. Mrs. Saints was holding up her own phone to either take pictures or record.

Carol looked over to the love seat and grinned as she saw Nicholas' grandparents with grins on their faces.

"Okay," giggled Elle as she flicked the arrow and watched it spin before it stopped. She laughed harder, her giggles infectious since she was only four. "Right leg to blue," she said and the siblings did just that before they collapsed in a heap of bodies. The whole room erupted into laughter.

"Ack, I'm too old for this," Noel Saints laughed as he stood up and helped his wife, Joy. Her face was flushed but the smile was ever present on her face.

"It's been too long since I did that," Joy stated with a breathless laugh as she helped Raini up.

"Nick is too fat. I was almost crushed under him," the seventeen year old teased as she stuck a tongue out at Nick who reached out for her with a smirk. But she must've been experienced because she dodged with a cackle.

"Now, now children! It's almost midnight. What say we all go outside in the back and light some fireworks?" Clement Saints suggested as he turned off the camcorder. The group of adults cheered and Carol was one of them.

This family, despite meeting them a week ago, already felt like her own.

After Nicholas had invited her over for Christmas Eve, Carol was welcomed in as if she were their own daughter. It made her want to cry. But years of keeping her feelings under lock and key came in handy. Especially because she had already cried in front of her Saint Nick earlier.

Then, being as warm and loving as Nicholas, they invited her for New Year's Eve and to this hour, they remained welcoming and accepting as if she belonged.

"Hai, mami si tati, afară pentru a viziona focurile de artificii (Come, mom and dad, outside to watch fireworks)," Carol heard Cristina Saints speak and she felt her breath hitch.

She loved hearing the Romanian language, despite not understanding a word that was being said. It was even better when Nick spoke it. Made him that much more attractive.

"Nu, e bine. Vom merge la culcare (No, it's okay. We'll go to sleep)," she heard Nick's grandma reply before she and her husband stood up. Then the grandma faced her and smiled before taking Carol's hands in hers.