Love at the Christmas table By Haley Alexis

01 The beginning of the end

It had been 3 years since Josh Matthews had been to a Christmas party at his childhood home He stared at the backdoor and into the kitchen Maya Hart and his mom were the only ones there making cookies and laughing with each other he could hear the faint strains of Percy Faith playing on the CD player his mom kept on the counter near the sink

But he only had eyes for Maya she was even more breathtaking than he remembered He had only watched her life through pictures on Instagram and Facebook for the past 1095 days The real thing was so much better

He slowly opened the door so he wouldn't startled them and went inside it smelled like sugar cookies and pine trees just like it always had he was assaulted with a 10001 memories of Christmas Eve's past

Starting with one of the very first ones he remembered the first Christmas eve he had met Maya

2005

They met when she was 4 and then he was 6 she came in trailing his niece Riley looking less than thrilled to be there There were traces of her years on her cheeks and she was dragging her feet as she followed a more cheerful Riley inside the house

His first glimpse of her was candy cane striped tights and a red garanimals skirt Almost Riley town expect the other girl was wearing a green skirt and sparky red tights

Topanga- Maya's a little upset that her father couldn't be home in time for the holidays

Topanga told Amy as she helped the girls out of their coats and handed them over to her mother in law

Topanga- She's with us because her mother had to pick up an extra shift at the driver

Riley patted Maya on the back too little to understand what was going on but understanding that her friend was really upset