Bittersweet

Chapter Eleven

Christmas time was here once again.

Maddy's dad and stepmom had arrived two days before Christmas like they promised. Maddy spent almost every minute with them. Even though Veronica was her stepmother, she had grown to like her, almost love her. She was a nice woman, but she would never be Maddy's real mom. No matter what.

Maddy got up on Christmas Day and walked over to the big window in her room. She opened up the curtains. She smiled at the sight. All of New York was covered in a blanket of snow. Little white flurries fell from the sky, softly hitting the already snowed up ground. It was beautiful, like a winter wonderland.

Maddy yawned and walked out of her room in her pajamas. She didn't care. It was Christmas. Everybody does that.

Her dad and stepmom were at the dining table, talking in hushed tones. When Maddy got to them, they stopped talking and looked up at her.

"Good mornin' Mads. Merry Christmas," Maddy's dad said.

"Merry Christmas," Maddy said to both of them.

Maddy went into the kitchen and asked "How would you feel about some cinnamon buns and milk for breakfast?"

"That would be nice," Veronica said.

Maddy nodded and got to work.

Cinnamon buns were a tradition every Christmas morning. Maddy remembered that she used to help her mom make them, and they always tasted delicious.

Maddy took out a folded recipe from a drawer. She unfolded it and read the ingredients that were in her great grandmother's handwriting. She took out flour and milk and all of the other things then set it on a counter. After that, she got out the mixing bowls and utensils.

Before doing anything else, Maddy asked "Do you guys want to help?"

"No thanks, Mads. You always make them the best," her dad said.

Maddy turned away, hurt. He always helped her with the cinnamon buns. It was a family tradition, after all.

"Yeah, okay, dad."

Maddy started making them, alone.

After about an hour, the cinnamon buns were made and put into the oven then taken out, hot and tasty. Maddy poured some white icing all over them. She even made a little extra because she knew that she might want more. Icing was always the best part of the cinnamon bun. If she could, she would eat it by itself.

Maddy set a hot plate of cinnamon buns on the dining table and sat down with her dad and Veronica. Maddy took a bun and bit into the gooey goodness. It was deliciously sweet, like always.

Maddy's dad followed suit. He took a bun and bit into it. He smiled and said "Maddy, these are amazing. I'm surprised it tastes so much like your mothers."

Maddy smiled, too. She glanced at Veronica. She looked uncomfortable. She never really liked talking about Maddy's mom because she knew that she would never be her. Veronica thought that maybe if she could try to make the cinnamon buns with Maddy, that may help, but she was scared Maddy would say no.

Maddy cleared her throat and said "Go ahead, Veronica. You can have one."

Veronica nodded and took one. She took a bite and said "Wow, Maddy. These are good. I guess you get your cooking from your mom. I know that Ed doesn't cook at all."

Veronica looked at Ed, Maddy's dad, and smiled jokingly.

"Yeah, I know. I leave all that to you," Maddy's dad said.