Teach Me - Brollins

10.

Christmas in the Lopez household was never much of a big event, they would go to see the lights at the city park, and make sure to put cookies out for Santa and spend Christmas morning shuffling between Colby and Heather's parents.

This was a big event this year. Rebecca would be going along for that for the first time. She normally went home for the holidays every year but this year was different and her parents understood that. She needed to be with Colby and Cali, they would have plenty of other Christmas's to spend with her.

It was quiet in Holly's house until she heard the car pull into the driveway and it took less than a minute for the once quiet house to be filled with the running footsteps of her granddaughter.

"Cali chill dude" Colby said "Stop running in Nana's house" he said as he took his and Rebecca's coats off and hung them by the door

"You hush" Holly shushed him with a smile as she wrapped her arms around her grandchild "She can do whatever she wants at Nana's"

"Sure.. she can do whatever she wants but let me try that and you'd hit me" he shook his head

"Rebecca" Holly smiled at the redhead as she gently wrapped her arms around her "I'm so glad you could come"

"Thank you for having me" Rebecca smiled as she embraced the woman

"Of course" Holly nodded "Would you like to help me in the kitchen while Colby and Cali try to put together that gingerbread house in the dining room?"

"Sure" Rebecca nodded as she looked back at Colby while following his mother, he knew that his mother wanted alone time with Rebecca, she hadn't gotten that yet

"I love you" Colby said in a whisper

Rebecca moved around Holly's kitchen effortlessly and Holly noted that as she chopped up the fruit that would be put in the pie.

"You seem like you know your way around a kitchen" Holly said, her eyes not leaving the cutting board

"I took a few culinary classes back in Ireland while I was still in school" Rebecca explained

"How many is a few?"

"I minored in culinary and majored in elementary education"

"Let me get this straight.. you have a culinary degree and you still let my seven year old granddaughter show you how to cook?" She asked with a small smile on her face
"She loves it" Rebecca shrugged "and what kind of person would I be if I didn't encourage it?"

"Cali has taken quite the liking to you" she looked up at her with a nod "Even before you and my son were officially together, she would come home from school and tell us all about her days in your class"

"She's always been one of my favorite students.. but don't tell her that"

"Your secret is safe with me" Holly smiled

Rebecca watched Colby and Cali sitting at the table in the dining room as they worked on the gingerbread house.

"They do this every year" Holly motioned towards her son and granddaughter "They usually end up in an argument at some point as well" she laughed

"We used to make our own gingerbread houses from scratch every year" Rebecca smiled as she thought back on her childhood "My mom would make cookies with my brother and I every year"

"You mean she would let you two make a mess and pretend you were helping?" Holly looked at her

"Exactly" the redhead nodded

"What exactly brought you over to the states from Ireland? I mean that seems like a pretty big jump for a young woman to do with no family over here"

"The opportunities were better over here and when I got accepted to school they had a program where I could study over here in Chicago and I loved it"

"I'm sure your parents miss you"

"All the time, I'm really close with my whole family and we miss each other dearly but we also know it's better if I'm over here living my life" she nodded

"Well I'm glad you are over here, and I don't know how you've done it but you have brought so much happiness to my son and my granddaughter. After Heather died, Colby shut down completely. He didn't show any emotion because he saw that as weakness, he went to multiple therapists but never truly opened up to anyone.. he has told you more than he's even told me and I'm his own mother" she shook her head "Since you have come into the picture I am starting to see the man that I saw with Heather, He loves you and from a mother.. I just want to tell you thank you" she looked her in the eyes and Rebecca wrapped her arms around the woman gently "Thank you" Holly hugged her just like a mother would "You have given me my son back"