“So, if I can get the funding for it, the center would be able to offer both tutoring and a life skills class Mondays through Friday. I was hoping my big sister could maybe use her new family connections, as in her rich wife and super rich mother-in-law, to make a donation on behalf of their companies.” Jordan said looking up from the projections on her desk. She saw Sophie staring absently out of the window.
Jordan eyed her sister. “And if that works out, I was thinking I could have stripper poles installed next to the daycare for the new exotic dancing course we are offering. What do you think?”
“Sounds like a good idea.” Sophie nodded then frowned. “Wait, what?”
Jordan tilted her head and laughed. “I was wondering when you would join the conversation. What’s going on with you, Soph?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“I just told you I was going to install stripper poles in the center, and you said it sounded like a good idea. So, unless you’ve had a complete personality transplant, something is on your mind.” She pushed her paperwork aside and focused on her big sister. “Lay it on me. What’s going on?”
Sophie sighed and turned to face Jordan fully. “Ryan says we can finalize the paperwork for Charlie’s adoption this week.”
Jordan’s eyes widened in delight. “That’s great, Soph! I’m going to officially be Auntie Jordan.” When she noticed her sister’s serious demeaner, her smile dimmed. “It is great, right? You haven’t changed your mind, have you? You seemed excited about it before.”
Since Ryan was the official foster parent, she adopted Charlie first with the intention of Sophie petitioning to be the second adoptive parent after their wedding. Ryan had offered to just wait until they were officially married so they could adopt her at the same time, but Sophie didn’t want to take that chance. They both knew how unpredictable adoptions and the foster care system as a whole could be. Sophie didn’t want to take the chance of Charlie being taken away from them for any reason. As soon as they were married, Sophie and Ryan filed an adoption petition with the courts. Now that the mandatory waiting period was over, Sophie would officially become a mother in a matter of days.
Sophie finally cracked a smile. “Oh course, I haven’t changed my mind. I can’t tell you how much I love that kid.” Her smile grew warmer as she thought of the precocious little girl. “Do you know she calls Ryan mama now?”
Jordan chuckled. “Yeah, I noticed the change a few weeks ago when Ryan picked her up from her dance class. I think she said the word mama ten times in one minute. You could tell she was so excited to use the word. It was so cute.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Then why the serious Sophie look? You feeling some type of way because she still calls you Sophie?”
Sophie shook her head. “Nah, I figure that will come in time. Besides, I kind of like that she calls me her Sophie.”
Jordan laughed. “I swear that kid is the cutest thing.”
Before Ryan and Sophie had gotten married, Sophie made sure she spent as much time developing a relationship with Charlie that was independent of Ryan. She had approached Charlie similar to the way she had with Ryan. She showed the little girl that she could trust her and more importantly, she could depend on her. As a result, she and Charlie had grown close and developed a strong bond that was all their own. One day out of the blue, Charlie started referring to Sophie as ‘my Sophie’ and no one questioned it. Whenever the little girl asked for Sophie, it was ‘when is my Sophie coming back? or ‘can I go with my Sophie?’ Charlie had claimed Sophie as her own and Sophie had done the same.
“Yeah, she is a very special little girl.” Sophie said thoughtfully.
“Then why the serious face?”
Sophie walked back over and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Jordan’s desk. “I don’t want it to just be a signature on a piece of paper. I want her to know how much I really want to be her mother. I want to make it special for her."
“Okay.” Jordan saw a small smile emerging on Sophie’s lips. “And judging by that look, you have something in mind?”
“I do.”
“Well, don’t leave me in suspense.”
Sophie bit her lip. “Do you remember how I proposed to Ryan?”
Jordan chuckled. “Uh… you’re joking right? Of course I remember.”
Flashback: A Year and a Half Ago
Sophie heard the beeping of the locks followed by the opening of her front door. She knew it was her girlfriend. Ryan and Jordan were the only people with access to her home. She took a quick peak at the time on her cell phone before she lay back on the sofa and pretended to be asleep.
“Soph, are you ready?” Ryan called out from the front door.
Sophie could hear Ryan’s footsteps pause when she entered the living room. She kept her eyes closed and her breathing steady. She felt the sofa dip as Ryan sat down.
“Soph?” Ryan brushed her fingers along Sophie’s face.
Sophie’s eyes fluttered open, and she pretended to groan and stretch groggily. “Hey, what are you doing here, babe?”
Ryan’s smile morphed into a slight pout. “Did you forget?”
“Forget what?” Sophie sat up and ignored the pout.
“That we were supposed to…” Ryan paused when she saw the confusion on Sophie’s face. “You forgot?!”
Sophie just looked at her. “Uh… no… no. I didn’t forget that…um…”
“You did! Soph, you promised!” Ryan stood putting her hands on her hips as she stomped her small snow boot against the floor.
Sophie had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She’d never admit it, but she found a bratty, pouty Ryan absolutely adorable.
“I’m sorry, babe. What did I forget?”
Ryan rolled her eyes and huffed as she turned away. “Just forget it.”
Sophie leaped off the sofa and blocked Ryan’s path as she marched towards the front door. “Wait! I’m sorry. Please, don’t go.”
Ryan stopped and crossed her arms. “You promised that you’d take me to Big Pete’s Tree Farm to pick out a Christmas tree today.”
Sophie grimaced and brought her hand to her head. “I’m so sorry, babe. I swear I didn’t mean to forget. It was just a long day.”
“It’s our first real Christmas together, Soph.” Ryan said softly.
Sophie knew how much this Christmas meant to her girlfriend. Other than the few years spent with Mama Cora, Ryan had been alone during the holidays for most of her life. This would be their first Christmas together as a couple and the first she would spend with her new family.
“I know, Ry and I promise that this Christmas will be one that you will never forget.” She moved into Ryan’s space and uncrossed her arms, pulling her into her arms. “I’m sorry. Forgive me?”
Ryan’s pout slowly grew into a soft smile. She rolled her eyes and gave in to the embrace. She could never stay mad at Sophie for long, especially when she looked at her with those eyes.
“I don’t know. Are you taking me to pick out a tree or not?” Ryan asked.
Sophie pulled her even closer and leaned down for a soft kiss. “I’ll get you a thousand trees if it will make you smile.”
Ryan melted. “You’re so corny.”
Sophie shrugged her shoulders. “I love you.”
Ryan let go of her remaining annoyance and wrapped her arms around Sophie’s shoulders, pulling her down for a deeper kiss. She had to remind herself they had something to do. Kissing Sophie gave her an all-consuming high that made everything around her disappear.
When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against Sophie’s and tried to catch her breath. “I love you too… but not for long if you don’t go get changed so we can go pick out a tree. I like you in these suits, but it won’t keep you warm in the snow.”
Sophie laughed as Ryan pushed her back and pointed towards her bedroom. “Someone is bossy today. I like it.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Go.” Ryan sat down on the sofa and glanced at her watch. “You got ten minutes or I’m going without you, and you will be going without for a week.”
Sophie scoffed but quickly made her way to her bedroom. She didn’t want to test Ryan’s commitment to her threat. That wasn’t a chance she was willing to take.”
Once Sophie was in her bedroom, she let out a delighted laugh. She quickly sent off several texts making sure everything was ready to go as planned. After changing into warm layers of casual clothes, she went to the gun safe she kept in the back of her closet. She punched in the combination and dug into the very back until she found the small black jewelry box. She tucked it into the inside zipper pocket of her puffer coat. She grabbed her scarf, gloves, and beanie and took one last moment to give herself a pep talk in the mirror. “You got this, Soph.” She gave herself a thumbs up and headed out.
***
Sophie and Ryan walked hand in hand through the rows of trees, looking at each one trying to picture how it would look in Sophie’s place. They had decided to celebrate Christmas there since Ryan spent most of her time at Sophie’s anyway.
“What about this one?” Ryan asked looking up at a thick Balsam Fir. It was plush and filled out, but it was kind of short.
“I don’t know, babe. It’s a little weird being taller than the tree.” Sophie quipped as she stood next to the tree displaying her displeasure.
“Point taken. It needs to be taller than the giant in the house. Got it.” Ryan laughed. “I’m going to need a ladder to decorate the thing then.”
Sophie sucked her teeth and gave her a look. “Whatever. I forgot anything taller than a shrub might be out of your height range. Let’s keep looking.”
Ryan was growing frustrated as they continued their search for another half hour. The hot chocolate Sophie had gotten them was keeping them warm, but Ryan was tired of looking. Every tree they found that seemed suitable was somehow already spoken for, even the ones that weren’t that pretty. Ryan was beginning to think they had waited too late and would have to just get an artificial tree instead. Sure, it would be easier, but it just wasn’t what Ryan wanted.”
Sophie could see her girlfriend’s agitation and smirked. Her plan was working perfectly. Little did Ryan know; Sophie had bought out the entire lot of trees so that only one would be available. It had taken some smooth talking, but the owner had readily agreed when she explained to him that he’d be paid full price for all the trees, and they’d be free to be given away to needy families in the community. It was a win-win situation.
As if on cue, the owner approached to help. “Can I help you lovely ladies this evening?”
“Yeah, do you have any trees left unclaimed?” Ryan asked. “Since when do you run out of trees, Pete?”
“It’s been an unusually busy season, ma’am.” The older gentleman said apologetically.
Ryan looked up at Sophie with sad, puppy eyes. The look nearly made Sophie give up and spill the beans just to wipe that unhappy look away from her beloved’s face.
The owner scratched at his beard and looked to be in deep thought. “You know, I think I have one tree left that might work for you. The buyer called and cancelled the order earlier. Would you like to see it?”
“Yes. That would be great.” Sophie said squeezing Ryan’s hand. “See, I bet this one is our tree, Ry. Don’t worry. I promised you the perfect tree and you’ll have it.”
Ryan’s pout slowly disappeared as she fell into Sophie’s eyes. “Okay, let’s see what you got, Big Pete.”
Pete led them to a small gathering of trees until they came upon a tall, plush tree. It looked perfect and the twinkling lights made it even more beautiful. It was exactly like the tree Ryan had described to Sophie weeks ago.
“As you can see, it’s a beauty. It’s a ten-footer, Grand Fir. It’s citrus scented and long lasting.”
Ryan’s eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree, pun intended. Sophie winked at the owner. “What do you think, baby? Will this one do?”
“Soph, it’s perfect! This is the one. This is our tree.” She said excitedly.
“You heard the lady, Pete. This is our tree. We’ll take it.”
“I’ll go write up the sale and work out the delivery.”
Now alone, Sophie wrapped her arms around Ryan from behind as they looked up at their new tree. Ryan sighed happily and rested her head back against Sophie’s chest. “It’s so pretty, Soph. It’s going to look amazing when we decorate it.”
“It is nice. I guess we got lucky, huh?”
Ryan was about to answer when something on the tree caught her attention. It was a card hanging on one of the high branches that said, ‘Read Me Before Buying.’
“What’s that?”
Sophie pretended ignorance. “Huh, I don’t know. Let’s see.” She moved from behind Ryan and stood on her tiptoes to reach the card. She flipped it around then handed it over to Ryan. “It’s probably the price and care instructions.”
Ryan flipped open the envelope and pulled out a small piece of card stock paper. She unfolded it and frowned. “Turn around. Turn around? What does that mean?” She looked up and noticed that Sophie was no longer in front of her. She turned around and saw Sophie down on one knee.
Ryan gasped and covered her mouth with her gloved hands. “Soph…”
Soft music was now coming through the speakers and additional twinkling lights blinked on creating a beautiful circle around them. Sophie smiled and looked up at Ryan.
“You once told me that even though it was painful, Christmas was your favorite holiday because you always believed in Christmas wishes. Every year you wished for love and a family of your own. Even when things didn’t go your way, you always held out hope that you’d find your forever family and that wish would come true one day. That’s one of the many things that I love about you, Ryan. You’ve been knocked down countless times by this world, but you still get up and find beauty in it. You are… simply magnificent. I love everything about you, from the way you stubbornly fight for the things that matter to you to how you fiercely protect the people you love. I’ve never met anyone with a bigger heart than you. Being loved by you has not only changed me; it healed me. It made me a better person. I’ve never been as happy and free as am when I’m with you. You’re my family, Ryan. You’re my home.” She flipped the lid to the jewelry box open and held up the ring. The twinkling lights reflected off the clear 3 carat diamond. “I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Will you marry me?”
Tears rolled down Ryan’s face at a steady rate. The knot in her throat wouldn’t allow her to speak so she rapidly nodded her acceptance.
“Yeah?” Sophie asked.
Ryan nodded again and finally made a sound. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Sophie wiped at her own tears as she stood. She took Ryan’s trembling hand and removed her glove. She slipped the ring on her left hand and placed a kiss there. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Ryan said pulling Sophie into a deep kiss.
“Woo! Yay! Congratulations!”
Ryan jumped slightly at the sudden applause and the sound of champagne bottles popping. She looked around to see her entire family emerging from the nearby trees. They were all holding their cell phones up recording the event. Her mother was dabbing at her eyes while Marquis was giving her a proud look. Mary, Luke, and Jordan were all cheering and toasting the newly engaged couple.
She turned her eyes back to Sophie. “You planned all of this? You didn’t forget, did you?”
“Now when have I ever forgotten anything you’ve asked of me?”
Ryan’s heart grew even larger. She caressed Sophie’s cheek lovingly. “I’m going to marry you.”
“You have to. You said yes.” Sophie said, pulling her in for another kiss.
-Flash-
“It’s kind of hard to forget it. I have to give it to you, Soph. That was pretty romantic. I’d never seen Ryan so emotional before.”
“Well, I was thinking I might do something similar for Charlie.”
Jordan frowned. “You’re going to propose to Charlie?”
Sophie’s eye twinkled. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do and I’m going to need your help.”
Jordan smiled and shook her head. There was no limit to the lengths her sister would go to make the girls in her life happy and she was here for it. “Alright. If it’s for my new niece, I’m down. What do you need me to do?”
Three Days Later:
“Mama?”
“Yes, bug.”
“Where’s my Sophie?”
Ryan chuckled as she did every time Charlie addressed Sophie that way. She had been worried that Sophie would feel some type of way about Charlie calling her mama but not Sophie. Ryan had been wrong. Sophie was genuinely happy about the change. Sophie and Charlie had an amazing relationship and Ryan was certain that Charlie would finally get to a point where she could truly trust that Sophie would always be there just like she had.
“Your Sophie just called a few minutes ago. She’s actually on her way home now. And guess what?”
Charlie looked curious. “What?”
“Soph said she had a surprise for you.”
Ryan laughed as her daughter practically vibrated with anticipation. Sophie was always surprising Charlie with little things. Her surprises were never expensive gifts, although there was that one-time Sophie came home with a new X-Box console. They had to have a talk about that one. Usually, Sophie would surprise Charlie with a random trip to the zoo or she’d take her to the tech department to allow her to play with all of Jeturian’s fancy gadgets. Sophie gave Charlie something more valuable than any expensive toy or game. She gave Charlie her time.
“What is it, Mama?”
Ryan laughed at her excitement. “I don’t know, bug. She wouldn’t tell me.”
“Probably because you can’t keep secrets.” Charlie said sagely.
Ryan scoffed. “Says who?”
Charlie shrugged her shoulders. “Everybody.”
Ryan pouted for a moment, but eventually agreed. “Well, whatever. She didn’t tell me, short stack so I can’t help you there.”
Ryan placed Charlie’s after school snack on the counter and helped her up onto the stool. The girl dug in and started munching away while Ryan went back to preparing dinner. They chatted about random topics until dinner was in the oven.
“So, how was school today?”
“It was fun. Mrs. Watson, let me lead the class reading. She said I can read real good.”
“She’s right. You read really well, bug.” Ryan gently corrected as she sat down at the island next to her and stole a grape off of the plate. “As a matter of fact, we should go by the bookstore and get you some new books since you’ve read all the others.”
Charlie’s eyes lit up. “We can?”
Ryan loved how the simplest things delighted her daughter. She reminded Ryan so much of herself when she was a little kid.
“Sure, we can. How about we grab some new painting supplies while we’re at it? I think it’s time for us to create some new Charlie originals.”
Charlie nodded happily as she munched on a few grapes.
“Hey, anybody home?” Sophie’s voice could be heard from the front of the house.
Charlie instantly perked up. Ryan could tell she was just itching to get down, but she sat and patiently waited for permission. Ryan shook her head. “Go on.”
Charlie wasn’t the tallest kid. She was still quite a bit smaller than the other kids her age, but she made up for it with spunk, much like her mother. Ryan watched her slide off the stool and practically skip towards the front door.
Sophie was hanging up her overcoat as a little ball of energy smashed into her legs. She looked down and laughed. “Well, hello there, Chuck.”
“Hi Sophie!”
Sophie bent down and gave Charlie a big hug. “That’s quite a welcome home. It’s almost like you missed me or something.”
Charlie nodded and held up her thumb and index finger. “Just a little bit.”
Sophie threw her head back and laughed. This kid was something else. “Oh, just a little bit, huh?”
“Uh huh.”
“Well, I’ll show you a little bit, you little weasel.” Sophie commenced tickling the little girl’s sides causing her to let out a loud squeal of laughter.
Ryan wiped her hands on the kitchen towel and leaned in the doorway watching the two. Sometimes she still had to pinch herself. This was the life she had always wanted and never expected to have. She had a gorgeous, caring wife and the cutest kid on the planet. And everything would become even more official in a few days when the adoption was complete. They hadn’t told Charlie yet, just in case something fell through. Ryan could hardly wait to tell her.
“Who is making all this noise? Oh, it’s the trouble makers of course.” Ryan said playfully.
Charlie rolled her eyes. Sophie laughed and lifted the girl into her arms. “You look just like your mama when you do that. I keep telling you two that your eyes are going to get stuck like that.”
As if on cue, Charlie and Ryan both rolled their eyes at her. Sophie shook her head. She knew she didn’t stand a chance in this house. She moved closer and leaned in, placing a gentle kiss to Ryan’s lips. “Hey baby.”
“Hey you. Welcome home.”
“Sophie, Mama said you had a surprise for me.”
Sophie shared a look with Ryan. “She cuts right to the point, doesn’t she?”
“Yep. She’s picked that up from you.”
Sophie smirked then looked back at Charlie. “I do have a surprise for you, but we have to make sure its okay with Mama first.”
“Well, what is it?” Charlie asked, holding Sophie’s face between her little hands. “You have to tell me.”
“How would you like to go pick out a Christmas tree tonight?”
Charlie’s eyes widened and a wide grin erupted on her face. She had seen a few houses on their street with trees already up and she had been asking when they would get their own.
“Yeah! Can we, Mama?!”
“Yeah, can we Mama?” Sophie repeated with equal enthusiasm.
Ryan let out a soft laugh and she shook her head. “Oh, so you two are just gonna gang up on me like that?”
“Come on, Mama. It’ll be fun.” Sophie said.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun, Mama.” Charlie added.
Ryan had no intention of saying no. She loved Christmas and couldn’t imagine anything more enjoyable than choosing a tree with her new family.
“Ok. You two win. We’ll go pick out a tree… but not until after dinner.”
“Aww Mama, you no fun.” Charlie whined.
Sophie snorted and Ryan scoffed. “Who did you just say was no fun?! Who?! I know you’re not talking about me. I’ll show you who’s fun around here.”
Charlie was again attacked by tickling fingers and kisses causing her to erupt in laughter.
After the trio finished dinner, they bundled up in warm layers, hats, scarves, and gloves snug and tight. Sophie drove them out to the Tree Farm and parked. They went over and purchased hot chocolate to ward off the cold, then headed off along the path to find the perfect tree. Charlie was already excited. The sugary drink made her a live wire of anticipation. She took her place in between them and used their arms as a personal swing.
The small family wandered around the farm singing Christmas carols, pointing out different trees and making notes of the ones they really liked.
“Hey, let’s check out that tree over there. It looks like a nice one.” Sophie said, guiding them over to a small area of trees.
Ryan paused and felt a sense of déjà vu. Charlie’s eyes widened at the giant tree. It looked so tall. It was even taller than her Sophie.
Sophie held her hand as they stared up at the tree. “I like this one. What do you think, Charlie? Will this one do?”
The familiar words caused a memory to flash in Ryan’s mind. She smiled remembering that special night.
“It’s perfect, Sophie.” Charlie said in awe of the tree.
“What do you think, Mama?” Sophie asked, giving Ryan a mysterious look.
“I think we’ve found our tree.” Ryan said.
“Good. Now that we’ve found our tree, I need to tell you why we’re really here.” Sophie said looking down into Charlie’s big brown eyes.
“We came to get a tree, silly.”
Sophie laughed then lowered herself down to Charlie’s level. “We did and this is a very special tree.” She pointed to the upper branches. There was already an ornament hanging from it. “You want to see why?”
Charlie nodded. Sophie looked back and held out her free hand to Ryan. Ryan instantly took it and stepped forward. Sophie then turned and lifted the ornament from the branch. It looked like a replica of their new house with three little figures standing on the outside holding hands. There was a small envelope attached to the back. She lowered herself back down to the ground in front of Charlie. She took the note out and handed it to the little girl to read.
“Will you… be my… forever daughter? Love, Your Sophie” Charlie read slowly. It took a moment for the words to register with her.
Ryan covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t believe Sophie had gone through so much trouble. Then again, she could believe it. This was just who her wife was.
“Look inside.” Sophie instructed.
Charlie looked inside the envelope and pulled out a small gold necklace with a heart-shaped locket. There was a picture of the three of them inside. Sophie turned it over and showed her the back. It said Charlie Elise Wilder-Moore.
“Chuck, I love you and you’re already my daughter in every way that matters. You know that, but I would very much like to adopt you just like Mama did. I want to be your mother forever and always.”
Charlie’s eyes searched Sophie’s face for something. Ryan knew she was looking for the truth. Her little brow scrunched up and tears filled her eyes. Her only response was to wrap her arms around Sophie’s neck. Sophie let go of Ryan’s hand to hold the little girl close. She placed a kiss to the top of the beanie covering her curls.
“What do you say to that, Chuck? You want to make it official and be a forever family?”
Charlie nodded, still tucked into Sophie’s neck. "Just like my Christmas wish?"
Sophie pulled away and placed the necklace around Charlie’s neck. "It's not a wish anymore. Your wish came true."
Charlie touched it with her fingers as if it was the most precious thing in the world.
“I love you, Chuck.”
“I love you too, Sophie.” Charlie flashed the widest grin they’d ever seen. “I will have two mommies now?”
“Yes, bug. You will.” Ryan said with a soft laugh.
“Cool! My friend Mason has two mommies too!”
Ryan placed a hand on her shoulder. “Looks like you two have even more in common now.”
“Does he have a Grandma J as well?”
Ryan and Charlie’s heads whipped around at the sound of Jada behind them. “Grandma J!” "Mom?"
They watched Charlie struggle through the snow to reach Jada a few feet away.
“And… there she goes.” Sophie said laughing. “That girl’s attention span is as short as she is.”
Ryan looked up at her wife with soft eyes. “You are something else, you know that?”
Sophie felt her face heat up. She shoved her hands into her pockets and looked down in that awe shucks way that Ryan always found adorable. Ryan caressed her cheek lovingly. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, but I will square up with the universe later. Right now, I really want to kiss you.”
“Well, by all means, do what you need to do.” Sophie said leaning down to connect their lips. Just as the kiss was heating up, they were rudely interrupted.
“Hey, could you two give it a rest?!” Jordan said sending a snowball their way. Sophie snorted when it completely missed them. Jordan had always been terrible at sports.
Ryan turned in surprise to see not only Jordan, but Marquis, Luke, and Mary gathered near Jada. She turned back and looked at Sophie in question.
Sophie shrugged her shoulders. “I wanted her to see that she’s not just gaining another mother. She’s gaining an entire family… a forever family.”
“God, I love you woman.” Ryan said.
“I love you too, Ryan.”
As they leaned in for another kiss, a snowball hit Ryan square in the chest. She turned to see the culprit was her own daughter.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for that, bug!”
Charlie took off running to find shelter behind the nearby trees. She wasn’t getting very far with her short legs, but she was fast. Everyone laughed as they watched the two.
“Mommy, save me! Don’t let Mama get me!” Charlie said, hiding behind Sophie’s legs. Sophie was frozen in place for a moment. It was the first time Charlie had called her Mommy. She took a moment to close her eyes and take the moment in. It was the most beautiful word she’d ever heard.
“Mommy, help!”
Sophie blinked and went into protection mode. She grabbed Charlie by the arms and swung her onto her back. The little girl wrapped her arms tightly around Sophie’s neck and held on. Sophie leaned down and gathered up some snow.
“Alright, Chuck. It’s you and me against them. You ready?”
Charlie giggled. “Yeah! Let’s get’em, Mommy!”
The snowball fight that ensued carried on until everyone was nearly out of breath and falling down with laughter…everyone except Jada that is. No one dared to come near her with the snow violence. She stood off to the side videoing the shenanigans of her family.
Ryan finally gave up and joined her. Jada laughed and brushed snow out of Ryan’s hair. “You look a mess… and extremely happy, baby girl.”
“I am deliriously happy.” Ryan said wistfully as she watched her family and friends play in the snow. Her eyes found Sophie and Charlie behind a tree. Charlie was stockpiling snowballs as Sophie pelted Jordan and Marquis in the face. Luke tripped over his own feet and landed face first in the snow. Mary was laughing too hard to help him up. Ryan and Jada laughed out loud.
“They make quite the team, don’t they?”
“They do. Did you hear her call Sophie mommy?”
“I did. I didn’t think there was anyone other than you that could wrap that woman around their finger. I think your baby girl is going to give you a run for your money, dear.”
Ryan thought for a moment. She liked the sound of that. Charlie was their baby girl just like she was Jada’s.
“We got them, Mommy! We won!” Charlies high pitched voice rang out into the starry night.
Ryan watched as Sophie lifted Charlie onto her shoulders as they trotted around celebrating their victory in song. “We are the champions! We are the champions! No time for losers cause we are the champions... of the world!”
“So, how does it feel to finally have the family you always wanted?” Jada asked quietly.
Ryan looked at her mother for a moment before draping an arm around her shoulder. Jada wrapped an arm around Ryan’s waist.
“It feels like… a Christmas wish come true.
-Fin-
The Charlie Chronicles will continue as long as there is interest. Thanks for reading.