#Naughty or # Nice (The Holidaze Book 1)

Epilogue

Epilogue

One year later

Meri had survived the rush. She had not only survived it, but she keenly looked forward to the next one. Although, she might find it a lot harder this year, she thought, as she reached into the crib and pulled the crying baby into her arms.

When she had first announced her pregnancy to the people of Santa's Village, they were stunned. It only took them a moment to adjust. After that, the celebration for her and Sander's child reigned, even into today, with her baby now months old.

Her parents and Mia had spent the last week here, before returning home. She missed them, even though they had had a great visit.

It always left Meri smiling when she thought about her family back in her own dimension. At the end of every visit they don't want to leave. She told them, as did most of Santa's Village, that they were quite welcome to stay, but they always returned home.

Meri didn't understand what kept drawing them back to the real world when Santa's Village had so much more to offer. Mia still hadn't found someone worth dating, let alone have a relationship with. Her parents were still working to mend the minds of the world. Nothing had changed for them at all.

"Come on, my little cherub," Meri said to her daughter as she tugged at the snowman pyjamas she had on.

"She isn't a cherub, Meri, that's Cupid's side of things," Sander declared as he walked into the nursery.

Meri laughed and looked over at the man who had made her life the best that it had ever been. Turquoise eyes still shone behind those glasses of his. His smile still warmed her heart, and the love he had for his daughter always brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm well aware that cherubs are in Cupid's domain. When I say it as a mother I mean that she's my adorable girl. It also reminds me that we haven't come up with a name for her yet," Meri gave him a meaningful look, because he'd avoided the topic since her birth.

"She's a mere babe."

"Who's growing up without a name. Cherub is what I'm going to call her until you chose one of the names I've given you, or you come up with one on your own," Meri pointed to a list that she'd taped onto the wall above her daughters crib.

"I'll get there," Sander mumbled.

"If she grows up thinking her names cherub then it's your fault, Sander. You agreed that you liked all of those names and you actually chose two of them yourself."

"It's a big responsibility naming someone," Sander showed his nerves briefly as he twitched his fingers through his hair.

"She's our daughter and she deserves a name beyond cherub. Why is this stressing you out so much?" Meri peered at him and then frowned.

"What if I name her wrong? It could work out terribly. Names are important," Sander grew a bit frantic.

"You can't name her wrong," Meri reached out and stroked a hand down his arm. "Whatever name we choose will be hers and she'll love it," as Meri tried to calm him, the magical doorbell started singing the song of jingle bells. "We'll come back to this later and work it out. Don't worry so much about it, Sander."

She rushed out to the front door with a baby in her arms. Pulling it wide open to find Holly standing there with a camera elf made her freeze in place. She hadn't had a camera aimed at her about the stupid show that opened the world of Santa's Village to her and gave her Sander. She had done interviews but never about the show.

Holly had became a good friend outside of her Elf Time Visions job. Meri had told her that she could be a godmother to their daughter, once they decided on a name, and went through the naming ceremony that Santa's Village did for all children.