"NOAH, LET'S GO!" Emily shouts up the staircase as she impatiently waits at the bottom. In response to her shouts, she hears shoes quickly walking down the hallway and to the top of the stairs.
"I'm here!" Noah exclaims.
"Yeah, five minutes late!" Emily exclaims as she walks to the front door.
"I couldn't find my shoes," Noah replies as she walks out of the doorway. Emily closes the door behind herself and makes sure to lock it.
"Maybe if you used the shoe rack like I told you to," Emily mumbles.
"I do, but they were in the back," Noah groans in response, "You look cute!" The teen exclaims as she takes in her mother's outfit for the first time. Emily is in a tight, black long-sleeve that is tucked into her black pencil skirt that stops above her knee. She has on her good black heels and a trench coat over her shoulders.
"You too," Emily smiles, scanning Noah's outfit.
The teen has on a tight, black cropped tank with a casual black blazer over it. She paired it with her white, pleated pants and her short Doc Martens. She put a gold necklace on that she stole from Emily. The teen tied her hair back into a low bun and let pieces fall out to frame her face.
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"Thank you," Noah replies and walks over to the car, quickly opening her door. She sits in the seat and puts on her seatbelt, Emily doing the same.
The mother backs out of the driveway, heading down the street at a fast pace. Noah knows how much Emily hates being late. Noah is pretty sure it is a habit that Emily picked up from Elizabeth.
"You have your Secret Santa gift?" Emily asks the teen.
"Yes," Noah replies as she eyes the gift that is sitting by her foot on the floor.
"And you turned all the lights off in your room?"
"Y'know, these are questions you should've asked before we walked out of the house." Noah giggles and sees Emily's serious expression, "Yes, I turned all the lights off and I unplugged my straightener — you forgot to ask me that one."
"I'm just trying to make sure," Emily huffs.
"Look, it's gonna be a fun night, just relax," Noah tells her mother, which instantly calms her.
The two listen to Christmas music on the radio, and Noah quietly sings along. Emily parks on the street in front of Rossi's house and cuts the car off. The mother reminds the teen to get her gift and the cookies they brought.
Noah skips up to the front door and knocks with a happy rhythm. Emily stands behind Noah, holding her gift and the second tin of cookies.
"Merry Christmas!" Noah exclaims as Rossi opens the door.
