Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)

100. Callie

"Merry Christmas, Honeybee!" PopPop signed at me as I opened the door when I saw the doorbell lights go off. Were we expecting anyone? PopPop and Granny came into the house. I smiled. It was a few days before Christmas. The Thursday before school finished, actually.

"PopPop! Granny!" I signed and ran up to them, giving them both tight hugs. When I'd been mad at Mom and Dad I was afraid I'd never see them again.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Granny signed. "You're not still mad at your parents, are you?"

I hung my head.

"No." I signed. Granny lifted my chin gently. She was smiling.

"Good. But if you ever feel like that again, you can always, always talk to PopPop and I, okay?"

I nodded. Granny kissed my forehead. I smiled up at her and she pulled me into a hug. 

"Look who's here!" I said to Mom as I pulled my grandparents into the house.

"Oh!" Mom said. "What a surprise!"

I looked at Mom and she winked at me. I rolled my eyes.

"You knew," I said. Mom smiled at me. 

"Of course I did," she smiled. "But we wanted to surprise you."

I hugged my mom, looked up at her and signed 'thank you.'  She responded by pulling me into a tight hug and kissing the top of my head.

When Mom let me go, Dad was standing there with a huge, goofy grin on his face.

"Good surprise?" He asked. I threw myself into his arms and hugged him tight. He returned the hug and kissed my head, too. Then he held me at arm's length and signed at me. "Merry Christmas, my wonderful DAUGHTER (he emphasized it)."

I smiled at him and hugged him again before running back over to my grandparents. Granny smiled and PopPop picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. He put me down and blew out his cheeks.

"You've grown!" He said, laughing. "You're taller than you were at Thanksgiving."

I smiled shyly. Dad came over.

"She's a weed," he smiled at me.

I put my hands on my hips and pretended I was mad.

"I am not a weed! I am a beautiful sunflower," I said, pretending to be snooty.

Dad and PopPop laughed.

We sat and talked for a little while then it was my bedtime. Tomorrow as the last day of school before the winter break. Two weeks off and my grandparents were here for Christmas? Yes please.

In the morning, I bounded out of bed, did my thing in the bathroom, making sure to lock the hallway door, finished up, unlocked it so Granny and PopPop could use the bathroom and locked the door on my side.

I got dressed for school, checked my phone had charged, grabbed my bag and bounded down the stairs. Mom was in the kitchen and smiled when she saw me.

"Cereal today, okay?  We're going to have lots of days of nice breakfasts with Granny here over the holidays."

I smiled and nodded. Granny made really good breakfasts. And lunches. And dinners.

"Do you want to buy lunch again today? Granny made you lunch last night."

I widened my eyes.

"Why?" I asked. Mom shrugged.

"She wanted to. But," Mom said seriously. "You are not to look in it until lunch."