Ocean Eyes - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 3)

Chapter 38

(A/N: I am going to start writing the new fan fiction tomorrow! Yes, it will be hutchpoppe. I'm attempting to make it better than this series. I think it will be easier for me to write because it starts when they are younger, around my age. I will have it up as soon as this story is over. There will be 40 chapters in this story, and then it's the end of the series.)

Maddie's POV

Everything has been going a lot better lately. Allison has been doing a lot better since she started with her therapist. The police took Jace in. Next week is Christmas, so Caleb and I will be doing some Christmas shopping today.

"Aunt Gabby will come and stay with me?" Allison asks.

"Yes," I smile at her.

"Yay!"

It's so cute how she always gets excited when Gabby or Catie is coming to stay with her. She really loves them so much. Eventually, Gabby is here.

"I like it when Aunt Gabby comes in the evening," Allison says, "because I can eat something other than soup in the can."

We laugh at her, and Gabby hugs her, "I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" Allison smiles at her.

"Well, I talked to your mommy and daddy, and I was wondering if you would like to be Uncle Cade and I's little flower girl in our wedding?"

She gasps, "Really?"

"Yes," she smiles.

"Yes! I want to! So much!" Allison giggles.

"Yay! You will be the prettiest flower girl ever," Gabby smiles, holding her little hands.

"What is it?"

"You'll get to walk down the aisle and throw flowers," Gabby chuckles.

"Okay! And I will wear a pretty dress?"

"Yes!"

Caleb and I are in the middle of Christmas shopping for Allison, and my phone rings. I see Gabby's name across the screen, and I get nervous. Oh, and she finally got a new phone.

"Hello?" I answer, nervously.

"Hey! So, Allison wants a kid's meal and I was wondering if you minded if I took her out for one?" Gabby asks.

"Well, we're almost done here, so I can just pick one up for her," I say.

"No! I can get her one, it's totally fine."

"Thanks, Gabby," I smile, even though she can't see me.

"No problem. See you, later."

When we get home, Gabby's car is gone. We get Allison's gifts out, and take them inside, and we actually get quite a few of them wrapped before Allison comes back. I hide the unwrapped gifts in the closet, and put the wrapped gifts beside of them. We will buy a gift for our family and friends another day this week, and Allison will help us.

"I'm home!" I hear Allison call out.

I hear her talking to Caleb, so I go downstairs.

"Hey, baby," I hug her.

"Aunt Gabby took me to the store on the way home!" She smiles.

"Oh, did she?"

"I did," Gabby smiles, "but what we got remains in my car."

"Because it's a surprise," Allison whispers, "so don't ask me what it is!"

I laugh at her, "okay."

"Aunt Gabby! Don't say anything!" Allison whispers, looking back at Gabby, and Gabby pretends to zip her lips, making Allison giggle.

Later that night, after Allison has her bath and goes to bed, we finish wrapping the rest of her presents before going to bed ourselves. The next morning, we eat breakfast together.

"We are going to get our tree today?" Allison asks.

"Yes!" Caleb answers.

"As soon as you finish your breakfast, we'll get you dressed and then we can go ahead and go," I tell her.

"Okay!"

When she's dressed, her, Caleb, and I go to get our tree. To my surprise, there are still quite a few trees here, considering how close it is to Christmas.

"See one you like?" Caleb asks Allison.

"Not yet!" She looks around, "Oooo!"

"Find one?" I ask.

"How about that one?" She runs over to a tree that is not big, but not little.

"You like this one the best?" Caleb asks.

"Yes! It's perfect," she giggles.

We have help getting in tied to the top of the car, and as soon as we get home, Caleb puts the tree up before he gets the ornaments out of the storage room. He sets the box down in the living room, "Ready to decorate, Allie?"

"Yes!" She claps. She looks through the box and pulls out a bright purple one, "this one is so pretty!"

"Where are you going to put it?" I ask her.

She looks at the tree for a moment, before walking over and hanging it on the bottom in the front, "here!"

After about an hour and a half, we have our tree fully decorated.

"Good job, precious," I tell her, considering she did most of the decorating.

"Thank you!" She giggles, "now can you put my presents under the tree?"

"I'll get them," Caleb smiles at her.

He goes upstairs and Allison comes over to me, "Mommy, could I have some hot chocolate?"

"Sure," I smile at her.

"Don't forget the marshmallows!" She calls out.

"I won't! I promise!" I tell her.

Eventually, Caleb has all of her presents under our tree. I bring Allison's hot chocolate to her after it cools off a little bit. While she is drinking it, the doorbell rings. I go over, and answer the door to Gabby.

"Hey," she says, "could I see Allison for a second?"

"Aunt Gabby!" Allison sets her mug down on the table and comes over.

"I have them," Gabby whispers.

"Good! We have the tree up now," Allison giggles.

"I'll be right back," Gabby tells her. A moment later, she comes back with three small gifts, "here you go," she says, handing them to Allison, "I put the names on them."

"Thank you!" She carries the wrapped gifts over, and sets them under the tree, "I bought you and mommy gifts," she tells Caleb, "Aunt Gabby took me to get them," she walks back over and hugs Gabby, "thank you for your help, Aunt Gabby!"

"No problem!" She tells her, hugging her back.

Allison gasps, "Look!"

Caleb and I go over and look out the window, and there are snowflakes falling down.

"It's snowing!" Caleb says.

"Yes!" Allison cheers, bouncing up and down, "It is so pretty! I think that it is coming from heaven! I think sissy is sending it down to us."