Freeze (The Jewel Project #4)

24|| Not so Silent Night

Maxi Grant sat curled up on the couch in the living room, a list in her hands, but she couldn't focus on it. In the corner of the room, the stereo played classic Christmas carols, mocking her, as did the undecorated Christmas tree placed in its usual spot in the corner.

It was Jimmy and Tom's first Christmas with their family and they weren't home. She couldn't decorate the tree or enjoy getting ready for the holiday without them. Without all of them. She couldn't even think what presents to get them which was why the list was incredibly short.

Clothes? Books? Sports gear? Instruments?

Kyle could help, if only he were home. Didn't his instructors at the academy have lives and families? Why were they keeping him out so late for heaven knew what stupid test or drill? She wanted him home to lament that his brothers weren't also there.

And she needed Jerry to decide what Christmas pudding recipe to use. It was sad how she was dependent on her nineteen-year-old son for cooking, but Jerry had always been better at it than her, a natural from the moment he'd been tall enough to work at a counter.

She turned back to the list, spinning the pencil between her fingers. Should she get the girls something for Christmas as well? She did want to invite them over, even if it meant ruining Freider's entire Christmas. Though, considering the way Freider had been acting towards Kay and Jessie while they had stayed there, she hoped he wouldn't mind.

But Jessie, Kay and Angie might be going home for Christmas so that only left Christine and Tina and maybe the Professor who was definitely not her favorite person in the world.

Why wasn't Kyle home to distract her? Come to think about it, she couldn't remember the last time she actually saw him. They talked on the phone and he messaged her constantly to let her know where he was, but actually seeing him....

Was she a bad mother for never nagging him about anything? For being happy enough making his bed and gathering after him? It gave her the security that her son still counted on her for things. And his absence wouldn't last much longer. It was Friday night after all, and she would make sure he spent the weekend at home.

Maybe she'd get up early tomorrow and bring him breakfast to his room. Maxi had never done that for him, but she used to do it for Jerry and Sam right before Christmas and they loved it. They had always said it was proof Christmas was coming.

Freider entered the living room singing along with the stereo, completely off key. He dropped on the couch seeming very satisfied with himself and put his boots over one of the cookbooks.

"Freider, feet off!" she said, shoving his feet off the books.

"Oh, sorry. You mean these aren't feeder for the fireplace?" He grinned, but put his feet down.

"Take your boots off too, they're a mess." Maxi started gathering the books before more damage came to them. "Did you finish setting up the lights?"

"Yep," he answered, standing and heading for the kitchen, completely ignoring her plea for no footprints on the carpeting.

She sighed and continued gathering everything on the table just in case he would consider it necessary to rest his feet there again. Freider returned shortly with two warm mugs of cocoa.

"Thank you," Maxi said, receiving her mug and taking a sip out of it. It was sweet and just the right temperature, so it warmed her up to the core. "It's really good, but would've been better with a little cinnamon."

"You know I don't like cinnamon," Freider replied, drinking from his own mug. "What are you up to with that list?"

She decided to not point out that she did like cinnamon. "Trying to figure out what to get the kids for Christmas."