The Sinclair Brothers ✔️

Epilogue - If the Fates Allow

Oh, the weather outside is frightful

But the fire is so delightful

And since we've no place to go

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

An angelic heavenly voice sang lowly from the stage in the ballroom with a jazz band behind her, backing up the vocals. She stated her presence in a soft grey dress that stopped above her knees while still subjecting herself to the background. Her unparalleled beauty inevitably captured attention despite her presence cloaked in subtle darkness.

The rest of the Christmas Eve party was alive and well.

And it doesn't show signs of stopping

And I brought some corn for popping

The lights are turned way down low

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The clock presented a near midnight hour, but all of the old people in the ballroom danced, chatted, and drank to their heart's content as if it were only seven or eight o'clock. Makennah was genuinely surprised by their slightly immature antics, but otherwise enjoyed herself.

Maybe it was because Will allowed her to bring Theo to his workplace's annual Christmas Eve party. Nothing felt as special as the fact she got to celebrate this season with him. After all of the mental, emotional, and psychological hardships she faced every week with Janine, molding and shaping herself into a better version - a version she desired to be for her family and for her boyfriend - Makennah thought she quite deserved a miraculous evening surrounded by the scent of pine, the glittering lights, and overdone Christmas decorations.

"Punch or water?" Theo asked her, offering to grab her a refill while he retrieved his own.

She glanced up at him as he rose to his feet and when she did, she thought to herself, that's my boyfriend. Theo is my boyfriend. This was something she practiced every day to remind herself of the reality that Theo wanted to be in her life as more than a friend. "Punch." Makennah lifted the empty glass and let her smile turn up the corner's of her eyes with happiness. Theo winked before he retreated.

"She's hot," Matt mentioned to Makennah, sealing his gaze on the beautiful star on stage singing into the microphone.

When we finally kiss goodnight

How I'll hate going out in the snow

But if you really hold me tight

All the way home I'll be warm.

"You should get her number," Makennah enticed, wiggling her eyebrows in encouragement.

Matt licked his lips and rose to his feet. "I just might."

Makennah dropped her chin into her palm while she rested her elbow on the white linen covered table where drooling candles melted in the middle blazoned by a warm flame. A collection of skinny crystal vases supported long-stemmed white roses - unassuming in their beauty and yet captivating all the same. The five star rated catering company had since cleared the tables of the pristine silver tableware and plates after a fabulous meal.

With full hands, Theo kicked out his seat and placed their refills in the perspective places. Makennah swirled the Christmas red colored punch around in her glass before taking a sip, feeling the crisp apple strawberry flavor explode on her tongue. When she set her glass down, she noticed Theo watching her out of the corner of her eye. "Thanks," she said, offering him a smile.