Cool Mom

80: Christmas Day

"I'm fine staying. Mom is having her latest boyfriend over and I do not want to hear them discuss medieval paintings over dinner." Jeremy makes me laugh.

"It does not matter. It's Christmas day and you have to be with family. Hazel and I will be staying the night at the hospital for that very reason. You are welcome to stay and have sandwiches with us, though." I tell him.

I hear him sigh, "I'd much rather do that than have to listen to two old people discuss their love life."

"Jeremy! She's your mother!" I scold him.

"Which makes it all that much worse." He groans.

I laugh at his discomfort but keep pushing, "Go be with family!"

He's silent for a second before giving in, "Fine. I'll leave in a couple of minutes. Will you be okay alone for the night?"

"Yes, we'll be fine." I reassure him and end the call.

"Please!" Hazel appears before me with her hands clasped together.

She has been begging me to let her open the presents I got her but I want to go to the hospital and have her open them there. At least Daniel will be physically present.

"Just twenty more minutes." I promise her. She pouts but nods and walks away to put out food and water for Vanessa.

I smile at her tiny retreating figure clad in a Christmas themed t-shirt and matching pajamas. I'm dressed in a sweatshirt and trousers too, ready to spend the night over at the hospital.

When Hazel returns, I help her put on her jacket then put on mine and lock the doors before getting into the car. All the helpers, butlers and drivers are off for the day so I had to make our sandwiches and look after the house all alone.

I drive us to the hospital and park the car. I hand Hazel the paper bag with food and grab the gift bags with Hazel's presents.

When we get to Daniel's room, I find Daniel alone for the first time. Usually, Martha or Jeremy were always with him but tonight it's just the three of us.

While Hazel climbs onto the bed to kiss Daniel's cheek, I set the bags down on an armchair.

"Let's have the food and open gifts." I suggest and Hazel eagerly walks over to me.

We get comfortable on the sofa with the food between us, Hazel has a bottle of water and I have a warm coffee that I grabbed from the hospital cafeteria. As we munch on sandwiches Hazel opens her presents.

She's excited to see that I got her the Barbie doll house that she had been asking for ever since it released last month.

"What's this?" She asks holding up a pink sweater in her size and another tiny one.

"Guess." I smile at her and she racks her brain before giving up.

"It's for Vanessa!" I laugh and tickle her.

"We'll match!" She excitedly squeals and I laugh at her excitement.

She opens the rest of her presents, thanking me for each one. By the time she opens her sixth and last present, we're done eating and my phone's camera roll has pictures and selfies from the entire unwrapping process.

While Hazel neatly places the gifts back in their gift bags, I gather all the paper scattered around the sofa and dispose it off. Once the sofa's clear again, I pull out my laptop and we watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas just as we have all three last Christmases with Hazel.

We're fifteen minutes into the movie when someone knocks on the room's door. My heart begins to hammer, thinking of the untimely hour and worst case scenarios run through my mind. Before I can muster the courage to answer the door, it opens to reveal Daniel's family!