Mindful Beauty

29) His Wait

"I'm honestly kind of surprised you aren't acting like a love-sick puppy right now." Erica nudged Ella on the sofa where everyone was gathered. Most of her family was busy picking out the presents that were underneath the Christmas tree.

"What do you mean?" Ella cooed at the baby in her lap. At just four months old, little Melissa was the apple of everyone's eyes, especially Ella's. "Your mommy is being a little dramatic, isn't she?"

"I'm just saying, you guys seemed to be in the honeymoon phase of your relationship last time I saw you both. I'm surprised you didn't invite him to come here." Erica was waving a little rattle around to keep the newborn entertained.

Ella shrugged. She couldn't say that the thought didn't cross her mind because it did, but she had also been aware that Celeste had been planning their annual Christmas party, and she was pretty sure that Damien wanted to spend Christmas with them. Not to mention that if Ella took Damien away for a whole month, not only would Celeste completely despise her but Damien would fall super behind on work.

"I think he wanted to spend time with his family. It had been a while since they had gotten together, you know." Ella commented, shrugging off a nagging worry about him. She wasn't too sure about who exactly had been invited to their annual festa, but Ella was trying really hard to think positive thoughts.

"I'm sure there's a reason of why he didn't want to spend time with them. I saw the way he looked at you when Fransisco mentioned us leaving for a whole month. The poor man looked like someone had kicked his puppy." Erica snorted, finding it funny how Ella didn't seem to see how hard Damien had fallen for her.

"He did not." Ella chuckled, shaking her head. Damien did look disappointed, but she wouldn't dare say that he looked devastated. "I think he was just shocked. I hadn't mentioned anything to him, so it was a bit sudden."

"Did you guys fight?" Erica asked curiously, imagining a crazy scenario before another thought entered her mind, this one making her facial expression turn serious. "Do you guys even fight?"

Ella shook her head. "We haven't really."

Erica looked at her sister-in-law in annoyance before flattening her lips into a straight line. "Must be nice. Your brother can be an a-"

"Everyone ready?" Stefanie clapped her hands eagerly, a giant and bright Santa hat on her head as she stood by the bright and towering Christmas Tree. "I want to go first!" Stefanie picked up a large box.

Every year, the family did the Dirty Santa game. It was the most fair way to do gifts so that no one would feel left out in case someone didn't end up getting a gift. At the end of the night, though, almost everyone would end up receiving around three gifts each.

As the night progressed, it became late and Erica had long gone left with Melissa to go to bed. Timotheo had also turned in quite some time after complaining that he had gotten a headache due to the consumption of a little too much alcohol.

"Ella, don't you want one more plate? I know you do!" Stefanie sang from the kitchen, dancing her way to the living room where Ella laid with her feet over Fransisco's lap.

"Stef, hush. Melissa is sleeping." Fransisco grabbed a pillow, ready to throw it to Stefanie's face before he noticed the plate, slowly placing the cushion back down.

"She won't hear a thing over that loud air purifier." Stefanie huffed, sitting down on Ella's blanket a bit. "Does that even work? We were raised just fine, and we are sti-"

"Ella, your phone is ringing." Elizabeth walked in with her own plate of food. Ella, confused, frowned. She wasn't expecting any calls these days.

"You better run. I bet it's lover boy." Stefanie sang again, receiving another glare from her older brother.