Downplay| Jordan Clarkson & Quincy Brown

•t h i r t y f i v e •

December 25 2022

"Yara, where is the mustard?" Denise yelled from the Kitchen as she banged cabinet door after door closed in search for the main ingredient to her honey mustard sauce. She couldn't possibly imagine her Christmas ham without it. Around her the house held every bit of Christmas magic, Yara had decided to go all out for her son's first one. The house was coated in gold and white decorations which contrasted the black modern interior beautifully.

Poking her head out from the living room, Yara bounced Jahi in her arms to keep him settled as she pointed at the bottom cabinet nearest to the fridge.

"It's down there, to your left. Do you know when Aya and Devin will be back from the store? Dior is going to wake up from her nap soon and Amari and Payton aren't here yet plus, Quincy's flight hasn't landed either." Yara sighed as she surveyed her home, luckily Quincy had decorated with her before he left, and Denise had the kitchen, but she still had a table to set and a mood to get going. Also, now there were three kids in her care.

Destin was a breeze; she'd started up the music for her aunt and then sat in front of the TV to watch home alone with her baby sister sleeping peacefully in her carrier right next to her. Jahi had decided he was going to be difficult this morning and cried every time she attempted to put him down, so, she had no choice but to carry him along with her all day. She couldn't take a crying baby right now. Not when so many elements were out of control.

The whole family had come in. Aya, Devin, Destin, Dior and Aya's belly which housed her third niece or nephew arrived the day before. Denise and Gregory had already been in Nevada for a week. At this rate, they nearly spent more time here than they did in Colorado. Yara knew it was because empty-nesting was never their favorite thing. They loved being around their babies who now had their own babies. Even better, they loved being around their grandbabies.

"Relax baby girl, Aya and Devin are on their way back now, cranberry sauce secured. Amari and Payton are five minutes away." Gregory's voice called to her from upstairs, and she shot him a soft smile before she looked down at Jahi who was chilling in her arms.

"Thank God because Dior is something else when she wakes up and doesn't see their faces. Jahi is already proving to be a bit grumpy this morning, so we don't need that too."

"Yes well, that's what happens when he refuses to nap on schedule. Where is Quincy and why's he flying in on Christmas day again?"

"He was in New York for a Mariah Carey event we put on. However, he stayed for two days after to see his dad and spend some time with him and his brothers ahead of the holiday. He normally does that and then joins whatever Puff is doing later. This Christmas is his first away from all of that, so he just wanted to check in with the family before he came back."

Denise nodded at the response before she eyed Yara. She'd noticed that the guest list this year had expanded due to significant others and two cute new squishy faces but there were three guests that were new and unchartered territory.

"So, I see that you invited Elizabeth and her daughters." Denise's voice was its regular mature tone, like brandy in a glass however Yara caught the unsurety in it.

"Yeah, I mean, they just agreed to dinner and then they'll likely leave. She was adamant on not imposing and well Ivy and Isla have their own lives to get on with. They've both got boyfriends, so they have other plans. I just wanted to make the effort to get to know them better and Christmas is about family and giving."

Denise nodded, not because she fully agreed but because she could see that Yara was just as unsure. However, in those brown eyes that Denise could read easily, she saw the growth that her plum was trying to exhibit. Forgiveness was brand new territory for Yara, she wouldn't become an obstacle or speed bump in the way.