𝙁𝙀𝙍𝙊𝘾𝙄𝙊𝙐𝙎 » 𝙅𝙒: 𝙙𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣

I

'Sweetie,' Hudson coaxes, trying his best not to laugh. 'You don't ask people for your presents, okay?It's not very polite.'

'Well, how else am I supposed to get them?' She shrugs. 'I used my manners.'

I snort a little under my breath, Winnie pinching me on the arm as she put the plates down onto the counter. Her and Hudson exchange a knowing glance that entails the conversation they'd be having with her once we'd left.

'Well...' Alex says. He eyes me from the table, reaching under the seat to produce a colourful bag overflowing with tissue paper. 'Seeing as you used wonderful manners...'

Meredith's grin spread from ear to ear, deep brown eyes sparkling with excitement. Her tiny hands dove amongst the wrapping, frowning a little when she realised it was moderately heavy. She pulls it out, Hudson resting his chin on her shoulder.

'Wow,' he says an awe. 'Pretty spoilt.'

Meredith tips the box upside down to read all the words she still didn't know. 'What is it?'

'It's a dinosaur spotting kit for when you go to Rocky Mountain,' Alex explains, gently taking the box from her and pointing at the pictures. 'It's got a set of binoculars that change from day to night vision, a torch, and a little camera to take pictures of them.'

'What's a bye know?'

Hudson snorts, gently taking the box from her. 'You know your swimming goggles that Grandma gave you last Christmas?'

'....Yeah.'

'They're like that, but a hundred times cooler.'

Meredith clasped her hands together, grinning. 'I'm gonna put them with my tent,' she announces, kicking herself down from the chair and toddling down the hallway in loud stomps towards her bedroom. Alex starts to ask Hudson about next weekend, falling into chatter about the rental car they were having to take up North.

'Are you two gonna be alright with her?' I ask.

Winnie plops a slice down on a plate. 'What do you mean?'

I look to my old living room—once strewn with my new belongings, now filled with colours i didn't recognise— now occupied by Meredith, who had since pulled Alex's large frame down from his chair to pin him to the blue carpet. He pretends to be in agony as she climbs onto his back, smashing a lounge pillow on the side of his head.

'You aren't worried about her running off at the camping grounds?'

'She'll be fine,' Winnie assures. 'Hudson's talked to her about the ground rules. She knows.'

'She's also three,' I point out.

'Yeah I know,' she says sheepishly. 'But, you know, we've been talking about taking her on a holiday for ages and I don't think we're quite ready for planes and airports yet.'

'You should get some of those Fish and Wildlife Department safety videos they make for kids,' I suggest. 'So she can watch them on the drive there.'

'When her Aunt who quite literally lived at Jurassic World could talk to her...?'

But she smiles it off again before I can reply, knowing how that world and our current one couldn't be further apart if they tried. 'Hudson's already found a few,' she says.

I pluck four mugs from a top cupboard, setting them down on the counter.

'And what about you two,' Winnie says, nodding in the direction of the dining table. 'Long weekend trip?'

I flick the kettle on, reaching for the tea jar. 'We've talked about it a little,' I reply. 'He wants to do Alaska.'

Winnie turns around, wide-eyed, having put the knife down. 'And are you?'