Christmas Time Is Here: Academy Exclusives

Christmas Cookie Time

"Owen! You're here!" Jessica ran to him and jumped up on him, trusting that the 14-year-old would catch her and not let her fall.

Owen smiled. "Yeah, I'm here." He tightened his grip on her. He didn't really need to, the 7-year-old had been pulling the spider monkey trick on him for almost a year now and she clung tight enough to him. "I heard your mom has to work today and someone..." He tickled her ribs lightly. "Isn't feeling that great."

She frowned and shook her head. "I'm feeling mostly better." She informed him. "But mama said I couldn't go to school." She pouted.

"Well, it is almost Christmas and you don't want to make any of your friends sick." He soothed her feelings before planting a kiss on the top of her head. "So what do you want to do today?"

"Do you have any homework?" She asked, eagerly. "I like it when you have Spanish to do."

Owen smiled. "I'm done with all my homework for the year but we can still work on your Spanish and sign language." He promised.

"Can we make Christmas cookies then?" She asked. "Mama hasn't had time to make any. She's working too much." She informed him.

"I've never made Christmas cookies." He said, a drop of doubt finding its way into his tone.

"It's easy." She said. "I can help you. And if we make sugar cookie dough, it can go in the fridge until the boys are home. Luke likes to help with sugar cookies."

"I don't know. Maybe your mom has plans to make cookies."

"Actually, I don't." Erica came into the living room, pulling a sweater on over her scrubs. "I just can't pass up the overtime they're offering me." She said, apologetically. "So I'm really sorry but I was meaning to ask you if you and Sean were available to stay over. It's going to be a packed house and I hate to let Ben down when I've already told him that Luke could stay over and Nathan, Gabriel and Victor were all going to be here for most of the weekend as well. I can see if Jasmine wouldn't mind hosting but I'd still need someone to stay with Jessica because she claims to not be set up for that."

"Oh, I'll call Sean. I'm sure it'll be fine. We can do it." Owen said. "And if you think I can handle Christmas cookies then I guess I know what we'll be doing today and maybe most of the weekend."

"You can do just fine with Christmas cookies." Erica said, coming over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

Owen felt his cheeks burn. "You're welcome."

"I went ahead and put the recipes that we usually do out on the counter and the ingredients are all on the counter as well. Jessica will be a fine help with making dough and she wasn't wrong, Luke adores cookie making so even if all you do is make dough today, bake at least a tray of chocolate chip cookies..." she shrugged. "Then the boys would be more than happy to chip in on the cookie baking and decorating after their homework is done."

"All right." Owen felt skeptical about the whole thing but if Erica was sure he could handle it, then he'd figure it out.

"You handle the oven, always. Don't let Luke touch anything on the oven." She cautioned him. "We certainly don't need a repeat of burning the kitchen down." She said before kissing Jessica's forehead. "You be good for Owen and Sean, okay?"

"Yes mama." She said before snuggling closer in to Owen.

"She's always great." Owen said. "We'll be careful." He promised.

"Excellent. I'll be home late, probably after bedtimes but I did leave some money for a pizza order for dinner tonight. And if you're sure about staying for the weekend then I'll cover breakfast before I leave in the morning and make a lasagna for dinner."