Better together (a clace fan fiction)

Christmas eve

We get up from the couch and I get the ingredients out to make gooey chocolate chip cookies. We always make the cookies from scratch. That's how I would do it growing up and that's how I am going to do it now with my kids. I put the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. "Here Braxton, can you stir this for me," I ask. He nods and takes the bowl and starts stirring it up.

"Is this good mommy?" Braxton asks after a few minutes. I look at the bowl. "Looks good Braxton," I say and take the bowl and set it to the side. Next in a separate bowl I put melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar and mix it up. When it's mixed good enough I separate the egg white from the yolk and put it in the bowl with the butter and sugar. I put a full egg in as well and add some vanilla and let Braxton mix it up. I like letting him help. I add in the other bowl as well. I add in two cups of chocolate chips slowly while he is mixing everything. Once everything is mixed enough I scoop the cookie dough onto the pan. "I wanna do it," Braxton says. "Here," I say and hand him the spool and help him get a good enough size for a cookie and he puts it on the pan. He does the same until all the cookie dough is all on the cookie sheet. I set the cookie sheets in the oven and set a timer for 17 minutes. "Can I have a cookie when it's done?" he asks. "Later tonight, maybe. We need to leave enough for Santa" I tell him. "Okay," he says.

"Can I open a present now?" he asks. "Not yet, but you will tonight," I tell him. "Okay" he says. We sit on the couch and wait on Jace.

After a while, Jace comes home pulling Grace behind him. He is looking mad. He goes upstairs and disappears with Grace. He comes back down without her. "Are you alright Braxton?" he asks. "Yes, daddy. I am all better now" Braxton says. "That's good buddy. Grace shouldn't have done that to you. That was mean" Jace says. He sniffs the air. "What's that smell," he asks. "We are making cookies for Santa," I tell Jace. He smiles.

"Should I invite Jonathan, Alice, and Ash over for dinner?" I ask. "Yeah sure," Jace says. I write a note asking them to come over at 5:30 for dinner and I send the fire message. "Where is Grace," I ask. "In her room. She is to stay there until tonight" Jace says.

I go upstairs and walk into her room. She is sitting on her bed crying. "Grace," I ask. "Go away," she says. "No, Grace-" I start. She says "you made daddy hate me, he spanked me." "He doesn't hate you, Grace. You shouldn't have done that to your brother. You also shouldn't have run when we were trying to get you inside" I tell her. "But he does hate me. Daddy spanked me, he's never spanked me before. Plus I said something really mean to daddy so now he double hates me" she says. "What did you say," I ask. "I called him a stupid meany and told him to go away. When he didn't I told him I don't like him or Braxton anymore" she explains. "Jace still loves you baby, but you shouldn't have said those things or done that to your brother. You have to eat dinner up here tonight. You will only come down when it's time to open your first present tonight" I tell her. "You're so mean mommy," she says. "That's fine," I say and walk out of her room.

I go downstairs and see Jace pulling the cookie sheet out of the oven. Jace starts making pork for dinner. After it starts cooking it smells weird. I scrunch up my nose and suddenly I feel like I am going to throw up. I open the back door to the backyard, since I don't think I will be able to make it to the bathroom, and I throw up whatever is in my stomach. Jace comes out here with me. "Are you alright?" he asks me. "Yeah," I say I stand upright and wipe my mouth. I go inside and feel uneasy again and go back out. "What's wrong," he asks and I sit down on the bench. "I need you to get rid of the pork and the smell. I can't handle it. It makes me want to throw up" I tell him. "Alright, stay out here. I will get rid of the pork and do my best to get rid of the smell" he says. I nod. "Do you want me to bring you some hot chocolate or something since its cold out here?" he asks. "That sounds good" I answer. "Alright, I will be right back," he says and goes inside.