"Emma!" Her mom was running across the airport to the pick-up area.
"Hey, Mom," Emma's mom, Barbra, nearly tackled her. "Where's dad?"
"He's making sure the car is warm. Everyone is at home, and we're all going to go out to Eric's Steakhouse tonight," her mom said as she pulled away.
"I love that place," Emma said.
"We know, Bailey suggested it," her mom started holding her hand as they walked to the baggage claim. "Where's Ava? I know you said she wasn't coming, but is she working?"
"Yeah," Emma answered flatly, not really wanting to talk about it. Emma was just glad they were lazy about sending out the 'save the date'. "I wanted to talk to everyone about that when we got home," her mom looked worried.
"Alright. Yeah, we'll all be there. Why don't you catch me up on work?" Emma launched into how everything was going at the hospital. Catching up on her friends, co-workers, and work. They were able to find her green suitcase with no problem, and they walked outside to see her dad, Ernesto, waiting.
"If it isn't my little pumpkin!" He shouted, reaching out for a hug. Emma held him tightly.
"I missed you," she said into his shoulder.
"I missed you too. Come on, let's get you home and settled," he said, grabbing her bag and loading it up for her. The drive from Ekhart International Airport to Glacier took about forty-five minutes, passing through dense, snowy forests along a small two-lane highway. Emma stared out the window at the familiar trees, occasionally seeing the clearings for ice rivers and frozen lakes. Glacier was at the northernmost point of Idaho, a stone's throw away from the Canadian border. All the towns up here had populations of less than ten thousand, nothing but boring backwoods, small towns, and farming communities. She could see the lights before anything else, the wooden sign off to the side of the road trimmed with fake pine needles and Christmas lights, happily welcoming them to the municipality of Glacier.
Main Street was lined with lanterns and shops and cobblestone paths. Poinsettias hung from baskets, and the streetlights were wrapped in Christmas lights and tinsel. More lights were strung across the road from building to building, including a Glacier staple: a full-sized light display of Santa's sleigh and his reindeer, made to look like they were flying. The snow was pushed from the streets and off the busy sidewalks, people milling about and moving from store to store, all of the shops just as decked out as the road. Wreaths hung on every door, lights on every roof and window, and Emma could already see the candy-cane striped sign in the distance for Santa's Village, the massive Christmas tree farm/Christmas-themed winter wonderland. You could get anything there, from lights to trees to cocoa. They even had a few caribou on hand labeled as reindeer you could feed and pet.
Her dad turned off the main road and headed into the neighborhoods, nice houses lined up neatly in rows. They lived inside of the town limits, at least, not having to drive out to the farmlands where her grandparents were. All of the residents treated the holiday like it was the greatest event of the year. Even the one Jewish family in town had their house lit up in blue and white lights, a Star of David displayed on the lawn in gold strands. Her parents' house was no exception, with hardly a spot left unlit and untrimmed on the two-story, white paneled structure. There were a few cars in the driveway: her sister's familiar black jeep and her brother's beat-up old truck.
"It's really nice to be home," Emma said to herself.
"Let's get you inside. I made up your old room," her mom said. Emma nodded and went to the trunk to get her bag, but her dad stopped her.
"No, no, you go inside and relax. Both my daughters are here, and both of you are getting spoiled," Emma affectionately rolled her eyes.
"Alright, alright," she said. Her mom hurried her inside, the snow starting to come down again, and she was immediately bum-rushed by two small forms, both colliding solidly with her legs.
"Auntie Emma!" "Auntie!" Her brother's kids, Aiden and Victoria, shouted as they hit her. Aiden was eleven and already getting tall, looking like the spitting image of his dad with dark brown curls and tanned skin, while seven-year-old Victoria took after her mom, all big blue eyes and light brown hair. Emma gave them a group hug.
"Look how big you two have gotten!" She squeezed them tightly. She hadn't seen them in a few years.
"Well, well, well. Looks like the big, bad doctor is finally home for the holidays," her brother, Jose, came out from around the corner.
"I missed you, too. Come here ya sap," she stood up and hugged him. "How's the farm?"
"Cold," he chuckled; his black hair was finally at his shoulders, framing his face. "It's alright. We're done harvesting, so it's just livestock care until February. Victoria's finally helping out."
"I can carry a seed bag all by myself now," she stood with her hands on her hips. Emma tried not to tear up at the sight. She had gotten so big, and Emma had missed almost all of it.
"That's awesome. High five!" Emma made her jump. Victoria giggled and jumped as high as she could to smack it. Someone came thundering down the stairs, and Bailey appeared with a wide grin. She came down in sweatpants and a t-shirt that said 'U.S. Air Force' across the chest. Her glasses were a little crooked on her face, the black frames slipping down her nose.
"There's my favorite sibling!" She shouted, coming over to scoop Emma up. Jose made an offended sound. "You didn't take me to Dairy Queen last night when I asked, so you lost your spot," she scoffed at him, squeezing Emma tightly. She was the youngest, freshly nineteen and ready to take on the world.
"I'll take you to Dairy Queen after dinner. I could use one of their seasonal thingies," Emma said, gesturing widly.
"A blizzard?" Bailey said with a confused face.
"Yes, thank you!" Emma snapped her fingers.
"You are exactly the same," Bailey scoffed. "Come on, I wanna show you the kitchen. Mom redid it last summer."
"I will just let me get the smell of the airport off me."
"Yes, I agree that you stink," Jose said, shoving her towards the stairs. Victoria and Aiden were still hanging off of her.
"Auntie, when you're done being stinky, I wanna show you my legos!" Aiden said. Victoria tugged on her.
"Nu-uh! Because I gotta show Auntie my ponies, and she wants to see those more, right Auntie?" She butted in, looking up at her. Jose grabbed them both, throwing them over his shoulders.
"Okay, you two. Stop pestering Aunt Emma. She'll see both," he said, looking back at the door. "Where's Ava at?" Emma looked away, clearing her throat.
"We broke up before I got here. No, I don't want to talk about it. Yes, it is over for good, I never want to see her again," she said in one breath. Bailey narrowed her eyes.
"Do I need to call a drone strike on the bitch? Because I will." Jose made a scolding noise.
"Watch the language!" He hissed. "Go take a shower, Em. And I'm sorry," he said with a sympathetic look. Bailey mouthed 'drone strike' before imitating a bomb going off. Emma rolled her eyes before going upstairs. Her parents put tinsel on the banister with some hanging ornaments along the deep stained wood. They changed the carpet at the top of the stairs to a nice dark brown that matched the baseboards. The walls were still beige and covered in family photos. She walked down the hallway, and next to her room was her engagement photo of her and Ava in the pumpkin patch.
"Come on, please stand right here," Emma pulled Ava in front of the cheesy photo-op wall.
"Okay, but only because I love you," Ava giggled. She was wearing a yellow sweater dress and matching tights. Her hair was in two Dutch braids on the sides of her head.
"Kenny! You got the photo, right?" Their friend was behind one of their phones.
"You two just be cute," he waved at them. "Alright, one, two..." Emma quickly pulled out the ring box and got down on one knee. Ava realized what was happening.
"Ava, you are the light of my life, the whipped cream on my pumpkin pie. Would you make me the happiest person alive and marry me?" Emma saw a few tears roll down her face.
"Yes, holy shit, yes."
Emma took the frame off the wall, took out the photo, and put the empty frame back up. She would fill it with a better photo later. Maybe one of them standing in front of this year's tree.
Emma emerged from the shower and went to the living room before heading to the kitchen, where she could hear everyone. The living room was rearranged to make room for the tree. Both couches were in an 'L-shape' instead of one against the window. The naked Christmas tree was sitting in the window area waiting to be decorated, and there were already quite a few presents under its branches. The fireplace was crackling merrily, and there were decorations everywhere. The walls were filled with family photos, and the kids and grandkids hung everywhere for the family to see.
She walked into the large kitchen, and when Bailey said they'd redecorated, she meant it. The same dark hardwood floors had been polished up, scuffs from years of use almost invisible. They'd redone the cabinets in white to match the paint on the walls, and the countertops were no longer that old, scuffed linoleum, replaced by a light white and gray granite. The color shift made the kitchen feel even bigger, and it was better lit now as well, with decorative lighting over the island and inlaid in the cabinet tops to shine down on the counters. Her mother was washing a mug at the farmhouse sink, the old pale blue checkered curtains still hanging on the window above it. This room hadn't escaped the Christmas explosion, a sparkly silver centerpiece on the island surrounded by fake holly sprigs and berries. Chuy, the family dog, was lying on the bed in the corner where the kitchen met the living room. He was a cream-colored mutt with scruffy, wiry fur, and brown eyes, between midsize and small. His tail thumped on the floor when she came in, a small half-barking noise coming out of him in greeting. He wasn't old, at least not that old, but he was the laziest animal she'd ever seen. She crouched next to him, giving him some scratches behind the ears.
"Hey, Chuy boy! I missed you too," he nosed her hand, sniffing her curiously before laying down with a large huff. "Oh, I know, life's just so hard for you. Living in a big warm house with plenty of food and love, whatever will you do?" She joked. Barbra came over with a small, sad smile.
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. Bailey told me you and Ava broke up! It's just so sad," she shook her head, but there was a glint in her eyes that Emma recognized, the one that said she was up to something. "We took down any pictures with her in them while you were in the shower, and she's been banned from the family chat."
"Blocked, Mom," Bailey called out. "We blocked her number from the chat and our phones. Careful, you're mom's new project," Barbra gasped, shooting her a stern look.
"I like banned," Emma laughed. Bailey backed away from their mom slowly with her hands up and a Twizzler in her mouth, moving to sit over by Jose and the kids. Amber, her sister-in-law, was at the table as well, giving her a sympathetic smile and holding up a bottle of red wine. Emma pulled down her favorite seasonal mug that her mom still had and sat next to her. "Thank you," Amber clinked their glasses together and gave her a side hug.
"You've got 'I need wine' face," she responded. "As your only sister of legal drinking age, it's my sworn duty to provide."
"Maybe after dinner, you could take Emma out, Amber! You could have a little girl's night, talk, chat, maybe even introduce her to the new owner of Page Bound," her mom suggested with a coy smile. "She's a lesbian, too, you know," there were collective groans.
"Honey, you don't know that she's a lesbian," her dad said with an eye roll. Her mom snorted, waving him off.
"This isn't like the last time when I thought Brooke Davis was a lesbian. This time I know better. I got this book called 'Loving your LGQTBAI Child' that talks all about how not to stereotype. I'm very hip with the times," Emma tried to hide her laugh from her mom.
"Okay, I'll bite. What makes you think she's a lesbian?" Emma asked, matching her mom's energy. Barbra lit up.
"I've heard from Grace, who heard from Tom, who heard from Daniel that Rebecca's son Dawson, you remember Dawson? The cute little boy with the dimples and the blue eyes? Very Clark Kent looking, very handsome. Anyways, Dawson asked her on a date and tried to flirt with her, but she said no," her mom gasped at the end like it was scandalous that that happened. "Plus, I know Gay. I raised one. I can just tell."
"Okay-" she might be onto something. Anyone who liked men liked Dawson. "But I'm really not looking to meet anyone. I just wanna spend time with my family and eat a million cookies," she said, looking around at everyone. Bailey threw her arms around Emma, giving her an over-exaggerated hug.
"Well, in that case, after dinner, we should go to Santa's. Mrs. Claus switched up her chocolate chip recipe, and it's fucking mint," she said, clicking her tongue. Jose and Amber gave her dirty looks, and Barbra smacked her arm. "Ow! Fine, I see when I'm not wanted. I'm just going to run away forever, unloved by my family," she said dramatically. Ernesto casually flipped the page on the newspaper he was reading.
"If you're going upstairs, get dressed. We need to leave for dinner soon," he called after her. Jose sent Aiden and Victoria off to get ready as well.
"Now that the children are gone. Ava had an affair," Emma said out loud. It was weird to say it, something that she thought Ava was immune from doing. Barbra gasped again, covering her mouth, and Ernesto frowned heavily, setting the newspaper down. Jose started grumbling curses under his breath, shaking his head, and Amber just leaned over, pouring more wine into Emma's mug.
"Bitch. What was her excuse?" Amber snorted. "Let me guess, she got lonely?"
"Give the lady a prize," Emma tried to joke. "It's fine. She's been moved out now. I worked a lot before my flight, so I'm good now," her mom pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly.
"My poor baby girl. What an awful thing to do! How could she possibly cheat on someone as sweet and kind and loving and smart and- ooh, it just makes me mad as a gopher in the rocks!" She hadn't let go of Emma, squeezing her tightly and rocking her.
"Mom, it's okay," she said, trying to pull away. Her mom just held her tighter. "I can deal with it. I'm going to therapy after the new year. It's all fine."
"Mom, you're choking her out," Jose commented. "Your love is killing her," Barbra gave her one more squeeze before finally letting go.
"You know, I bet Skye isn't the cheating type," she commented. Ernesto grabbed her by the hips and pulled her into his lap, kissing his wife's cheek.
"Enough about the bookstore owner," he said. "Emmy's here for rest and to get away from all of the drama. Besides, the book said that just because someone is a BLTGQI doesn't mean they like everyone else who is," he scolded.
"Dad is absolutely right," Emma tilted her cup to him. "Alright now, let's talk about anything else, please," Emma said into her cup. They all looked at each other.
"I'm gonna level with you, dude. Your drama and the new bookstore owner, who's still debatable sexuality-wise, are the only things that have happened in years," Amber said with a small laugh. Emma made a noise of agreement. Bailey came back down the stairs, wearing jeans and a thick sweater. She had Aiden on one arm and Victoria on the other, doing arm curls with them and making partially exaggerated grunts.
"I'm just too strong for you two! You wouldn't stand a chance!" She shouted. "Now get off and go attack your dad. We gotta get going. Bailey needs comida!" The kids dropped down, running to tackle Jose.
"Oh no," Jose said before Aiden pulled the chair out, and Victoria tackled him. One of her knees collided solidly with his crotch, making him groan and wheeze.
"Come on, let's get going! Who wants steak!" Victoria jumped up first with her hand raised. "Let go!"
☃
Emma was being dragged through town by Bailey after dinner, the rest of their family trailing behind them. Bailey insisted on them walking over to Santa's Village, demanding hot chocolate and tempting Emma with the promise of alcohol and cookies. The snow was coming down in small, sparse flakes, just enough to set the wintertime scene, and every few storefronts they would get stopped by people wanting to say hello to Emma and wish them all a merry Christmas. She was full on steak and potatoes and a little tipsy from the wine, just enough for her ears to feel warm and for the knot in her chest to loosen, and also enough to make the conversation flow with ease. The streets were lit up brightly from all the lights, and she could hear the sound of tinny Christmas music playing from the shops they passed, creating an amalgamation of cheery sounds. Victoria and Aiden were running around in front of them, playing in the snow and throwing it at each other while Jose desperately tried to ensure they didn't cause collateral damage.
Santa's Village was exactly how she remembered it: vibrant and well lit, the barn and farmhouse decorated to look like gingerbread houses. Mr. Fulton and his wife always went big for it, a tradition passed down from his grandfather when he first started the Christmas tree farm, and every year despite the bitter cold the entire place radiated a special type of warmth. She could already make out the 'Santa's helpers' moving around, mostly teens needing spending money, all wearing green and red elf hats. Emma had worn one, too, back in the day when she was sixteen and was trying to scrape together enough cash to take herself to the drive-in theater or order some pizza. Bailey made them beeline for the barn, where they sold the concessions and novelty items.
"Come on, I want to get a teeny tiny little tree. Don't ask what it's for," Bailey commented. Aiden and Victoria were flitting around with the excitement of small children at Christmas time. "Cocoa first, though. You're buying, right? Ms. Hotshot Heart Doctor?" Bailey batted her eyes and smiled.
"Yes, I will buy you a hot chocolate and an overpriced large candy cane," Emma rolled her eyes affectionately, taking her sister's elbow. Bailey cheered.
"We're gonna go let the kids feed the 'reindeer'," Jose said, putting air quotes around the word. "Meet us over there when you're done! I want hot chocolate, too!" He and Amber took off after their kids, arms linked and leaning against each other. Emma never really thought high school sweethearts would work, but Jose and Amber still seemed just as into each other as they were when they got together in their sophomore year.
The inside of the barn was warmer, and a few space heaters were placed around to help with the winter chill. The left side was all small trees, some fake but most real, and along the back wall was all of the ornaments. Emma noticed a new section, an assortment of hand-carved wooden ornaments and decorations. She wanted to take a closer look, but she was pulled off to the right where the small cafe had been set up, a few tables and chairs next to a serving counter. Mrs. Fulton was wearing her full 'Mrs. Claus' outfit: a red and white dress with a Santa hat on, and she gave them a huge smile as they made their way through the line.
"Well if it isn't little Bailey and Emma Gomez! Welcome! I hope you girls have been good this year," she joked. "What can I get for you two?"
"Can I please get a large hot cocoa and a dozen chocolate chip cookies?" Bailey asked politely. "Oh! And a massive candy cane. The biggest you have." Mrs. Fulton nodded, punching it into the old register.
"Are you still making your black forest cake?" Emma asked, pulling out her wallet. Mrs. Fulton just laughed.
"You've been away too long, Emma. Yes. I still have several."
"Can I pay for it now and come pick it up when we're finished outside?"
"For you, absolutely," she smiled, and Emma passed over her card. Mrs. Fulton ran it and wrote Bailey's name on the cup. "I'll have everything for you down a ways."
"Thank you!" Bailey and Emma shouted at the same time. Bailey pulled her over to the smallest set of trees, looking over them with an appraising eye. They were right next to the decorations now, and Emma got to look them over. Some were made from twigs and string, a small rocking chair, a woven hoop with holly inside, and others were clearly carved, bears and presents and trees. One of the larger ones was a wooden tree with painted ornaments, three bear cubs standing on each other's shoulders next to it, looking as though they were trying to put a star on the top.
"What do you think of this one? Emma?" Bailey got her attention, holding up a small shrub shaped like a Christmas tree.
"That one's pretty fat. What's your vision?"
"The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree."
"You're gonna put one star and one ornament on it."
"Yes."
"Then you need a smaller one," Emma laughed. Bailey set it down and continued looking, frowning when she didn't find what she was looking for. Her hot chocolate was called out, but there were two sitting there on the counter, the second one with Emma's name on it.
"Enjoy, you two! Oh, Emma, dear?" Mrs. Fulton leaned closer, smile falling a bit. "I know you're on vacation, but could you find time to talk to Mr. Fulton? I'm just a little worried about him, he's getting older, but he won't acknowledge it. His old ticker can't quite keep up with him anymore."
"I would be more than happy to make a home visit," Emma held her hand. "Anything to help," Mrs. Fulton patted her hand with a smile. Up this close, she could really see the aging, the both of them pushing 70. They'd been doing this together since Emma's parents were children. Emma sipped the hot chocolate as they walked away, smiling at the familiarity of it. It was thick and flavorful with cinnamon sprinkled on top how she liked it. It brought a smile to her face and helped drive away the winter chill. They walked towards the petting zoo, where they could see Aiden with his arm through the fence as a caribou nibbled treats from his hand. She was watching him closely when Victoria tugged on her coat.
"Hey, Auntie! I wanna look at the really tall trees!" She said excitedly.
"I think that is an excellent idea," she smiled at the small child. Jose came over and swiped her hot chocolate, taking a drink.
"I deserve this. I have two kids," he said, walking away with her cocoa. Emma stared at him, plotting her revenge. It'd be really easy to trip him and make him spill it. Victoria pulled on her hand.
"Auntie, come on! I wanna go! Auntie Emmy, chase me!" She tore off towards the trees in the tree farm, laughing maniacally.
"Shit," Emma mumbled to herself as she chased after the small human. Victoria ducked and wove through the trees, her delighted laughter ringing out and guiding Emma through the small forest. "Victoria! Sweetie! Get back here! You can't just charge off like this!" She shouted after her niece. Victoria took a sharp turn back towards the main part of the Village. Emma went to follow, bursting out of the trees. But before she could try to speed up and catch Victoria, she slammed into someone hard enough to take both of them to the ground. She landed on top of them with an 'oof,' hands on her waist in a failed attempt to catch her. "Oh my god, I am so sorry. Are you okay?" Emma felt terrible. She pushed up and looked at the person she knocked over, freezing momentarily. She was gorgeous.
"No worries, there's always a parent chasing a child around here," the woman said with a grin. She had dark blonde, curly hair cut short around her head, curls sitting almost like a halo. Her eyes were an icy blue-gray, framed by dark lashes that made them pop vibrantly, and a band of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She was wearing one of Santa's helpers' hats, knocked sideways from the hit, and a leather jacket over a red and black plaid shirt. "You alright?"
"I-Um- yes, are you?" Emma stammered. The woman smiled, tilting her head.
"Getting knocked off my feet by the prettiest woman here? I'm doing fantastic right now. My ass is starting to get a little cold, though," she said with an amused look in her eyes, and Emma realized she was still on top of her. Emma's eyes widened, and she frantically scrambled up with her cheeks burning.
"Right, sorry. Uh, here, let me help you up!" She offered her hand out. She took it and stood up. She was shorter than Emma by a few inches, even in her boots.
"Thank you. There's easier ways to sweep a girl off her feet, you know," she chuckled, brushing the snow off her pants. Emma felt completely thrown off her game.
"I-" she cleared her throat. "She's not my kid. She's my niece. I feel really bad, can I, like, get you a cocoa or something to make up for it?" she asked.
"My shift is over in a half hour?" She looked at her watch. The band was a little rainbow. If the beat-up leather boots and men's shirt weren't enough of a sign, that confirmed it. She was definitely a lesbian. "How about I meet you in the cafe?" Emma nodded with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, sounds good! Sorry again," she agreed. "I'm Emma, by the way. Gomez. Emma Gomez," if she could stop being awkward, that would be great.
"Skye Evans," she stuck her hand out. "Not to sound weird, but your mom, Barb, told me all about you," she chuckled awkwardly. Emma laughed as well, taking her hand. It felt warm, even through their gloves.
"I've heard quite a bit about you, too," she responded. "She means well, but she's very... vocal about being a proud mom and ally."
"It oddly made me feel comfortable when I first moved here. I'm guessing your... girlfriend... partner is nearby? Your mom mentioned someone?" Skye was making a face like she wasn't sure she heard her mom right. Emma sighed.
"Ex-fiancée, and no," she responded a little gruffly. She just couldn't seem to get away from Ava. She was all over the apartment, she was all over Boston, and even flying all the way out to fucking Idaho didn't help. "Sorry, it's a recent development."
"Completely my bad," she said quickly. "I will remove my foot from my mouth," Emma's eyes widened, realizing she might've come off as upset at Skye.
"Hey, Skye! We need your help over here!" A voice called for her.
"So sorry, they need my help. I'll be in the cafe later if you wanna talk still," Skye said. "It was nice to meet you finally, Emma," Emma nodded.
"Yeah, you too. I'll see you in a little bit," Emma said with a smile. Skye ran off to the loading area, where an employee struggled to get a tree onto a car's roof. Skye deftly hopped up on the back bumper and grabbed the back of the tree's trunk, muscling it up and over.
Damn.
Emma shook her head, returning to where she last saw her family. They were acting casual, too casual, the family standing around innocently and not looking at her or each other. Victoria was in Amber's arms, starting to fall asleep. "What? Why are guys acting weird?"
"Oh, Emma! We didn't see you there!" Her mom said with a smile. "Did you meet Skye? I think she's been working here some evenings."
"Yes, Mom," she said with a sigh. "Can we all just go back to a normal family vacation?" Amber rubbed Victoria's back.
"It's, unfortunately, actually time for us to call it a night. It's past this one's bedtime. We'll see you guys tomorrow for breakfast, though," she said quietly. Jose had Aiden on his back.
"Grandma wants all of us to come over in the morning," he told them. "She's making blueberry pancakes," Emma perked up at the words. She loved her grandma's blueberry pancakes.
"I'm pretty done here, too," Bailey said. "I got my hot chocolate, and I couldn't find a tree. Plus, it's freaking freezing out here," her parents nodded.
"Guess we'll all head out," Ernesto agreed.
"Actually- uh-" Fuck. "I am gonna be getting a drink with Skye after her shift," Emma said sheepishly. Her mom's face immediately split into a massive grin, eyebrows raising. "No. Stop that. It's a friend-drink. I completely took her out chasing Victoria, and I offered to buy her a hot chocolate to make up for it," she tried to nip that in the bud as quickly as she could.
"Oh, of course. We know you're just here for a family vacation," her mom said with an innocent smile. "We won't wait up for you. Have fun, take some time; you really do work too much," they hugged her, her dad kissing her on the head, and walked out of the Village, and Emma went to the cafe to wait.