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“It’s lovely.” Ariana gave Bailey a stern look. “You must be careful with it. Can you do that?”
Bailey cradled it to her chest. “I’ll be so careful.”
“Thank your aunty.”
Bailey flew around the gold coffee table. Jasmine laughed as her niece launched herself at her.
“I’m going to love it forever and ever!” Bailey declared fervently.
“You take care of it, I’ll get you more,” she said and winced at the high-pitched shriek Bailey released.
Jasmine glanced at Roth, who was sitting beside her. He was clearly nonplussed by Bailey’s over-the-top enthusiasm. Feeling a little wicked, she whispered in Bailey’s ear, “You have to thank Uncle as well for the gifts. He’s the one who took me to Denmark.”
Bailey didn’t disappoint. She threw herself at Roth, who wasn’t prepared for the attack and visibly jolted when Bailey threw her arms around his neck.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Bailey chanted before plopping herself between them.
Roth sat as still as a statue, staring straight ahead, while Bailey looked up at Jasmine with an angelic smile and asked her to make up a story about the castle in the snow globe. As she raked her mind for something fantastical, Jasmine saw Ariana watching them with a worried frown before her sister was distracted by Kye, who was toting around one of the cherry liquor bottles.
By the time Colette came back into the room with Polara, Jasmine had finished telling her niece a tale of magic, hope, and heartache. She brushed away Bailey’s tears.
“It’s just a story, baby. You can make up your own—a happier one,” she said, inwardly chastising herself. She’d been writing about reality for far too long—even her fairy tales were bleak. Did she even know how to write a happy ending anymore?
“What’s wrong?” Colette asked when she stopped in front of them.
“I didn’t do a good job with the happily ever after,” Jasmine explained with a grimace, holding her arms out for the baby.
Colette gave Bailey a sympathetic look before handing Polara over. As Jasmine settled the baby in her arms, she saw Colette staring at Roth. Jasmine followed her gaze to find Roth leaning over the arm of the chair to put space between himself and Bailey, who was oblivious to his discomfort.
“Come, Bailey. Let’s give Aunty and Uncle some room,” Colette said, holding her hand out to her niece.
Bailey gave Jasmine a forlorn look that tugged at her heartstrings.
“I’ll think of another story. Something happier,” she promised.
Bailey hopped off the couch and stroked the snow globe like she would her doll’s hair before going to her pile of gifts and lining them up against the couch.
Jasmine focused on the perfect bundle in her arms. Polara’s blue eyes were open and moving all over the room.
“Hi, baby,” she cooed, dipping her face to brush her nose against Polara’s. The smell of innocence wreathed Jasmine’s senses, making her lightheaded. Babies had a way of making all her adult problems seem so inconsequential. She’d either had to visit Colette and Lyle several times a week to get her fix or find a way to get into the maternity ward at the hospital. Was cuddling babies a job? If so, she might change professions. She could sit for hours taking in every tiny movement and not feel the need to do anything else. Polara would age quickly—Jasmine knew that from watching Bailey and Kye. Every minute was precious.
She took in the baby’s miniature yet perfect features. Polara Maxine. She had no doubt this tiny bundle would grow up to be a dynamo. Lyle and Colette were the quintessential power couple. Polara would likely follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a force to be reckoned with.
Her gaze flicked to Bailey, who was trying to pirouette near the ballerina statues. Bailey, on the other hand, might end up being an actress or something in the arts. Jasmine suspected Rami and Ariana would be a little more lenient, allowing their daughter to choose her own path.
She lifted Polara out of the way a second before Kye leaped at her to get a look at his cousin. “Gentle,” she cautioned.
Kye stared at Polara for less than five seconds before his attention wandered to Roth. The toddler eyed him curiously. That was understandable, since Roth was a stranger and so different from his father. Instead of being afraid, the little boy seemed fascinated. Roth ignored the toddler, who propped his little arms on his knees. When that failed to get a reaction, Kye tried to heave himself onto Roth’s lap.
“Kye!” Ariana dashed forward and picked up her son. “I’m sorry,” she apologized to Roth, who waved his hand to indicate it was no big deal.
Ariana settled Kye on the couch beside her. It took less than five minutes for him to slither off and run into the empty dining room. Ariana sighed and went after him, while Colette chatted with the housekeeper about something.
When Kye ran back into the room, he went to his father. Without pausing in conversation, Rami lifted his son onto his lap. For a few minutes, Kye seemed content. He listened to the men talk as he played with his gnome, but it wasn’t long before he was standing on the cushions beside his father. After that, he leaped off the couch and started like a magnet toward Roth.
“Kye!”
Ariana’s tone stopped Rami and Lyle’s conversation. No one commented as Ariana redirected her son away from Roth. As they passed in front of Jasmine, she heard Ariana mutter, “What did I just say? I told you not to go near him.”
