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“They’re both asleep?” I crept into the room.
“Appears that way.” Gabe didn’t move from his sprawl as I set the car seats and food down. Luckily, I had nestled a surprise that might help revive him in between the food.
“Here.” Keeping my voice low, I kneeled next to Gabe. “Since the hospital coffee shop is closed for the holiday, I grabbed you a coffee at a gas station on the way in. Not the best brand, but at least it’s your favorite hazelnut.”
“You’re my favorite brother.” He offered me a tired smile.
“And I have cookies.” Staying quiet, I unpacked the food bags for the Christmas dinner hospital picnic plan Atlas and I had dreamed up. We all had agreed to wait on any present exchanges until the twins were home, but we didn’t need presents to celebrate.
“I should be the favorite something,” Atlas softly teased from his spot, rocking the twins. “Not only did I convince your kids to sleep, but I also had the idea to raid the leftovers fridge at Seasons.”
“Okay, you’re both the best.” Gabe took a long swallow of coffee.
“You’re a championship team,” Paige added. Aunt Lucy shot me a knowing look, but I kept my expression neutral, careful to not seem too pleased at being a team with Atlas. We did work well together, whether at Seasons, solving disasters, gaming at my place, or in bed. I simply liked being around him far, far too much.
We’d grabbed paper plates and plastic silverware, so I quickly assembled plates with assorted appetizers, ham, cheese, and plenty of cookies. While I worked, Aunt Lucy carefully transferred the twins to their bassinet so Atlas could eat. As I handed out plates, Gabe swallowed hard.
“What?” I took a seat next to him on the daybed. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” His quivering lower lip said otherwise. “This isn’t the Christmas dinner any of us expected at all. But you and Atlas made sure it was Seasons Special.”
“We tried.” I set a hand on his shoulder. “And it might be unexpected, but I can’t wait to tell the twins the story of our Christmas Eve adventure, complete with police escort.”
“A new family legend.” Gabe’s voice brightened. “The next generation of Seasons.”
“Next generation?” Paige laughed lightly before turning toward me. “That’s a lot of responsibility for two teeny babies. Someone better produce some cousins.”
“I’ll get right on that.” I laughed even as my longing intensified. And what would I do if, a few years from now, Atlas showed up with someone else? Had a family? Could I imagine having one without him? Impossible though it was, every future wish I had seemed to center around Atlas.
My plate full of Nix’s delicious offerings might as well have been pebbles for all the appetite I had. After we cleaned up the plates and delivered some cookies to the nurses’ station, Aunt Lucy headed back to the hotel for a few hours of rest while Paige dozed in the bed. Gabe also looked well on his way to sleep. Exchanging a quick glance, Atlas and I bundled up for another chilly night.
“We’ll let you nap while the babies are sleeping,” Atlas whispered on our way out the door.
Once we were in the car and headed out of the parking garage, I looked at Atlas in the passenger seat. “What do you want to do now? Another movie at my place?”
“The side streets have to be better after today’s sun, right?” Atlas pointed at the neighborhood opposite the hospital, where every house seemed lit up in holiday colors. “Look at all those lights. Tomorrow, most decorations will start coming down, but tonight it’s Christmas. Let’s drive around and look at the lights.”
“I love that idea.”
We started near the hospital with the cheery, middle-class neighborhood, with me driving while Atlas looked up the best areas in Philly to see holiday lights.
“Hey, you remember that college party from a few weeks back? The IT department? Apparently, one of the best neighborhoods for lights is near there. Evergreen. People come from all over to see the displays.”
“Well then, let’s do it.” I gestured for him to type the address into Gabe’s SUV’s GPS. We turned on the same station we’d listened to the night before, which was playing lots of old Christmas hits. We kept cracking each other up by singing along badly and making up joke lyrics.
“Oh wow, this was worth the drive.” I legit gasped as we entered the Evergreen neighborhood. The group of older brick homes was spectacularly lit up, each house lavishly decorated, one after another. The largest house on the corner had row after row of bright lights, along with reindeer on the roof and an illuminated Pride flag in the window. Multiple windows revealed various trees, and to my delight, two male figures were slow dancing by the largest tree in the front room.
