Stella could sense the liveliness of Clint’s home through the screen.
It lifted her spirits amid the pang of missing the holiday with him.
Returning the focus to himself, Clint whispered to Stella, “Stella, I’ve got Juliette and Oliver here. I’m genuinely happy. You enjoy your time at Matthew’s; don’t worry about me.”
Stella nodded, ready to speak when Matthew leaned in, addressing Clint. “Hello, Grandpa. Stella and I plan to visit you in Bysea after the New Year. And, there’s something I want to share in advance…”
He glanced at Stella and announced, “Stella and I are gearing up for our wedding soon.”
Clint’s laughter echoed, causing his mustache to tremble, and his aged eyes glistened with tears.
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Dabbing his eyes, he exclaimed happily, “Good, good, good. Arrange as you like. Eagerly awaiting your wedding.”
Before he could finish, Juliette’s cry echoed. “Oh dear, I’ve burnt it again… It’s the fourth turkey now!”
“Stella, Matthew, I’ve got to go check things, or Juliette might turn my kitchen into ashes.” Clint swiftly ended the video call without waiting for Stella’s goodbye.
Stella gazed at the screen, feeling a bit helpless. She then sent Clint a voice message, wishing him a Merry Christmas.
After wrapping up all this, she set her phone down.
Lucia, seated across from her, observed the scene and remarked with a smile, “Your family is quite amusing. We’ve overlooked it. You and Matthew have been married for a while, and we haven’t set up a meal for both families to meet.”
Prompted by this, Stella realized she hadn’t thought it through.
She nodded in agreement. “I’ll bring them over to meet you all next time they visit Seamarsh.”
After the meal, Stella rose from her seat and headed to the kitchen, fetching the gingerbread cookies she’d specially crafted for Matthew.
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“Grandma mentioned these are your Christmas tradition. Give them a try and let me know what you think.”
Her eyes held a mix of nerves and excitement as she observed him.
Matthew took a cookie, took a bite, and exclaimed, “Delicious, just like every year. Did Grandma whip these up?”
Grinning, Lucia shook her head. “Stella made them for you.”
Matthew beamed with joy, turning to plant a quick ki*s on Stella’s cheek. He whispered, “Incredible. You’re amazing.”
Caught by Lucia’s smiling gaze, Stella blushed and kept her eyes lowered.
Observing Stella’s shyness, Lucia commented, “This Christmas Eve is different from before. I hope every Christmas Eve is as joyful as this one.”
That evening, Lucia mentioned it had been a while since they hung out and invited them to spend the night in her place.
Back in the room, Stella headed for a shower. Emerging from the bathroom, she settled on the balcony, lost in her thoughts.