Free A Family for Christmas by Noelle Adams Page B

of
weeks.”
    “Yeah,
but it’s been months since I got together with Gabe. I wouldn’t mind if there
was slow progress, but there’s no progress at all. I don’t know what to do. I’m
just no good with kids.”
    “You’ve
always said that, but I’ve never known why. You do fine with kids.”
    “No,
I don’t. I never know what to say to them.”
    “You
just haven’t spent a lot of time around them, but they’ve always liked you
fine.”
    “But
Ellie doesn’t. Don’t you have any suggestions on how I can talk to her or what
I can do?”
    “I’m
sorry, honey, I don’t know what to tell you—except kids aren’t alien creatures.
They’re people. Treat her like a person. If it were you, in her situation, how
would you want to be treated?”
    Lydia
sighed and slumped down on the couch, stretching her legs out and closing her
eyes. “I just don’t know. I’ve never been in her situation, and I’m so
exhausted now I can’t even think.”
    “It
just feels overwhelming now because it’s new to you and you’re not used to it.
It will get easier. I promise. She’s your family now. Try to start thinking about
her that way, and she’ll eventually warm up.”
    Lydia
didn’t reply to that. Ellie didn’t feel like family, any more than Gabe did.
That was part of why it was so hard, and it was something she couldn’t tell her
mother.
    “What
does Gabe say about it?” her mom asked.
    “Nothing.”
    “You
mean you haven’t told him you’re having trouble with her?”
    “I’m
not having trouble with her. I mean, it’s not like she’s really being bad.”
    “But
he still needs to know. How does she act when he’s around?”
    “Better.
She’ll answer me and say thank you when he’s around. It’s not like she’s ever
friendly.”
    “Well,
tell him. He’ll want to know you’re so upset about it. The two of you can
figure out something to do.”
    “I
don’t want to go and whine to him about his daughter.”
    “It’s
not whining. It’s part of life. If you’re building a family together, you all
need to work together to deal with anything that comes up.”
    Lydia
swallowed and bit back an immediate objection.
    Her
mother’s tone softened as she added, “You’ve got to work together, honey, or a
marriage can never work.”
    “Yeah.
I know.” Lydia opened her eyes and realized her mother was right.
    It
didn’t matter why or how she’d married Gabe. It was still a marriage. And Ellie
and her happiness were important. They needed to somehow make this work.
    When
he got home, she’d talk to him. It would be fine. They were two reasonable
people, and they could figure out a way to make this marriage successful.
    ***
    Gabe didn’t get back
until almost midnight.
    Lydia
put Ellie to bed at nine, and she stayed awake in her bedroom, waiting. At ten,
when he still hadn’t arrived, she’d gotten ready for bed, but she kept the
light on and read, listening for the sounds of Gabe returning.
    Maybe
she should just wait until the next morning, but she’d steeled herself to have
the conversation tonight, so she wanted to just get it done.
    Finally
she heard the garage door open and his car pull in. She waited and heard his footsteps
on the stairs. They kept going up to the third floor, so he must be checking on
Ellie.
    Hopefully
the girl was asleep.
    He
didn’t stay up there long, so she must have been sleeping. Lydia waited when
she heard the floor of the hallway creak outside her bedroom.
    Maybe
he’d check in with her, to let her know he was back and see how things had
gone.
    The
light was on in her room, after all, so it would be a polite thing to do.
    He
didn’t, though. After a moment, she heard the footsteps continue on to his
room.
    She
let out a breath and stood up.
    She
wore a pair of red cotton pajama pants and a matching tank top. Since it was a
little chilly and she felt too exposed, she pulled on a hoodie to cover her
arms and shoulders before she left the room.
    Her
hair was