Living to Loving

Chapter 28

"Merry Christmas!" I walk in, an armload of presents towering over me.

"My gosh, Gemma," Rina says, rolling up. "How much did you spend?"

I shrugged. "No clue. But I look like the rich people from the movies right now. Little help?" Slowly, I bend down so Rina can take boxes off the top.

I follow her to the living room where the tree sits and we set them down. How she manages to bend down in her wheelchair without falling out still amazes me.

"Hey Gem," Danny says, walking in. He plants a kiss on my cheek and smiles.

"How come I never get that kind of greeting?" Rina demands.

Daniel rolls his eyes. "Apologies, dear sister."

Rina backs up. "I wasn't serious. The second you kiss me-"

"Sixteen-year-olds are weird," Danny says, turning to me.

"Careful," Rina says. "You're going to be one in six months."

"Yeah, and when that happens, it'll be seventeen-year-olds who are weirdos," Danny says, smirking at her.

"I can never win with you," Rina sighs and heads toward the kitchen, I guess to help her mother or something.

Daniel smiles. "It's so good to have her home. I didn't realize how weird and quiet it was without her around yelling at me."

Rina had only been home for a week, but it was doing wonders for Daniel's attitude. Everything was brighter about him with Rina around. I could tell he'd missed his sister.

"Whoa," Micah says, whistling through his teeth. "Look at those presents, Crystal!"

Crystal grins, rom her place on the floor examining them. "I know. Wonder what we got." Crystal smiles at me mischeviously. She's been raving about what she got me for weeks.

"Can't wait to find out," I flash a smile at her and go to help Rina and Mrs. Michaels.

"Hey, Gemma," Rina says. "Here," she holds out a glass dish to me. "I'm scared this is going to slide off my lap and break." She moves over to the counter again, picking up a plastic tray of rolls.

She motions me to follow her. "Well, come on."

I dutifully follow Rina to the kitchen table and help her set all of it the middle of the table. She can't reach everything from a wheelchair.

She beams at me and motions for me to follow her back to the kitchen.

Mrs. Michaels is standing at hte stove stirring the gravy. "Hey, Rina, can you get the turkey? Gemma, you can handle the drinks?"

"Yes ma'am," I say, grabbing glasses of water and tea.

"So Rina," my mother says when we've all sat down and gotten food. "Feel good to be home."

Rina nods. "Yes ma'am. I'm so thankful. Months away will do that to you. Although I'm now learning how different things are and how much I took walking for granted before. For example, I can't look down at Danny anymore."

"You couldn't in the first place!" Daniel protests. "I've always been taller than you."

"A girl can dream, alright?" Rina replies playfully.

Daniel rolls his eyes. "Whatever."

We talked and bantered for the rest of the meal, laughing and joking with one another. It was one of the best Christmases I've had since Jade died.