"Get up, Kiki!"Kiki thought she heard someone- a child- yes, it was a child- calling her name. She felt the sudden shift of the bed on the left behind her. Prissy nuzzled against her shoulder, trying to wake her, too."Kiki, get up!"Kiki couldn't gain her bearings. Who was in the room with her? Then someone shook her shoulders hard- and the hands belonged to a child. Child. Abby. Her eyes opened wide as the reality of everything that had transpired the night before flooded her mind. "Kiki, you won't believe it!" Abby shook her shoulders again. "Santa came- again! Just like Daddy said he would!""Okay, okay," Kiki mumbled, feeling like someone had just run her over with a truck. "I'm up." She propped herself up, sure that she wasn't quite herself yet from just getting out of the hospital the day before. She fell back and closed her eyes, but Prissy rubbed against her arm, just like she did every morning at home when Kiki had to go to work early. Home-.Abby took her hand and pu

"Wow! That was fun!" Taren cheered as the sled came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, enjoying the feel of Kiki in his arms a bit too much. They had veered a bit off course, but he had made a few turns and quickly got them back on track.He had guessed it was the same with his life. He had been so in love as a teenager and, somehow, his life had gotten derailed. Yes, Scarlett had left him, but he couldn't blame only her for his life. During their breakup, there had been enough blame to go around for them both.But he had no regrets. Abby had been a result of their marriage and the best thing that had ever happened to him. And no matter what Scarlett had done to him, she had given him the greatest gift of all- his daughter.Kiki laughed, bringing him from his reverie. Since he started seeing Kiki, he had thought of Scarlett less and less."Again, again!" Abby yelled, her voice music to his ears."Okay, pumpkin. Let Daddy get up first."Kiki got up first and then turned to him a

Kiki woke in her apartment the next morning with Prissy rubbing against her shoulder, trying to wake her. It was their usual morning routine. Prissy heard the alarm, Kiki hit the snooze, and Prissy went to work. This morning, the cat didn't need the alarm. The rays of sunshine glaring through the windows was enough.As she began to gain consciousness, memories of the day before rushed to her mind. The memory of spending a would-be Christmas with Taren and his family. The memory of Abby opening her gifts, of sled riding with her and Taren. Kiki's fear when Abby nearly froze, and the relief when she recovered.Prissy meowed loudly in her ear as she nuzzled against Kiki's arm again, determined to wake her this time. She knew Prissy really must have missed her."Okay, I'm getting up." Kiki sat up on the edge of the bed and Prissy nuzzled against her, wanting to be petted. "You don't seem to know that I haven't gone back to work yet, do you?"Prissy looked up at her as if Kiki had lost

As she stepped over the crime tape, she sighed, knowing she would have to contact her parents about the insurance, but not now. At this moment, she just wanted to assess the damage and salvage what she could. Or so she told herself.Assessing the damage, she tried to disconnect her emotions, but when she saw her childhood doll, still sitting on the mantle half burned, tears started rolling down her cheeks. A charred stick was once the Christmas tree, remnants of wires and lights still on it. Most of the ornaments that had belonged to her and her parents were burned, except for one that was covered in soot. She wiped it away and it was one of her favorite ornaments, one that she had dubbed The Angel Ornament as a child. The angel's wings still sparkled as it had in her childhood and her kind eyes bored into Kiki's, as if reassuring her that everything was going to work out. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cradled the ornament next to her cheek, letting her childhood memories of C

Then her expression softened. "How is she- Abby?""She's good." Taren took her arm and led her toward the open bay door. "But do us all a favor and leave her alone.""But I'd like to see her!" she wailed, teetering on her high heels. Taren held her arm, preventing her from falling, although he really would have liked to see her fall on her butt."The window for you to see her closed a long time ago." Making sure she was steady on her feet, he let her arm go. "Scarlett, go back to where you came from and leave us alone."She smirked. "I just can't do that." Then she ran a finger along his cheek and he pulled sharply away. "I'll be in touch." She tilted her head to the side. "Or my lawyer will be." Then she turned and strutted away.Taren's stomach turned as he watched her walk away, knowing he hadn't seen the last of her."Are you okay?" Erica asked behind him.He nodded. "Yes, I'm fine- or I will be when she's out of our lives for good." He walked back into the fire station, wit