Chapter 157 Chapter 157 - Christmas Gift with a Blue Ribbon

Chapter 157 Chapter 157 - Christmas Gift with a Blue Ribbon
Pedro Hernandez

The snow is falling in small flakes. The intensity isn't like it was during the early morning. It's quite cold, but we're all bundled up. Abby is wearing a fluffy coat underneath to keep her warm and long pants. The shirt she's wearing has a smiling shark design on it. I didn't even know that existed.

Actually, I didn't know anything about children until I met Abby and started spending time with her. It's been a good experience, and I'm eager to experience more of it when the baby is born.

Our daughter is also wearing waterproof boots. Adie is wearing white skinny jeans with a thermal lining so she doesn't get cold, a turtleneck sweater, a long beige fluffy wool overcoat, she's also wearing waterproof boots and a white beret on her head. Seeing her like that took all my breath away.

Then it froze when we left the hotel.

This city is so cold.

I'm wearing a navy blue wool trench coat. Adie says that's my color, since I wear it a lot. Underneath the coat, I'm wearing a long black wool turtleneck shirt. I'm also wearing basic jeans with waterproof boots. And yet, I'm cold. It's different from Europe.

I just bought hot chocolate for Adie and Lyla. Victor is with Jackson, Adrian, and the three children playing a snowball fight further away. I like seeing the smile on my daughter's face while she plays with them. She seems quite aware of the impending war. Jackson is good at aiming and hitting, but the children—those sneaky children—are much better than him. Austin seems like a little nerd who calculates everything around him. Archie isn't worried about calculating things, only about hitting someone. Even the woman walking her Siberian husky on the sidewalk.

"Hazelnut and caramel." I mean, when I handed the cups to the two of them, but I think I must have mixed up the flavors.

“I think hazelnut is yours, Elle,” Lyla says, with a look of disgust before they exchange cups.

Adie laughs, as if understanding that this is part of Lyla’s morning sickness. She’s been like this since last night. We’re sitting on a bench. Adie is between Lyla and me, her legs crossed and her gaze fixed on the children.

“When are you going to tell the others, huh?” we hear Lyla ask, in a serious and attentive tone. “I want to celebrate too.”

I focus my gaze on her. Adie brings her cup to her lips to take a sip of the hot chocolate and positions her wrist under her leg, holding the warm cup. I know she’s thinking of a good answer for her friend. And we agreed to tell everyone after the new year, just like the news of the engagement. Only Joseph and Elizabeth know. Adrielle isn't even wearing her engagement ring when we're with them.

"Let's tell Abby first," Adie replies calmly, turning her head toward her friend. "They'll know in the new year."

Lyla grumbles, lifting her head as if disagreeing with the idea. I can see her childish, whiny expression.

"You're cruel…" Lyla says, shaking her head in denial.

I chuckle at how much more anxious she is than we are.

"We're going out with her in a few hours. How about you distract that little group over there?" I ask, nodding toward the group throwing snowballs.

Lyla stares at me, narrowing her eyes. She glances at Adrielle, as if thinking about something beyond us.

"Can I be the godmother of the child too?" she asks, her eyes fixed on Adrielle.

What does "too" mean?

“Be content with Abby,” Adie replies, her tone firm.

I wanted to laugh at Lyla’s expression, but I’m a little confused by this. I didn’t know my daughter had godparents. We never talked about it. Not about Abby.

“Wait, you’re her godmother?” My tone is as confused as my expression.

Lyla tilts her head, alternating her gaze between me and Adie.

“You didn’t tell him?”

“He never asked…”

I’m about to retort when something icy hits me and melts on my neck.

Snow. Very cold.

As soon as I turn around, I see my daughter and Jackson with a restrained laugh. Abby points at Jackson, and he points at her.

“I didn’t do anything,” they say, pointing at each other.

I raise an eyebrow, with a wry smile. It seems I'll need to show them how to win a snowball fight.

♙

I didn't win. I was buried under the five of them who ganged up on me. Even my daughter did it.

We got back to the hotel at three in the afternoon. We had lunch out and then Lyla said there was ice skating. I didn't even dare try it. Abby, on the other hand, was skating like a pro.

I brought the girls back to the hotel. It's time to tell Abby. I asked some hotel staff to prepare the garden balcony for us. It's reserved especially for Abby. The snow has let up a bit, and that's what we need. Adie and I stop as soon as a man in a hotel uniform approaches us.

"Everything's ready, Mr. Hernandez," he says calmly.

"Thank you," I reply, before turning away to observe Abby. "Honey, would you like to come with us?"

Her blue eyes sparkle as she looks at me.

"Uh, where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon," I reply, before extending my hand.

She no longer hesitates to approach me or touch me. All that fear is behind her. Abby firmly touches my hand as I guide them both to the hotel garden. Last night, before we went out to see the tree lit, I left things in the garden since no one else would be using it besides us.

There, the ceiling is lit with small twinkling lights, giving a warm tone to the cushioned benches. The ceiling is closed, and there's no snow on the floor or sofas, only around the grass, which should be green.

Abby is the first to walk into the space and is dazzled by its decoration. I can see now that there are snowmen around the balcony where we are. Adie and I sit on the sofa, waiting for our daughter to observe everything around her so she can pay attention to the small white box in front of her.

"Wow…" she says, her head tilted back as she observes the ceiling yellowed by the twinkling lights.

"Honey, open the box," Adie says, watching our daughter.

Abby lowers her head, her eyebrows arching in surprise at seeing the box she hadn't even noticed before. She sits on the sofa in front of us and observes cautiously.

"What's in here? Is it a new puzzle?" She asks, picking up the box and shaking it.

I lightly touch her hand to stop her from doing that, or the things we carefully organized will all get messed up.

"It’s better than that, princess." I warn her softly. "But you don’t need to shake it like that."

Abby studies me before putting the box back on the table and opening it. There’s the pregnancy test, a mini stethoscope, casino dice, and the white crocheted bear Adie gave me the day she told me about the pregnancy.

"Is this a game?" Abby’s expression is confused. Her eyebrows are furrowed and her brow is as furrowed as I thought it could be. "Why is there a thermometer in here?"
Adie laughs softly, leaning towards our daughter.

"This isn’t a thermometer, my love." She explains softly. "This is for pregnant women. Abby, you know you’re the most important person in our lives, right? That's why we want to give you a special gift... but you'll only receive it in a few months."

Abby stares at her mother, even more confused.

"But why will it take so long? I want it now." Our daughter throws herself onto the sofa, pouting, with the crocheted bear in her arms.

I chuckle slightly.

"Well, darling, it's still in your mother's tummy..." I say softly. I take the rectangular box I had earlier put in my coat pocket and place it on the table. "This is yours, darling."

The animation returns to her face. In a jump, she grabs the box and opens it. There's a necklace inside, ordered for her, with a blue pearl in the center of a gold shell with "Best Sister" engraved on it. Her eyes widen in surprise as she reads the simple words. Abby has already learned to read and knows many things. It's unbelievable how much this girl has grown since I arrived.

"Mom's got a baby in her tummy?!" She asks, so excitedly that all the residents of New York can hear us.

"Yes, darling. And you're going to help us take care of him, how about that?" Adie asks, with a smile on her lips.

Abby jumps off the sofa and runs a little over to me, jumping into my lap.

"How's he going to get out of there?" Abby asks, leaning down to touch her mother's belly. "Did you swallow him?" Her pure and genuine question makes me laugh. "Is he going to stay in my room? What if he cries at night?"

"He's tiny now, but he'll adore you like you adore Daddy." Adie replies, with a gentle touch on her cheek. "You'll be the best sister in the world."

Abby has a wide smile, but it fades when she alternates her gaze between me and Adie.

"But how did he get in there?" Abby asks, confused. "Did you swallow the baby? Don't you order from a website?"

I stifle a genuine laugh that almost escapes me now. It's good that my daughter is innocent to this extent. I'm curious to know what explanation Adie will give her about this. She stares at me, her eyes half-closed.

"Your father knows how to explain," Adie says.

Shit.

Abby stares at me, waiting for an explanation that I don't even know where to begin.