An Unexpected Holiday Gift

“Of course it is. I was just checking in to see how my favorite niece and great-nephew are doing.”

Mia laughed. “We’re fine. Just as fine as we were when you called yesterday.”

“Well, a lot can happen in twenty-four hours,” she said matter-of-factly.

“You’re right. How’s Uncle Rudy?”

“He’s good for a seventy-five-year-old man,” she said, and offered a hearty laugh. “Have you thought about our gift?”

Mia heaved a sigh as she turned on the dishwasher. Topping off her wineglass before returning the bottle to the refrigerator, she turned off the lights and headed to her bedroom, making a brief detour to look in on her son.

“Auntie, we discussed this already.” She sat on her bed, took a drink from her glass before setting it on her nightstand. “I really appreciate the offer, but Colby and I won’t be joining you on your cruise.”

“I don’t understand why not. It’s not like you celebrate Christmas in a big fashion, anyway. Why not join us for an adventure on the sea? Lord knows you have the vacation days and you certainly could use an adventure.”

Mia could hear the irritation in her aunt’s voice at her unwillingness to take time off from work and have a little fun as she was always advising her to do. “First, it’s your fiftieth wedding anniversary, and second, it’s your fiftieth wedding anniversary.”

“It’s not like I’m asking you to share our cabin. Like you said, it is our anniversary and we need our privacy.”

“Eww...”

“Eww, child, you better pray you find a man where everything works at seventy-five except his hearing. He don’t have to hear to know what I need,” she said, laughing.

“TMI, Auntie.”

“Speaking of men...”

“We weren’t speaking of men, Auntie.” Mia took a sip of her wine.

“Well, we are now. You remember Curly Ellis, right? Well, he has a son that’s single—”

“Please don’t. I’m not looking—”

“Sometimes you don’t have a choice in the matter. Your heart makes the choice for you.”

“Yeah, we see how well that turned out last time,” she murmured.

“Yes, we do. You got a beautiful and very special son out the deal. It’s not your fault his father didn’t realize what gems he had in you two.”

Mia felt tears fill her eyes because she knew her aunt was right. Her ex, Louis, might have been an ass about the situation, but she had her son and a support system in her aunt and uncle that brought nothing but love and laughter to her life. While she’d often wondered what life would have been like, married to an NBA player and having a partner to help raise her son, she had never once regretted her decision to go it alone.

“You’re so right, Auntie, so why mess with a good thing?”

“Because Colby will grow into an independent young man who won’t want his spinster mother hanging around cramping his style.”

“Ouch...”

“I’m just keeping it real, as you young folks say. Besides, you need someone to love you the way you deserve to be loved, and Colby needs a father. Not a seventy-five-year-old father figure that can’t hear too good.”

“Uncle Rudy is great.” Mia ran her hand through her hair.

“I know he is and he’s mine. You need your own Rudy.”

“There aren’t too many like Uncle Rudy out there—plus, I’m scared of Colby getting hurt.”

“You mean you’re scared to get hurt again. Kids are resilient. Especially Colby. He’s already had to deal with so much in his young life, and he just keeps on keeping on. I just wish he’d come out of his shell more with people other than us.”

“Actually—”

“Actually...what?”

“He’s taken to talking to one of our volunteers.” Mia hoped her aunt would let it go at that but she knew better.

“Oh. Who?”

“Elizabeth Kingsley’s nephew, the NBA star.”

“KJ?” Mavis’s voice escalated.

“You know who he is?”

“Your uncle was a basketball coach with the school system for thirty years, remember?”

“Of course I remember. Well, they seem to have developed some kind of bond.”

“Hmm...”

“Hmm...what?”

“He’s single, right?” Mia could imagine all the thoughts flying through her aunt’s mind.

“I guess, if you mean he’s not married. Men like him are rarely single.”

“There you go again, generalizing.” It was a criticism Mavis had often leveled at Mia. “Not all professional athletes are butts like Louis. He just might prove you wrong. After all, you’ll be spending time with him—”

“Auntie, I told you—”

“And I told you.” The phone fell silent for several moments. “You like him.”

Mia pushed out a breath. “He’s all right.”

“I knew it.” Mia heard her aunt clapping. “Looks like your heart beat me to the punch.”

“Wait a minute. Yes, I think he’s attractive, but I also think he’s an arrogant playboy who dates leggy models and would have no interest in a package deal.”

“You’ll never know unless you ask.”

“No, thank you. Now, I’m going to go get ready for tomorrow. Thanks again for the vacation offer, but we’ll be just fine spending Christmas at home.”