Mistletoe Motel

19. Mack

Chapter 19

Mack

M ack sat in a nursing chair, cradling her newborn niece, Isabel, while her parents and sister dug into the Thai takeout spread across the small overbed table.

Isabel’s tiny fingers curled around Mack’s pinky, her grip surprisingly strong for someone not even a day old. Mack couldn’t tear her eyes away from the perfect little face nestled against her chest. Ten hours had passed since Isabel’s dramatic entrance into the world, and Mack still felt like she was floating in a bubble of wonder and exhaustion.

“Mack, are you sure you don’t want any pad Thai?” her mother asked, holding out a plastic fork laden with noodles.

Mack shook her head, smiling. “I’m good, Mom. I’ll eat in a bit. You guys enjoy.”

Sarah let out a massive yawn, fork paused halfway to her mouth. “God, I’m so tired,” she mumbled. “But so hungry.” She shoved the bite of green curry into her mouth, eyes closing in bliss. “This is amazing. I’ve been craving Thai for days.” She took another bite, this time of the papaya salad. “I was so worried about eating spicy food,” she said between chews. “I kept thinking it might kick-start labor before you got here, Mack.”

“Well, I’m glad you waited,” Mack replied, gently stroking Isabel’s cheek. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”

Her phone buzzed on the arm of the chair, and Mack’s heart did a little flip. She knew without looking that it was Holly. They’d been texting on and off all day, between Isabel’s feeds and Sarah’s naps. Mack tried not to message too often, knowing Holly was having an important reunion with her parents, but every time she did, Holly replied almost immediately.

“Is that Holly?” her mother asked.

Mack felt a blush creep up her neck. “Yeah. She’s just checking in.”

“Holly?” Sarah perked up, suddenly more alert. “The cute lawyer you were stranded with? Oh, I need details.”

“There’s not much to tell. We just…connected.” Mack said, aiming for nonchalance but failing miserably.

“Connected enough for her parents to drive you three hours to the hospital on Christmas Day?” her father asked.

Mack shrugged, feeling oddly shy. It was strange to be discussing her love life—or whatever this thing with Holly was—with her family while holding her newborn niece. “They were very kind. I got lucky.”

“Mmm,” Sarah hummed, a mischievous glint in her eye despite her exhaustion. “I bet you did.”

“Sarah!” Mack chuckled. “There’s a baby present!”

“Oh please, it will be years before we have to start watching our words.” Sarah waved a hand. “Besides, I just pushed a human out of my body. I’m allowed to be a little inappropriate.”

Mack shook her head with an amused grin, and carefully shifted Isabel to one arm so she could check her phone. This time, the message from Holly wasn’t just text. It was a picture of a beautifully set dinner table, resplendent with fine china, sparkling crystal, and elegant centerpieces. In the background, Mack could make out a cozy living room, a Christmas tree twinkling in the corner. Underneath, a message said, Happy Christmas .

Mack smiled. She was so happy for Holly, knowing how nervous she’d been about reconnecting with her parents. This picture spoke volumes about how well things must be going. She adjusted her position in the chair, angling herself and Isabel toward the light. Holding up her phone, she tried to get both of them in frame and took a selfie. She sent it off to Holly with a message: Merry Christmas from Aunt Mack and Isabel! Hope you’re having a wonderful time with your family.

As she waited for Holly’s response, Mack found herself reflecting on the whirlwind of the past few days. It felt surreal to be sitting here, holding her newborn niece, after all the chaos of being stranded in Watertown. And Holly… Mack’s heart fluttered at the thought of her. Their connection had been so unexpected, so intense. Part of her still couldn’t believe it was real.

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her from her reverie. Holly’s reply was swift and enthusiastic: Oh my god, she’s absolutely precious! You look so natural holding her. Give her a kiss from me. Things are going really well here—I’ll call you tomorrow to fill you in and I want to hear all about your niece.

A wide grin spread across Mack’s face as she read Holly’s message. She pressed a gentle kiss to Isabel’s forehead, whispering, “That one’s from Holly.”

“You’ve got it bad, Sis,” Sarah, who had been watching her, said dryly. She yawned again, her eyelids drooping. “As much as I want to hear all about your blossoming romance, I think I need to sleep for about a year.”

“Of course, honey,” their mother said, immediately switching into caretaker mode. She began clearing away the takeout containers and prepared a plate for Mack, their father helping to tidy up the small room.

Mack stood carefully. “I’ll put Isabel in the bassinet,” she whispered, moving toward the clear plastic crib next to Sarah’s bed. As she gently laid her down, Mack marveled again at how tiny she was. Her little fists were curled up near her face, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Mack felt a surge of protectiveness wash over her. She may have only known Isabel for a few hours, but she already loved her niece fiercely.

“Sleep tight, little one,” she murmured, tucking the blanket around Isabel, then turned back to find Sarah sleeping.

“We’re going to head home for a bit,” her mother whispered. “Get some rest at home, honey. We’ll be back in a few hours.”

Mack nodded, giving each of them a hug. “Thanks for everything,” she said. “I think I’ll stay here a while longer and have some food, if that’s okay.”

Her father patted her on the back. “Of course. Call if you need anything.”

As the door closed behind them, the room fell quiet, and Mack sank back into the armchair with a plate of green curry and rice. She was exhausted and had been running on adrenaline and coffee, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave just yet.

She realized how blessed she truly was. This Christmas had given her not one, but two precious gifts—the miracle of new life in her niece, and the promise of new love with Holly. Through the window, she saw a gentle snowfall begin outside, blanketing the city in a fresh layer of white. Streetlights cast a warm glow on the fresh powder, making it sparkle like countless tiny diamonds. Nature was hitting the reset button, offering a clean slate for new beginnings.

She thought about the perfectly wrapped presents for her family that had been sitting in her hallway for a week, the carefully curated playlist of Christmas songs, the recipe for eggnog she’d been meaning to try. All those preparations seemed trivial now, paling in comparison to the sight of Isabel before her and the flutter in her chest every time her phone lit up with a message from Holly. The irony wasn’t lost on her—her meticulous holiday plans had unraveled into a beautiful chaos.

Isabel whimpered softly. Mack set her plate to the side and gently placed a hand on Isabel’s tummy. The baby settled at her touch, her face relaxing back into sleep. She watched her niece, struck by the perfection of this quiet moment, and a profound sense of peace washed over her. She was exactly where she was meant to be.