I rushed through my morning routine, barely even awake but buzzing with excitement. I wanted to open my presents so badly my hands were almost shaking as I brushed my teeth.
Foam dripped at the corners of my mouth while my damp hair clung to my forehead, but I didn't bother fixing it—nothing mattered except getting back out there.
I rinsed, set my toothbrush back in its holder, and hurried into the living room.
Bella was already there, practically vibrating on the couch with Elara sitting calmly beside her. Liz was nearby too, half-awake and focused on making herself a cup of coffee, the machine gurgling softly in the background.
"Can I...?" Bella started, bouncing slightly as she looked at Elara for permission.
"Yes," Elara said simply.
That was all Bella needed.
She lunged for the nearest present with her name on it, tearing through the green wrapping paper like an animal ripping into prey. Paper flew everywhere. When the box underneath was revealed, her breath caught.
A brand-new PlayStation Six.
For a second she just stared at it, frozen—then she squealed, jumping up and down like a kid who'd just been told Christmas came twice this year. She hugged the box to her chest, eyes shining, looking like she might actually cry.
"Thank you, Elara—finally!" she blurted out before throwing her arms around her.
Elara chuckled and hugged her back before Bella dropped back onto the couch, still clutching the console like it might vanish if she let go.
Elara turned to me and nodded. "Go ahead, Noah."
I reached for the smallest present under the tree, turning it over in my hands. It didn't give anything away when I shook it, so I just ripped the paper off.
Inside was a box holding four pairs of lace men's underwear.
I couldn't help but smile.
Bella and Elara loved this kind of thing—loved seeing me in it, loved tearing it off me when they got impatient. The looks they gave me whenever I wore something like that were borderline feral.
I loved it just as much.
Bella didn't wait for any kind of confirmation. The moment my first gift was opened, she lunged for the next one in her line of sight, tearing into it with the same reckless enthusiasm as before. Wrapping paper barely stood a chance—gone in seconds.
I was so focused on her reaction that I didn't even notice Liz had come over and sat beside me. She watched quietly as her daughter held up the contents of the box: a sleek pair of black jeans, still neatly folded.
Bella's face lit up instantly.
Liz smiled at the sight, soft and proud. She looked genuinely beautiful in that moment—relaxed, content, watching her daughter happy.
"I can't wait to take these off for Noah," Bella said with a grin, completely unbothered by the room.
My face instantly heated up. I looked away, embarrassed, and reached for my next present instead. The shape felt familiar in my hands. I already knew what it was.
I tore it open, and sure enough—the new Elder Scrolls game. The one I'd been planning to buy back when I was… well you know..
"Hell yeah!" Bella shouted, throwing her fist into the air like she'd won something too.
Elara didn't waste time and handed me another box. This one was heavier, sturdier. When I opened it, I froze.
A Gucci purse.
It was elegant, expensive-looking, perfectly structured—the exact one Elara had mentioned weeks ago, half-joking, half-serious. I already owned more purses than I probably needed, but that didn't matter at all.
This one was from her.
"Thank you... seriously, Elara," I said, smiling at her.
"Anything for my love," she said softly, smiling. Her brown eyes locked onto mine, full of that raw, unfiltered affection that always made my chest feel too tight. Yeah. I was definitely letting her have her way with me later.
"Look, Mom—this one's for you!" Bella suddenly announced, already handing Liz a neatly wrapped box.
Liz blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting anything for herself. She took it carefully, almost reverently, the complete opposite of how Bella attacked her own gifts. She peeled the wrapping back slowly.
"O-Oh wow... geez, Elara, you really didn't have to," she said, lifting out a Gucci belt, turning it over in her hands like she was afraid it might disappear. "Wow..."
Then she noticed there was still something left in the box.
"—OH MY GOD."
She pulled out a framed photo of all four of us, standing in front of Bella's house, smiling like everything in the world was exactly where it belonged.
"Oh god," she laughed weakly, eyes already glassy. "I really don't want to cry."
She sniffled, then leaned over and wrapped Elara in a tight hug. "Merry Christmas," Elara said gently, hugging her back.
"Christ, Elara, did you have to buy that much?" Bella muttered, staring at the ridiculous pile of thirty-something unopened gifts still waiting under the tree.
"You bet," Elara replied, smiling like she'd planned it all this way.
Everything felt... perfect.
I hadn't even noticed when Elara got up and sat down beside me. She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper against my temple. "I've got a bigger gift for you," she murmured, kissing me there once... twice. "But you'll have to wait for it, okay?"
I nodded, then pulled her into a deep kiss, slow and lingering—just as Bella suddenly froze mid-unwrapping.
"...Uh."
She held up the box, staring inside. "Why is this a collar?"
"Elara?" I asked, confused—right as something padded into view.
A small tabby cat wandered into the living room, stopping right in front of the tree. The lights reflected off its dark fur, catching in its bright green eyes as it settled onto the carpet like it belonged there.
"A KITTY!!!" Bella screamed.
She scooped it up instantly, cuddling it like she'd waited her whole life for this exact moment.
"Holy shit, Elara—you got us a cat?!"
I stood up just as fast, reaching out to pet it too. Its fur was soft, warm, almost impossibly pretty.
"Merry Christmas," Elara said, smiling.
And yeah—she absolutely nailed it this year like always.
"Hey, I meant to ask you earlier, Elara, but whose Dodge Charger is that parked in the driveway? Is someone else here?" Liz asked, her brow furrowing as she glanced out the window.
Before anyone could answer, Bella let out a piercing scream, clutching a key in her trembling hand—a distinct Dodge key fob dangling from her fingers.
"Hehehe," Elara chuckled with a mischievous glint in her eye. Bella didn't waste a second, bolting outside as if her life depended on it.
We followed at a slower pace, watching her reaction unfold. Her face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, pure joy radiating from her as she realized the car was hers. I thought for a moment she might actually faint from the excitement.
"MY DREAM CAR! FINALLY!" Bella shouted, her voice cracking with emotion. She sprinted back toward us, nearly tackling Elara in a bear hug so tight I thought she might snap her in half. If she'd hugged me like that, I'd probably be in pieces on the ground.
"I'm so freaking happy! I could literally die right now!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears.
She darted to the driver's side, flung the door open, and slid into the sleek leather seat of the Charger. With a quick turn of the key, the engine roared to life, a deep, guttural growl that vibrated through the ground under our feet.
"Hang on, Elara, can Bella even drive this thing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I watched Bella grip the steering wheel like it was her lifeline.
Elara nodded, her gaze fixed on Bella with a proud, almost maternal smile. "Yeah, I've been giving her lessons for a while now. Honestly, she's probably a better driver than I am at this point." She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as Bella revved the engine again.
The sound was deafening, a beastly rumble that made my ears ring and my chest tighten from the sheer power of it.
"Thank you, Elara. I love you so damn much," I said, turning to her, my voice thick with emotion. Her hands slid to my hips, fingers pressing firmly into my skin, grounding me as she pulled me closer.
Then she kissed me—hard, fierce, and full of raw passion, her lips claiming mine like she couldn't get enough.
"I love you more, Noah. More than anything in this messed-up, evil world," she murmured against my mouth, her breath hot and her words heavy with conviction.
And in that moment, with Bella losing her mind over her car and Liz watching in disbelief, life felt absolutely, unrealistically true.