A Corisi Christmas (Legacy Collection #7) Read Free

formal holiday dinner; that was all he allowed. When Dominic and I were little we used to have secret celebrations. We were too young to have money of our own, so we would steal things out of each other’s rooms and wrap them up in paper we’d beg off the staff. We didn’t care that we were giving each other things we already had; it was our special tradition.”
    “That’s so sad, but beautiful in a way.” Abby sniffed and wiped a corner of her eye. “Dominic doesn’t like to look back at that time.”
    “I know. I tried to bring it up once, but he got angry.”
    Abby put a hand on Nicole’s. “Not at you, Nicole.”
    “That’s what I told myself, but it hurt. Dominic and I used to be so close. We could talk about anything. But now I feel like our relationship depends on me pretending our whole childhood never happened. But it did, Abby, and I don’t want to be ashamed of who I am anymore.”
    “Ashamed? Nicole, you have nothing to be ashamed of.”
    “I wish I were as certain. Our mother left us, and I’ve always considered her weak for it, but I stayed because I was too scared to leave.”
    “Oh, Nicole. You and Dominic had an abusive father. Nothing that happened to you was your fault. All any of that says about you is that you were a normal child who should never have been faced with the choices you were given.”
    Nicole brought a shaking hand up to her mouth. “I’m pregnant, Abby, and I’m terrified. Our mother let us believe she was dead for years because she was too afraid to stand up to our father. I want to think I’m better than that, but I don’t know if I am. When I think of a mother, a good one, I think of someone like you. You’re strong. You don’t let anything scare you. I’m not like that. I worry about things and then overthink them and hate that I can’t stop myself from going in these circles in my head. I know I should be happy. I have a wonderful husband and so many people who care about me, but I’m still too scared to stand up and say what I want. What kind of mother is that?”
    Abby gave Nicole’s hand a little shake. “Stop. What do you want that you’re so afraid of asking for?”
    Nicole had asked herself the same question many times recently and was only beginning to figure it out. “I miss Dominic. I don’t want to only see him when we’re in a crowd of other people. I want my big brother back. Christmas is a time for new beginnings. I know my baby will have many wonderful holidays with the Andrades. My child will never be lonely or want for anything. I know that. But, this year, before everything changes, I’d like to have a small Christmas: you, Dominic, Judy, Stephan, and me. For just one year, I don’t want to go to the Andrades’ Christmas. There. I said it.”
    “Have you said anything to Stephan about this?”
    “No.”
    “Oh, sweetie. I’m sure he’d understand. Does he know you’re pregnant?”
    “Not yet.”
    “Are you afraid he won’t be happy? That man loves you. He’s going to be over-the-moon happy when he finds out.”
    “Every time I think about telling Stephan, I get all confused. How do I tell him that the baby makes me want more? His family has been nothing but amazing to me. What if he thinks I’m ungrateful? What if . . .”
    Abby put an arm around Nicole’s shoulder. “Nicole, your feelings are normal. You and Dominic are survivors. What you saw, how you were raised, it doesn’t go away. You both dealt with it in different ways, but that doesn’t make one more right than the other. Dominic chose to fight, and he still struggles with seeing everything as a fight. You feel you were left behind, and that’s why you worry that people will leave.” Abby’s eyes teared up. “I’m a perfectionist because I was left in charge, and I thought I had to be perfect or everything would fall apart. Trust me, we’re all screwed up in our own way, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want better for our children. You want to work