December 25, 1991 – 4 years old

"Girls, I want you to take all your gifts up to your rooms. We'll figure out after brunch where we're going to put everything. Once I have Holt down, I'll be in to help you get dressed."

"Okay, Mommy," Olivia easily agreed. Sophie echoed the words.

Sophie watched as Laura climbed the stairs with Holt in her arms, then turned back to the neatly made stacks in front of her: Paper to be thrown away, toys, then clothes. Now, standing beside her, Olivia let out a long, woe begotten sigh.

"There's too much," she lamented, as she eyed her own, mostly unopened stacks of presents.

"Then, by all means, let me help, my darling girls," Catherine offered, getting up from the couch then gathering a stack of boxes from Olivia's stash. "Come along now, Livvie, take as much as you dare. You want to be certain you can see the stairs." As Olivia trudged after Catherine, her arms laden with gifts, Sophie scooped up the paper and ran to the kitchen to throw it away, before returning to her own piles and picking up the pile of clothing she'd neatly laid out.

Three trips up and down those stairs, with Grans helping on the last trip, and everything was lying on the spare bed in her room. She could hear Mommy battling with Livvie in the room next door, as she again created a neat division of her gifts.

"Ouch! That hurts, Mommy," Livvie could be heard protesting from her room. No doubt her tender headed sister was getting her hair brushed and put up in either a ponytail or braid for the day.

As she patiently waited her turn, Prince Charming eyed her from his bed which had been tucked into a corner of her room beneath the window, where he could enjoy the early morning sun streaming through the glass. The imperial swish of his tail reminded her of a cherished, but surprising gift from Santa: A new rhinestone collar with bells that jingled for Charming. With pointed concentration, she removed Charming's old collar and replaced it with the new, smiling when he stretched contentedly and meowed up at her as though approving of his new jewels. She leaned over to scratch him behind his ears, his motor rumbling into a purr of approval.

Charming was, in her estimation, the best gift she'd ever received. Next to Olivia, he was her very bestest friend in the whole world. When she was scared, he'd let her cuddle him close. When she was sad, he'd rub his head against her chin. When she missed her other Mommy, he'd inevitably lick her nose or knead a tummy or arm, pulling her out of her doldrums.

And today, she was missing her other Mommy a little more than normal. Standing, she took Clarissa's picture off her bedside table, and clutching it to her chest, she lay down on her bed. A blink of an eye later and Charming was at her side, nuzzling at her shoulder.

She hadn't known what to expect today. It wasn't as though she could really remember three of the four Christmases she had spent with her other Mommy, but she could remember last Christmas really good. The mean man hadn't come over the night before Santa came, so her other Mommy and her had snuggled together on the couch, watching Christmas movies together. They'd set milk and cookies out on the coffee table before going to bed, and for the first time in a long time, she got to sleep in her other Mommy's bed. When she woke the next morning, her Mommy was no longer in bed and their whole apartment smelled sweet and spicy at the same time. They at a breakfast of scrambled eggs and hot, sticky cinnamon buns – all chased down with cold glasses of milk – in front of the tree as she'd opened the few, small presents Santa had brought her.

She hadn't expected Santa to bring her anything at all, because she'd heard the mean man that was her Daddy, too, say…

"Tell her the truth: Santa Claus only brings good children presents, not brats."

So she'd really been surprised to find a Barbie Colorforms, two new coloring books, a new box of crayons (that she had to smell because new crayons always smelled soooooo good), and her first set of big girl magic markers. But, far and away, it was the last present she'd loved most: Rosemary's Bedtime Stories. On the nights when the mean man wasn't there, her other Mommy would lay in her bed with her, and they'd listen to the lady's soothing voice as she told the stories of the Three Billy Goat Gruff and Rumpelstiltskin.

But that Christmas Day, carols had played on the radio all day long. She and her other Mommy had colored together, cut out snowflakes from paper, and had played with her Colorforms. They'd played hide-n-seek in the apartment, then had eaten a modest Christmas dinner of ham, mashed potatoes, corn and cranberries. The food had made her sleepy enough, but the hot chocolate as they'd colored one last time together had left her yawning and rubbing at her eyes. That was the very first night her other Mommy cuddled with her on her bed as the stories played in the background.

It had been a really good day, a happy day, and she and her other Mommy had smiled and—

She felt the bed behind her move as Laura sat down behind her.

"What's on your mind, sweet girl?" Laura asked, reaching out to stroke Sophie's hair and back. As soon as she'd stepped into the room she'd known Sophie was struggling, Charming had made that clear. The cat was keenly sensitive to his owner's mood, and would keep close to her when her fears became too big or her mood too solemn.

When Sophie remained silent – whether her feelings were far too large for a little girl to voice or if she was concerned about making someone else feel bad by sharing, either of which was possible with Sophie's sensitive soul - Laura's eyes scanned the room. A ridiculous number of new toys and clothes were neatly organized on the other bed. The experience had been initially confusing for Sophie, but once the initial confirmation that Santa did, indeed, think she was a very good girl had been dispensed with, she'd seemed fine. She'd contentedly opened each of her presents in her own time, her own way, and had seemed blissfully serene. Laura had, in fact, given a great deal of credit to the warm environment of the small family gathering, everyone in the room someone Sophie interacted frequently with and was adored by, but even more importantly, they were people – even children – that she felt safe with.

Eyes narrowing, she continued to examine the room, finding nothing amiss until her sight arrived on the bedside table…

And then she knew.

"It's okay to miss your Mommy, Soph," Laura softly assured. The shudder that raced through her daughter's small frame confirmed the reason for Sophie's sudden bout of melancholy. For a long moment there was only silence, then a small, uncertain voice asked…

"It is?" With a quiet smile and a disbelieving shake of her head, Laura stretched out next to her daughter and wrapped an arm around child and cat.

"Of course it is," she answered, emphasizing each word to make certain they'd be believed. "Your Mommy loved you so, so much. How could you not miss her, especially on a day as special as today?" She rested her chin on the top of Sophie's blonde head. "You never have to worry about talking about your Mommy with us. Do you know that?" Sophie shrugged a soft shoulder in answer. "Well, you can. Your Da and I love your Mommy in our own way, too, you know."

"You do?" Sophie drew out each word in quiet surprise.

"How could we not?" Laura asked, matter of fact. "When she couldn't take care of you anymore, she sent you to us. And you, Sophia Alexa Jensen Steele, are the best gift your Da and I have ever been given." Hugging Sophie, she dropped a kiss on top of her head. "Your Da and I love you so, so much, just as your Mommy did and we are so very proud that you're our daughter. She gave Livvie a sister, and Holt a second sister. She gave Thea Lina a goddaughter," she said the word as though it were something magical. "She gave Grandad, Grans, Papouli, Ya-Ya and Grandma another granddaughter to love. We all love her, Soph, because she loved you."

Sophie released her hold on Charming and flipped around, burying her face in her mother's chest. For several minutes she allowed herself to be sad, to miss her other Mommy, while her new Mommy rubbed her back and every once in a while rocked her gently.

"Mommy?" she finally ventured.

"Yes, sweet girl?" Laura answered, her hand continuing to soothe.

"Do you think my Mommy got presents in Heaven today?" The heartbreakingly innocent question left Laura blinking her eyes.

"I think," she answered slowly, considering her words with care, "That every time your Mommy sees you smile, you give her the only the present she really wants: To know that you're happy." Sophie leaned back to look up at Laura.

"You think she sees me?"

"I do," Laura promised. "I believe there are people that are never meant to leave us. And your Mommy, Soph? You'll always have her with you. You were everything she loved most in the entire world. She'll always be watching over you." She brushed Sophie's hair back from her forehead. "I have an idea." She widened her eyes for affect. "Why don't you and I close our eyes, and on the count of three we'll wish your Mommy a Merry Christmas together, hmmm? Close your eyes, sweet girl." She waited until Sophie squeezed her eyes shut, then closed her own. "Ready?" She felt, rather than saw, Sophie's nod. "One… two… three…"

"Merry Christmas, Mommy," Sophie whispered aloud.

"Merry Christmas, Clarissa."

And thank you for entrusting us with your remarkable daughter, Laura added silently.