From now on, our troubles will be miles away

 "You told Slater!" Vanna looked at Koda furiously. She practically stomped his foot while they were waiting in line at the new Mexican restaurant to meet up with Harry and Maisy.

"Sorry," he winced, "But not sorry, Harry and Maisy know about the baby, why' can't Slater?"

She gave him the eye. "I haven't even told my mom." She hugged herself. She wasn't even showing. Koda thought she looked lovely in his sweater. It seemed after the news of the news of expecting, she was now wearing his clothes. 

"Why are you like this?" He pointed out that all their friends were happy for them.

"Well....they're not having the baby. I am." She snapped. 

"We're having the baby." Koda reminded her, but of course, she told him technically she was the one having the baby.

"Just calm down," he told her as if he already needed to be doing breathing lessons with her. "You can't be so moody." Of course, she gave him a fat lip and he thought she was all of four. Really, he felt he was already going through parenting lessons.

"You don't like the vitamins. You don't want to drink water. Thank God, you like milk," Koda found himself in a tizzy. "Remember, it's not all about you."

"I know." She told him she peed enough as it was. She wanted to go to the bathroom all the time.

"You promised no more sodas," Koda looked at her as if she was doing something behind his back. He vowed to only bring home water and they were weening off coffee in the morning. Just one cup a day.

"I'm not," Vanna yelped. About then Harry and Maisy showed up. They brought gift bags. They were having a little Christmas tonight. Thankfully, their number was called and they soon found seats. 

"Are you doing OK?" Maisy asked.

"Of course, I'm fine." Vanna was in a huff.

"She's fine. She still kicks in bed." Koda smirked. Harry almost laughed but Maisy gave him a harsh look.

"Are there certain things you can't eat?" Maisy wanted to know. She was all festive dressed up in high heels and to the max while Harry was dressed down, naturally.

"I can eat anything I want," Vanna informed her. The salsa and the large chips were put on the table. Vanna took one swipe of the salsa with her chip and choked. She excused herself to the bathroom.

"Oh, you really are my own Kris Kringle," Nora smiled at Gage while they were cuddling in the livingroom, all alone. Yes, they were getting ready for their Ugly Sweater party, but she wasn't sure anyone would come. And she was OK with that.

In her eyes Gage was her prince from a far-off land. Still, she knew he made a lot of kids happy this season bringing them packages, especially when Amazon needed postal help. 

"Yeah yeah, you say that now," Gage smiled back as he had his arm around her. Thankfully, he had worked out his schedule that he wasn't working every day. He did have a little vacation time coming. "I don't know if we should have done this." 

The cheeseball was laid out, there were all sorts of snacks, even fudge. But no alcohol. 

"You know, our friends will be here," she stretched her neck just a little. It was best to just relax. 

"But you are normally not like this," he knew. 

"Well, Alec is at Henry and Josie's," she sounded like he would be at a party too.

"No telling, what he'll get up to with his cousins," Gage reminded her a babysitter was watching the kids there while Henry and Josie would be at the party. Nora knew they would reciprocate by having their kids over for New Year's. Of course, there was Alfie and Zoey's wedding to think about too.

"I'm glad they are so close," she said she was glad Gage's cousin was such a good friend.

"Oh, can't say we were always close," Gage cracked up. "I think once upon a time he  hated me."

"I don't believe that," Nora winced back with a laugh. 

"Well, let's just say a lot of things changed me for the better," he nodded. "And maybe Henry had a lot more to do with that than he even knows." He told her he was glad they were close. It was always good to be friends with family.