Chapter 65: She completed me

ERIC

While I cleaned up the remnants of wrapping paper from the morning's round of opening presents, Charlie curled up in Lena's lap, playing with one of the squishy balls Mom had got him. He was still tired, but Mom wanted to get the first round of presents out of the way so she could finish up lunch while we waited for Charlie's uncle and his family to arrive from New York.

"I'm going to help Mom for a bit." I gave Lena a peck on the forehead. "You need anything?"

"No, thanks."

She looked even more tired than Charlie, but we had stayed up later eating the cookies Charlie had insisted we leave out for Santa. It was a good way to keep his mind off the fact that Santa couldn't bring him what he really wanted, his Mommy. But lately, he seemed to handle it better, until it came to holidays. He had Lena or me to cling to and that usually seemed to help.

I gently pinched Charlie's shoulder, and he gave me a funny face, then I headed into the kitchen, which was warm and humid with the sm