**4 years later...**

"Are we there yet?" Hollis asked.

"Almost," Blake said.

"You're excited to see Aunt Dezzie, aren't you?" I asked, turning around in the passenger upuan of our car. Hollis grinned eagerly from the backseat. Even though Desiree is six years older than her, they still get along well. Desiree enjoys watching over Hollis, and playing with her niece.

We were driving out to Dad's house for Christmas. The whole town was covered in a thick blanket of snow, and it was still falling. We soon came up to the driveway. Blake got Hollis out of her car seat, and she ran up the sidewalk to Grandma and Grandpa's house. I got out and opened the back car door, to get out the twins, Tristen and Blakely. Blake got Tristen out of her car seat, careful not to wake her from her sleep. I got Blakely out of his carseat, who was already wide awake. We carefully went up the sidewalk, to the already open door.

"Merry pasko kids," Dad said.

"Merry pasko Dad," I said. We got off our shoes and coats.

"Dezzie!" Hollis shouted She ran into the living room to her aunt. Tristen woke in Blake's arms and whimpered.

"Is Hera here yet?" I asked.

"I'm right here," she said, coming out of the living room. Her fiance, Daniel walked behind her. He smiled and waved. We all went to the living room, where Dad and Kara had set up the pasko tree, a beautiful pine puno that they'd gotten themselves. It was decorated in beautiful lights and delicate ornaments. A warm apoy was blazing in the fireplace.

Everyone gathered around on the couches, Dezzie and Hollis were playing on the floor, and talked about the taon and nakaraan ones, and how we'll celebrate the upcoming new year. This taon had been wonderful, Blake and I had had the twins, and Hera got engaged. Dad talked about when Hera and I were younger, and almost completely hated each other. We laughed.

"...I was sure you two would kill each other," he laughed. Of course now, Hera and I were good mga kaibigan and visited each other often. "When I'd first met Hera, I thought Irina would be happy to have a step-sister. Guess not," Dad said. I shrugged.

"I don't mind now, of course."

"Me neither," Hera agreed. Hollis furrowed her eyebrows, but didn't ask. We explained to her once how Hera was my step-sister, and Kara was my step-mother, but she didn't really understand. We didn't want to explain the part about my mother and siblings dying either. That'd be too much for a girl her age.

Then it was dinnertime. Dad pulled the dining room mesa into the kitchen, placing it up against the kusina mesa so that everyone would be able to sit. Everyone gathered around, and got their food, talking about fond memories and silly moments.

"Daddy?" Hollis asked. "How'd you meet Mommy?" Everyone smiled, eager to hear the story. Dad and Kara knew the whole story now, I'd eventually told them everything they didn't already know. Blake sighed in rememberance and looked at me.

"I met your mother in high school..." he began.

The end. :)