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We filled our plates and settled in around the living room while Lark paced and told us to hurry up Once we finished eating, JoJo said, “Okay, Lark, you can open your presents now We know you’ve been dying to do that”

“I need to do so more important first,” he said, as he scooped up an arifts fro Theo, Seth, and Eden “I e and Flora too,” Lark told us “I hope they come by later”

“They’re planning on it,” Eden said, “after they have brunch with some friends”

“Okay, good,” Lark murmured, as he returned two of the presents to their spot beneath the tree

We all unwrapped our gifts at the same time It turned out he’d made us absolutely beautiful ceralazed in a different vibrant color, and our naold JoJo was the first to exclaieous, Lark, thank you! I didn’t know you could do this”

He grinned shyly “I’ve been taking classes at a community art center I still have a lot to learn, but it’s been fun to go and get all messy and play with the clay”

We all got up and hung our ornaments on the tree, and Lark said softly, “It’s exactly how I pictured it” He’d made himself an ornament too, and we’d all placed ours around it

I gave hiift, and I’ll always cherish it”

Theo hugged Lark after I let go of him and whispered, “Thank you I can’t tell you what this means to me”

Most of the next hour was spent opening gifts It touched my heart that there were as many for Theo as there were for me Each present seemed to take him by surprise, and he slowly and carefully unwrapped them with a look of wonder

At the same time, the pink Victorian creas very excited about the chocolate and the gift cards he’d brought We started playing e called calendar bingo, calling out dates to try to figure out a tiether