Happy New Years 2026 (preview)
Ann’s house pulsed with the warm chaos of a neighborhood New Year’s Eve: voices, laughter, the crisp pop of bottles opening. Every room buzzed with people: old friends, new faces, the street was all there. Ann moved through it all like she owned the air, floating from guest to guest with easy grace.
She caught Ron's gaze early, a shared look, thinking back to all of the times they secretly met up, the vacation getaway, doing it on Kim's bed, but as of late, those were all just happy... dirty memories. Kim had missed him during their time apart and had decided to give them a second chance. But even knowing that, Ann watched him from over the rim of her glass, her smile curling when their eyes would met for a heartbeat. He looked away, but she knew he felt it too.
In the kitchen, he reached for a bottle as she set down an empty tray. Their hands brushed. She let her touch linger.
“Let me help you with that,” she said, voice low, almost private in the clatter of dishes.
He smiled, sheepish, “Thanks... Great party Mrs P. You and Mr. P always put on a show.”
“Ann,” she replied, leaning in, her perfume wrapping around him, her voice low so no one else could here, “once you've been inside of me, you can call me Ann.”
Kim came into the kitchen at that moment, "Hey... no trying to steal my boyfriend mom." she said jokingly with a smile.
Ann and Ron chuckled along, "Oh Kimmy, you know this one only has eyes for you."
Later, in the living room, Ann slid beside him on the arm of a chair.
“Enjoying yourself?” she asked, her tone soft enough that only he could hear, her hand running up his thigh.
He nodded, a nervous chuckle in his throat. “It’s great. Everyone is having such a good time.”
“Oh you know Mr. P, can't have anyone thinking that the Possible's don't know how to throw a party” Ann said, voice dipping as she let her fingers rest on his shoulder. “But you know, I can throw a mean party myself, I just stick to more intimate settings ”
He glanced up at her, the weight of her meaning sinking in.
Back out in the living room, the countdown had started and everyone surged in, voices rising, glasses raised. Ann found herself between her husband and Kim, arms looped around waists,
“Ten, nine, eight…”
She smiled at him over Kim's head, a slow, deliberate smile meant for him alone.
Midnight hit. Champagne fountained. The room exploded with toasts, laughter, clinking glasses. Ann pressed a quick kiss to her husband’s cheek, accepted a hug from her daughter, as she gave Ron a hug, she whispered to him, "Find me in the den, right away."
Her husband called out, “Alright, everyone outside! The fireworks show is about to start!”
People gathered coats and scarves, drifting toward the patio. Kim squeezed Ron's hand, “Come on babe, we gotta get see this!”
He smiled. “I’ll catch up—just need to use the bathroom real quick, be right out.”
"Ok, and remmeber, if you shake it more than 3 times... you're playing with it." She gave him a wink and a giggle, and disappeared with the crowd.
He watched her go, then turned, heart pounding, slipping down the quiet hallway toward the den...
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