312 Happy Cookie (1)

Angela, Gabriella, Val, and Alice stayed in the living room while the others had already left and turned in for the night. Fire crackled in the pit in front of the couch where Angela and Gabriella sat; Val and Alice took the two armchairs on either side. 

The smell of sandalwood permeated the living room, mixed with the scent of a Christmas tree stationed at the corner of the room that's decorated with lights and ornaments. The ceiling lamps were off, and only the Christmas lights on the tree and the mantel above the fireplace illuminated the place. It felt cozy and homey that made Angela suddenly miss her brother and father. 

A loud sneeze rocked out of her, and she covered her mouth with a tissue. After tossing the tissue into a bin, she sanitized her hands with a gel sanitizer. It was the sixth time she sneezed since the men left for the club that night. "Excuse me. God, it's so cold tonight."