Hello my lovelies! It has been about 8 months since I've written anything and I won't lie...it's been a LONG 8 months. But it's Christmas and I wanted to give you guys something from me! That being said, I think that this story is quite obvious how out of practice I am. I like the story, but I don't think it's my best by any means! I'm not sure what I have planned for this next year, but I'm hoping (hoping being the key word) to get back into writing! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this Christmas one-shot I've written just for you guys!
"What do you mean, 'All flights have been cancelled?'"
"I'm sorry miss, but all flights out of Minneapolis have been grounded. With this blizzard, it's just too risky to fly."
I slammed my head down on the counter and let out a whine. I felt the woman behind the counter pat my head sympathetically. I lifted it and looked at her sympathetic gaze.
"I take it you were trying to get home?" she asked gently. I shook my head.
"No. Home is back in Jersey. Minneapolis was my connection to L.A. where my boyfriend's family lives. It was going to be my first time meeting everyone. But I had to work yesterday, so I told him to go ahead and that I'd catch a flight after work and meet him in L.A.," I explained. She frowned.
"I'm sorry. I wish I could help. All I can do is point you to the terminal where people will get a place to stay until the storm lets up," she said. I nodded in understanding. It wasn't her fault that there was a blizzard.
"Alright. Thank you," I said. She pointed me into the direction of the terminal. I followed her directions and made it to the terminal that was filled with people who looked frustrated. They were all trying to get to their destinations and be with their loved ones.
I took a seat and pulled out my phone. I punched in my code and scrolled to my contacts and hit my boyfriend's number. I brought my phone to my ear and I listened to it ring. He answered on the third ring.
"So are you waiting for your connection? Cause I don't think you're allowed to make calls in flight," he said. I frowned. He was going to be irritated.
"Nate, I don't know if I'll be there in time for Christmas," I said softly. I heard a thud in the back ground and another male call out something.
"What do you mean you won't be here in time? Mitchie, you said you would catch a plane right after work," he said. I sighed.
"I did! But there's a blizzard that's grounded my flight," I explained.
"First my brother, now you? Damn it Mitchie. I told you that you should have just told your work no. That you couldn't work. That you needed to catch a flight," Nate said. I felt my frown deepen.
"It's not like I created the blizzard Nate," I argued.
"You couldn't have looked ahead or something?" Nate argued back.
"What would you like me to say? Huh?" I asked. I would have been more irritated if this hadn't become the norm for us. We'd been dating for almost eight months, and the past two have been spent with more fighting than anything. I was just tired of it.
"Maybe it's a good thing you're not here," Nate said. I sighed in resignation. We both knew this had been coming. Our inevitable break up.
"Maybe," I said softly. I noticed a man across from me watching me. I felt uncomfortable and focused on the conversation with Nate.
"So maybe we should just...be friends?" he asked. I sighed.
"Do we really want to be friends?" I asked.
"I don't know Mitchie. I would like to try friends. You're still important to me, but the spark is just gone," he said.
"I know what you mean. The spark has been gone for awhile," I said softly. He and I were silent for a few minutes.
"Can we at least try for my family for the holiday? Then I'll let them know. You've already payed for your ticket and are about half way here. Plus, I really don't want my family to hound me with questions," Nate asked. I sighed and smiled lightly.
"I don't know Nate. I don't think it would be a good idea," I said softly.
"Mitchie. This is the third year in a row I've tried to bring a girl home for Christmas. My mom is going to start thinking I'm just making you all up and the crap my brothers are going to give me is going to be brutal. Please Mitchie?" he begged. No matter how much we irritated each other, we could never say no to the other when begging was involved.
"Sure. But one condition," I said.
"Anything," he said.
"No more fighting," I said softly. I heard him chuckle.
"Agreed," he said. I sighed in relief. This was our relationship. We'd be fighting one minutes, and civil the next. It probably wasn't healthy, but it was just us.
"So what happened with your brother?" I asked.
"He's not here. He hasn't called to let us know when he'll be here or anything. So it's frustrating," Nate said.
"Have you tried calling him?" I asked.
"Duh. His phone is off," Nate said.
"Well that's counter productive," I said.
"Yeah, well, that's Shay for you! Alright. Call me when you know anything about the flight. I'll explain to my family that your flight has been grounded. I'll see you soon hopefully," Nate said.
"Yep. Talk to you soon," I said, hanging up with him. I sighed and looked around at the other misplaced passengers. I noticed a man with dark hair strumming on a guitar softly. I stood up and made my way over to him. If I was going to be stuck here, I was going to talk to somebody. I sat down near him and noticed that he was playing I'll be Home for Christmas on his guitar. How appropriate. I began humming the notes to the song. I must have been humming loud enough, because the man's head snapped up to my face and he stopped playing. I frowned at looked at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. That's just my favorite Christmas song and it's quite fitting for the current situation we're all in," I said.
"It's fine. I just wasn't expecting someone to join in with me," he said. I looked at the guitar in his lap, silently hoping he'd begin playing again. He was very good.
"You should keep playing," I insisted. He looked at me for a moment before nodding and began playing again. I sang along with his playing until the song was over. We had created a small little group of people who were listening to us, but nothing too big. When we were done, the crowd finally cleared and I turned to him.
"Mitchie," I said, holding my hand out. He took it and shook it gently.
"Shane," he said. I smiled at him for a moment before looking around. My eyes landed on his suitcase.
"Going home for the holidays?" I asked, gesturing to his bag.
"Yeah. Normally I don't, but I was told that there was something big happening for my brother and that I just had to be there," he said. I nodded in understanding.
"I was going to Los Angeles to meet my boyfriend's family for the first time," I said.
"Was?" he asked.
"We've been fighting for the past month or so. We just...weren't compatible," I said.
"When did you guys break up?" he asked. I looked at my phone at the time.
"We haven't yet. We're going to wait out the weekend and then break up after the holiday," I said. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Aren't most girls a mess about that sort of thing?" he asked. I shook my head.
"Not when they know that a relationship would just do more harm than good. The spark was lost a long time ago. I've spent enough nights crying about it. No point in crying now," I said.
"That still sucks," Shane said. I shrugged.
"I think he's scared that his family is going to disown him for not having someone for the holiday. Which is stupid, because I heard that one of his brothers hasn't had a stable relationship in years! Apparently some girl really messed him up," I said.
"Well that's how most guys work. There's always that one girl who ruined him. And the options are to either be someone who tries too hard to make a relationship work like your ex, or swear off girls as anything more than a meaningless fling like his brother," he said.
"So which one are you?" I asked.
"How do you know I'm single?" he asked.
"You seem to know enough about the topic," I said. He smirked lightly and nodded.
"Well you don't see me trying to bring anyone home for Christmas," he said. I nodded in understanding.
"So now every girl is just a meaningless fling for you?" I asked. He shook his head.
"No. I truly believe that someone might be able to worm her way into my heart. She's just got to be the right girl," Shane said. I nodded, taking in his information. I liked the way he talked about that whole "the one" idea. That the "right girl" would break the barrier he's put up. Sounds like a regular romantic novel or something you would find online.
"Have you found her yet?" I asked, genuinely curious. He shook his head.
"If I have, she hasn't made herself known. But you know what they say. Expect the unexpected. She'll show up when I'm least prepared," he said. I smiled gently and looked at the other stranded passengers. I saw parents pulling their young, sleepy children into their laps. Young couples snuggling together. Old wives talking to their husbands about something that was deemed unimportant by the older men by the way they were nodding off. I smiled at the warm sight. Everyone had someone.
"What time is it?" Shane asked, rubbing his eyes. I grabbed my phone.
"Quarter to eleven," I said.
"Ugh, it's almost midnight for me," he said, blinking his eyes in an attempt to rid himself of the sleepiness.
"Where are you from?" I asked.
"New York. You?" he asked.
"Jersey," I responded.
"I wouldn't have guessed," he said.
"Not all of us have an accent like we're on Jersey Shore," I joked. He laughed lightly.
"Does your phone have the weather?" he asked.
"Don't you have a phone?" I asked.
"Not anymore. My flight here, I was bumped into on my way to the plane and then the girl ran my phone over with her suitcase. She apologized, but I don't think she even realized that she broke my phone," he said. My eyes widened and I face palmed myself in embarrassment.
"Oh my gosh! That was you? I am so sorry!" I exclaimed. Shane's eyes widened at my sudden apology. Understanding dawned on his face.
"You broke my phone?" he asked, the expression on his face undetectable.
"I'm so sorry," I apologized again.
"You know that wasn't a cheap phone, right?" he asked.
"I will some how pay you back for that. I am truly so sorry for that. I knew I bumped it out of your hand, but I wasn't aware that I rolled over it," I said. Shane sighed and shook his head.
"It's fine. Look, I think we should probably get to sleep. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow," he said, standing up. I watched as he quickly began walking away, his guitar in one hand and suitcase in another. I frowned and looked around again. Suddenly I felt extremely lonely. Now I didn't even have Shane's company. I sighed and laid down on the bench, stretching out. Before I knew it, I was out.
"Wake up Mitchie," a voice called, pulling me from my slumber. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Shane's face a mere few inches from mine. I couldn't help but think of how okay I would be to wake up to that sight every day. I shot up and looked around. Where did that thought come from? And where was everyone?
"Come on. The plane is boarding," he said, holding out his hand to help me up. I sighed and took his hand gratefully. He helped me up and grabbed my suitcase, balancing his guitar case and suitcase in one hand and mine in the other.
"Come on," Shane said as he began walking away. I followed him, a small smile on my face. We made it to the line of passengers boarding the plane and I took my bag from him. I thanked him and promised to see him later. He smiled and nodded at me. So maybe he wasn't mad at me for the phone thing anymore?
"You bet you're going to see me later. I've gotta get your number so I know who to call when I go to get a new phone," he said. If I was a cartoon, I would have a little sweat drop next to my head.
I searched the area where the flight attendant pointed for my seat. I saw a familiar gentleman putting his carry on in the overhead compartment. I tapped his shoulder and watched as he turned to me. His face went from confused to happy in just a few seconds.
"Oh thank God! I was worried that I'd be stuck with someone uncomfortable as a seat buddy," Shane said. I laughed lightly and shimmied past him to the window seat. I sat down wordlessly and began tapping my foot gently as the flight attendants went through the basic flight information. I didn't really care. I was never great with flying. I'd much rather drive across the country.
"You're afraid of flying?" I heard Shane asked.
"Not afraid. I'd just much rather drive," I said, my voice betraying me as it shook like a leaf.
"Wanna know a great distraction?" he asked. I glanced at him.
"Well you really just need to-" he started but was cut off as the person next to him smacked his arm lightly to get him to shut up so the flight attendants could finish their presentations. I sighed as my anxiety levels began rising. Before I knew it, we were moving. I closed my eyes as I pretended I was just going to take a nap. Unfortunately, Shane could feel me tense up.
"Think of elephants," Shane abruptly said. I opened my eyes and looked at him.
"What?" I asked.
"Elephants. Think of them. But don't just think about regular elephants. Think about puppy-sized elephants," he said. I furrowed my brow in confusion.
"Or think about the new phone you're going to buy me," he said teasingly.
"It was an accident!" I protested.
"You already promised me a new phone," he joked. I pouted slightly. We began having a discussion about puppy-sized elephants. It distracted me well enough so that I was too engrossed in the conversation to even notice the seatbelt light turn off.
Sometime during the flight, I'd fallen asleep. I wasn't sure when, but somewhere in my sleeping state, I'd rested my head on Shane's shoulder. But at sometime near the end of the flight, I opened my eyes to find my head on his shoulder and his head on mine. I thought about waking him up, but I just wanted to relish in the moment of the comfort I got from Shane. I suddenly was praying that the flight would never end. But before I knew it, the seatbelts light came back on and I had to wake Shane up. It was time to part ways. I frowned at the idea, but shook it off.
"Shane, we're landing," I said gently, stirring him from his slumber. He opened his eyes and noticed that his head was on mine. He jerked up in shock and looked around, his eyes still groggy. I buckled my seatbelt, hoping Shane would do the same. He must have caught on, cause he buckled his belt and rested against the seat again. I sighed and closed my eyes as we began our decent. I hardly recognized the feeling since my mind was jumbled with thoughts.
I went through the motions of getting off the plane and before I knew it, I was standing outside in the Los Angeles air. It was a lot warmer than the east coast. I looked at Shane who looked just as distracted. I turned to him and cleared my throat gently. He looked at me and let out a sigh.
"Well, it was very nice to meet you," I said softly.
"It was nice to meet you, too, Mitchie," he said. I didn't want this to end.
"So maybe when you're back home, you can look me up?" I suggested. He smiled deviously.
"Of course. You're getting me a new phone," he joked. I laughed lightly, nodding with him.
"Of course," I said as a taxi pulled in front of us. He leaned forward and opened the door for me. I climbed in with my suitcase.
"Have a good Christmas Mitchie," he said, winking at me. I smiled and waved to him before closing the door. I gave the driver the address Nate had given me and sat back, watching Shane disappear from sight. I relaxed for a moment and decided that it was now time to focus on surviving the weekend. After about fifteen minutes, I arrived at a large house that Nate had shown me pictures of. I hadn't expected it to be quite this big. I paid the driver and opened the door only to get pulled into a hug by Nate.
"Thank God you're here! You beat Shay though. Oh well. I doubt he'll even be here. How was your flight?" he asked, kissing me on the cheek. I was about to question his actions when I saw a woman and two men standing near the door.
"It was very good. We didn't leave until this morning, but at least it was a fairly quick flight," I said, kissing him on the cheek. He grabbed my suitcase and guided me up to the door where the three other people were waiting.
"Mom, Dad, Jase, this is Mitchie. Mitchie, this is my mother Diane, my father Patrick, and my brother Jason," Nate said. I was pulled into embraces from everyone. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable hugging the people who were not going to be part of my life after the weekend. I silently prayed that they wouldn't get too used to me.
"It's so nice to meet Nate's girlfriend. I was worried that you would bail on him like the last few girls," Diane said.
"Mom. Mitchie's not like them," Nate said, reprimanding his mother with his tone. I rolled my eyes. So macho. I heard a car pull up into the driveway. I turned and saw a taxi that looked exactly like the one I'd arrived in.
"Shay's home!" Nate said. I watched as a familiar dark haired man climbed out of the taxi, guitar case and suitcase in his hands.
"Shane?" I called out. Shane whipped around and saw me. I lifted my arms out of surprise, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.
"Mitchie?" he asked, a smile crossing his face as well.
"You two know each other?" Nate asked, a tone of worry in his voice.
"We met in Minneapolis," I said.
"Actually, we first met at the airport in New York when somebody broke my phone," Shane teased.
"I told you that I'd buy you a new one," I pouted slightly. Shane threw his arm around me shoulder.
"So Natey-boy...Mitchie is your girlfriend, huh?" Shane asked.
"I see she's told you about me," Nate said, pulling me to him.
"Oh yeah. Plenty," Shane said. I could feel the tension in the air. There was more to the story with these two.
"Shall we go inside?" Diane asked, trying to break the tension.
"Mitchie! Let me show you my bird collection!" Jason exclaimed, pulling me away from Nate and Shane. I was startled, but glad.
"They're not real birds, are they?" I asked cautiously.
"Don't be silly. Only half are real!"
"So Mitchie! Nate tells me you're from New Jersey?" Patrick asked at dinner that night.
"Yeah. I'm originally from Texas, but I moved to New Jersey when I turned 18 and never looked back," I said.
"Didn't your parents help you?" Shane asked. I looked down at my plate.
"Mitchie's parents are kind of a sensitive subject," Nate said for me. I shook my head.
"It's fine. My mother passed away when I was 14 and my father and I are a bit...estranged," I said.
"Oh, I'm so sorry dear," Diane said. I shook my head.
"Please don't be. I find that it was better for me to grow up when I did. It toughened me up for the real world," I said. Nate coughed lightly and looked down at his plate. Nate had a hard time learning to be an adult. He was still quite awful at it.
"Sounds like you've got your shit together," Shane said. I smiled and nodded.
"Thank you," I said.
"Oh! The time! Look at the time! It's time to write the letters and hang the stockings!" Diane exclaimed as she stood and went to the living room. I looked up at Nate in confusion.
"Write letters? Hang stockings?" I asked. Nate smiled triumphantly.
"Finally! Something I'm better at than you! I know family traditions!" Nate said, wandering off after his mother. Asshole.
"We write letters to Santa and hang the stockings above the fireplace," Shane explained.
"We do it every year," Jason said. I nodded and the three of us made our way to the living room. I had just stepped in when Nate thrust a piece of paper at me.
"Write your letter," he said.
"Nate gets a little neurotic about Christmas," Shane whispered in my ear. I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine. I walked over to the small coffee table and began writing my letter. About ten minutes later, the couch shifted. I looked up to see Shane watching me.
"What?" I asked.
"I can't believe my brother is the idiot who let you go," he said softly. I sighed and shook my head, turning back to my letter. I had to pretend to be Nate's. By the time I was done with my letter, and all the stockings were hung, it was 10:30 at night and Diane was telling us it was time for the star and then off to bed.
"Mitchie should put the star on the tree," Nate said. I shook my head in protest.
"No! It's your family's tradition. I'm good watching," I said.
"Come on Mitchie! You're practically family now," Diane said. I frowned at this statement. I stood up regardless and grabbed the glass star that Patrick had been saying had been in his family for generations. I carefully topped the tree with the glass star and silently thanked the universe for not letting this be one of my clumsy moments. Phones I could replace. Priceless family heirlooms? Not so much.
Before I knew it, it was time for bed. I was given the guest room next to Nate's room, across from Shane's room. I had been lying in bed for what felt like hours. I got up and crept out of my room, down the stairs to the Christmas tree. I looked at the glass of milk and plate of cookies that had been munched on. I smiled at the effort Diane and Patrick went to, despite their children all being adults.
"What are you doing up?" a voice said. I jumped and turned around, only to see Shane staring at me, his features illuminated in the light of the Christmas tree.
"Couldn't sleep. You?" I asked.
"Same," he said, walking closer to me. We met in the doorway between the dining room and living room. Shane looked up and grinned. I followed his gaze. Mistletoe. How cliche.
"Oh look. Some conveniently placed mistletoe," Shane said.
"I don't recall seeing that there earlier," I said softly.
"Maybe you just weren't paying attention," he said, stepping towards me.
"Maybe," I mumbled. Without another word, Shane's lips captured mine in a kiss that was quickly growing more and more passionate. Before I knew it, I was being lifted up and placed against the door frame. I wrapped my arms around Shane's neck and threw my head back as Shane began trailing kisses down my neck. I felt him grind his hips into mine as I let out a whimper from the friction. I silently wished his fingers would abandon my hips and relocate to another area that was aching his touch much more.
"What the hell are you two doing?" a voice said, forcing us apart. For me, this unfortunately meant landing ungracefully on my butt. I looked up and saw Nate's shocked face.
"Shay?" Nate whispered. Shane looked away out of embarrassment.
"Mitch?" Nate asked me. I felt my own embarrassment and guilt creep up. I quickly stood up and bolted up the stairs and locked myself into my room. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I was supposed to be playing as Nate's girlfriend still. Not getting my freak on with his brother! Oh why did he have to be his brother for christ sake!
There was a gentle knock on the door, followed by a, "Mitchie, open up," from Nate. I refused to move towards the door. I sat on the edge of the bed and crossed my arms, trying to gain some heat. When did Los Angeles get so cold?
"Mitchie, come on," Shane's voice said. I wanted to open the door for him. I wanted to do what he asked of me. But I couldn't bring myself to open the door. I heard the brothers sigh and resign to their rooms. Without thinking, I stood up and pulled some regular clothes out of my suitcase. I changed quickly and went bolting out of the guest room. I ran down the stairs. I heard Shane and Nate open their doors and begin their pursuit. I picked up my pace and flung myself out into the warm air. I ran out to the street before I slowed down. I gasped for air as I walked down the street. I had to clear my mind.
"What the fuck am I doing?" I asked myself softly, sitting down on the curb. I closed my eyes and recalled the thrill I got from kissing Shane under the mistletoe. It was surreal. But Nate...he'd asked me to perform one simple task. And even then, brothers are simply off limits!
"Mitchie," a voice called. I looked up and saw Nate. He was still wearing his pajama pants and a robe.
"What?" I asked, not wanting to fight.
"Why were you kissing Shane?" he asked. I frowned.
"I don't know. Because...he's...gah! I don't know!" I said when I got frustrated when I couldn't explain the feeling.
"Stand up," he said. I looked at him skeptically. Without warning, he pressed me against the fence and pressed his lips against mine. It felt familiar. Nothing new. And the spark, that spark that I felt when it was Shane, was nonexistent with Nate. I pushed Nate away gently, shaking my head.
"I can't Nate," I said softly.
"So you're choosing my brother over me?" he asked. I shook my head. A confused expression graced his face.
"I can't choose your brother without your blessing. I can't do that to you and Shane. So I'm just going to go home after tomorrow...and move on," I said softly. Nate frowned at this.
"Mitchie, you don't have to leave," he said.
"No, I can't stay here and pretend to be with you if my heart is always being drawn towards Shane. I'm sorry," I said, kissing his cheek gently before walking back towards the house. Shane was standing there in the driveway, looking at me expectantly, but I just ducked my head and sped into the house. Christmas, hurry up and get over already.
Christmas was a blur of watching the guys open their presents. Nate and his parents were kind enough to get me small, trivial gifts. Before I knew it, it was time for me to go. I hugged Diane, Patrick, and Jason goodbye. I just murmured a quick goodbye to Nate and Shane, and a few minutes later, I was in a taxi on my way to the airport. I couldn't stop the feeling that I was leaving a part of me behind.
"Come on Mitchie. Have a little bit of fun! It's a party!" my best friend, Caitlyn, exclaimed. It was New Years' Eve and I was at a party all by myself. Low point.
"Caity, I think I'm just going to get out of here," I said. She pouted through her tipsy state.
"Come on Mitch! You're needing tonight more than I am. Have some fun!" she exclaimed.
"Thanks Caity, but I'm just going to head home," I said, pushing past the crowd of people. I made it out the door and into the frigid temperature. I snuggled deeper into my coat and began walking. I watched as a bunch of people partied in the streets.
"Only five more minutes!" someone screamed. I smiled lightly at their enthusiasm. I walked a little faster before bumping into someone, causing them to drop their phone.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry," I said. The other person chuckled lightly, before picking up their phone.
"You do that a lot, don't you?" the other person said. I looked at him and saw Shane standing there with his brand new phone. I frowned and tried to walk away, but he reached out and grabbed my arm.
"Mitchie, wait," he said.
"No. I can't do this. You're Nate's brother. That's not fair to Nate," I said.
"Screw Nate. Look, from what I've been told, he wasn't all that good of a boyfriend to you. So for once, don't think about Nate. Think about Mitchie. What does Mitchie want?" he asked. I looked at him nervously. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, but ignored it. Shane took a step towards me, invading my personal space.
"Thirty seconds!" someone yelled.
"Please Mitchie?" he asked softly. I bit my lip and looked into Shane's eyes. I saw determination and admiration. I smiled lightly. Screw Nate.
I took my phone out of my pocket to apologize to Nate, only to see an unread from Nate.
"TEN!"
The text said, "You have my blessing." I was beaming.
"NINE!"
I took a step towards Shane.
"EIGHT!"
Shane's arms wrapped around my waist, bringing me as close to him as possible.
"SEVEN!"
I wound my arms around his neck.
"SIX!"
His forehead rested against mine for a moment, both of us just soaking in the pleasure of being so close.
"FIVE!"
"Mitchie, will you please be mine?" Shane said softly.
"FOUR!"
"I was hoping you'd ask," I said softly.
"THREE!"
I watched as a beaming smile spread across his face.
"TWO!"
"I knew you'd be the girl," Shane said softly.
"ONE!"
"I was hoping I would be."
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the crowds on the street erupted into cheers and applause as Shane placed his lips on mine, sealing the deal. I felt elated. No, elated wasn't the right word. There was no word to explain how I felt. I kissed him back with all my might. I couldn't hardly believe it was really happening. A few seconds later, fireworks shot up into the night sky and Shane and I broke apart to see the beauty of it all.
"Happy New Year Mitchie," Shane said, wrapping his arms around my waist. I leaned against him and grinned like the Cheshire cat.
A happy new year indeed.
A cliched, happy ending! I wasn't all that happy with the ending, but I didn't really think about the ending. Funny story about this story, in my original idea, Mitchie and Caitlyn were going to get robbed on Christmas eve. Maybe I'll write that story for next year, eh?
I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and an absolutely wonderful New Year! Here's to another year!
Much love!-T