Beth cradled her tiny three month old daughter in her arms, rocking slowly back and forth. It was one o'clock in the morning, but little Isabelle Carter didn't understand that mummy had to sleep so that she had enough energy to get Christmas dinner ready. Beth kissed Isabelle's dark, soft hair, hair like her own. Isabelle peered up at Beth, her brown eyes the spitting image of Max's. Beth smiled and began to sing another round of "Twinkle Twinkle".
"Come on Izzy, why don't you go to sleep? You must be so tired! I know I am!" Beth said, stifling a yawn. Izzy just sucked her dummy, looking at all the pretty decorations on the ceiling. Beth slowly walked to the sofa, settling down on it and throwing the blanket over her and Izzy. The baby was balanced on her chest, still wide awake, now looking at the lights on the Christmas tree. "Mummy is going to sleep now, ok Izzy? Night night baby."
*
Max awoke at half past two in the morning. He stretched and felt the bed beside him. It was cold. He pulled himself to upright position, reading the clock. Izzy must have woken up. Max got out of bed, the cold hitting his body which was bare besides his boxers.
"Beth?" he called softly outside Izzy's nursery. There was no answer, so he peeked his head round. The nursery was still except for the flashing of the lights which were wrapped around the crib. Max frowned, wondering where they were. He went down the stairs and peered into the living room. He smiled and walked to the sofa where Beth and the baby were fast asleep. He knelt besides the sofa, stroking Izzy's soft hair. Her dummy had fallen out of her mouth, so Max gently pushed it back in, where Izzy immediately started sucking it. Max carefully prised Beth's arms off the baby, and he gathered Izzy into his arms. She was still fast asleep. He walked back upstairs, placing his daughter in her crib, placing another blanket over her. "Sleep tight baby."
*
Beth woke with a start. She didn't know where she was. She opened her eyes, taking in the living room. Ah, she remembered now. Izzy was fussing last night so she came downstairs with her...but where was her baby? Beth frantically looked around. She looked on the floor, on the end of the sofa, but Izzy was nowhere to be found. Her heart beat frantically in her chest. How the hell would she explain to Max that she just lost their daughter?
"Beth, quit panicking, she's in her crib." Max whispered from his position in the doorway.
"What? How did she get up there?" Beth asked, still half asleep.
"She walked." Max said sarcastically, moving into the light from the tree.
"Is she asleep?" Beth asked, sitting back down.
"Yep, she's fast asleep, don't worry. Come on, let's get you upstairs so you can sleep longer. I'll get up with her in the morning." Max said, pulling Beth to her feet. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, relishing the feel of her skin on his.
"Oh thank you. I am so tired, I think I could sleep past Christmas!" Beth said with a laugh, her head resting on Max's chest.
"Oh no, you're not getting out of Christmas that easily!" Max said, leading Beth upstairs back to their bed. He pulled her dressing gown off her, pulled back the heavy duvet and manoeuvred her down onto the mattress. She rearranged herself, stretching out before curling into a ball. Max shut the door to their bedroom, turned on the baby monitor and climbed in next to his wife. She took his hand in her own, and they both drifted to sleep.
*
Beth woke up on Christmas Eve to a quiet house. That was strange, the house hadn't been quiet for three months, since just before Isabelle was born. It was nice that the house was quiet, but at the same time she wanted to hear Max talking to Isabelle, or Isabelle crying for her. She stretched before slipping out of bed. She padded along the hallway to the bathroom and began to run a nice hot bath. She hadn't had a bath in months, it was always quick showers so she could get back to Izzy quicker. She poured in some of her favourite bubble bath, and started to light her Christmassey orange and cinnamon candles. She walked back into her bedroom, pulling out her baggy jeans and green t-shirt, with her chunky black cardigan to go on over the top. Next stop was her underwear drawer, and she decided to wear the underwear Max had bought her for their anniversary: a bright red satin bra with gorgeous matching French knickers. She took the pile of clothing into the bathroom and began to strip. She hadn't quite shifted all the baby weight, but she didn't care, it was a sign that she was a mother, that she had carried Izzy for those long eight and a half months. She slid into the hot water, a sigh of contentment slipping through her lips. The water ran over her tired body, rejuvenating it. Her hair flowed around her, looking black in the water. Her eyes shut and she leaned back, letting the water cover her completely.
*
Because it was Isabelle's first Christmas, it was to be extra special. Max's grandmother was flying in from Poland on Boxing Day, and Beth's parents would be coming over as well. Beth was just finishing off prepping the turkey when she heard the front door opened, and a big gust of cold wind that followed it announced that Max and Isabelle were home. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked into the hall, helping Max lift the pram into the house. Beth unstrapped the baby from the confines of the pram and lifted her high in the air.
"Hi baby! Did you have a nice walk with daddy?" Beth cooed at the baby, peeling off all Izzy's extra layers. "Morning."
Max planted a kiss on Beth's lips, "Mm, good morning."
Beth looked at him suspiciously, "Why are you so cheerful?"
Max smiled, "Am I not allowed to enjoy our first Christmas with our daughter?"
"Yes, but normally you're all depressed this time of year!" Beth said, walking through to the kitchen and placing Izzy in her bouncer.
"Well, this year I have you and the baby, and babcia is coming in a few days." Max said, presenting Beth with a big Christmas flower bouquet.
"Oh they're beautiful! Look Izzy, see what daddy brought me?" Beth said with a smile, placing the flowers in a vase.
"How's the food coming along?" Max asked as Beth went back to preparing the turkey.
"Um, good hopefully. I just hope it tastes alright!" Beth said worriedly. She squealed as Max placed his cold hands under her top, making the baby jump. Beth tried to get away from Max's hands, which were as cold as ice, but he kept them tight. His hands slowly got higher until they were on her bra.
"Oh. Mrs Carter, wearing that nice underwear I bought you?" Max said quietly into the nape of Beth's neck. She shivered, not out of coldness, but of pleasure.
"Max, the baby is watching." Beth said with a laugh. They both turned, seeing that indeed their daughter was watching them with wide brown eyes.
"Mmm, maybe we should take this upstairs." Max suggested, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck.
"Later." Beth promised, turning in his arms, wrapping her arms round his neck.
*
It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Beth and Max were curled up together in bed, Beth's red underwear strewn on the floor mixed in with Max's and her own clothes. The food was all prepared, Beth had left a mince pie, a carrot and a small glass of sherry on the table for Santa, and Isabelle was fast asleep in her crib, meaning Max and Beth could have an early night, finally spending some time alone. They sure didn't waste it. Max turned over so that he was on his back, and Beth moved closer to him, her head rested on his chest. They slept like that for a few hours, until they were awoken by the sound of the front door being opened.
"Max?" Beth whispered, shaking Max, "I think there's someone in the house!"
Max opened his eyes, looking at the clock. It was only half past eleven at night. "Stay here." Max warned, getting out of bed and pulling on his jeans and a top. He crept to their bedroom door, opening it slowly. Outside in the hall, the lights were on. Beth's eyes widened, and she too got her clothes on and followed Max. "I told you to stay there!"
"I'm not staying in there when there's someone in the house!" she hissed at him. She quickly checked the baby's room, and satisfied that Izzy was alright, she shut the door. Max crept to the stairs, peering down them. He could see the shadow of someone in the living room.
"Look, the front door hasn't been forced." Beth pointed out. Max followed her gaze to the door, and sure enough it was still intact.
"Follow me quietly. If I tell you to go, you go. Do you understand?" Max warned. Beth nodded, it was just like being at work.
They silently descended the stairs until they had reached the bottom and were tiptoeing towards the living room. Max pressed himself against the wall, peering into the living room. His head shot back round, his face startled.
"Max? What did you see? Who is it?" Beth asked frantically. Max indicated for her to look, so she leaned against him and looked past into the living room. Like her husband, her face shot back, incredulity on her face.
"I'm not going crazy am I? You saw it as well?" Max questioned.
"Nope, I saw it too, don't worry...well, we might both be going crazy." Beth said with a nod.
"Should we confront him?" Max asked.
Beth stifled a laugh, "You, the detective, is asking me, the lowly police constable, whether we should confront the nut case in the living room?"
"Ok, here we go. Oh, grab that baseball bat there." Max said, pointing at the bat which was leaning against the front door.
Beth looked at it, confused, "Since when do we have a baseball bat by the door?"
"Since always!" Max said, taking the bat from Beth's hands. It hung at his side as he pushed the living room door open and came face to face with Santa. "Freeze!" Max shouted, holding up the bat in front of him. Santa froze, the mince pie halfway to his lips. He placed the half eaten mince pie back down next to the empty sherry glass.
"Alright, jeez put the bat down!" Santa said, rolling his eyes.
"Erm, what are you doing in our living room?" Beth asked, looking around Max.
Santa indicated the pile of presents under the tree which hadn't been there when Beth and Max had gone to bed, "What I do every year. Haven't you heard of Santa?"
Max shook his head in disbelief, "God, this isn't happening. We're having a really surreal dream, that's all."
Beth squinted her eyes as she looked at Santa, and then recognition dawned, "Hang on, I know you!"
Santa clapped, "Of course you do, everyone knows who I am."
"No no no. Of course, I should have guessed really." Beth said with a laugh, scooting past Max until she was stood in front of Santa.
"Beth, care to fill me in?" Max asked sarcastically.
"Watch." Beth said, and she leant up and pulled Santa's beard off...to reveal Nate.
"Ho ho ho, merry Christmas!" Nate said with a grin.
*
The clock had just struck midnight, but the Carter household was not tucked up in bed as it should have been. Oh no. In the living room, Beth and Max were sat on the sofa, Isabelle cradled in Beth's arms. On the armchair, Nate was sat with Sally on his lap and Oliver playing at their feet. And on the floor in front of the fire was Jess and Callum with three year old Lexi asleep next to them.
"So tell me again why you had to break into our house in order to deliver the presents?" Max asked.
"It's no fun doing it the normal way, so this year we thought Santa should pay you a visit. You're lucky though, we were going to send Lexi and Olly in dressed as elves to deliver the presents, but we thought that might count as child cruelty." Nate said, a big grin on his face.
"And how did you get the key?" Beth asked, holding Isabelle more comfortably in her arms.
"You gave it to us remember? It was when you were in hospital after just having Izzy, and you gave us each a key so we could get in and bring your stuff to you. Then we both sort of forgot to give them back." Jess said, with a non-guilty smile.
"Oh yes of course." Beth said, remembering.
Sally looked up at the clock then kissed Nate and scooped up Olly in her arms, "Merry Christmas!"
Everyone else looked up at the clock. Callum kissed Jess gently on the lips before Lexi climbed on top of them, now wide awake, wanting to know why everyone was suddenly kissing.
"It's Christmas day Lexi!" Callum explained. At that, Lexi began running around the room, and Olly, who had just started to master walking, tried to follow her, falling onto his bum every couple of steps, but still laughing.
Max bent his head so that he could kiss Beth, and then he took the baby from her arms and kissed her, "Happy first Christmas little Isabelle."
"Merry Christmas Izzy!" Beth cooed, kissing Izzy, who suddenly woke up crying. Max turned her round so she could see all the people.
"Look Izzy, look at who's come round to see us!" Max said, gently rocking Izzy, the crying slowly subsiding.
"Our family are here Izzy, they wanted to wish us a merry Christmas." Beth said, getting off the sofa and hugging and kissing all her friends, wishing them a merry Christmas.
*
Outside the Carter house, snow started to settle over London like a big blanket. The streets were quiet, people were at home, in bed with their loved ones, awaiting the day to dawn. And so I say to you, have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.