"Oh come on Wise girl!" Percy exclaims, pretending to pout.
"Just one little gift?"
I giggle.
"Your even worse than Laurel! I already told you two, no unwrapping gifts until Christmas morning," I say, as sternly as I can with not one, but TWO pairs of sea green eyes on mine, pleading.
My husband and daughter run to the kitchen, to make an elaborate plan to convince me to let them open up a gift two days before Christmas. (And probably to sneak one or two blue chocolate chip cookies)
I roll my eyes, and sit down on the well worn sofa that sits in the middle of our living room, right next to the tree which is covered with red and blue lights (for Poseidon and Athena) and purple ornaments in all shapes and sizes. We had decided, nearly thirteen years ago, when I was pregnant with Laurel, that purple seemed to represent our family. When red collides with blue.
It's an interesting thought to me, to think back to those days, before Laurel was born, because I feel as though she has always been a part of the family.
My beautiful girl, with her long tangled blonde curly hair and her sea green eyes that mirror Percy's, she is DEFINITELY his daughter. Like him, she only eats blue food, she is incredibly stubborn and she inherited the ability to control water.
When she came along, it was like a hole in both Percy's and my hearts had been filled. She completed our family.
Just then, Laurel runs into the room and hops on the couch, sitting beside me.
"Hey mom!" She says. "What's up?"
Okay, something's up, she just "randomly" comes from strategizing with her mischievous father and wants to chat? I think not. I narrow my eyes.
"What's going on Laurel?" I ask.
She glances nervously from left to right.
"Nothing!" She says, a little too quickly. "Can't a young, growing teenage girl want to spend what little time she has left in her childhood home with her mother? Her beautiful caring mother?"
Laurel smiles like the Cheshire Cat.
I stand and go to turn around when I feel the strong arms of my husband wrapping around my chest and throwing me over his shoulder.
"PERSEUS JACKSON! Put me DOWN!"
I scream as he carries me to the doorway of our bedroom. I can see Laurel going back into the kitchen, probably to eat more cookies. As she walks she's singing to herself, "I am the distraction, ooh yeah!"
He puts me down in the middle of the doorway. I am about to yell at my Seaweed Brain, and demand he tell me what's going on, when he points up. Up, pinned directly above us, is a piece of mistletoe.
Percy's eyes sparkle with a mischievous gleam.
He leans down and gently pressed his lips to mine. I kiss back. His lips are salty like they usually are.
"Hey!"
We turn to the sound of the outburst.
Laurel stands behind us, a cookie in either hand.
"I rather like being an only child, ya know!" She exclaims.
I start laughing and Percy is trying hard not to. And failing. Soon he is laughing even harder than I am.
Oh my family. My sweet beautiful insane chaotic maddening ironic wonderful family. How I love them. They are the only gift I could ever want.
They are the best gift.