Nick was having a nightmare. He'd been yanked through his locker at work by an unseen force, much like Alice going through the looking glass, and had landed in Hunter S Thompson's version of Christmas Town. Every where he looked, he found bright neon greens, blood reds, blinding whites, and a light gold dust on all surfaces. The elves were all miniature versions of Greg and Nadine tugging on his hands and shrieking 'Follow us to the Christmas Queen's palace', where he found his beloved Renee decked out in lacy lingerie striped like a candy-cane, wearing three inch red stiletto heels that could impale a man and asking him if he'd been a naughty boy this year.
He woke up drenched in sweat, brushing at his arms and whipping his head around wildly as he tried to slow his breath. When he saw that his sheet were not trimmed like a Santa hat but were the normal hunter green and grey he'd bought, he heaved a sigh of relief and flopped back on the bed. That relief was short lived when his girlfriend burst into the room, giddy as a six-year-old, and leapt onto the bed. She wasn't wearing candy-striped sex clothes but the grin on her face and the Santa earrings swinging at her ears were just as scary.
"Happy Christmas Eve, Nicky," she sang, her head bobbing in time to her words. "Come on, up, up, up, we've got a lot to get done today before Greg and Nadine get here."
"Renee, we already agreed we're doing presents tomorrow, what is the big rush?"
"No, Mister Grinch, we're doing our presents tomorrow; Greg and Nadine are coming over for dinner and exchanging all their presents tonight."
Nick cast a wary glance at Renee. They'd been together ten months and seven days, during which time they'd figured out a lot of each other's squeaks and cranks. Living together for the last four of those had also done wonders to help their relationship along. Nothing, though could have prepared Nick for the fact that Renee's true love in life, aside from him, was Christmas and all things related. The first clue should have been when she'd insisted on recording the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but he'd written that off as too much wine with his sister Marley. Then he'd come home after work on the first of December to see twinkle lights strung up on the front of his house. Two weeks later, he was convinced that she was building an army of snowmen to take over West Desert Drive; no matter where he turned there was a rotund and jolly carrot-nosed figurine.
"You need to calm down honey, it's just Christmas," he said, the words barely out of his mouth before Renee grabbed the pillow behind his head and started beating him playfully with it.
"Out of my house, filthy liar; it's not just Christmas."
"I'm kidding Renee."
"Good. I need you to get up and clean the house top to bottom, and you can start with the bathroom. I'm starting in the kitchen with the baking."
"Are you going to make that marshmallow chocolaty stuff?"
"I don't know." At this, Nick made his puppy dog face, which melted Renee's heart. "Alright, I suppose I could. Bathroom, clean, now."
"Yes, ma'am." Nick kissed her, then went to the bathroom, where Renee knew he'd find the neatly lined up the cleaning products he'd need.
Out in the kitchen, still in her pyjamas Renee had switched on Harry Belafonte's Christmas album and was mixing up a storm. She made up a batch of vegan brownies she knew Nadine would love; the milk chocolate was replaced with extra cocoa since she didn't want to risk giving the baby too much caffeine.
Renee still couldn't believe that Greg and Nadine were having a baby. Well she could believe it, but given that Nadine had been told she'd have problems conceiving the older she got, this little guy was truly going to be a miracle. Renee had gone to the first sonogram reading with Nadine, in case Greg wasn't able to get away from work in time, but he had, and there had been more than a few tears at the wob-wob-wob sound of the heartbeat.
Renee knew the whole baby thing made Nick a little nervous; since Greg had told him Renee also wanted a big family, and Renee was always gushing with Nadine about baby things. That little episode had nearly earned Greg a new nostril but thankfully the count remained at two, after Renee made it quite clear she didn't want a baby any time soon, not while she was establishing herself in her field.
Then, all of a sudden, something dark appeared in the uppermost reaches of her vision. The first thought that went through her head was SPIDER, and she let out a horrified scream worthy of Alfred Hitchcock.
"AHHHHHH!"
"Sweet Jesus Renee, just mistletoe."
Gasping for breath, Renee turned around; saw Nick standing three feet behind her, a piece of thin wooden doweling dangling the traditional plant in front of her nose. He lightly bounced it against her forehead before he crossed to her.
"I thought it was another one of Grissom's bad ass mama-jahamba tarantulas like that one you decided to baby-sit when I first moved in."
"Actually, that was the only time I've ever spider-sat for Grissom while he was in San Fransisco with Sara. I told him about her little escape from the tank and he took her to another bug-man friend's the last time."
"Now, he tells me," she muttered, pulling him close for a kiss. She laughed when he boosted her up so that her legs locked around his waist. "I thought mistletoe meant for getting kisses."
"Yeah, but honey, I'm from Texas, and you know what they say about Texas."
Renee grinned, and for a few minutes forgot about cooking.
By the time Greg and Nadine arrived, the house was filled with the scent of roasting ham and fresh baked cookies. The lights on the tree twinkled and instrumental Christmas tunes flowed softly out of the cleverly hidden speakers.
"All that's missing in here is a fireplace." Greg sipped on the wine he'd brought as they sat around the living room in various stages of digestion.
"Don't worry, we'll fire it up tomorrow at the lake," Nadine told him. "Hey, Renee, is it too soon to carve up that Christmas cake you made?"
"How can you be hungry again already, sweetie?"
"Oh it's not for me," Nadine reassured Greg, patting the tiny bump under her cranberry-coloured sweater. "I'm burning gazillion of calories a day; I have to keep up with the demands of my body."
"Well, I still have breadsticks leftover from dinner, so go nuts. They're on the top shelf of the fridge."
"No, Nadine you stay, I'll get them," Greg offered, hopping up from his relaxed position on the couch.
When Greg went in search of carbs, Nick looked from Nadine to Renee with a look of concern. "Aren't you going a little overboard?"
"I don't think so, no," Nadine interjected. "We asked Renee to be my backup coach, in case I go into labour and Greg's not there."
"Plus it is my niece or nephew, on top of which Nadine has no family here; they're all in South America. So pardon me if I want to give my friend some sisterly support." Renee dropped her voice. "I thought I made it clear I don't want kids yet, Nick. I just turned twenty five."
"Well," Nick began, then realized he had nothing so he instead opted to fill his trap with wine. "How about those presents?"
Renee laughed. "I love you, especially when you get all nervous and stuff."
"I know. Alright, who gets first crack," Nick rubbed his hands gleefully together as Greg came back from the kitchen with his girlfriend's snack.
The next forty minutes were filled with the sounds of paper being ripped and joyful squeals at the discovery of gifts. Some ranged from the sweet – like the baby book Renee had found for Nadine and Greg – to the hilarious – a chemistry set for Greg from Nick, to 'practice' with – and the downright embarrassing – a 'Sex for Dummies' book to Renee from her big brother. After the last box had been opened, Renee smiled as she gathered up her loot and began separating out the tissue paper that could be reused.
"That was a wonderful night. We should do this every year."
"Yeah, I think – oh wait a minute, what's this?" Greg feigned surprise as he pulled a small box from his pocket. "I think Santa forgot to wrap this one up."
Nadine grinned. She should have expected him to pull out some last minute gift for her; he'd done it at her birthday party too. She opened the tiny box prepared to coo at a mother to be pendant or perhaps some earrings she'd seen.
Then she felt her jaw hit the floor as she saw an intricately designed ring, the thin platinum wires laced together in a delicate braid. In the center was a small tasteful diamond in the shape of a starburst.
"Oh my…" she said softly. Then Nadine lifted eyes to see Greg, down on one knee in front of her. "Oh Greg."
"Nadine," he started, then stopped as his emotions got the better of him. "Nadine," he tried again but found himself cut off.
"Yes."
Relieved he didn't have to go through the words he'd so carefully prepared Greg took the ring silently from her hands and slid it onto her finger, not noticing or caring that both of them were in tears. Then they were in each other's arms as Greg pulled her to her feet and brushed one hand over her cheek, the other over her growing tummy.
"I love you."
"And we love you too."
"Way to go Greg," Nick said suddenly, breaking the couple apart with his voice, making them remember they were not alone. Renee had disappeared, then came back with four glasses of champagne.
"I think a toast is in order, and don't worry, Nadine yours is ginger-ale in a champagne flute."
The four of them raised their glasses, the crystal ringing as they clinked.
"Let's see, two first Christmases together, a baby on the way and now a wedding to plan." Renee grinned, drank deeply. "That's what I call a happy holiday."