A/N: Merry, Merry Christmas anyvelez! I am so unbelievably sorry for the delay in this. Every year I say that I'll join in the secret santa exchange and every year I end up delaying my contribution…remind me next year that I can't do it by Christmas!
Still, I loved trying to sort of get back into writing. I hope you had a wonderful festive season and that you enjoy this despite its tardiness! Happy 2018 to all.
Based on true family events this Christmas, just a bit mushed together. Sorry for the name, too. It's crap and we all know it but I just wanted to publish it.
Endless love to me-and-mister-bates my gorgeous beta. You're the best friend a girl could have and the best beta.
Crackers had been pulled, appalling jokes had been shared, food had been drowned in gravy, the necessity of bread sauce had been debated and the Christmas pudding had been set alight. Anna sat back in her seat and smiled contentedly. There was something about being all together at Christmas that made her heart soar.
Her nuclear family had been broken at a young age, and she had spent several Christmases alone before finding herself wrapped up in the festivities at the Crawleys' as a teen. From that moment, Christmas had become one of Anna's favourite days and the Crawleys her new family.
The Crawleys' hospitality at Christmas was extended to many, and thus the table had been extended too this year. Chairs were crammed in at all angles, cleared plates crowded along the edge and cracker debris was strewn across the tablecloth (nobody seemed to fancy the large plastic paperclip this year). All but Violet still wore their paper hats with pride (Mary and Edith had bickered over the purple hat despite their approaching 30 years old) and a quiet peace had settled over the table as food was digested and a few conversations took place.
Yes, Christmas dinner had been quite standard as British Christmases went but there was just a touch more magic this year, Anna thought as she rested her head lightly on John next to her and reached for his hand.
After years of wistful glances, Anna and John had finally 'gotten around to it', as Mary so eloquently put it.* She had battered down his self-deprecating nonsense and had worked her way firmly and deeply into his heart, and he into hers. This was not their first Christmas spent together, but it was their first as a couple and that made it all the sweeter.
With a smile, Anna slipped out of her reverie and began listening to the conversation to her right; Mary was showing her mother her new necklace from Matthew.
"Yes, and I wear it with pride," Mary said, gently touching her necklace before adding loudly, "and note, Matthew, I said pride not bride."
An awkward silence fell around the table. Anna gasped quietly and sat, astounded, as Mary glared daggers at her boyfriend. Poor Matthew looked if he would rather die there and then.
"Please, Mary, not here. There are reasons-" he trailed off, looking down at his plate.
"Yes well, that's why I didn't say bride. Not sure I'll ever be one at this rate," she replied sharply.
Edith and Sybil could hold back no longer and began to giggle at the other end of the table. Anna caught John's eye and was surprised to see tears gathering as a result of the mirth. She bit her lip in an attempt to not laugh.
"That's enough, Mary," Cora scolded, "No need to air your dirty laundry to us all."
Mary rolled her eyes, taking some form of consolation from her boyfriend's red face and the attention that she had garnered. She reached for the Christmas pudding as the other conversations began to start again, albeit a bit quieter and still with the traces of amused smiles.
"Well, we all know I have a right to be so put out. You'd think Christmas would be the perfect time to-"
"Isn't the weather terribly dull today!" Violet exclaimed loudly at the end of the table.
"You're awful, you know," Anna hissed at Mary as they carried plates from the table to the kitchen, "That was rather unnecessary."
"He could have asked me this morning!" Mary snapped, shaking her head.
"You can't force it, Mary. He'll get around to it at some point, as long as you don't put him off acting like that," Anna retorted, now slotting cutlery into the dishwasher as Mary covered up the leftovers in tin foil.
"Not before John does, at this rate."
Anna stopped what she was doing and looked at Mary in disbelief.
"Now you're acting like a child. That's not on the cards yet," she turned back to her task, blushing profusely.
"Yet I think someone's blushing," Mary teased in a sing-song voice, bad mood evaporated as she snapped off a piece of a gingerbread house, "Mark my words, Anna, there'll be a ring on that finger before the year is out."
"What do you think about the lovebirds' spat?" John whispered in her ear as they sat together on a sofa. Surrounded by a sea of wrapping paper and smiles, present-opening had just taken place and another happy lull had descended on the group.
"A bit childish. Perhaps borne from jealousy? Bizarrely enough she seems convinced I'll be married first," Anna sighed, fastening her new necklace from Cora, "but that's just Mary being Mary. It's ever so unlikely."
Her musings were met with silence, and she looked up at him, shocked at his response. Anna was not expecting John to look so taken aback. Was that hurt buried in his eyes?
"Not that I won't get married," she stumbled on quickly, trying to climb out of the hole she had dug herself and fiddling with her necklace in anxiousness, "but they've been going out for far longer than we have and she's pushing for it, you know, and Robert and Cora would want that soon anyway. And besides, I don't know if you'd even want it after all that happened with Vera and I wouldn't ask you to change your wishes for me and I don't really know if-"
The doorbell rang, saving Anna from herself and she sprang up, waving away Robert's attempt to extract himself from Mary's explanation of the seven ways her new scarf can 'jazz up an outfit'.
"I'll get it!" and like that, she left, leaving John bemused and more than a little bit shocked.
Anna padded out into the hallway, frustrated at herself for waffling on as she did and obviously making John uncomfortable. She knew she was right to assume that John wouldn't necessarily wish to marry again, but that hadn't garnered the reaction she had expected.
Lost in her thoughts, she opened the door to find Elsie Carson on the doorstep, Father Christmas cap perched upon her head and very tiny baby snuggled against her breast.
"Hello, Anna dear. Thought I'd pop in to with everyone a Merry Christmas!" she exclaimed happily, kissing Anna's cheek as she bobbed inside. Anna closed the door behind her but didn't move, astonished.
"You're a bit quiet, love. Everything okay?" Elsie asked, noting Anna's silence.
"Uh, yes just…I mean…you've got a baby," she said slowly, gesturing slightly at the bundle.
"Oh yes! Sorry, I forget nobody's expecting that. The social services called us just a fortnight ago to ask if we could take the wee bairn," Elsie explained, toeing off her shoes before hurrying in to the warmth of the living room, "You just can't say no when they ask you. We've only fostered older children before, but Charles is so good with him and hasn't complained once. He's up at all hours."
Cora descended upon her immediately, cooing over the baby before rushing off to find a blanket to cover them both. Everyone else shuffled to make space on a sofa and then began fussing and clucking over the child. Anna had followed Elsie into the room and perched on the arm of the sofa by her, entranced by the boy.
"His name is Arlo and he's as good as gold," she smiled, proudly turning him towards his audience, "It's a sad story, though. His mother truly doesn't seem to want him. Unfathomable for us when you look at him, really, but we can't judge."
The others continued their fussing and poor little Arlo was passed gently around to all those who wanted a cuddle, loved upon and warm.
John sat back slightly, noticing the change in Anna's countenance. She had lit up, leaning towards the baby whenever she could. He watched her touch the baby's fingers lightly and sweetly stroke his hair. She was besotted, and he was surprised by the tightening in his chest as he watched her.
Someone had gotten out the Wii in the other room and a very intense bowling competition had begun leaving Anna, John, Elsie and little Arlo sat in the living room by the fire.
"You wouldn't mind holding him whilst I pop to the loo?" Elsie asked. Anna and John shook their heads simultaneously.
"Of course we don't!" Anna replied, reaching out her hands for the sleeping baby and settling him in the crook of her arm before Elsie left.
"They're so very perfect at this age," she whispered, nestling into some cushions, before stroking Arlo's cheek, "I guarantee you've never felt anything softer in your life."
John nodded, bewitched by the sight of the baby nestled in Anna's arms. She snuggled her head into his chest. This really was all kinds of perfect.
"Did you mean what you said, earlier?" John asked, eyes still fixated on the child, "About marriage?"
Anna sighed, "Oh, John. You're not still brooding about that are you? I've never known someone to dwell so very much."
"You're not allowed to change the subject, love," he replied. She smiled, caught out.
"Fine. Truth be told, I have always imagined myself getting married. I've not dreamt of dresses per se, or the church or the cake. But I know I would like to marry the love of my life. I'm not set on marriage, though, if that's not what you want. There's only one thing I'm quite set on in life. Well, two," she said.
John looked at her expectantly. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes were the bluest he had seen them, reflecting light from the crackling fire and shining with love.
"What are they, then?" he whispered hoarsely, mesmerised by her beauty.
"This," she said simply, turning her attention to the baby and stroking his hair, "and you. I'd like a baby and for you to be their father."
John felt tears gather at her tone. Oh, how blessed he would be to even have the chance for Anna to be a mother to his children.
"So I'm the love of your life, then?" he half-joked, smiling. Anna had never seen quite so much joy on his face. He had smiled, of course, many a time when with her. But the happiness behind his eyes struck her now.
"Silly beggar," she rolled her eyes at him and nudged him as best she could with her hands full, "Here, you take him. Let a girl see the sight she's always wanted."
A shaky cross-over took place, with Anna placing the sleeping baby onto John's chest before sitting back and looking very pleased with herself.
"Perfect," she beamed, settling back down beside John and watching his large hands cover the baby's back. They sat there, comfortably, for several minutes before John spoke again.
"I do want to marry you, you know," John said quietly, "So that's one less thing to worry about," he felt her smile against him. "And you're right as always. He is the softest thing I've ever felt. So it's a yes to the babies too, don't worry."
"Babies, plural?" Anna muttered, slouched into his side and drifting off into a contented slumber, "Jackpot."
At the door of the room, unbeknownst to John and Anna, three sisters stood watching.
"They are pretty damn cute, aren't they?" Sybil murmured happily.
"I'd wager that she might be married before you, Mary," Edith teased.
Warmed by the sight of her best friend looking so happy, Mary sighed.
"I'd say sod off, Edith, but for once you might be right."
My beta wanted to share her contribution:
* After years of 'not fucking getting together', as Mary so eloquently put it, Anna and John decided that fucking together was far more enjoyable for both parties.
It took a lot for me to not make this the actual paragraph.