Of Egg Nog and Firewood
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye.
Summary: Christmas Eve with the Rippner family. Takes place after "Father's Day".
Jackson Rippner tossed another log onto the dying fire. It crackled as the flames licked at the new piece of wood. He put the screen back in place before turning to face his wife.
Lisa looked up from where she was wrapping yet another present for their twins. Her stomach had rounded out, stretching the satin pj top she was wearing underneath her robe.
He moved over to sit beside her. "How do you feel?"
"Fine. The little one is sleeping," she said, rubbing her stomach. She was just about six months pregnant.
Her husband bent forward and kissed her stomach. "Happy Christmas, baby Rippner…"
She giggled. "It's not Christmas yet, Jack!"
"They don't know it." He smiled at her. "What's left to do?"
"There's the bike for Nicholas…"
They both glanced at the cardboard box. Neither of them knew how to put a bike together. Jackson had never even owned a bike.
The twin's dog, Cooper, looked up half-heartedly from his spot beside the fireplace. He didn't bark since he was half-asleep. Sometimes he would sneak over, steal a piece of paper or a bow, and slip under the couch to enjoy tearing it to shreds. Now, this late in the evening, even his energy reserves where depleted.
Not that either of the Rippners felt like chasing the rotten terrier this late at night. It was well after midnight before they got started at the last minute wrapping since Nicholas had kept sneaking out of his bed to peek at the tree. It took three hours to get their son settled enough to sleep. Normally, they would be in bed by now.
Instead they were curled up by a dying fire, surrounded by half-wrapped presents and half-constructed toys.
"Want a drink before we get started on that?" he suggested.
"Sure."
Lisa watched her lanky husband slink into kitchen for a moment. He had become more of a caring husband than usual. She could barely stand up without him helping her. She didn't even have to lift anything remotely heavy. Being pregnant got her extra special treatment from him.
She finished up Marissa's present by sticking a bow on top of the neatly wrapped package while glasses clinked in the background.
"One non-alcoholic egg nog for you…" Jackson said, handing her a wineglass upon his return.
"Thanks, Jack."
He sat beside her. "Anything for you, Leese."
Together they sat on the floor, surrounded by the trappings of Christmas, egg nog in hand. Lisa slowly sipped hers as Jackson downed his.
"Now, let's get this damn bike put together."
Four glasses of egg nog, twenty-seven curses, five paper cuts, and two bruised and grease-covered fingers later, a shiny blue bike sat in the corner near the tree.
The fire had long since burned out, leaving the room chilly. Lisa lay on the couch, covered with a throw blanket, Cooper resting on her legs. She'd retreated there with the manual, calling instructions out while Jackson wrestled with the cardboard box and the bike's metal frame.
Jackson brushed his long hair back, ignoring the grease that clung to his hands. "Leese?" he whispered.
She didn't respond.
He kneeled next to the couch, listening to her breathe. Her stomach twitched at times, as if their baby was flinching in his sleep. He couldn't resist putting his hand there, feeling a foot kick at him. It had been a joke, several months ago, when he suggested they have a third child.
But then, when he thought about it, he liked the idea.
Especially around Christmas. He knew that come five or six in the morning, Nicholas and Marissa would be jumping up and down in their bed, screaming that Santa had come. They would all go downstairs, he would make coffee, and the twins would open their presents in a flurry of wrapping paper.
Seeing their faces light up was worth the trouble and annoyance of wrapping presents, putting up a tree, assembling bikes or trikes or dollhouses, and getting three hours of sleep. Next year there would be a third Rippner sitting under the tree, staring in wonder.
And Jackson Rippner couldn't wait.
Author's Notes:
Just a short little holiday piece. Anyone around kids knows how insane Christmas Eve is… and some of those toys… ugh. Direction booklets aren't always understandable. And I'm not just talking about Ikea.
Enjoy! Happy Christmas, everyone!