Visions of sugarplums, chocolate cakes, cherry pie, and Tracy Boys
"Santa is coming," Jeff Tracy said, "So you two better go to sleep."
"But I'm not tired," Gordon wined. "I want more cake!"
"Daddy..." Alan whispered, "What if Santa can't make it to our house tonight?"
"Alan, don't worry," Jeff said. "I know Santa will make it. He always has before hasn't he?"
"I think so..." Alan said, his eyes drooping and he let out a yawn.
Jeff kissed both boys on the forehead before flipping on the small night light in between the two beds. "Go to sleep, and morning will come faster," he said.
"I love you Daddy," Alan whispered.
"Love ya Dad," Gordon said. "I still want cake," he mumbled.
"I love you too boys," Jeff said, "And no cake tonight Gordon."
Gordon sighed, but said, "Okay."
Jeff smiled and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Two down, three to go, he thought and walked down the hall to Virgil's room. He opened the door to see his son covered in ribbon and tape with four brown boxes around him.
"Hi Dad!" Virgil said, clearly happy.
"Virge... What are you doing?" Jeff said.
"Making presents," Virgil said cutting another long strand of ribbon and trying to tie it.
"Okay, just be careful and hurry up," Jeff said, "I'll be back soon."
"You can't rush perfection, Dad," Virgil said.
Jeff just smiled and walked out of the room leaving the door open slightly. He walked to the next room in which John was laying on his bed with a couple books around him and covering his face was the book The Gift of the Magi. "Time for lights out," he said and John looked up.
"Five more minutes, please? John said, with a look that made Jeff's heart throb.
God, this boy has me wrapped around his finger, doesn't he? Jeff thought to himself. "Just five," he said and walked out of the room. Again, Jeff walked a bit further down the hall to he eldest son, Scott's, room. He opened the door and looked at the disaster zone inside. Clothes hanging on the back of the desk chair, papers cluttered into huge piles, books teetering dangerously in a huge pile in the corner of the room. I can't even look under the bed, Jeff thought, how did I let this happen?
Scott looked up from the game he was playing on his DS and after seeing it was only his dad looked back down again. "Wassup?" he said.
"Nothing much," Jeff said. "Just bedtime."
"Ewww..." Scott said. "I don't want to go to bed. It's Christmas! Let's be joyful and merry!"
"And tired in the morning," Jeff said, getting a big eye roll out of Scott. "Five more minutes and I want you in bed, alright?"
Scott puffed out his cheeks and let the air out, making a raspberry sound, but nodded.
"Good boy," Jeff said and went to check on Virgil. Jeff walked into Virgil's room to see him stacking four beautifully wrapped boxes on top of each other.
"See Dad? You can't rush perfection!" Virgil said with a huge smile.
Jeff laughed and nodded. "Good night Virge," He said, kissed Virgil on the forehead, shut off the light and closed the door.
"John, bedtime," Jeff said, as he reached his son's door. He looked inside and John was already in bed. Always the one I can trust to listen to me, he thought.
"'Night Dad. I love you," John said, in a tired voice.
" Good night, Johnny. I love you, too," Jeff said, "Now get some rest. Morning will be here soon."
"Yeah! Christmas!" John said, enthused, but tired.
Jeff walked out of John's room and closed the door. He was dreading another trip into the disaster zone but need to make sure Scott was going to sleep. He hesitantly opened the door to see Scott dancing in a silly fashion listening to music on the radio.
Scott whirled around and noticed his dad just standing there. He gave a sheepish grin and hit the off button on the radio. Jeff raised his eyebrows and Scott pulled off his shirt and jeans and jumped in bed. "G' night," Scott said. "Love ya."
"Good Night, Scottie," Jeff said, "Love you, too. Get some rest." He flipped of the light and grabbed Scott's DS to make sure he didn't get up and grab it in the middle of the night. Scott groaned and turned over facing away from his dad. Jeff shut the door and walked down the hall to his bedroom. He stopped at a picture of the family and he thought, Oh, honey I wish you were still here.
Jeff went to the closet where all the presents lay. Grabbing as many as he could, he hurried through the hallway, the kitchen and the dining room to the family room where the huge, brightly-lit Christmas tree stood. After gently setting the gifts under the tree, he hurried back to his bedroom closet and did the same thing. By the time he had of the gifts under the tree he must have walked back and forth seven times.
Sighing he undressed and got ready for bed. Lying down in bed he tried to make up a plan to make it through the gift opening process of tomorrow. Slowly he fell asleep knowing it would only be a matter of time until the boys woke him up.