Mari's notes: Sammy HAPPY FRIENDIVERSARY! It all started when you read my Christmas Eve story all those years ago. Love you!
Sammy and Ilna I can't believe we're on our 4th Christmas in the REAL World! Love you both!
REALMcRollers Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! Love you guys.
Sammy's Notes: HAPPY FRIENDIVERSARY, MARI!
Insert sincere thanks to my fellow REAL World writers and boundless gratitude to our readers here. I really suck at ANs.
Christmas Morning
"Wait until your mommy sees the surprise we have for her," Steve said as he finished changing Angie's diaper and putting her in her third new Christmas onesie, this one also courtesy of Grandma. It was white with red trim and read My Very First Visit from Santa.
"Baah aaaah!" Angie squealed happily as Steve lifted her off the changing table and headed for the master bedroom.
"Merry Christmas!" he said as they entered the room and found Catherine sitting on the bed, tying her shoes.
"Merry Christmas!" Her eyes sparkled and her face split into a wide grin. "To my two favorite people!"
"We have a surprise for you," Steve said in a sing-song voice.
Catherine looked slightly confused. "I thought we were gonna wait for Danny, Grace, my parents and Grandma Ang to get here before we opened presents. They're so excited about sharing Angie's first Christmas."
Steve looked as though he was about to burst with excitement. "It isn't that kind of surprise."
"What kind of surprise is it?" Catherine asked eagerly.
"Let's show Mommy," Steve cooed as he moved to stand right in front of Catherine. "She's gonna be so surprised."
He gently placed his forefinger on Angie bottom lip and pulled it down slightly.
"Your tooth came through!" Catherine squealed as she jumped up to get a closer look. "What a big girl!"
"I told you she'd be surprised," Steve whispered conspiratorially to Angie.
Catherine kissed the top of Angie's head. "I'll have you eating ribs before you know it."
"Oh my, look at all the presents Santa brought you," Grace bubbled as she and Danny entered the living room to find Steve sitting next to the tree, Angie on his lap, a mountain of brightly wrapped gifts surrounding them.
"Santa brought about half of those," Catherine chuckled as she crossed the room and hugged her niece. "The rest came from," she looked pointedly at her parents and grandmother, "other sources."
"Well, here are a few more to add to the pile," Danny chuckled as he placed several more boxes on the floor by the tree.
"And this one is from me." Grace smiled nervously. "I hope she likes it."
"I'm sure she will," Catherine said sincerely.
"I heard someone has her first tooth," Danny smiled as he gently pulled down Angie's lower lip. "Yep, there it is."
"You're such a big girl." Grace clapped causing her cousin to grin. "I was so happy when your mommy texted us pictures this morning."
Grace and Danny took their seats on the couch flanking Grandma Ang. Cammie was laying on her bed happily munching on a new bone, a gift from Joseph and Elizabeth who sat in the armchairs which had been turned to face the tree, Smokey sleeping calmly at their feet. Scout was enjoying a peaceful, quiet morning at home after having some doggie dental surgery earlier in the week. "Gabby apologizes again for not being here, but this is the first time she's had a chance to see her parents in two years and she didn't want to miss the opportunity."
"We understand. She said she'll be here for the New Year's Day BBQ though, so that's good." Catherine faced the presents, a strategy already in place. "We thought we'd open all of Angie's presents, and the ones she got for us, now and save the rest for later in the day after everyone else gets here."
"That sounds like a good plan." Joseph smiled. "Let's let Angie open some of hers first."
Both Grace and Elizabeth pulled out their phones to take pictures as Catherine chose a box with candy cane gift wrap. "How about this one from Santa first?"
She reached into her pocket for her phone, but Elizabeth waved her off. "Don't worry about pictures," she said. "Grace and I have that covered."
Catherine smiled gratefully and sat down beside Steve.
Angie immediately grabbed for the bow on the package.
Steve laughed. "I think she may be getting the hang of this gift thing."
"It doesn't take long." Danny snorted, earning an eyeroll from Grace.
Catherine stuck her finger under the wrapping to get it started and once again the sound of tearing paper caused Angie to giggle uncontrollably. She flexed her hands trying to grasp hold of the paper and eventually managed to get it removed with a little help from Catherine.
"What is it?" Catherine asked as Angie's eyes lit up the second she caught sight of the colorful box beneath the paper. "It's a Fisher Price Crawl Around Car." She pointed to the picture. "It's to help you learn numbers and letter and colors and shapes as you start crawling."
"Bah aaaah aaaah!" Angie slapped her hands excitedly against the top of the box.
Catherine kissed her cheek. "Why don't we wait to take that out of the box until later."
Angie grasped a piece of the discarded wrapping paper and tried to tear it. Steve gave her a hand and the second the paper ripped she filled the air with a laugh so infectious the rest of the room's occupants couldn't help but join in.
Catherine managed to divert the happy baby's attention back to gifts long enough to open several new outfits, enough books to require another bookshelf, a sensory development ball from Santa and a bouncy swing and assorted learn to swim aids from Mommy and Daddy.
"Whose should you open next?" Catherine asked as she examined the pile.
"Mine please," Grace said anxiously. She'd finished the gift just the day before and couldn't wait any longer to show it to Angie and the others.
"OK then." Catherine handed the package to Steve then searched for another one. She soon found her target. A box wrapped in blue foil paper covered in snowmen wearing Santa hats. "This is for you." Grace jumped up from the couch and took a seat in front of Angie.
"You first," she said as her cousin reached out for her hair.
Catherine gave the paper a start, this time actually laughing in anticipation of Angie's giggle. As she lifted the top off the box she gasped. "Oh, Grace."
"All our friends and family gave me a piece of material and Grandma Josie helped me make then into a quilt," Grace explained, the words tumbling quickly out of her mouth.
Catherine carefully lifted the blanket from the box and Angie immediately grabbed it and pressed it to her face.
"She likes it!" Grace said happily.
"This is awesome, Gracie." Steve examined the bottom of the blanket. "Where did you get the idea?"
"I was looking on the internet looking for something special for Angie and found this idea." Grace beamed. "There's a book in the box too with the notes everyone gave me explaining why they picked the material they picked."
"This is amazing." Catherine picked up the book and flipped through the pages, recognizing most of the handwriting. Her eyes grew damp. "This is something Angie will treasure for her entire life."
"I wanted to keep it a secret from the two of you too, so I picked material for you." She bit her lip. "I hope that's ok."
Catherine reached out and squeezed her hand. "It's fine."
Grace nodded towards the center square imprinted with Angie's full name and birthdate. "Do you recognize that?"
"It's the tablecloth from our wedding," Steve said. "How did you get that?"
"Boris got it for me," Grace said happily.
Catherine couldn't take her eyes off the blanket. "This is beautiful, Grace. Did you quilt it yourself?"
Grace blushed. "Grandma Josie showed me how, but I did all the sewing myself. She helped me measure out the lining, so everything would be level even though the materials are all different thicknesses."
"It's really amazing, Gracie," Steve said as Catherine leaned forward and hugged their niece.
Catherine swiped at her damp eyes. "Ok, now you open yours."
Grace ripped the paper slowly much to Angie's delight and saw the box underneath bore the logo of Honolulu Handbag. She looked at Catherine with questioning eyes then lifted the lid.
She squealed with delight at the sight of the leather crossbody bag nestled in tan tissue paper. "This is the one I looked at when we went to the mall."
"The last several times we went to the mall actually," Catherine corrected with a smile.
Grace leapt to her feet and modeled the bag. "It's absolutely perfect! But it's too much."
"It most certainly isn't." Catherine smiled with delight. "You've been such a big help since … well always … but especially since I got pregnant. Angie wanted to get you something you really wanted. Especially after she found out that you spent the money you had saved to buy it on other people's Christmas presents."
"I love it! I love it! I love it!" She hugged Catherine and Steve and kissed Angie on both cheeks. "Can we do Danno's next?" She slid three boxes over in front of Steve and Angie.
"Grab the blue gift bag with the snowflakes and give it to your father," Steve said.
Steve and Catherine opened the largest box first.
"Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table," Steve read.
Catherine smiled at the picture on the side of the box. The table had not only a small keyboard but buttons to recreate the sound of horns and drums. "This is awesome!"
Steve pinned his partner with a mock glare. "It looks loud."
"Someone has to make sure Angie grows up with good taste in music." Danny smirked. "We don't want her thinking hair bands are the way to go."
Steve helped Angie open the next package. "Rock, Light and Roll Guitar," he read from the side of the package.
Danny grinned. "It's also loud. I tried out the display model in the store."
"I'm sensing a pattern here," Joseph chuckled.
"One more." Danny pointed to the last box. "This one should be self-explanatory."
Catherine bark laughed when she tore off the paper to reveal a V-Tech Turn & Learn Driver.
"Good habits start early," Danny deadpanned.
"Just open yours before I change my mind and give you the stocking full of coal you deserve," Steve teased.
Danny reached into the bag and pulled out a t-shirt that read 'Promoted to Godfather in 2017'. "Outstanding." He smiled as held it up to his chest.
Next came a small, hinged jewelry-type box. Danny opened it to find a solid gold keyring engraved with the words, 'Godfathers are a blessing. Thank you for being mine. Angie'.
Danny was visibly moved. "This is … thank you."
"You're very welcome," Catherine said softly as Danny showed the keyring to Grandma Ang.
"There's one more thing in there," Steve pointed out.
Danny reached back into the bag without releasing his grip on the keyring. He pulled out an envelope and lifted the flap to see a yearlong pass for the zoo and aquarium.
"We figured as often as you end up taking Angie to see the animals that might help," Steve said.
"What can I say?" Danny grinned. "She likes them."
"She also likes the ice cream Danno always gives her a taste of when we go," Grace laughed.
"Tattletale," Danny grinned. "Grandma Ang, you're next," he said as he dropped his arm across the older woman's shoulders.
"Can you guess which ones are from me?" Ang grinned.
Catherine reached for the two packages covered in Cubs wrapping paper. "I'll take a wild guess it's these," she said with a smile. She held up a package with shiny silver snowflake wrapping which Grace retrieved and took to Grandma Ang.
Steve helped Angie tear the Cubs paper then waited a few seconds for the giggling to subside before removing the Baby Einstein World Explorer Sensory Globe, half a dozen books and several tiny Cubs onesies.
"I didn't think there were any of these she didn't already have," Catherine chuckled as she held up one of the onesies, "but apparently I was wrong."
"This globe is awesome. I looked at it in the toy store a few weeks ago," Steve said.
Ang and Catherine shared a knowing glance.
"Look at this, Angie," he continued, pointing to the picture on the box, "you can learn about all the different continents."
"Thank you very much." Catherine smiled. "Now open yours."
Ang lifted the lid off her box to find a multitude of BINGO supplies including daubers, wands, and fluorescent chips.
"This will certainly come in handy," Ang said as she clapped her hands.
Catherine grinned. "There's something in the corner."
Ang picked up a small blue box and lifted the lid. Inside she found a necklace with a gold, heart-shaped pendant imprinted with a recent picture of Angie. "Oh, how precious."
"We thought that might be a nice visual aid for when you brag about her to the other girls at BINGO," Catherine said.
"It certainly will." Ang beamed. "Now I won't have to try to look through my phone for a picture while I'm trying to keep an eye on my cards. Plus, it's bound to bring me luck."
"Mom and Dad, you're next." Catherine stood up and handed them each a flat box. "And this is for both of you." She smiled as she produced an envelope from behind her back. "Open this one first."
Joseph handed the envelope to Elizabeth then leaned close to see the contents as she removed them.
"Oh my!" Elizabeth's hand fluttered to her mouth. "This is … we were talking about doing this after the holidays!"
"I know." Catherine nodded.
"What is it?" Danny asked.
"It's an island-hopping excursion to the Big Island. You get to see Volcanoes National Park, the green sand beach, the Botanical Gardens and the sea turtles at Punalu'u Beach," Joseph said excitedly. "This is a very generous gift."
"You deserve it," Steve said without hesitation. "Go and have fun."
"We will," Joseph promised. "And we'll take lots of pictures."
"This is such an amazing gift already." Elizabeth tucked the reservations back into the envelope. "I can't imagine what's in the boxes."
"Actually … those aren't so much for you as for Angie to keep at your house." Catherine chuckled as her parents looked confused. "Never mind. Just open them. You'll understand as soon as you see them."
The Rollinses opened the boxes and immediately began to laugh. Elizabeth held up a onesie that read, 'Grandma doesn't spoil me, she's just very accommodating' while Joseph held one up that proudly proclaimed, 'I'm the one he's talking about'.
Steve grinned. "We thought that would go well with your 'Let me tell you about my granddaughter' shirt from Halloween, Joseph. The perfect pairing for walks around the neighborhood."
"And, Mom…" Catherine cleared her throat. "Yours needs no explanation."
"I apologize for nothing," Elizabeth said with a broad smile. "I will put it on her with pride. Especially next time we go to the mall."
Everyone in the room laughed.
Catherine stood up and stretched. "That was really fun, everyone. Thanks for being part of Angie's first visit from Santa. To continue the celebration, I'm gonna make frittata from Nonna's recipe. That should hold us over until dinner."
The group was gathered in Steve and Catherine's living room nibbling on the remnants of frittata and watching Grace amuse Angie with some of her new toys. One of which was a stuffed Santa Claus that the baby giggled at every time Grace made it touch her nose.
"Pretty soon you can write to Santa," the teenager said, and the baby made a grab for the toy. Grace pulled Angie onto her lap and turned to Steve. "Did you used to write to Santa, Uncle Steve?"
"Yeah." He glanced at the Christmas tree and back. "I remember helping Mary write a letter once, too." His small smile elicited one from Catherine.
"I wrote long after I stopped believing, because I didn't want to blow it for my brother and sisters," Danny added with a grin. "I'd walk them all to my dad's firehouse where he and his friends had a Santa's mailbox set up." The thought sparked a memory and he laughed. "One year Angela tried to mail two letters until Pop explained that wouldn't get her double presents. What about you, Cath?" He popped a cookie in his mouth and chewed. "Did you write Santa letters?"
Catherine nodded. "Every year." She smiled at Joseph.
"The first thing Catherine would ask for was that Santa keep her daddy safe." Elizabeth, who was seated next to her on the sofa, reached to place a hand on her daughter's.
"Ohh." Grace looked at Danny and shared a knowing nod with her aunt. As a cop's daughter she understood that better than most. "You were so sweet."
"That's my girl," Grandma Ang said and caught Catherine's eyes from her place on Elizabeth's other side.
"I saved them." Joseph smiled proudly.
"The letters? Really?" Grace shifted Angie and offered her Sophie the teething giraffe, which she grabbed onto with both hands and said, 'Ahhhhhhh!'
"Absolutely. If I was deployed, her mother would send me a copy." He looked at Catherine. "The year you asked for the 'u-nif-rom' like mine is one of my favorites." He grinned at Grace. "She was four that year. I'd made lieutenant and she wanted to match." His eyes glowed at the memory.
"And I got little summer whites," She leaned over to kiss her mom.
"The year you were eight you asked Santa to visit your dad at sea instead of you …" Elizabeth's eyes glistened at the memory and she briefly rested her head against her daughter's.
Joseph cleared his throat. "I was coming home. We didn't tell Catherine in case something fell through and I wasn't there until the 26th. I carried a copy of that one."
Catherine shook her head and stood so she could cross to Joseph and hug him. "You carried it?" She understood what carrying a token from home meant when deployed.
He nodded. "Every day until I retired."
A chorus of 'awww's went through the room.
"It's in my wooden box with the pillow notes now with the original and the second letter."
"Second one?" Steve handed Grace the bottle he'd prepared and sat back down on the floor between her and Cammie.
"You are so not like my sister, I know you didn't want two sets of presents," Danny offered with a fond grin.
Elizabeth smiled and glanced at Angie as she settled into her bottle. "Absolutely right."
"So, what was the second letter?" Grace glanced between her aunt and Joseph.
Catherine shrugged. "I wrote a thank you note."
Steve had gotten it before the words left her lips. "Of course you did."
"Santa brought my dad home. I thought I should thank him." She squeezed Joseph's hand and Elizabeth beamed.
Flashback
Rollins Residence 0500
Joseph entered his daughter's room to find his little girl wide awake; her head bent over her desk. She was wearing red and green striped pajamas and a look of concentration on the face that looked more like her mother's every day.
"Good morning, sweetheart, are you doing homework?"
The shiny dark hair flowed around her shoulders as she shook her head. She turned to him with a bright smile. "'Morning, Daddy!" She jumped up to wrap her arms around him. "No, I did all my homework before Christmas. I'm writing a letter." She pointed to the stationery kit as evidence.
He placed a kiss on her head. "Good girl. Need any help?"
"Can you take me to mail it later?" Her brown eyes lit. "We can walk Salty."
At his name, the black and tan dog joyfully hopped in a circle.
"Of course. Are you thanking someone for a present?"
She nodded vigorously. "Santa. I asked him if he could bring you home for Christmas. I knew you were supposed to come in January, so I didn't ask for Santa to fly you off the ship or get a new assignment, just maybe if you could be home a little tiny bit early so you didn't have to spend Christmas at sea."
It took Joseph several seconds to recover before he could respond. He lifted Catherine off her feet and held the little girl close. "You are the most … thank you, sweetheart. It looks like Santa answered your letter. I bet he doesn't get a lot of thank you notes."
She smiled as he set her on her feet. "Oh. Then I'll send him one every time from now on," she said matter of factly.
Joseph Rollins' smile grew. He knew the child he loved more than anything would do exactly that. "I …" He cleared his throat and ran a hand over her head. "I know Santa will like that very much."
"Good! I'm just gonna finish and then can we go mail it after breakfast?"
"Just say when." He scratched the ears of the happy dog who was nosing between them. "C'mon, Salty, wanna keep me company while I make some coffee for your mom?"
He glanced back, but Catherine was already back at work on her letter. Smiling broadly, Joseph walked down the hall into the kitchen.
After breakfast, Catherine stood in her new denim skirt and matching jacket, a gift from Aunt Louise, and held up her letter. "Ready, Dad? Mom proofread my letter, it's ready to mail to Santa."
Joseph placed his lunch plate in the sink and smiled at Elizabeth. "You sure you don't want to come?"
"I'm sure. You say hello to Margie at the post office, okay?" she said pointedly. "She takes care of all the Santa letters. Makes sure they get to the North Pole."
"Margie, got it." He nodded, kissed his wife and took his daughter's hand. Calling for the dog, who arrived carrying his own leash in his mouth, he grinned. "C'mon, Salty, let's go."
Present
"Marge copied the letter for Mom so you could keep it." Catherine smiled knowingly. "That's really sweet."
"Marge was a Gold Star kid and her son was a Marine," Joseph explained to the others. "She used to pop in on Elizabeth and Catherine with food when I was deployed. When we got reassigned, Catherine wrote to her for years."
"Still do," Catherine said with a smile.
"We got a baby gift from Marge Allyson, Catherine said she was a family friend," Steve added.
"That's her," she confirmed. "She's retired and living in Georgia with her daughter's family."
Elizabeth smiled softly. "You never change, sweetheart. You're strong and brilliant and you've seen a lot of …" she glanced at Grace, "not so nice things in the world, but you've never changed. Generous and kind and grateful."
"Thank you." Catherine looked at both parents and her grandma and returned the smile. "If I am, I learned from the best."
TBC tomorrow with Christmas Afternoon
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