Alexis turned her key gently in the lock, eased the door open and stepped into the dark entryway. Twas the night before Christmas, she thought to herself as she crept softly up the stairs, stopping suddenly halfway. Muffled voices drifted from the family room below while a quiet babble floated down from the hallway above. She paused a moment before deciding to continue up, opening the second door on the left and whispering her greetings.
"Hi, baby boy. What are you doing up so late?"
He sat in his crib, grasping the bars and let out a happy coo at the sight of his visitor.
"You know Santa won't come if you're awake."
She reached in and hefted him into her arms, positioned him on her hip, and rubbed the back of his candy cane-covered footie pajamas.
"Merry Christmas, my love," she whispered into his ear as she pressed him to her shoulder.
She felt her hips sway on instinct as he curled his face into her neck and tucked his knees beneath her chest.
"Should we go find your mama?"
She carried him slowly from his room, down the stairs and paused just before the family room. She craned her head slightly away to see his face – his lashes drooping, cheeks rosy, lips pursed. The muffled voices in the family room hushed and she peered in.
The lights on the tree bathed the room in a warm glow, and a man and a woman stood side-by-side admiring the presents, stacked precariously high in every direction. A Santa hat sat atop the man's head.
The woman placed her hand on the man's back, finding the soft space between his shoulders over his white shirt. "Rick," she said, drawing his attention from the tree to her face, her eyes directed upwards, her lips quirked with mirth. His face split into a grin at the green and white plant above.
"Well, if you insist," he answered her unspoken question, turning to face her more fully, grasping the small of her back and leaning over to press his lips to hers. She reached for his face, rubbing her thumb over the scruff of his cheek, prompting him to pull her lower lip between his teeth.
Alexis looked away, back down at the warm weight in her arms, gone slack with sleep. She smiled and turned back towards the stairs, singing low against his temple as she ascended.
"I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus…"