Christmas Kisses

Sam leaned against the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, silently watching his wife read to their son on the couch. Mercedes legs were curled under her and Jacob was practically on her lap, cuddling against his mother as much as he could without blocking the book. She effected different voices for each character, sending the four-year-old into fits of giggles.

"Wait! Say that again!" Jacob exclaimed through his laughter and Mercedes happily obliged. The lights from the Christmas tree cast a colorful glow in its spot on the other end of the couch. Sam's breathing hitched and he could feel the sting of inevitable tears. When they were teenagers, he imagined what life would be like if he married Mercedes Jones, but now they were in their late twenties, and it was a reality. Christmas Eve with their son hadn't occurred to him back then, but he didn't think he could have dreamed up such a beautiful sight if he'd tried.

The young boy's hazel eyes caught Sam in the doorway and he held his arms out to him. "Daddy, come read with us!"

Mercedes looked at him over her shoulder with a smile and jerked her head slightly toward the couch. "We left room and everything," she said with a wink.

Sam walked over to his family, first giving Jacob a kiss on his forehead and then Mercedes, who cupped his cheek and brought his face down to hers. She studied his him for a moment, focusing on his eyes with a knowing smile, and kissed him softly on the lips. Jacob dramatically stuck his tongue out at both of them.

Sam picked him up, tickling the curly-haired child, who was laughing joyously. "Stop! Stop! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for what?" Sam asked, still holding him. He turned the boy upside-down, earning another squeal.

"Sticking my tongue out at you and Mommy...kissing." Jacob couldn't even get the word out without grimacing, which made Sam sand Mercedes start laughing.

"What about when we kiss you, Jay?" Mercedes asked from her seat on the couch as Sam turned their son upright in his arms.

"That's okay," he said calmly with a shrug.

"Ooohhh, I know what this is about," Sam said, nodding. "Jay wants all of Mommy's kisses."

Mercedes smiled, thinking she would never get tired of being called "mommy," and Jacob's eyes widened at the accusation. "Nuh-uh!"

Sam's expression turned grave. "I understand, son. Jay gets all the love and Dad gets none."

"No, Dad, no!" Jacob exclaimed, tugging at Sam's shirt. "You get love, too. And kisses."

"Are you sure?" Sam eyed him curiously, and he nodded, his brown curls bouncing over his forehead. "Okay, good." he said, smiling again then quickly blowing a raspberry on his son's cheek, making Jacob scrunch his face up, laughing. Sam sat him back down on the couch next to Mercedes before taking a seat on the other side.

"How about you hold the book so all three of us can see it?" Mercedes suggested and Jacob eagerly took his role, happily snug between his parents. The trio read together and Jacob quieted down, eventually falling asleep in Sam's arms.

"I got him," Sam said, rubbing her thigh. "I'll be right back."

As soon as he hit his bed, Jacob started stirring. "I'm not tired," he said softly, rubbing his eyes.

Sam smiled down at his son, and pushed his curls away from his eyes. "If you don't go to sleep, Santa won't come."

Nodding sleepily, he rolled over onto his pillow. Sam pulled the covers up over his arms, kissed Jacob on his temple and stood to leave. "Goodnight, Daddy," the boy whispered. "Tell Mom goodnight, too."

"Goodnight, Jay," Sam replied with a watery smile as he backed out of the room, turning out the light.

Mercedes was waiting for him when he came back into the living room. He sat down where their son had been previously and she laid her head on his shoulder. "I saw you all emotional earlier," she finally admitted. "You're a softy, Sam Evans."

"As if you didn't know already," he said with a laugh. "Jacob said goodnight."

"My baby boy," Mercedes cooed, picking up Sam's hand and playing with his fingers. "We did good, huh? She asked, looking up at her husband.

"So far, so good," he agreed, smiling warmly when Mercedes set his hand on top of her growing belly. He felt the kicks of his soon-to-arrive daughter and started tearing up again. Mercedes was already wiping away a tear or two. "You pick on me for getting emotional and look at you," he joked.

"I'm pregnant so I get a pass," she replied with a smile, her voice wavering slightly.

He looked down at her with a gentleness that Mercedes hoped never left him. They had been together for ten years and Sam still managed to make her feel the way she did when they were lovesick teenagers. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Merry Christmas."

Sam leaned down and captured her mouth in a loving kiss that took her breath away.

"Merry Christmas, darlin'."

The couple stayed up until just after midnight watching A Christmas Story, reminiscing on Christmases prior, and imagining their future. Once Mercedes had fallen asleep, Sam went out to his truck to retrieve the rest of the gifts for his son and the ones he hadn't told his wife about, putting them under the tree.

Tomorrow they'd be swept into a whirlwind of friends and family, but Sam was most looking forward to early morning, when it would just be the three of them. He climbed back into bed, wrapping an arm around Mercedes, resting his hand on her stomach. Next year they would be four. Sam felt Mercedes cover his hand with her own and he smiled, closing his eyes. He knew Jacob would be bursting into the room three hours later, demanding to unwrap every gift under the tree, but he wasn't dreading it. His heart was bursting with love and that was worth way more than a little lost sleep.