Chp10 five years

The house is deck in Christmas cheer, the tall tree in the great room frames the mass of windows looking out into the morning light reflecting on the Sound's calm wave. I watch my boy's in their terrible two, shed their cloths in that naked phase. Running around the present and furniture. I try to grab them, but a slippery pair. "Teddy grab your brother!"

"Which one?"

"the one you can grab, it doesn't matter." I watch Teddy make a half heart grab in between laughter and cheering the dynamic duo on. Phoebe runs in and grabs Jason Andrew. I final get Lucas Paul. Holding him in a death grip before he crawls over me, out of my grasps. The twins as the family calls them. Named for my friend and CPO Jason Taylor and my dad who hated his first name, so we settle for Carrick's grandfather's name, his middle name Andrew. Lucas for Mia husband Lucas "Luke" Sawyer and mom's second husband. I get both on the floor with Phoebe help into some parts of their cloths. Teddy is still laughing on the couch. My oldest kids Theodore Raymond and Phoebe Audrey. My four-year-old fraternal twins. I watch the kids, holding my terrible twin terrors. "Calm down or we won't do present." I command in my best father, Dom voice. Which cause the kids to laugh harder and tease me like I could carry out the threat. A very pregnant Anna walks in sits on the love seat, taking Lucas. Who's now playing Angel. His brother squirms till he's with mommy. The oldest sit at her legs. "Story, Story" they chant.

"Christmas carol?" they nod no. "Grinch?" no. "I know how about miracle in the snow?" no again. "ok, what do you want to hear?"

"the Table!" they all cheer. I look at my wife carrying our first single kid. She nods, leaning back as the twins listen to their sibling in mommy belly. Wiglar walk in and lays his head on my lap, I stroke his head. I see the Adults gather to hear the Table tale.

"the best of times, it was the worst of times. I was captured by an evil witch, who cast an evil spell on me, making me her slave to tortured and abused for her sick delights. Till one day I escaped, but I was wild with fear and hatred of myself. I warred against the good king Cary and clown prince Elliot. Escaping into the deep dark woods, wild beast in the madness of my mind.

Meanwhile the Princess Anna, had escaped the evil clutches of the Mad Evil King Three and Queen Mean. The good King Ray was blinded by the selfish steward, Dr. Bob, to exile the Princess to the green castle on the edge of the forest. She being the great and fearless Anna, Princess of Montesano, escaped into the woods. She wanders lost as the darkness fell thru the forest. Letting lose the fairies, demons, and trolls to harass the lost folks in the woods. Stealing their food, and cloths.

I with madness controlling my brain ran over the Princess Anna. Tumbling into the muck of the deep forest. I crawled back. She seeing the naked, wild beast, blood soaked and gripped with madness, retreat to a tree, a gentle giant in the forest, wrapping the princess in is sweet embrace. I stalked to her, looking at the most beautiful creature in the world with bright loving blue eyes. searing my soul, and driving the madness from my mind. Breaking the evil witch's spell and returning me to sanity. I stared, as she bravely reached out and touch my face, electric she woke my heart and cure my pain. I took her hand and lead her thru the wood to a table in the deep wood, alone, forgotten. We sat for a long time, just staring at the other, till she kissed me. She is a good witch, having cast a spell to heal our souls and bind us together forever.

I lead her to a stage coach stop on the black snake topped road to Mt. Rainer. Princess Anna call with bugle and manly pages to King Ray to get her and never leave her again in the Green Castle in the forest edge. I drift back into the woods, watching her as king Ray arrived on valiant stead, of rusted blues and reds. The might GMC, old but true. A regal mount for a regal man. I turned and walked back to the Table in the woods. Sitting I waited till the sun chariot was nearly gone from the sky. I returned to the stage stop on the blacktopped road, and called Duke T of Appledale to save me from my wooden cell. Returning to my throne in the woods. I awaited his gentle hands, and quiet ways. Healing me to return to crowded cites and far away Harvard town.

I tried to break the good witch's spell, I tried really, really hard. But I could not. She had bewitched me to be her man. So, I snuck into the Castle of Montesano, planted a pleading note of my woe, my need for her, in her regal, princess worth bed. With a rose of white and gold. I waited to see if she would remember me, take me back into her love and world. The Kings were set against we young lovers Romeo and Juliet. We sneaked, and snucked, and shadowed boxed the world. She demanded I take a picture every year at the Table in the deep dark wood on the shoulder off Mt. Rainer. She would do the same. Till one day we would be together at the table in the deep dark woods; again, as ONE.

The world aged as we secretly met, stolen kisses, touches, moment's brief and fleeting. The brave princess rescued the guardsman Wiglar, I saved him for the day we would reunite, my loyal shield man in the fight. Then as the Kings did muster their armies to smote me, the young count of Seattle. I planned with my love, to evade and escape the kings and proclaim are love from the space needle and above. To marry a fulfill the spells pledge. To be one, family, one couple, one husband and wife.

The scene was set; the hallowed eve gala. The princess Anna hiding as the lady Mercedes near the bard small haloed ground. I entered bold, dark knight, the Count of Monte Cristo. I moved thru the crowd, grasping my ladies hand, we dance thru the carnival of costumes and sounds. Escaping to a black coach, to the Keep on the Wateredge, a night of bliss and love. To daylights command. To marry poor, me in glorious bright lights. We man and wife, we one soul. Happy and bold. We challenged the Kings and Queen till they accepted our new kingdom on the Sound.

We left the crowd city for the deep woods, one winters day, finding our table in the woods, we sat as best friend Uncle Jason snapped a picture of us now and forever together. We vowed every year to return and remember the evil that nearly claimed our now and tomorrows. Making spell to chase it away forever. Every year we will find the table and snap the scene for Queen Anna picture book. The clan of Anna's love."

The kids sit as I every year on this day tell this tale. I see the picture book on my piano. Every year alone, apart I snapped the shot. Till now the two pictures, one of me, the other of her share the pages side by side. I look behind my family fair, to the last picture in the deep dark woods on the slope of Mt. Rainer large, framed on the wall.

Anna in my arms, pregnant, smiling at me. the kids behind us, goofing. Teddy placing finger V behind our heads, the twins grinning and making faces. Stately Phoebe Grey sporting her best Mia like POUT. Me smiling mad insane with cheer; hugging my wife, my oldest kids. Wonder in my eyes how a poor man like me, rose to suck heavenly heights. I am Edmund Dante, the former Count of Monto Christo, to have won this life. So long I dreamed and now the reality is more that I can take. Tears fall down my face, as my herd crash me to ground, like every year this time, this day. Loving me, holding me. making me proud. Till her touch take my breath and chases away spells that bring me down. She smiles at me. my Mercedes, my blue eyed soul keeper in my life. I smile up and feel no pain, just my insane loving family on this Christmas day.

The end.