ELEVEN: An Unexpected yet Wonderful Present

The autumn had moved on to winter and now the land was covered in thick snow, the deepest it had been for years. Christmas time was now upon them and Sarah and Matt were outside, playing in the snow that covered their home.

Earlier in the morning they had exchanged their gifts, brand new racing gear for Matt and a large bottle of perfume for Sarah; she hadn't had much luck finding enough to put on her till now. They were sure their friends and families would love the presents they had got them. Susan and Nathan were coming over later for dinner and to exchange presents.

Matt had first made sure that the horses at the ranch were kept warm in their stables and then re-joined his wife; she was wearing a red anorak that she would normally wear on very cold missions.

Matt returned to find her building a gigantic snowman, as tall as herself. She was trying hard not to knock it over with her growing belly.

She was applying the finishing touches to it as he arrived, "There, finished!" she said proudly.

Matt had to admit, Sarah seemed to be an expert in sculpting, he could almost tell who the snowman was supposed to be, "I've never seen a giant snowy version of me before!" he said, impressed.

"Did a little art back in my school days, you never forget!" she said, "I had to make a few changes though!"

She looked down at the snowman's mid-section and Matt could see a bulge of snow poking out of it, "Er, the change being?"

"I had to make this 'part' smaller because the end kept falling off!" she giggled.

Matt laughed as well, they laughed even harder when the 'snowy manhood' fell off altogether.

As the morning rolled on, Sarah was walking around; she loved the sound of the snow crunching under her feet. Just then she felt something hit her leg, she looked round and saw Matt acting all innocent, by his feet there were signs he had been gathering up snow.

"Did you just…?"

"Nope."

"You did didn't you?"

"Nope." Starting to smirk.

"Oh you asked for it, bozo!" she said, scooping up a large pile of snow in her large hands.

Matt tried to run but got caught in the explosion of snow as Sarah's snowball landed near him. He landed face first in the snow, half buried.

Susan and Nathan arrived a short while later, Nathan sitting on her shoulder as she carried a bag of presents for their friends. They arrived to find Matt digging himself out after being buried for the fifth time by Sarah.

"Not interrupting anything are we?" asked Susan.

"No, just teaching hubby here to pick on someone his on size!" said Sarah.

"You gotta admit," Matt panted, "I almost had you that time!"

"Yeah, sure you did," smiled Sarah as she scooped him out of the snow.

The sisters gave a warm embrace, though kept it brief cos of the cold. Once they were inside, the warmth washed away any chills they were feeling and soon they were feeling warm and cosy.

Susan handed Nathan onto the kitchen table along with the presents and removed her black anorak. Sarah took it and hung it up with hers. The house had been decorated from top to bottom, including a massive tree that was covered in lights and tinsel in the living room, Sarah had pulled it out of the ground rather than cut it down, she intended to replant it afterwards.

Matt and Nathan went into the kitchen whilst Sarah showed Susan the finished room for the baby, complete with cot and other furnishings.

Later, the couples were all sat at the dinner table. The replicator had been updated to now include Christmas themed foods, and soon they were tucking into a large turkey, Sarah having most of it (for obvious reasons).

Once their dinners were polished off, they began playing festive activities. They played Snakes and ladders, with the guys as Sarah and Susan's moving pieces. They played charades, card games and then took turns in karaoke on the TV; Susan did a good job at I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

With activities over, the guys were back in the kitchen, washing up what they could from the dinner table. The girls were sat on the couch in front of the fire, the warmth and the flickers of the flames made their eyelids heavy.

"Thank you for the presents," Sarah whispered to Susan.

She and Nathan had somehow managed to get baby clothes made for them, Susan seemed to have been in New York for more than a business meeting, she had met with top city designers who specially made the clothes.

"Hey, what are big sisters for?" Susan smiled, she put her hand on Sarah's belly, "You almost look like your nearing six months!"

"I've still got over four months to go yet," said Sarah, "But it feels like I've been doing this for six months!"

"Don't worry, in a few months you're gonna have something really precious and you're gonna love it so much, even more than I love you,"

Sarah rested her head on her sister's shoulder, "I love you too, Sis."

Susan laid her head upon hers as the fires heat made them drowsy. Slowly drifting into unconsciousness.

"Look at those two," said Nathan, looking at the girls from the kitchen balcony, "You could make a Christmas card out of that picture right there!"

"Yeah. On another topic, how are you two getting on?" Matt asked him.

"Oh, Susan managed to get the agreement; she's one helluva businesswoman, so now we can open another bar in New…"

"Congrats an all that but that's not what I meant," Matt interrupted, "I meant relationship wise,"

"Oh, erm…well…"

"Don't tell me you two still haven't taken things further?"

"Well…."

"Not even said 'I Love You' to one another? Geez, I know you said you were gonna take things slow but that's ridiculous! Snails have faster relationships than you!"

"Look, we're just…I dunno…we have insecurities about commitment, me more than her probably. I thought I had already found the one and then she ups and leaves me, just like that! And Susan, being used and rejected like that by that prat Derek-"

"Dick Doofus."

"Whatever, the point is, both of us have been through the heartbreak hotel and neither of us wants to go through that again, we're just…scared."

"Well if one of you doesn't make the first move, then you'll be heading for another doomed relationship. Nobody can force you but one of you needs to let the other how you feel or 'this' will never happen!"

"I know, my insides keep telling me to get a grip and move on but memories of my ex keep clouding my-"

"OH!"

The guys looked over to the couch; Sarah and Susan were sitting upright, wide awake. They were both looking down at something.

"Did…has that ever...is that…?" gaped Susan.

"N-no," spluttered Sarah, "That's the first…"

Matt and Nathan made their way over as quickly as they could, taking the elevator down to the floor, running across the room then climbing the ladder up to the couch where Susan and Sarah were staring at her belly.

"What's going on?" asked Matt, "What happened?"

"Quickly, all of you put your hand here!" Sarah told them.

They all did so, Matt and Nathan putting their hands on the side of her belly and Susan's on the top, they waited, and…

THUMP!

Their hands all left her belly as a powerful force hit them like a sudden shockwave; Matt and Nathan were sent five feet away, landing on their butts.

Matt quickly recovered, "That…that was…"

"A kick!" cried Sarah, "The baby kicked!"

Susan screamed with delight and hugged her. Matt climbed up and knelt on his wife's bump, he waited and then another kick sent him into the air, he landed into his wife's arms and soon the three of them were in a loving embrace. Nathan just beamed at the happy scene.

"No offence, Susan," said Sarah, teary eyed, "But I think that was the best present I've ever had!"

"Can't argue with that!" smiled Susan.

Next chapter promises to be a good one!