Author's Note: Greetings! Here is my newest chapter just in time for Christmas! Please enjoy and review! :D Merry Christmas!

Chapter 12

Christmas had arrived at the Finch household. Atticus with assistance of his wife and Calpurnia decorated the house to help spread Christmas cheer. A large pine tree was cut to put in the middle of the living room where only a few presents rested. It was Christmas Eve and the Finches rested in their personal chairs doing their own tasks. Melanie was attempting to knit a pair of socks for her four month old babe after reading the letter from the recovering Jem and the others in Montgomery. Atticus was busy reading Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol.

"Blast!" Melanie exclaimed as she pricked herself again. Atticus looked over his book to his wife.

"Maybe you should stop," He suggested.

"No, I want to do this! I want our baby to have handmade socks!" She was declared determined to make socks for her baby.

"Alright," Atticus shrugged his shoulders and returned to Ebenezer Scrooge. Moments passed in silence until Melanie yelped again. Atticus looked up at her but she only looked at the blue cloths. Looking down again, Atticus went on with his reading.

"Ouch!"

Scrooge begged the Ghost of Christmas Future to help him.

"Ouch!"

Scrooge-

"Ah! I'm not doing this anymore!" Melanie threw down her work and stood up to leave. Atticus closed his book as he watched his wife storm off. He looked down to the blue socks.

Melanie stomped up the stairs and let herself fall (safely) onto her bed. She huffed in aggravation as she stroked her bump. She looked down to her pooching abdomen.

"Oh, Spartacus, I'm sorry that I'm not skilled in cooking or knitting or cleaning or really anything a mother should be. I can't even knit you a pair of socks," Melanie's hormones began to take over. The quiet sobs and sniffing echoed through the house till Melanie finally fell asleep. Atticus slipped into his warm bed a little past midnight. He held his puffy eyed wife close to him to comfort her troubled sleep.

"Atticus," Melanie whispered to her sleeping spouse. He did not respond to her soft voice. Again she called his name. Still there was no response.

"Atticus," She said more distinctly and gave her husband's face a hard poke. He groaned in response and turned away from the poker.

"Atticus, wake up," She ordered sweetly. He simply did not respond. This did not please the hormonal, pregnant wife of Atticus Finch. She grabbed his shoulders so they were pinned against the mattress before straddling him. This action made Atticus's eyes go wide before he relaxed beneath his wife.

"Now, isn't this how we made this?" He touched her swollen womb with a rather seductive smirk. She blushed before regaining her composure. She leant down to where she and Atticus's lips were mere centimeters apart. His lips tingled for contact. Feeling dominant and desired, Melanie removed herself from her husband leaving him wanting and disappointed. She was half way out the door when she turned to look back at her husband.

"If you want that kiss, Mr. Finch, you better get up and catch me," She winked before prancing away. Atticus slipped on his glasses. He threw off his blankets to chase after his wife. He bounded down the stairs in pursuit of his wife. He captured his wife in the living room.

"I got you, Mrs. Finch," He purred then claimed the prize of his wife's kiss. She pulled away quickly to go to the presents surrounding the tree. She picked up the presents addressed to Atticus.

"Sit down so you can open your presents!" Melanie commanded and he obeyed. Melanie began piling Atticus's presents onto his lap.

"This one is from my family," She picked up a red one. Atticus unwrapped the gift to receive the newest collection of Alabama laws. Several more practical gifts were given to Atticus from various friends and family but at last it was time for Melanie's gift.

"This is from me," She smiled handing him a green package. He happily opened it to find a new chain for his watch. He smiled to his wife who had taken notice of his tarnishing chain.

"Thank you," He said and kissed her, "Now open your presents."

Melanie did not need to be told twice. She sat on the floor like a child and tore open her gifts of dresses from her father and uncle, books from her friends and a cookbook from Jem. She was thrilled by the gorgeous, gold bracelet Atticus had bought her.

"Thank you so much, Atticus," She hugged him after slipping her bracelet on her wrist.

"Hold on, there is one more present," He said and produced a small, unwrapped box. He handed it to her with an apology of its undecorated exterior.

"What is it?"

"Open up and see."

Melanie removed the lid only to begin to shed tears. She covered her mouth and dropped the box. Two poorly knitted socks fell from the dropped box.

"My socks!" She picked them up and held them to her chest.

"It took me a while but I finished them," Atticus informed her.

"Oh, Atticus!" She clobbered him and showered him in teary kisses. He chuckled and held her close to him. He kissed her cheek but in return she kissed him deeply. When they separated their lips from one another Atticus spoke.

"Now, we better get changed so we can go see my sister," Atticus reminded his wife of their prior commitment. Melanie got off his lap and put the socks down on a table. She took Atticus's hand.

"Well, to get changed we must get out of these clothes first," Melanie mentioned suggestively.

"Yes, we must," He grinned. He swept his wife off her feet to carry her to their room.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Finch," She smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Finch."

Author's Note: Please keep reading and review! :) Merry Christmas!