A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"Staring at the tree again?" I smile in response to Christian, keeping my gaze on the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree in the corner of our bedroom. We bought the tree and decorated it together after he decorated the tree in living room alone. His gesture meant well but still hurt although I've gotten past it. He sidles behind me on the bed, encasing me in his arms.
"It's calming.", I whisper. I finally tear my eyes away and roll on to my back. "Staring at it for a long period makes me sleepy, and I can't sleep yet. I have to get the girls so we can go downstairs for dinner."
"I can feed the girls while you stay up in here. I'll make you a tray and bring it in here for you." I grab his face and yank it to mine so our lips meet with force. "I'm going to take that as a thank you.", he smirks once our lips part. He starts getting off the bed, but I place my hand on his to stop him. "Uh oh."
"It was a thank you for caring, but I'm going to pass kiss. I want to get up and help you. Feeding the girls on your own isn't hard, but they seem enjoy acting up when that happens." I came to this conclusion the other day when I was feeding them on my own, and each twin seemed to play with her food even more.
"Gail can help or even Vickie." He tilts his head and appears to be getting to the reason for my wanting to help. I would feel left out and not needed if I were to stay in the bedroom. "Nevermind. You should be at the table with us."
"You meant well. Perhaps, I'm being a little emotional, but I guess I need to feel needed."
"You are needed. Now, let's go so we can have dinner." We get off the bed and pad to the door where I jump into his arms. "I see someone is in a good mood now. If she keeps it up, she can have one of the truffles I brought home."
"Truffles?", I ask as we start downstairs. "Why didn't you tell me about them sooner?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise so...surprise! What do you want for Christmas by the way?"
"Nothing. I already have everything I need and want." Christian asks the same question and gets the same answer every year, but that doesn't deter him from getting me something. "What about you Mr. Grey? What would you like for Christmas?"
"Nothing. I already have everything I need and want.", he echoes me with a laugh. "With the girls being older and able to understand a little more this year, we definitely need to up the ante."
"I'm a little afraid of what you mean by upping the ante. They're not even close to being old enough to drive so cars are out of question." He holds up his index finger like a light has just come on. "No. You're not buying one and a half year olds cars." The giggling of those one and a half year olds streams from the kitchen.
"Let's go and see what our sweet peas are up to?"
In the kitchen, the girls are wearing their turkey aprons and standing next to Janie at the counter. Gail and Vickie are on the other side of the counter with two large pans of cookies in the shape of snowmen and Christmas trees. Gail places a few cookies on a plate and hands it to Janie who then holds the plate down to the girls. I finally see Georgia has a bottle of red sprinkles, and Raygan has a bottle of red ones. They enthusiastically splash the cookies with each of their sprinkles before noticing Christian and I.
"Mama, Dada. Cookies.", Raygan says.
"Cookies, mmm.", Georgia giggles.
"And they look wonderful. You girls have been busy baking away in your little turkey aprons.", Christian tells them. "We'll have to see about getting your great-grandmother to make you ones for Christmas."
"I've already asked her.", I say. "She happily agreed."
"When does Christmas break begin?", I ask Clarissa. Grace called after dinner last night and asked if I wanted to bring the girls over for a visit after her shift was over at the hospital. She was supposed to work until three but called and said she was going to be late. With Clarissa home from school, I decided to stay.
"Not until the week after next, but I'm already starting to prepare for my exams. Kelly and I are going to study for our physics together, and Sam's going to join me in studying for our French and Calculus." She takes the ornament Raygan is offering her, the same ornament which Georgia just grabbed from the tree. "Thank you." I try to get to my feet, but the chair I'm sitting in is low to the ground and making it difficult. "Stay there. I've got this." Clarissa springs from her seat and rushes to the tree where Georgia's hand is going for an ornament. "Let's not take the ornaments off the tree." She takes both girls hands and brings them back to the chair, pulling them into her lap as she sits back down.
"Christian moved all our ornaments and even lights from their reach. They didn't seem to like it at first but got over it. You said you and Sam are going to be studying together?"
"And with Kelly.", she sighs.
"Yes I heard the Kelly part, but I'm more interested in the Sam part. How are things going with the two of you?"
"They're good. One of the other bag boys at the grocery store quit so he's working more hours which is good because he's saving for college. We see each other at school where have lunch together every day. He walks me to and from most of my classes except for my physics. It's on the opposite side of the building from his journalism class. He tried to walk me to and from that class, but he was tardy from his school."
"Awww.", I murmur.
"Can I ask you something? When you were in school, where there girls who thought they were better than everyone else?"
"Unfortunately, yes. There was one girl in particular who made it her mission to make my high school life miserable. She even continued doing after we had graduated." I focus on the floor while trying to ward off memories of Molly's torture. I break my trance and see Clarissa surveying me for clues. "I'm not going to go into detail right now about how it ended, but it didn't end well. Clarissa, is there a girl being mean to you?"
"There's a girl named Daniella who gives me these evil looks. The other day I was standing in line at lunch when "accidentally" bumped into me. Her apology was less than sincere. I brought it up to Sam who told me he had gone out with her a few times, but it hadn't been serious."
"Maybe she sees the two of you together now and is acting out her jealousy." Georgia and Raygan escape from Clarissa's arms and get to the floor, going to the tree. "Girls, don't touch." They sit on the floor in front of the tree but get back up the second they see Grace walk into the house. "Grandma's home."
"Yes I am, and I'm so sorry I'm late." She bends down and hugs the girls. "You've been messing with the tree, haven't you?" Georgia and Raygan's face are covered with guilt. Grace then walks over to Clarissa and I. "How about you two?"
"We've been on our best behavior.", Clarissa giggles as Grace hugs her.
"What she said.", I add, taking my hug.
"I get the feeling I've walked in on an important conversation.", Grace says.
"I was telling Ana about Daniella.", Clarissa replies. Grace takes the chair next to her Clarissa turns to me. "I wasn't going to tell Grace and Carrick about her, but they could see something was bothering me."
"I'm glad she told us. We want her to open with us. It sound to me like Daniella is jealous that Clarissa and Sam are dating."
"We're not dating.", Clarissa mutters. "We're pre-dating. Ana shares your jealousy theory. Ending things with Sam would probably might very well stop her, but I like him too much." The three of us go silent only to be interrupted by what sound like paper tearing. "What's that noise?" Our eyes flash to the tree. Instead of taking off ornaments, the girls are tag teaming on unwrapping a gift under the tree.
"Georgia, Raygan.", I scold. They stop and freeze. I lift myself on to the floor and go to them as Grace follows. "Don't touch anything on or under the tree. This is someone's gift."
"Actually, it's just a box.", Grace says. She motions to the several other boxes under the tree. "All of them are empty boxes I wrapped for decoration and also anticipation of the girls prowling." She picks up two small boxes and hands one to each girl. "Here. You can go and have fun with these." The sweet peas' eyes find mine for permission.
"Ok, but you're only opening those. The others are off limits, all right."
"No nos.", Georgia nods.
"Tay Mama.", Raygan says. They sprint to the other side of the room and start working on their boxes.
"They seem to be having fun.", I giggle.