I had found that the best way to get Abby to stay in her own bed at night was to let Okwaho sleep with her. Connor didn't argue much with this, he accepted it and made sure the dog was put outside during the day. Abby protested this strongly during the winter. She made the argument that he would get cold, to which Connor replied that Okwaho knew how to stay warm. I tried to remain neutral during these spats. I was sympathetic to both sides, content that my husband allowed us to keep Okwaho and understanding that he should be out of the house when I was trying to clean it. Muddy paws and wet floors did not mix well. I had a hard enough time keeping my daughter's prints confined to the hallway.

"You spoil her."

I looked at Connor with a bemused face as he expressed that thought to me while we were changing for bed. I let out a disagreeing chuckle that he found somewhat offensive.

"You give in every time she frowns at you, but I'm the one who spoils her," I countered.

Connor gazed at me with defiance. "I do not give in every time."

I scoffed as I lay down, ignoring the glare he shot my way as he did the same. I stretched out on the bed, feeling my tense body ache as I relaxed. I had spent the entire day in the kitchen making preparations for the dinner we would be having at the main house tomorrow. This was going to be our largest Christmas get together to date. Abby had decided to invite everyone on the homestead over for a festive yuletide party. Achilles had went along with her wishes without making a single comment. That was unusual for the old man. I suppose he did it for Abby, because she was his baby.

"Did you eat the cookie?" I asked Connor.

I heard him release an irritated groan. Connor didn't entertain the notion of Santa Clause that Abby and I did, but he said nothing about the little girl's belief in a magical being who left her gifts based on good behavior. He had asked me what I would do if Abby was disobedient, but I didn't bother to answer him. He knew I would let her have presents no matter how she acted.

"Yes."

I smiled as I curled up against his chest, wrapping my arm around his waist. Our nighttime ritual was cuddling until Connor fell asleep then turning away from each other. It never took long for him to start dozing. Small wonder, considering how busy he stayed all his waking hours. Even when he was home, we had very few minutes together. He was either conditioning, playing with Abby, talking to Achilles or helping our neighbors with whatever they needed done. Connor was everyone's go to handyman. He was dependable and responsible. Not to mention physically fit to carry out whatever task he was given. I never minded – unless it got in the way of what I wanted him to do around our house. I was constantly thinking of ways to remodel and improve our home. I think it irritated Connor sometimes, but he usually didn't say much about my creative inclinations.

When I heard Connor begin to snore, I rolled onto my other side and stared at the wall until I felt myself drift off. I hadn't been asleep long when I awoke with an odd sensation of anxiety and fear that stemmed from a dream I couldn't for the life of me remember. I jerked as I felt an arm go around my shoulders and relaxed as my husband scooted against my back.

"Go back to sleep," Connor mumbled in my ear.

Had I been less preoccupied with my vision, I might have noticed that Connor was awake. At the time, I thought he was just speaking from the limbo between both worlds. I could do nothing more than obey his request. I closed my eyes and did as he said.

The next time I woke up, it was still dark out, but there was an excited three year old girl in our room yelling for our attention. Along with the pleas for us to get up and see what Santa had left was the heavy bounding of furry paws on my side. I pushed Okwaho off me and heard Connor let out a grunt.

"Iah!" Connor commanded.

The pup hopped off the bed and stood at Abby's side, staring at us expectantly. I knew he was only happy because he would be getting fed when I went downstairs. Abby was happy for an entirely different reason. She was anxious to open her presents.

I sat up, fighting against the grogginess and tried to smile at my daughter. "Don't you think it's a little early to have Christmas?"

Abby shook her head, her long brown tangles flapping around her shoulders as she did. "You said when I waked up I could open them."

I wasn't really sure how to respond to her literal logic at the moment, so I looked at Connor. He was still half asleep, his eyes barely open. "You did say that," he grumbled.

I frowned at him. "You know if I get up you're getting up, too."

Connor sighed and looked at Abby. "Wait until the sun rises."

Her expression became a sulking glare and she crossed her arms in frustration. "But Santa came."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

Abby nodded. "The cookie is gone and there are presents under the tree."

Connor rolled over enough to take her hand and pull her to the bed. "You have to wait until day light to open your gifts, Awe:ri.

Abby pouted again. "But-"

Connor shook his head, cutting her off. "You can lay down with Rake:ni and Ista until morning."

Abby huffed, but climbed into bed and lay between us, sulking. Okwaho started to jump up on the mattress, but Connor stopped him with a firm word.

"Satien."

The animal's ears flattened and he whimpered, lowering himself to the wooden floor. I tried to relax, longing for a few more minutes of rest before the busy day began. It was a futile effort. Abby's fidgeting and whispers about what she hoped was waiting for her downstairs prevented me from going back to sleep. I resigned myself to laying there with her, talking softly while Connor dozed until the early rays of dawn shown through the window. Then I let Abby wake her father up and we followed her downstairs. Within ten minutes she had undid all the hours of work Connor and I had put into wrapping her presents. The smiles and exclamations of joy make all the effort worth it in the end.

When most the commotion died down, Abby looked at Connor. "Is it time to give Ista her present now?"

I looked at the two of them. Connor and I had not done traditional gift exchanges in the last three years. We let Abby pick something for each of us and said it was from everyone, but we didn't worry about trying to surprise each other with items. We gave the other things we needed when we needed them, not worrying about holidays. This year we had gotten a new wardrobe for our bedroom. It was a joint gift, something we could both use.

"What present?" I asked.

Connor looked at Abby. "It was suppose to be a surprise."

"I did not tell her," Abby stated proudly, either forgetting that she had just mentioned it or thinking that since it was Christmas her slip up didn't count.

"What present?" I asked again, eying Connor.

"Rake:ni got you a special present, Ista!" Abby exclaimed.

"He did!" I said, matching her tone. "What is it?"

Abby was not good at keeping secrets. I knew that. And she opened her mouth to speak, but Connor beat her to it.

"Sahasot'sat," he told her.

Abby shut her mouth and sat down on the floor stoking the curls of her new doll's pigtails. It was a porcelain doll, beautifully made with pale skin and black hair. Connor had gotten it on his last trip to New York. I was afraid Abby would break it, but Connor made her promise to be very careful when she held it. She said she would put it up before we went to Pop's house for dinner later and not get it back down until she had his permission.

Connor looked at me. "I was going to wait until tonight," he said.

He stood up and went to the tree, digging around in the branches until he came out with a small velvet box. My initial thought when I saw it was jewelry, but it would be so unlike Connor to give me any kind of adornment that I pushed the idea from my head quickly. He came over to where I was seated and held the box out to me. He didn't say anything, only offered me the gift. I took it.

I thought I was going to faint when I raised the lid of the small container. It was jewelry. But not just jewelry. It was a wedding ring. A golden, beautifully inscribed band that had not been bought at a store. It was far more lovely than anything I had ever seen. The details in the engraved design were done with care and precision. I didn't notice a single imperfection on the band as I studied it with awed fascination.

"Oh, my God," I breathed.

I looked up at my husband, speechless. He knelt down, took the ring carefully from the box and put it on my finger. It fit as thought it were made for me, not too big and not too small.

"I had Dave make it for you," he said.

"How much did it cost?" I asked.

Connor frowned at me. "Does it matter?"

I could do nothing but shrug. I had spent most of my adult life worried about finances and budgeting to make sure we had everything we needed. I wasn't the type of person to spend money needlessly. If I saw something I wanted, I would save up for it. But if it came between a luxury for myself and something for the family, family came first. Always. Connor knew I was that way. He also knew I had sort of wanted for us to get wedding bands. Not for any real reason, just because I wanted one. I was shocked he had done this for me.

"Do you like it, Ista?"

I looked at Abby as she peeked out from behind her father's shoulder to look at the ring on my finger. She had her doll cradled in her arms, gingerly carrying it. She gazed at me with concern, and I realized there were tears in my eyes. I wiped them away hurriedly.

"I love it," I said.

Abby smiled. "Rake:ni has one, too."

I looked at Connor. He shrugged at me. "I know you wanted us to have matching bands," he said. "I can have Dave make me one like yours if you choose, but I have another I would prefer to use. If you do not mind."

"You mean the one you found on Oak Island?" I asked.

Connor nodded. It hadn't escaped my knowledge that Connor carried Captain Kidd's hidden relic with him at all times. Given the strange power it held, I wanted him to have it. It had been that very ring that had got me to mention my desire for wedding bands to him in the first place. It had been summer when Connor had found it, and I had not said much since then. But Connor had never worn that ring on his finger. He always kept it in his pocket. I asked if it even fit him. He said it did.

"Then wear that one," I told him. "I don't care if they match or not. I only care about you."

Connor grinned at me and gave me a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Ista," Abby called. "Can we have breakfast now? Kara:ken is hungry."

I looked at her. "What?"

Abby held up her doll. I nodded, understanding that she had named her.

"You are going to call your doll white?" Connor asked.

Abby nodded. "She is white, Rake:ni."

I laughed. "At least it's not kaia'ton:ni."

Connor gave me mock glare as I got up and went to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Even though it had just begun, this was the best Christmas I had ever had.

Kanien'keha:

Okwaho - Wolf

Iah - No

Rake:ni - Father

Ista - Mother

Satien - Sit

Sahasot'sat - Be quiet

Kara:ken - white

kaia'ton:ni - doll