Chapter 52
Merry Christmas
When Taylor awoke on Christmas morning, the first thing she noticed from where she lay against her mound of fluffy down pillows was the thick blanket of snow that clung to the bedroom windows and was still continuing to fall.
Glancing over at the clock which read 6:05 a.m., then in the direction of a still sleeping Gabriella curled up like a little girl, a tiny smile upon her lips, Taylor pushed back the covers and went to look outside at nature's wonder. Every roof and tree top that she could see for miles around was heavily coated in fresh powder, making for a near blindingly bright yet contrastingly bleak visual experience. It truly was a white Christmas in every sense of the word.
Shivering just a bit, Taylor wondered if anyone else but she were awake, as she slipped into her robe, tying the sash. The only other people whom she could even imagine being up at this hour were the little ones, but there was not a hint of movememnt to be heard that made this a possibility since her ears detected nothing but total quiet throughout the house.
Smiling, Taylor went back to stand at the window, looking out as her thoughts drifted back over the day before when she and Chad had made love in the jaccuzi and then spent the evening with friends and family. It was truly a happiness she'd never known, or at the very least had sadly forgotten.
How she wished more than anything that the one gift she could have given on this day to the people she loved was her memory restored, but she knew that it would be up to God to see that such a miracle occurred and in the time he deemed it to be so. Until then, the new memories she was creating here and now would have to suffice. Not that she was complaining. Taylor was more than thankful for the wonderful experiences she'd had since coming home from the hospital and the steps she'd taken in securing some of her old life by reconnecting with those around her. The fact that she now finally able to face what she felt for Chad and let him wrap her up in his love was something that she would forever remember as the highlight of this vacation.
Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the bedroom door. Momentarily startled, Taylor quickly felt a smile overcome her, believing she knew who it was on the other side. When she tip-toed over to open it, she was at first shocked by whom she found there but then plesantly surprised at the sight of her little sister, Danielle, standing there in her pajamas, clutching a teddy bear and rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"What are you doing up so early Dani?" Taylor asked, stooping down to take her youngest sibling in her arms with a warm hug and a smile. "Shouldn't you still be in bed?"
"It's Christmas Tay," the little girl said with a precocious grin and a yawn. "You and me always get up before everyone else at Christmas. Don't you remember?"
"Of course we do honey. I'm so glad you thought to come and remind me," Taylor said, kissing her forehead. "Big sisters like me definitely need someone to look out for them as good as you do."
Dani's face lit up at the compliment as she peaked over Taylor's shoulder to where Gabriella was still soundly asleep.
"Brie's not up yet?" she asked curiously.
"No sweetie, she's still tired and needs her rest," Taylor replied, looking over at the bed herself to make sure she was right, which she was.
"That's okay. At least you, me, and Corrine are awake now," Dani stated. "Oh...and Chad too."
"Chad's awake?" Taylor asked, with a look of surprise. "How do you know that?"
"Because silly...he's the one who told me to come upstairs and get you," Dani admitted without pretense. "He and Rine are in the livingroom waiting for us. Chad said to tell you that Santa was waiting to give you some more of his special gifts like in the jacuzzi."
Taylor's eyebrows raised at that remark, causing her to laugh.
"Oh really? Chad told you that?"
Dani nodded, immensely enjoying the role of confidant and messenger to her big sister and Chad, whom she adored.
"Well thank you for relaying that to me precious. I so appreciate you having my back."
"No problem. But..but...Tay...what's a jacuzzi?"
The question brought an immediate blush to Taylor's cheeks as she rolled her eyes us up toward the ceiling.
"It's sort of like a big bathtub with lots of bubbles that move around."
"Oh," Dani said still confused. "Why would Santa leave gifts for you in a bathtub? Wouldn't that get them all wet?"
Sensing she was close to the danger zone when it came to trying to explain to her sister just what Chad's naughty comment to her really meant, Taylor covered by pulling the child into another loving hug.
"You're right baby. They would get wet. We won't pay any attention to what Chad said okay? He was just being funny is all."
"Oh! Okay. Boys!" Dani sighed with a shake of her head, little hands on hips in an exasperated stance.
"Exactly. Boys indeed," Taylor agreed, squelching the loud laugh she wanted to let loose at her sister's indignance over her boyfriend's sense of humor, but worried she'd awake everyone in the house with. "Come on. Let's you and me go see what Chad and Corrine are up too shall we?"
A few moments later the McKessie sisters came quietly down the staircase hand-in-hand. When they walked into the living room they saw the Danforth siblings seated on one of the couches giggling and talking, as Corrine sat cozily in Chad's lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. She was quizzing her older brother as to why they couldn't start opening presents up since they were now awake, with him trying to explain how they had to wait for mommy, daddy and everyone else to wake up first.
"Good morning you two. Merry Christmas," Taylor sang out as she and Dani approached.
"Merry Christmas Taylor!" Corrine exclaimed, casting a sunny smile in her direction, over Chad's shoulder.
"Merry Christmas," he stated in kind, his own grin at the sight of Taylor both sweet and sexy at the same time. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did. And you?" Taylor asked, as she and Dani came to sit beside them.
"Great. Until the little princess here decided she needed to wake her big brother up before he was ready just like at home."
"Oh you have one of those too? I thought it was just me?"
Danielle and Corrine looked at one another and began to giggle, knowing their brother and sister were teasing them for being dragged out of bed before everyone else.
Unexpectedly, the kitchen door suddenly swung open and out walked Lois the cook carrying a tray with four mugs of hot chocolate on it.
"Good morning everyone. Merry Christmas," she said in a tone that was a strange mixture of stern warmth. "I thought you might like a little pick me up to start your day. Seems this time of year I constantly have a pot of this stuff on the ready."
"Thank you Lois!" the girls sing-songed, as the older woman handed each a mug. "Merry Christmas to you too!"
"Yes Lois. Thank you and Merry Christmas," Chad said taking the mug he was given and handing it over to Taylor. "Everything we've ate and drank the last few days has been awesome. I'm probably going to leave here fat as a pig."
Lois looked at him knowingly. "Oh I doubt that young man. Just keep spending time in the jacuzzi when you can and you'll no doubt go home in better shape than when you arrived. Stamina might just turn out to be your middle name."
Taylor nearly spit her hot chocolate out at the comment, as she glanced over at Chad whose jaw had practically hit the floor.
Then with a tiny smile, Lois winked at them all and turned to head back into the kitchen. Before retreating behind the door again she called over her shoulder, "If the little ones are interested, I could use some help in a bit to prepare some more of those special pancakes they like so much. Perhaps we could do them in the shape of snowflakes and jingle bells?"
Corrine and Dani both sat up at attention, their eyes sparkling at the invitation.
"Oooh can we Tay, can we help Lois prepare breakfast?"
"Yeah Chad, can we?"
They both looked at their sisters and laughed.
"Of course. But you have to mind Lois and do what she says," Taylor replied, enjoying the look of excitement upon both their adorable faces.
"That's right," Chad added. "Finish up your drinks first and then you can go."
The girls smiled happily at one another as they all but gulped down their mugs of hot chocolate in a minute flat, before sliding off the couch to scurry into the kitchen to play helper.
Once they were gone and Chad and Taylor were alone, Taylor scooted over on the couch and gave him a tender kiss on the lips.
"Morning."
Chad chuckled. "Morning. Looks like it's just you and me until everyone else decides its time to get up."
"Works for me," Taylor sighed, taking a sip of her chocolate, loving the way it felt to lie there next to him.
There was a brief pause between them and then...
"Did you catch that remark Lois made about the jacuzzi?" Chad wondered, trying to keep his voice low still in disbelief at what he'd heard.
"Did I? How could I not. I pratically fell out from sheer embarassment," Taylor replied, still feeling the blush upon her cheeks. "I still can't believe she'd be so bold as to say something like that even though she obviously found it amusing and nothing for us to be ashamed about."
"I know. But like you, I still can't believe she said it in the first place."
"Oh...and why is that?" Taylor asked turning to look up into his beautiful brown eyes.
"I'm not following you," Chad stated confused.
"Sure you are "Santa". I mean aren't you the one who sent my little sister upstairs with a message about having more gifts for me in the jacuzzi? Sounds like you and Lois are definitely on the same one track if you ask me."
Chad smiled mischeviously. "Oh that?"
"Yeah. That." Taylor laughed playfully punching him in the stomach. "What were you thinking having Dani relay something like that to me?"
"Honestly? I was thinking about how much I love and want you and how happy I've been ever since we got here," was Chad's heartfelt response.
Taylor was just about to tease him for always knowing the right thing to say to get himself out of trouble, when Sharpay, Gabriella, Troy and Zeke all wandered into the room still looking half asleep.
"Merry Christmas," Sharpay said stifling a yawn as she plopped down on one of the vacant couches with Zeke right behind her.
"Yes everyone, Merry Christmas," Gabriella chimed in, more awake than the other three, as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch from Taylor and Chad beside Troy.
"Yeah folks...Feliz Navidad," Troy greeted, as he he threw his head back against the couch with a sigh.
"Same here," Zeke offered as well, his head now resting in Sharpay's lap.
Taylor couldn't help but laugh at all of them.
"Guys what are you all doing up? Obviously you're still tired. Why not go back to bed until the folks rise and shine?"
Sharpay slowly raised a hand in diva-like fashion as if she were about to give a response like in Darbus' class.
"I'll answer that question for a thousand Alex. Simply put...we're a bunch of competitive so and so's who can't stand the idea of you and Chad having any time together alone on the biggest day of the year, or experiencing any type of fun that we can't be apart of."
Chad cracked up. "Oh...that sounds about right. Thanks for clearing that up Shar."
"No prob Chad."
Taylor and Gabriella both snickered while Troy let loose a yawn even a grizzly bear would be proud of.
"You know...I sure could use a nice cup of Camamille tea right about now," Zeke stated, stretching out like a giant cat. "Definitely need something to perk me up a bit before the festivities get underway."
"Me too, only I want some more of that delicious hot chocolate," Gabriella agreed, followed by Sharpay's morning whine for her Vanilla latte and Troy's grunt for coffee.
Right on cue, Lois again appeared from behind the kitchen door carrying another tray of mugs, this time handing one each to the newest arrivals.
"Bless you," Sharpay said, perking up considerably as the aroma of her beloved drink took hold of her senses.
"There is a God after all," Troy groaned happily when the smell of coffee hit his nostrils.
"Awesome," Gabriella sighed, taking a sip of her hot chocolate, grinning like a child.
Zeke practically began purring the minute his lips touched his cup of tea, instantly warming him from head to toe.
"Thank you so much Lois. Just what the doctor ordered," he smiled, now curled up against Sharpay's shoulder contendedly.
"So Shar...what's on the agenda for today?" Taylor inquired, watching Lois depart once again, as she now was finished with her own drink which she set aside on the coffee table.
"Yeah Evans...how soon before the sleigh and reindeer arrive?" Chad teased, attempting to get a rise out of the blonde diva.
Sharpay stared at him over her cup of latte with a pleased look of triumph in her eyes.
"I know you pride yourself at being quite clever Danforth, but I have to say that in this instance you're right on the money for a change."
"What do you mean?" Chad asked curiously.
"I mean that while I can't promise you any reindeer, your guess about a sleigh ride couldn't be more accurate."
"Really?" Gabriella gasped in surprise, her face beaming. "We're going to take a sleigh ride? A real sleigh ride?"
"Yes Brie, a real sleigh ride. It's an Evans tradition," Sharpay confirmed. "We usually head out about 11:00 or so. Go all through the back country drawn by horses."
"That's awesome," Zeke gushed, sitting up straight. "I've never been on a sleigh ride before. How great is that?"
"Whoo hoo! I can hardly wait," Troy stated in a less than enthusiastic voice tinged with sarcasm, bringing a well placed elbow from Gabriella to the ribs.
"Oh stop being such a scrooge," she scolded, already thinking about what she was going to wear, wanting to make sure she looked especially Christmas like for this particular outing.
"Yeah Troy...stop being a grinch," Chad joked, as he found himself silently looking foward to the new experience.
"Wow Sharpay. You weren't kidding when you said your folks go all out for the holidays were you?" Taylor reminded, beyond impressed.
"No I wasn't. It's like a sickness with them. Especially my mother."
"Well it all sounds great to me. I so can't wait," Gabriella stated with a twinkle in her eyes. "And just think how the kids are going to react when they hear. I bet Corrine and Dani go nuts over the idea."
"I agree. Even my brother David is going to get a kick out of something like this," Taylor agreed.
"And what happens after we go sleding through the daisies?" Troy asked, ready for his second cup of coffee which had yet to magically appear as the first.
"Usually when we get back we have a buffet lunch and then pretty much do whatever we want," Sharpay supplied. "We can take the snowmobiles out again, go skiing and/or snowboarding...it's really about what you're in the mood to do. My dad likes to spend time in the afternoon going ice fishing which I loathe, while mom keeps busy getting the house organized for some of our neighbors who'll come over later for drinks and hor dourves. Oh..and I almost forgot to mention...we have a jacuzzi out back as well. Maybe we can all take a dip in their later if the adults haven't already been given the heads up and beat us to it."
The minute the word jacuzzi fell out of Sharpay's mouth, Taylor and Chad looked at each other with a funny smile and then busted out laughing.
Three Hours Later...
It was just after 9:00 a.m., when the last of the gifts had finally been opened and the entire household was alive with noisy chatter amid an endless sea of torn wrapping paper, tissue and ribbon. It seemed that everyone had an abundance of presents at their disposal ranging from clothes, toys, jewlery, gift certificates and money to Taylor's big surprise, a new car waiting for her back home courtesy of her parents who brought along a picture of it for her to gush over.
Then it was off to another breakfast fit for royalty, while the staff made the house presentable again for the guests that were to arrive later that night. Once all had been fed and there was nothing but an overload of pleasure that permeated the entire house, everyone went off to shower and dress to prepare for the sleigh ride into the woods.
It was just around 10:45 a.m., when the household of Christmas revelers all met up back downstairs warmly dressed beneath heavy parkas, adorned with hats, gloves and scarves, along with hand and ear muffs, anxious to get going on their newest adventure.
When they stepped out the front door into the briskness of the day, oohs, aaahs, and gasps of delight could be heard from everyone in the group as they marveled at the beauty of the four Russian inspired Troika sleighs that waited on the snow covered driveway equipped with two gorgeous horses apiece and a driver.
"This is like a something out of a fairytale," Gabriella exclaimed, her eyes wide as saucers. "The only time I've ever seen sleighs like these were in chapters on Russia in my history books."
"I know aren't they absolutely beautiful?" Taylor agreed, beyond excited to climb into one and snuggle up with Chad under the blankets she saw resting on the plush leather double seats.
Sharpay leaned over to her awestruck girlfriends and whispered, "Zeke and I are going to ride with mother and dad so the four of you can share a sleigh together. Okay?"
Gabriella and Taylor nodded still in a trance, as Troy and Chad took their hands and guided them into the second sleigh. Behind them were , Jack and Lucy Bolton and Lisa and Lee Danforth, followed by Robert and Glenda McKessie, Gabriella's mom, her boyfriend Vincent, and the three children. When all of the guests were secure and comfortable, Mr. and Mrs. Evans climbed into the first sleigh with Sharpay and Zeke seated in the rear.
"Is everyone ready?" Mr. Evans called out.
"Yes!" came a collective ring of excited voices.
"Then off we go!"
The lead driver was then given the single to start the ride and the horses where prodded into motion as each sleigh began to slowly pull away from the front of the house, where Lois and a few of the staff stood on the landing watching the families depart with smiles and waves in their direction.
Little did any of them know that such a joyful occasion was about to turn deadly and that not all who were departing would eventually return.
