8
…
As soon as the girls finished singing, I stood on the stairs and waited for everyone's attention as Jack stood nearby. "I'd like to welcome you all - friends, family, loved ones. We have a little fun planned for you, but first, let me tempt you with a cup of nögg. We have adults-only nögg and kid friendly nögg. If you might be the inhibited type, I encourage you to have the former."
Everyone laughed at this, and I grinned to myself, a bloom of excitement spreading through me.
"Taddy! Are we going to sing the 'Nos Galan' song?" Eve called out.
This led to puzzled looks from some and animated buzz from others. I nodded. "Yes, we are going to sing the 'Nos Galan' song. So first, everyone grab a cup of cheer, and then gather around the Christmas tree."
Everyone crowded over to the punch bowl and I served up the nögg. My parents were fitting in nicely, talking and mingling with everyone. My mom came up next in line and I handed her a cup of nögg.
"The girls look great. Thanks for getting them the dresses," I said, meaning it.
She flushed. "It was great fun, and they looked so beautiful." She looked around for them, and we spied them running spinning around in their dresses in the living room.
After serving everyone and satisfied all had at least one drink, I took Jack by the hand and we called for the girls, and headed for the Christmas tree.
Jack had pulled the tree out so it wasn't against the wall, and we gathered hands in front of it.
"Everyone hold hands!" Eve yelled. That girl was going to be in charge of something someday, I was sure of it. Those who knew what we were doing convinced the others to join us, until finally the whole party was around the tree, holding hands. I held Jack's hand and had my mom's in the other, so she could make sure the caboose stayed intact.
After Jack were Eve and Jenny, though Jenny ran to hold her Gramma's hand.
Everyone laughed and talked and looked at me expectantly.
"You're going to need to put your drink down so finish it off," I said, as loudly as I could. "You can have more when we're done. "Everyone join hands and circle the tree and follow my lead!"
I felt heady, drunk on the combined energy of all these people I cared about, all gathered together and looking to me with anticipation. Jack grinned at me and then changed to the song on his phone and it played throughout the room on the speakers. It was so old fashioned and corny, and brought back so many holiday memories of so many years of doing just this thing, but with my father or earlier, my grandfather leading the song.
As the song started, I sang and led everything in toward the tree, and then back out. Then in, and then back out.
Then we circled the tree, first one way, and then the other. At first people were half-heartedly going along, but then as the song took off and we went faster, and they knew what we were doing, they got into it. Pretty soon we were all holding hands and skipping around the tree, everyone laughing and enthusiastically singing along.
At this point I split off and led the chain around the house, in and out of rooms, and everyone followed, the music pushing them faster and faster. The girls laughed hysterically and as I passed back on the chain of friends, I my heart surged with happiness as I saw our guests mixed together, all laughing and singing together, holding hands. Their cheeks were pink from exertion and their eyes shining from the crazy fun of it.
Yeah, they would come back next year, I was sure of it.
Jack squeezed my hand and smiled at me, and I could feel his encouragement.
"This is a riot!" Jack's brother Gray called to me as Toshiko passed us in the chain.
"Woo hoo!" Sarah yelled, she and Beckett danced by next in line.
Finally as the song wound down I brought the group back around the tree around and around. By the time the song was over, everyone was exercised, excited, and good friends.
Best ice breaker ever. I mean, besides the nögg.
After that, the party kicked it up a notch, and basically ran itself. I got to talk to everyone, lean my head on Jack's shoulder, and sometimes update the buffet table. Perfect.
Later, I was in the kitchen and my dad sought me out.
"Ianto, I wanted to talk to you about our project."
Just out of natural reaction, my heart skipped a beat in worry, and then I remembered that things were on the mend with my parents. Old habits die hard.
I sat down at a barstool and motioned for him to join me.
"I know this is a Christmas party, and I hate to talk business, but I didn't want to wait any longer to discuss this."
I looked at my dad objectively, he seemed so excited.
Animated. He had a file folder full of papers, and he was thumbing through them. Some were printed from the internet and some were legal papers.
"I know you wanted us to create a safe house, but I had an idea, and I want you to hear me out."
I frowned. Was he trying to get out of it already? I swallowed, forcing myself to wait before completely reacting.
"I did some research with that, and I would like to go a little further. There is a program where they have a safe house, but they also have a thrift store where the kids can work and learn job skills. These kids won't just need somewhere to live. They need something to do, and training in order to be successful in their life. I know it's a little past the scope of what we originally discussed, but I'd like to do something like that."
I blinked and stared at my father. Who was this man? He was so into this. He really had changed.
My father stopped looking through his notes and frowned at me. "Are you okay?"
Tears sprang to my eyes. "Yes, I'm fine," I croaked. "I just…wow…this is great."
"This is a big project," my dad admitted. "We are estimating we might be at a year before we are fully functioning, but if we are going to do this, I want to do it right."
I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just managed a smile at him.
My dad wagged his finger in the air, almost at himself.
"Oh, another thing." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope and slid it over to me. "The animal shelter. This should be enough to get that going and operating while you solicit more donations. I was thinking maybe right now you focus on getting the shelter done, and I'll do all this groundwork for the safe house and programs."
I put my hand on the envelope and bit my lip. "Thanks dad," I said. I dragged my eyes to meet his. "You really… you've impressed me."
He shook his head. "I would have been impressive if I'd not put us through all this."
I nodded, unable to argue. I couldn't hide my smile. "But, since you did, think of all the good we're going to do."
"That's my hope," he sighed. "I went home and did a lot of research and…" he put his head in his hands. "My god, I'm so glad we didn't lose you to the streets."
I put my hand on his shoulder. The past was heavy and sad, and I was glad he was sorry. But now is now and the future is ahead of us. "Me too," I managed. "We can save so many kids who would be otherwise."
He met my eyes earnestly. "I'll do everything I can to make sure we do."
I pulled him into a hug. "Thanks dad."
He patted my back. "You're welcome. Love you son."
I squeezed my eyes tight. "I love you too." After a beat I whispered, "Merry Christmas."
"Indeed," he said, giving me a squeeze. "And by the way," he gripped my arm as he spoke into my ear. "Jack is terrific. I'm glad you picked him over your stupid old man."
I choked with a laugh that almost felt like it would turn into a sob. The lunacy of this conversation wasn't beyond me. "Me too, dad. Me too."
"All right," my father cleared his throat, suddenly brusque. "Enough business. I haven't tried all the treats, and I will regret it all year long if I don't."
I laughed, wiping my eyes. "You'd better hurry. Some of the things are going fast."
Just then Eve and Jenny burst into the kitchen. "Taddy, can we open presents now?"
I laughed, the pure excitement of my girls contagiously cleansing all the heavy memories away. "Of course. Let's go open presents."
"Yay!" they squealed and then ran into the living room.
"Jack, Taddy says we can open presents now!"
"All right then," Jack boomed from the living room. "Let's open presents."
"ME FIRST!" my mum exclaimed, jumping up from her seat and demonstrating a remarkable agility for a woman her age. She gave my dad a pointed look and he exited out the front door, I guessed to retrieve something for her.
"Can I help?" Eve cried, following her Gramma close behind.
"Me too!" Jenny scrambled close behind her sister.
My mother laughed. "But then how will you get your presents?" she stood with her hand on her hip and gave the girls a mock stern look.
"Oh yeah," Jenny said. She put her finger in her mouth, a throwback to her younger days and looked to me with real concern in her eyes.
"You could go last?" I suggested, amusement bubbled inside me.
Horror filled Eve's eyes. "Go last?"
"I think that's a great idea," Lisa said. She and Trent were sitting in the corner of a couch, very much snuggling.
"Yes, then you get the fun of helping and then the fun of opening a present at the end too," I pointed out.
The girls looked at me skeptically, and then Jenny nodded. "Okay, I'll do that. I can help you, Gramma!"
"Me too!" Eve said, never to be outdone or left behind by her sister.
I found a seat and pulled Jack next to me happy to enjoy the spectacle. If I knew my mother I knew what all of this was. She and I spent all kinds of time on the phone since our lunch and she left nothing to chance.
My dad came back inside with a giant basket full of presents, all beautifully wrapped and addressed to their recipients.
"Okay girls," my mum said. "Take turns pulling a gift out and reading the tag. Then give the person their present."
She turned to the room. "Don't open your gift until everyone has theirs and everyone can open them at once."
The girls did just that, reading off names. "Sarah."
"Beck….Beckett." "Nichole." "Trent." On and on it went. I got a lot of quizzical looks from some of the recipients, a few who had never met my mother. I just gave them my 'beats me' smile and shrugged.
When the basket was empty, the girls looked in, aghast to find nothing for themselves. They looked up at my mother, who winked at me and then their Poppy handed them each their gifts they'd been hiding behind the couch.
My mom turned around in a circle in the room and clasped her hands together.
"Is everyone ready?"
I swear she just loves the attention.
She brought her hands down. "You may open your gift!"
The room erupted in a cacophony of ripping paper and laughing. I held my gift on my lap, happy to watch the room. Everyone seemed astonished to receive a pair of high quality pyjamas, all different prints and designs, in exactly their size.
"What's Christmas Eve without new pyjamas?" my mum laughed.
"Now I know why you have so many winter pyjamas," Jack murmured in my ear.
I laughed, "Yep, I get a new pair every year whether I need them or not, and now you will too."
The rest of the night proceeded in lovely fashion, though my girls were absolutely spoiled since every person arriving brought them each a gift.
When no one but Jack looking I slid open the envelope my dad gave me and peeked inside. I gasped at the sum. It was enough money to start the shelter right away. Ever since I was a kid and tried to save every stray dog who followed me home, and hid stray kittens I'd found in my coat at school to save them from the cold, I wanted a way to do more to save animals.
Jack squeezed my shoulder and kissed me on the top of my head as I wiped the tears from my eyes. I looked up and noticed my dad watching us, his mouth in a tight smile, like he was trying to hold his emotions in. His eyes welled up too until finally he had to wipe his own tears away.
"Thank you dad," I said, again. There was so much commotion in the room no one else noticed.
"You're welcome," he said, and then turned his happy attention to his grand daughters who were modelling their new pyjamas. They'd wasted no time putting them on.
We had a merry gift exchange after that. Later I noticed the girls were getting sleepy. They were going home with their mother that night, so I got their attention and said, "Girls. If you want to see your gifts from Jack and me, let's go check the garage."
"The garage?" Nikki said. "I hope you didn't get them cars."
"Not hardly!" I said. As far as I was concerned they were never growing up, and therefore would never need cars.
Jack and I wrapped each girl up in a blanket and carried them in our arms out into the winter night. The snow fell just a little, and a breeze blew it around in little blustery curls.
"Is it a pony?" Jenny asked Jack.
Jack chuckled, his deep voice warming my heart with his resonant amusement. "No, but I promise you'll love it."
When we got into the garage, Jack turned on the lights and we put the girls on the shop floor. We'd thought to put on their winter boots and their coats under the blankets. Jack pointed to two square shapes covered by sheets.
"That one is for Eve, and that is for Jenny," he pointed.
They both looked up at us, questioning in their eyes.
"Go see!" I said.
They each took their sister's hand and ventured to the draped objects, and then looked back up at us again.
"Pull!" Jack said.
And so they did, to reveal two beautiful hand-made desks.
"Wow!" Eve said.
"They're desks!" Jenny exclaimed. "For us?"
"Yep, for you," Jack beamed. My heart surged with love for my burly sweet quiet carpenter. He's worked tirelessly on these desks built especially for my two little daughters.
"There's more," I said. "Look in the drawers."
A crowd had followed us outside, and everyone admired the beautiful shining desks.
The girls pulled open drawers to find them full of the thing they loved the very most.
"Art supplies!" Eve shrieked.
"Yay!" Jenny said. "We can art forever now!"
I laughed, peeking at Lisa. I bet she heard that term from her. She grinned and looked down, pleased with her daughter's clever mimicry.
"We'll get them put in your room before you get back," Jack said. "I wanted to put them in there to surprise you…"
"But you guys are too clever and there was no way we could have put them in your room without you noticing," I said.
"That's for sure," Eve said, putting her hands on her hips. She looked down to see Jellybean walk up to her with a stick in his mouth, his tail wagging. That dog loved carrying things around in his mouth.
"Look who woke up," I said.
Jellybean was a morning person, and after greeting all the guests and receiving as much admiration as a dog could possibly handle, he'd curled up in the corner near the fire and gone to sleep. Or, mostly to sleep. I'm sure he kept one eye open to watch the room. He must have woken up when everyone came outside.
My dad came into the shop and looked over the desks.
He turned and shook Jack's hand. "That's some beautiful work, son," he said. "Thank you for taking such good care of my grand daughters."
He looked Jack square in the eye, and I felt so proud of my father for evolving as a person.
"It's my pleasure, sir," Jack said, his military manners on full display.
"And for taking good care of our Ianto," my mum said, taking my dad's arm and smiling at us until I felt awkward and dopey.
"No more nögg for you," I joked, and leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
She put her hand to her face and laughed. "If I can't be cheesy at Christmas, when can I?"
Jack nodded seriously, like this was the most important discussion in the world. "Your mother has a point. Do not deny her the cheese."
I realized everyone was watching, and I felt my cheeks burn. Why was I even blushing? "And I love you all too! Are you happy now?"
Jack leaned over and kissed me. "Yes. Yes I am."