Present- Christmas Eve Eve
Christmas in our household is always, always a big deal. Even when I was a kid, my mom would always go above and beyond with decorating our house from top to bottom, both inside and out. I remember coming home from school every day to freshly baked cookies, pies or Christmas candy and her singing Christmas songs while whipping up something else for us to eat. She loved to bake and cook, but above all else she loved taking care of me and my dad. She would dance around the kitchen and always expect us to join her. They are memories I will forever cherish.
After she died, dad was determined to continue on the traditions because he knew it would make mom happy. Now, with Jacob and I married and our sweet little girl, it was no different in our own home. Jacob knew from the very beginning that Christmas in our house, was either go all out or get out. Unfortunately, though I may or may not have rubbed this extreme love of Christmas onto our 5-year-old daughter.
"Daddy!" I hear Avery squeal and jump out of the chair that was next to me in the kitchen. It's the day before Christmas Eve and both Avery and I are on Christmas break. I'm pretty sure I'm more excited than she is, but after spending most of my days with a bunch of high schoolers, teaching English to kids who really don't care to read, I enjoy my breaks more and more each year. Not Avery though, that girl would live at school if her daddy and I let her. It's her first year in kindergarten and she shines brighter than her daddy or I ever did.
"Princess!" I hear my husband say as he drops down and picks our daughter up, swinging her around. "Did you have a good day with mommy?" He asks her. I see his bag of work papers fall to the ground in his haste to see Avery. Jacob works at the local bank as a finance officer. I never understood his nerdy love of numbers, but his job makes him happy, well after us of course.
"The best! We made cookies, and pie, and cake, and that weird stuffing stuff for a turkey that no one really likes because it looks gross an-"
"Woah, there princess, slow down. I happen to love your mommy's stuffing!" Jacob fake glares at her and she rolls her eyes. He looks to me and winks and even after all these years of being together, I still melt. His handsome face, always shining with love and happiness. The way his eyes crinkle in delight as he hangs off of every word Avery says.
We have been together almost 15 years and in all of those we have still remained the best of friends. Of course, there were moments we didn't know we would make it but our commitment to each other ran deep and couldn't be discouraged by a petty little fight. He still makes me swoon even after all these years and I'm beyond proud of the life we have built together.
"You hafta say that daddy, mommy will make you sleep on the couch again." She says, sounding so exasperated it makes us laugh. "Ahh, true little girl. Daddy learned really quick on that one. Never make fun of mommy's cooking!" He says and tickles her tummy.
"Alright you two that's enough. Avery, why don't you go wash up so we can take you to Grandpa Charlie's. Mommy and daddy are leaving soon." I place the last tray of cookies in the oven and set the timer. Avery jumps down, excited at the prospect of spending the evening with her Gramps and darts out of the kitchen before I've even finished my sentence. Any chance to spend with her grandparents, is a chance she will not miss out on. She has to split her time often between her Grandpa Charlie and Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esme.
When Jacob's dad died, he was left without either of his parents. His mom had died when he was young, but Edward's parents had been lifelong friends of the Black family and took both Jacob, his sister Rachel and their dad Billy under their wings. They expanded those wings when my dad and I entered the picture.
I giggle at our daughter and begin cleaning up our mess we made this afternoon. I soon feel arms wrap around my waist and a gentle kiss being placed in the crook of my neck. I sigh contently and lean back into Jacob's built frame.
"Hi love," He whispers in my ear. "I missed you." His arms tighten around me, pulling me close to his embrace. His hands at first remaining innocently on my sides but soon taking a different turn and one slides over my belly, slightly dipping a few of his fingers behind the waistband of my joggers. I feel all of him press into me, and I press back eliciting a quiet groan from him.
"You're only saying that because there's snickerdoodle's in the oven." I tease, turning around in his arms and wrapping mine lazily around his neck. "Good day?" I ask. He nods and leans down pressing a small kiss to my lips and hums against them. These are the moments I could stay in forever. Wrapped up in his arms, feeling ten thousand percent content and at peace.
"What about you? I appreciated that picture you sent me baby but damn you can't do that when I'm with a customer." He groans out, bending down, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, sir." I tease against his lips, pressing my chest into his.
"My God, you two shitheads never quit." Comes a booming voice from behind, making me jump slightly in Jacob 's arms. We both turn quickly, and our faces break out into instant grins. I break away and run over, squeezing the life out of my other best friend as he steps through the door. "Edward!" I yell jumping up and down, excited to see him. It's been months since he was last able to come home. Even though he's in his off season, he never stops practicing getting better.
"Yeah yeah, I know you missed me. Good to see you to Bells," He squeezes me back then let's go, hugging Jacob and doing that weird man slap hug thing. "Missed you too Jake but really, where's the only one I actually showed up to, see?" He asks pulling away from Jacob, peering around. He looks tired and worn but still the same Edward we grew up with and love.
"Uncle Eddie!" Comes a scream and a blur as Avery propels herself from the stairs and lands herself right in the waiting arms of her Uncle Edward. He slightly grimaces at the name but would never tell her she couldn't call him that. No matter how much he hates it!
"Hi buttercup! I missed you!" Both of them are squeezing each other so tight it looks like one might burst. Avery can't stop grinning as she hugs Edward 's neck, nearly choking him. These two have been more inseparable than the three of us since the day my little girl was born. Edward has always been known as a player and ladies' man according to Jacob since the day he hit puberty in middle school. Those ways followed him into high school, and we watched that boy take poor girl after poor girl by his side for a few weeks and then move on. He was a one and done type of guy. Something we tried profusely to talk him out of, but he would just say he was getting experiences. That life still followed him but if there was one girl who he would lay down his life for, change his ways and become a priest for, it was his goddaughter, Avery. The moment she was born, she spun his world on its axis, and he's never been the same. That girl can't get a single scrape on her without Edward or her daddy ready to beat up whatever little shit made it happen. I'm pretty sure she will never be able to date. Daddy and Uncle E would string them up by their balls.
"I missed you so much Uncle E! Did you miss me? Did you bring me a present? Of course, you did! Do I hafta wait until Christmas to open it?!" She's talking a mile a minute, barely able to get out her first word before the next one comes rolling off her tongue. But this is Avery, and we love every piece of her.
"Yes, I brought you a present and yes you have to wait until Christmas. That's the point! But I promise you will love it and it will be worth it. AND I will buy you another one tonight when I go hang out with your mommy and daddy." He smiles at her and she just huffs, rolls her eyes and mumbles under her breath.
"Fine." She says getting down and stalks off to finish getting ready to go to my dad's. I take Edward 's suitcase from his feet and walk upstairs to place them in the guest room. Even though Edward's parents live in town and he owns his own damn house here, he always spends the first night here. Not with Jacob or I, he reminds us its only for Avery.
I give him and Jacob a minute to catch up, hearing them already laughing and messing around. They have never once made me feel like I changed their friendship or drew them apart from each other in any way, but I always like to give them time to reconnect by themselves. They've been friends since diapers and never try to hang out just themselves, they're always including me. I finish in the guest room and walk into Avery's room seeing her struggle to get her boots on. There may not be snow in Washington, mostly ice or slush, but winters are frigid and cold as hell. I laugh and bend down to help her finish putting them on and zipping up her coat.
"I get to spend the whole night with Gramps right?" She asks me and I nod.
"Yes, daddy and I will come pick you up in the morning. We'll go ice skating like we do every year and then watch movies with popcorn and hot chocolate." Gathering her bag, her favorite blanket and her bear she named Stuffy when she was 3, I hold my hand out to her and get ready to leave before she stops me. I look down to my five-year-old and see her gnawing on her bottom lip, a worried look in her eyes.
"What's wrong baby?" I ask her, getting down on eye level with her.
"I don't know mommy, I'm worried about you and daddy and Uncle E." She says and I scrunch my eyebrows together confused, "Are you sure we will do all those things tomorrow? You won't forget to come pick me up?"
I laugh quietly at her silliness, "Yes baby, we are going to do all those things. We've never forgotten you and we won't tomorrow, ok?" She sighs and nods her head but smiles and looks at me with the most trusting eyes. "Ok, mommy."
After we drop Avery off at my dad's, lots of hugs, kisses and promises to buy her a special treat she lets us leave. She's definitely not too disappointed to be spending the night with my dad where she knows she'll be spoiled absolutely rotten. Add into the fact that Edward's parents will probably be over for dinner in less than an hour, the girl is set.
Edward, Jacob and I all get in the car, me in the back so the boys can sit together up front, I listen to them talk about Edward's next season with the Cardinals and Jacob gives him shit for not trying to get signed by the Mariners.
"Jesus, would you shut up with that Mariners shit? I already get hell from dad and Charlie for going to the Cards and being so close to the Mariners!" Edward laughs at him. "I swear you three are the only ones from home who don't seem proud of me at all! The hell's wrong with you?" They both laugh and banter with each other continuously, both knowing that's far from the truth.
These are more of my favorite moments. The three of us being together again, just like when we were kids. I love watching their friendship grow as we get older. Nothing, I don't think, could ever change the bond that these two have.
Tonight, we were going to do some last-minute Christmas shopping and maybe a little drinking. This was also a tradition, especially since Jacob and I became parents, we always let Avery spend the night with my dad and go out as our best friend trio and enjoy a little adult fun. Usually at dinner, our other friends, Alice, Rose, Jasper and Emmett join us, and we make it one hell of an evening.
Of course, Edward enjoys himself a little too much sometimes but it's the one time he can let loose. He's home and it's the one place he can relax and let go of the pressure of his career. He can be more himself. I couldn't imagine constantly being in the public eye like Edward Cullen. Being under the scrutiny of 100 teenagers a day in a small school is quite enough for me!
"So, Bells, how are the little fucks you teach everyday doing? Still sure you don't want to change careers?" Edward asks and I roll my eyes.
"Stop calling them that! Students, Edward, they are students." I say to him only to receive a shake of his head. "Nope, after that one little fuck tried to get handsy with you, that's what they became. Little fucks." He nods as if to convince himself and I scoff when my husband joins him and nods in agreement.
"He didn't get handsy! He wrote me a love letter which was promptly turned into the office!" I yell, reaching up to smack his shoulder. We park outside an outlet mall where we're about to burn a hole through our pockets buying even more shit for Avery that she doesn't need. Eh, that's what you do as a parent.
"He would have tried, right bro?" He asks for Jacob 's help. "Sorry, babe I'm with Edward on this one." They fist bump before jumping out of the car, my husband opening my door and helping me out.
"You two are ridiculous." Edward throws his arm over my shoulder and gives me a small hug. "You love us for it anyways."
That I do and both these boys know it. We spend an un-Godly amount of time shopping for toys, clothes and jewelry for Avery and a few others on our shopping lists. We spend more money than necessary but it's kind of hard not to when it's such a special holiday for our family and you have a five-year-old girl who has everyone wrapped around her pretty little finger. Jacob and I are enjoying a rare moment out of the house without having to cater to every need of our daughter. Not that we don't love it but spending time alone with Jacob is few and far between. His attention is never off of me, even when he's speaking to others or doing something on his own, there's always a lingering touch, soft kiss to the head or holding my hand. He never fails to make me feel special or like the most important thing in his life.
I remember when we were in high school and first met, Jacob was a lanky boy who hadn't quite grown into his strength or understood himself yet. He was handsome as hell, but never acted like he knew it, although with the number of girls who flirted with him, he absolutely knew how hot he was. Over the summer of our Sophomore into Junior year he suddenly started morphing into this ridiculously hot boy who was confident, self-assured and your all-around sweetheart. I never understood how in God's green earth I claimed this boys' attention, but I knew I would never complain. He had his fair share of offers from other girls in school, but he never once made me feel like I had to second guess him or his intentions. He became my everything and remained my future.
As we're walking through shops, Edward gets stopped a couple of times for photos or signings and it always makes Jacob and I laugh. He loves it with every bit of him but it's sometimes weird to see our best friend as the star athlete, a famous baseball player, rather than just the weird kid from ninth grade that use to give us wet willy's when we weren't paying attention. Jacob and I hang back, letting him do his thing while we get lost in our own world, sharing quiet secrets or trying not to make out in front of a bunch of unsuspecting people.
Soon though he's released and so can we finish our shopping and head back to the car to go eat dinner. The sun has set by now, and it's a brisk chilly night in Washington. It's one of the most beautiful seasons to me after living in California for the first half of my life. California never really got cold where we lived so having a change in weather and it actually feeling like winter was magical to me.
"So, Edward what's new in St. Louis? Anyone manage to knock you on your ass yet?" Jacob asks.
"Yeah right," Edward scoffs, "Like I said before, I don't need commitment. I'm good on my own." I scrunch my brows together and look up at him. He has his face set to one of those that are hard to read. At times he puts up a wall and won't even let us see what's happening.
"That's code for, you just want to keep your one-night stands going." Jacob laughs, shaking his head. Edward was never one for settling down and Jacob was the total opposite although I don't think any of us thought Jacob and I would find our happy ending so early.
"But don't you want to get married some day? Have a family?" I ask him softly.
"Nah.. I've got my family right here." He breaks Jacob and I apart and puts his arms over both our shoulders. "And trust me. That little girl of yours is all the kid I need in my life. She slightly terrifies me. So, being a dad? Nope, I'm good as an Uncle Eddie!"
We got in the car, turned up the music and laughed at each other as Edward took us onto the highway towards the restaurant. In that moment, singing a song I know Avery would love I'm reminded by her worry and fear she shared with me earlier. Avery isn't one to share things unless they're really bothering her, but I shake it off with just the worries of a small child who's excited about the holiday and getting to do all of our traditional things. Jacob and Edward are lost in conversation in the front as we cross through the intersection after our light turns green. I turn to take in the scenery of Christmas outside my window but am suddenly blinded by the bright lights of a truck barreling forward. I scream and then...
Nothing.
Authors Note:
I'm so glad there are still people out there reading Twilight fanfiction like me! Just for copyrighting purposes, I have also posted this story on Wattpad but t's not a twilight fanfic. Just want to throw this out here that yes, I am the original author!