Chapter 23

It was finally Christmas Eve. I was having Christmas at my parents house. I was bringing a huge pot of macaroni and cheese. I knew my kids loved it. As well as the presents I wanted to give to everyone and a cheesecake.

For this get together, there was a lot of us: Dad, Mom, Me, Charlie, Bryan, Annabelle, Mirabelle, Isabelle, my brothers, Jesse and Justice, Tabby, Patrick, my grandparents, my great-grand parents, Charlie's parents, Deanna, Rodney, Harvey, Gwen, Kevin, and Genesis. Phew. The rest of my friends; Charlie's cousin Sierra included had their own Christmas festivities to attend to. So about 25 people at most. It also snowed again so it was freezing cold.

When we got to my parents house there wasn't a place to park. Charlie had to park halfway down the street. I got out and opened the car to get the girls and Bryan out. Charlie stepped out to get the box of presents we brought out of the back, I also held tight to the food I was carrying.

"Can we play in the snow Momma?" Mira asked.

"No honey, we're here for the party remember?"

Isabelle was wearing a red Christmas dress with white fleece around the bottom. She looked like a mini Mrs. Claus.

"Momma my dress is gonna get dirty."

"Your dress is fine Isa."

We finally got through the door of the house. I carried in my pot and placed it on the stove.

"Lookie here!" It was my great-grandpa Max. "There's my grand youngins!"

"Grampa!" They all ran over to him. He fell over in the floor as they hugged him.

"Be careful loves, Grampa Max is old." I told them.

"Old?! Who you calling old? I got the heart of an ox!"

I laughed.

"Sorry Grampa!"

"Come here kiddo!" My great- grandma Verdona spoke out.

"Hi Grandma!"

She hugged me tightly.

"Hadara and I were just talking about you!"

My grandma Hadara on my mother's side was able to make it!

"Grandma Hadara!" I shouted. She embraced me and kissed the side of my head.

"Missed you dearie...I need to visit more often...I hear your boy has powers."

"Yes...and he's just learning to control them."

"Let me know if he has any trouble."

"Harmione!" This time my mother was speaking.

"Ben?!"

"Yeah?!" I heard Dad yell back.

"Harmione, Charlie, and the kids are here! Here sweetie let me take all your coats...I'll put them in the bedroom with the others...and Charlie..."

"Hey Hope."

Mom kissed his cheek and patted his chest.

"Glad to have you with us...Dana and Ray are in the living room."

"Thanks Mrs. T."

Dad entered the kitchen followed by Deanna and Harvey.

"Hey Bryan! Wanna come see the new game Daddy bought me!" Harvey said excitedly.

"Yeah!" Bryan gave Mom his coat and took off after Harvey.

"Hey girl! It's been a minute since I last saw you and the kids!"

"We stay busy."

"I know right...me too. How you doin' Charlie?"

"I'm good...once I got my kidney replaced and got that stone out its been bliss."

"I'm glad."

"Well come on, your Dad picked up extra chairs and stuff for the living room and the dining room...there's room for all of us."

We entered the living room. My family's Christmas tree was huge with white lights and an array of different ornaments. The ones that stuck out the most were these old fashioned felt red balls with each of our names written on them in glitter glue. It starts with my great grandfather Max at the top and works it's way down the tree. My three girls as of two years ago were recently added to the tree. It was full of presents underneath it. I took a seat in a folding chair near the tree. Charlie sat next to me. Our tradition consisted of a family dinner, then we would open presents. We normally had one of the older kids play Santa by handing out all the presents under the tree. I remember doing that when my brothers were about the girls age. Technically it was Genesis's turn when I did that, but I was the only one that could read the tags on the gift well enough. As I got older so did she. She did it for my brothers and my brothers did it for Bryan.

"Whose Santa this year?" Charlie asked.

"Justice." Mom replied.

"Aw come on I did it last year..." Justice whined.

"Well you can do it again." Jesse answered.

Playing Santa was one thing, but whoever played him, also had to pick up all the wrapping paper later."

"I can play Santa again." Genesis suggested.

"No let me I've never done it." Patrick chimed in.

"Alright Pat...you can be it this year." Mom said sweetly.

"Yes!" He fist pumped. Jesse snorted a laugh and shook his head. Patrick then put his hand on Jesse's knee.

"You know what I want?" Kevin finally said. "A piece of that chocolate cake Gwen brought.

Gwen scoffed and lightly hit him.

"Genesis how's college? You and Eric still together?" I asked.

"College is exciting...and Eric and I are sort of separated at the moment."

"Sort of?

"Well he's going to a different college now..."

"Long distance never stopped Charlie and I."

"I know...it's just it's-"

"Hard?" Charlie interrupted.

"Yeah." Genesis replied back.

"We understand." I said with a smile.

Deanna smiled at me.

"What about you Rodney, how are you?"

"Everything is good Har...just sleep, eat, work, family, eat, sleep."

"He does a lot more working than eating or sleeping." Deanna scoffed.

"Where do you work at?"

"I have two jobs...I own a furniture store. The other is at a factory for cereal."

"And I've told him a thousand times I'm an RN...I work at the hospital I make good money. He doesn't have to work that hard."

"And I've told her a thousand times...I like to work...it's good for my health and well being...and it's also nice to have a little of my own money in my pocket."

Deanna scoffed at him. I just looked around the room at my beautiful family. They were all smiles and talking with one another. I looked at Charlie. No one had mentioned it yet. That was until Mom stepped in the room.

"Oh Harmione! Happy Anniversary to you and Charlie!"

"Thanks Mom!"

"Dang it I get so wrapped up in Christmas every year I almost forget!" Deanna said loudly.

"That's okay Dee...since we had the kids we almost forget ourselves."

"Seven years..gosh..our sixth is next year."

Rodney nodded.

"Alright! Come and get it!"

For the past seven Christmas we've had our anniversary at my parents house. I loved it all the same. It was no night in Paris as it was on our honeymoon but I loved being with my family. After all it was our marriage that binded the two families together. I loved celebrating my family every December 24th.

We all sat around eating. As we sat the silverware clinked loudly against the plates. There was an uproar of multiple conversations happening at once. I noticed when Jesse and Patrick got finished they both left the table. Things were getting serious with them. Jesse told us at dinner that he and Patrick were hoping to marry.

"Justice?" Mom asked. "What about your plans?"

"Well you know how it is Mom...I got college then Tabby and I were thinking about moving in together."

"I'm going to one of those hair schools...I hope we can find a nice place by the salon." Tabby told us.

She was sitting next to Justice. She patted Justice's arm. Seeing my brothers madly in love was so cute. I was so very proud of them. As I was my entire family.

Around 7:30 that evening after we opened all the presents I had to get the kids home for their bath, and put them to bed. Santa would be arriving soon. On the drive home something happened we didn't expect. Bryan was leaning his head on the window.

"My aren't we sleepy back there...or you just pretending so Santa won't pass you by?" I said with a laugh. Charlie slightly laughed.

"Don't fall asleep yet babes, you still need your baths." Charlie told them.

"I'm not sleepy Daddy." Isa told us.

"Yeah me neither." Mira said after.

"Me three." Anna said with a smile.

"Sorry girls, we're talking about your brother back there." I replied and turned around in my seat. I frowned. Bryan wasn't trying to sleep he was in pain.

"Bryan..."

He groaned and his legs began to bob in his carseat.

"Charlie!"

"Yeah?!"

"I think he's having a low sugar episode...and a vision at the same time."

"Here..."

Charlie reached into his pocket as he drove.

"Uh oh."

"Uh oh?! Charlie no!"

"Yeah...I ate the last glucose tablet I had at the party."

Charlie looked in the rearview mirror.

"Bryan son...hold on until we get home okay?"

Bryan trembled.

"I can't Daddy..."

Tears left his eyes. I unlatched my seatbelt and got in the back with him.

"Bry...Bryan...listen to me...everythings gonna be alright. You didn't eat much at the dinner did you?"

He shook his head.

"That's what I thought."

Bryan whimpered and began to sweat.

"It's okay baby...it's okay..."

"Har...do I need to pull over and get back there with him?"

"No...just keep driving...the faster we get home the better."

"Well...I'll get us there...but I got to be careful the roads are starting to get slippery again."

I sighed in frustration. Bryan began breathing rapidly out of fear. I held his hand.

"It's alright baby...It's okay..."

I began stroking his arm.

"Momma I'm scared!"

"I know baby, but it's alright."

"Hey Bry...it's alright little man...everything's okay..." I heard Charlie say.

"Don't...don't drive fast Daddy! Stop, don't! Don't!" Bryan cried. He then screamed and tried to get out of his carseat. It rattled and shook. He was severely sweating.

"It's happening now! It's happening! Make it stop!

Bryan tensed up and fisted his hands.

"Bry! Baby it's a vision its not real! "Baby!"

I cupped my hands on his face. He closed his eyes tightly. He screamed and cried into my face.