First Christmas

Liza rolled over in her bed and looked around the empty room. She started. Mary wasn't there. Mary was never up before her. Elizabeth was still getting used to sleeping at all, let alone for more than a couple hours at a time. The clock on Mary's bedside table let her know that it was almost 7:30. She sighed and got out of bed.

She made her way down the stairs without even bothering to get dressed. She stopped short.

"Guten Morgen, Tante Liza," Mary looked over at her from her spot on the sofa with Antonia.

"Why is there a tree in the house?"

Her brother grinned from where he and his sons were pruning the tree, "It's a Christmas tree."

Liza just blinked at him. His grin wavered.

"You don't know vvhat Christmas is, do you?"

She shook her head. Otto sat on the sofa next to his daughters. He looked up at the ceiling. Liza slipped into the living room and poked at the plastic tree.

"Ze tree is a German tradition zat started shortly after vve vvere born. VVell, about a hundred years or so in any case," Otto finally said.

"We use a fake one because real trees are hard to get in Arcadia," Mary stood and made her way over to the tree, "And it's reusable. No need to cut down a new tree every year."

Liza nodded and watched as her nieces and nephews hung ornaments on the tree's thin branches. She sat on the floor and looked up at her brother. Otto licked his lips and looked from his children to his sister.

"It's a little hard to explain Christmas because…it means somezing different to different people," He explained, "It vvas originally just a religious holiday. A Christian holiday celebrating ze birz of Christ. It spread around Europe when Rome started taking over everyzing und zen spread over much of ze rest of ze planet. It's a national holiday in much of ze vvestern vvorld now meaning zat most places of business are closed so people can spend ze time vviz zeir families."

Liza nodded again and turned her attention back to the tree. Toby finished hanging his ornaments and sat beside his father and sister. He. Took Antonia and turned her so she could see the twinkling lights on the tree. Mary turned and offered her aunt one of the sparkling baubles.

"Do you want to help, Tanta Liza?"

Liza eyed the ball then looked up at her brother. Otto nodded, giving her a shaky smile. Her stomach felt as if it were full of eels. She found herself shaking her head. Without another word, she stood and went into the kitchen. Lenora sat at the table in the corner, grading the last of her papers. Liza choked on a growl.

"Liza? Are you alright?"

"Stop asking me that!"

Lenora's eyebrows shot up and she slowly rose to her feet. Liza did growl this time and leaned against the wall. She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

Lenora just filled a glass with water and pressed it into Liza's hands. She took it and sat at the table. After a moment, Lenora joined her and went back to her work.

"So, what do you think of the tree?"

Liza sighed, "I don't know. Like everything else, I don't understand it."

Lenora nodded. Liza lay her head in her arms.

"Tanta Liza?"

It was Toby. He had Antonia nestled against his shoulder. Liza grunted her acknowledgment. Toby sat on her other side.

"Confused? Not sure what to feel?"

She nodded and turned to look at him without lifting her head, "But when am I not."

Toby chuckled and handed his baby sister to his mother. Liza just watched the exchange. Lenora kissed her younger son on the forehead and made her way into the living room.

"Toby? Do you even celebrate Christmas?"

He chuckled, "Kind of. Just with my family that does. Papa, Onkel Walt, and Tanta Nono have all celebrated Christmas since forever. When Papa adopted me he didn't want to leave me out. He asked Nana about a million questions about if it was ok. Remember a couple weeks ago when we did Chanaukah?"

Liza lifted her head and nodded. A rare smile graced her lips. Toby grinned.

"Well, he and Mama asked Nana all sorts of questions about that too. They wanted to be sure they were supporting me as much as they could. But, unless Darcy wants to, I probably won't celebrate Christmas once I move out. Other than coming to family dinner, of course."

Liza nodded again. The churning in her stomach had lessened some. She stood and went over to the stove and started to boil water.

"Have you eaten? I'm making oatmeal if you want some."

LLB

Hours after her talk with Toby, Liza finally made her way back up to Mary's bedroom. The teen was looking at an assortment of dresses strewn over her bed.

"What are you getting dressed up for?"

"Seamus invited me to Christmas mass with him and his grandma," Mary held one dress up and looked in the mirror.

Liza sat on her bed and pressed her back against the wall. Mary's smile faded and she looked down.

"Honestly, I'm a little nervous. It's been a while since I've been to mass."

"Then why don't you tell him you don't want to go?"

"Because I DO want to go," Mary sat on her bed and faced her aunt, "I used to go with my first parents and Papa used to take me on Saturday evenings. I don't know why we stopped. I just...I'm nervous. But Christmas mass is a tradition Seamus and his grandma have together and he's invited me to be a part of it. The last time someone did something like that was the year Mama and Papa got married."

Liza nodded slowly and blinked at the dresses laying out, "So...what trouble are you having picking out a dress? If you used to go to church then you should know what is appropriate."

"Oh, yeah. All of these dresses and outfits are 'appropriate'. It's just, with my new hair, I don't think any of my dresses match anymore."

"Would that purple dress be good?"

Mary fingered the warm, knitted purple sweater dress. She stood and held it up as she looked in the mirror. She nodded slowly.

"I think it could work. Thanks, Tante Liza!"

Liza nodded and drew her knees to her chest. Mary put the other dresses away and did her hair in the mirror. Liza watched for another moment before making her way back down the stairs. Her brother would be mad that she wasn't going to bed but she really didn't feel like sleeping. The churning was back in her stomach. She tiptoed past the tree, through the kitchen and out into the back yard. She stopped dead in her tracks.

Otto and Lenora were sitting on the porch swing with Antonia. Otto had one hand hanging down the back of the swing and the other holding Lenora. For her part, Lenora had her long legs draped over the arm and her head resting on her husband's chest. Antonia was sound asleep in her mother's arms. Liza held her breath and took a step back.

"They do that every year."

She jumped and slammed Eli against the wall. He grunted but didn't fight her. Liza sighed and let him go.

"Sorry. You just surprised me."

He shook his head, "No. I should know better than to surprise you at this point."

He stood beside her as she looked back out the kitchen window.

"Every year?"

He grinned and nodded, "Yeah. They wait until they think we're all in bed and asleep and sit out to watch the stars. Papa is still used to snowy Christmases that Germany usually has and this is the coldest it usually gets here in California. Mama didn't want him to be alone so she started joining him. They probably took Toni because she's still not sleeping through the night. It's her first Christmas too, you know."

Liza nodded and they fell silent again.

"You can celebrate like Mama and I do, you know."

She looked down at him again.

"We don't celebrate it religiously like Papa and Mary. But we don't just celebrate it for our family either. For us, it's about being with the people we love the most. Like how Mary is going to midnight mass with Seamus and his grandma and how Mama and Papa watch the stars together on Christmas night. Toby, Aja, and Krel are going to Akoridian 5 to be with the rest of their families the day after Christmas, too. And Claire will spend tonight and tomorrow with her parents before coming to dinner with all of us. We're even going to video call Douxie, Merlin, and Nari."

Liza nodded slowly and grabbed his hand. Otto turned and she ran, dragging her oldest nephew behind her. She didn't stop until they reached the roof. Eli blinked up at her. Then he sat down and looked up at the stars. She slowly sat beside him. Eli smiled and looked down at his parents in the yard.

"This whole time of year is about being with your loved ones. For us, that's being with everyone here and going to be with everyone else in Heartstone. Family dinner is in the forge with the WHOLE family. We set up a huge table and everyone brings food to accommodate everyone's dietary needs. The kids run around and people play music. And, for the first time in 500 years, everyone is going to be there. No one is missing."

Liza looked from the stars down to Eli. He smiled back.

"I'm here; Mama doesn't have to beg Tanta Maranda for me to come. Oma is back...and not evil so that's a plus. We'll be able to talk to those who can't be here in person. You're here. Things are good. And this is the perfect time to get together."

Liza nodded again and looked up at the stars again. Eli scooted closer and pressed his cheek against her shoulder. She sighed and smiled, resting her cheek against the crown of his head.

LLB

I'll be honest, I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter. Especially Otto's explination of Chritmas. But here it is. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!