Turbo unwrapped the gift and found...
A cherry-wood acustic guitar.
"Woah! Thank-ya kindly!"
"Now, you have something to play those songs on!" Jo Ann grinned. She hugged Turbo and kissed him on the cheek.
Monitor smiled, "This is wonderful..."
"I talked Wild Card into getting two of them," Jo Ann smiled.
Turbo grinned and hugged her.
She hugged him back. "Another one to buy sheet music for on birthday's and Christmas!" she grinned.
"Yeah..."
"Here's a gift from Jo Ann to Mike in care of...me?" Bob looked at the rectangular box.
"What?" Dot asked.
"Open it, Bob," Jo Ann grinned.
Bob did as he was told.
In his hand he held a new T.V. remote control.
Bob held it up, and everyone started to laugh.
"I thought that it might be of some use," Jo Ann grinned.
Dot was in fits of laughter.
"I just hope it works. The batteries are already in it."
Matrix grinned evilly.
"Uh, oh," Mike gulped. He hid behind the chair that he had slept in the night before.
Matrix cackled and Bob handed him the remote.
Like a hunter, Matrix stalked Mike.
AndrAIa was in gales of laughter.
Mike was now hiding behind a plant. Or trying to hide. Trouble was, he was easily seen by all, and his fearfull trembling made the leaves of the plant shake.
This only made the women's laughter even more intense.
"Oh, Sparky!" AndrAIa sighed through her laughter.
"Come, on, Matrix!" Jo Ann laughed. "It's Christmas! Truce, until tomorrow, at least?"
Matrix frowned, "Hmmm..."`
"Hey, as long as you have the remote, he won't dare do annoying!" Jo Ann laughed.
AndrAIa chuckled, "She's right, Sparky..."
"Come on, Matrix. Leave Mike alone for today," Bob grinned.
"Okay, Bob..."
Little Enzo and Andri stood by for making more of their deleveries.
"This one is to Monitor from Turbo..."
Andri took the gift to Monitor and gave it to her.
Monitor opened the small parcel; and found a jewelry box inside. She opened it and found an "I luv u" charm for her charm bracelet.
"Ah thought that would look beautiful on yer bracelet, love," Turbo smiled at her.
Monitor kissed him gently and whispered something in his ear in her native tongue.
Jo Ann was close enough to hear what it was, but she gave no sign that she had heard it.
"Whut was that?" he asked softly
Jo Ann's attention remained on Bob and the others, intent on allowing Turbo and Monitor their private nano.
"I said, 'I love you too; forever'," she told him.
"An' Ah will love ya forever, as well, love," he whispered back.
She smiled and held him close.
Bob smiled, then distracted the kids with more presents.
"Here is something for each of you, from Jo Ann," he smiled.
"Cool!" the two miniture Guardians grinned.
Jo Ann watched as the two openned their gifts.
For little Enzo, there was a book on famous User heros, both fictional and non-fictional. For Andri, there was a playset for her Guardian dolls.
Both kids lept forward and hugged Jo Ann and Wild Card.
"It was all Jo Ann's idea!" Wild Card laughed. "I got you two something else!"
"You did?! ALPHANUMERIC!!!!!!"
"You're welcome, kids!" Jo Ann laughed, hugging them both.
They were all grins and started to play with their toys, oblivious to the events around them.
"Here's a gift to Phong from Jo Ann," Bob said. "Anybody care to deliver it?"
Enzo looked up from his book, "Yeah...just a nano!"
"It may take a while," Jo Ann laughed. "All kinds of heros are in that book: Hercules, Perseus, Beowolf, Hiawatta,...and a lot more!"
"Hey! I'm reading; don't nag!"
"Andri, what about you?" Bob asked.
"I'll do it!" she sighed.
"Thanks, Andri," Bob smiled. Andri delievered the package and then went back to playing.
"Looks like you're going to have to find another delivery person, Bob!" AndrAIa smiled.
"Sshhhh!"
Phong openned his gift to find a beautiful Mah Jong set.
"Say thank-you to Jo Ann for me, child!"
"Phong says thank you," Andri said, not looking up from her dolls.
"You're welcome, Phong," Jo Ann smiled.
Dot giggled at the children.
"I've hung around Tommy, Charlotte, and Mollie enough to know what kids like," Jo Ann smiled.
"Its just amusing..."
"I know..." Jo Ann sighed, thinking about Mollie.
"Whats wrong?"
"Just thinking of Mollie. She loves it here. And depending on who she could get to, first, she would go straight to either Bob, Matrix, little Enzo, or Wild Card. Little Enzo or Matrix being first choice."
"Yeah..." Dot smiled.
"She adores both of them. She likes playing games with Enzo, and she likes sitting in Matrix's lap."
"Yeah; Enzo likes her too...Andri would be jealous..."
"Yeah. The last time she visited, she had scrapes on her elbows and knees. I healed them for her, and she gave me a big kiss and a big hug. She's such a sweet little girl," Bob smiled, remembering Mollie's last visit to Mainframe.
"I remember..." AndrAIa smiled.
"And then that storm hit. She was sitting between Matrix and AndrAIa. Little Enzo was between me and Dot. We were playing Memory when the storm came. She jumped when the thunder crashed and then clung to Matrix. She played the rest of the second sitting on his lap," Bob grinned.
AndrAIa smiled, "If she wan't so little I'd have been terribly jealous!"
"I wish she was here right now. Just for Christmas," Jo Ann sighed. She leaned against Wild Card's shoulder.
"Yeah, love..."
Quietly, Turbo slipped away and returned a few nanos later.
"Where did you go, [beloved]?" Monitor asked.
"Ta arrange somethin' fer Jo Ann. A surprise," he winked at her.
"You didn't...?" she smiled.
"Jest fer this second, love. Jest fer Christmas."
"Oh, Turbo! Tell her!
"Jo, Ah have somethin' fer ya. Come on ta tha office." Bewildered, Jo Ann followed Turbo to the COMMAND.COM's office.
Turbo glanced over his shoulder to make sure she was following and then opened the door.
Inside the office was a small girl with short, blond hair and blue eyes. She wore jeans, a sweatshirt, socks and sneakers.
"Mollie?!" Jo Ann gasped. The little girl ran to her.
"Hi, Aunt Jo Ann," Mollie giggled. Jo Ann hugged her. Jo Ann turned to Turbo.
"How...?"
"A Christmas miracle..."
"Thank you," she said. Then she turned to Mollie. "Come on, Mollie. There's some friends who will want to see you.
Mollie followed swiftly.
"Hey, guys!" Jo Ann was nearly crying. "Look who's come to visit!"
"MOLLIE!" little Enzo called.
The little girl ran straight to little Enzo, giving him a big hug.
Andri frowned, "Who is SHE?"
"This is Mollie, Jo Ann's niece. Mollie, this is Andri, AndrAIa's little sister."
"Hi," Mollie said. She was a very friendly little girl. A warning look from AndrAIa told Andri to be nice.
"Hello, Mollie," Andri's tone wasn't quite as warm as normal.
Matrix desided to soften things by going to Mollie.
"Hey, little sweetheart! You got a hug for Big Enzo, too?" he grinned. Mollie giggled and threw her arms around his neck for a big hug. Gently, Matrix lifted her in his strong arms and stood up.
Andri watched the User-girl with a slight jealous look in her eyes.
Bob was standing up. He reached for Mollie, who came willingly to him.
"We missed you so very much, Mollie," he said as he hugged her.
"I missed you, too, Bob." Mollie gave him a very big hug.
The little game sprite sat down in a corner.
AndrAIa went to her. "What's wrong, Andri?"
"Everyone likes Mollie better than me -- especially Enzo...both of 'em."
"Andri...Mollie is Jo Ann's niece. Her User neice. Jo Ann misses her User family very much. This is the first time any of Jo Ann's User family has got to visit since Turbo had to close off all links to her world. We have known Mollie a long time, and we love her very much. But that doesn't mean we don't love you, too."
Andri looked a little relieved.
"We will always love you. Both Enzos love you. And Mollie wants to be friends with you. Won't you let her?"
She sighed, "I guess"
"Come on. Let's go see what they are doing," AndrAIa smiled. She held out her hand to her little sister.
Andri took the hand and pulled herself up with it.
As they walked over, they saw Mollie sitting on Bob's lap.
"I'm married to Wild Card," Jo Ann was saying. "That makes him your uncle. Wild Card is Bob's brother, so what does that make him to you?"
"My uncle," Mollie giggled.
"And Bob is married to Dot, which makes her your..."
"Aunt."
"That would make Big Enzo and Little Enzo your..."
"Uncles?" She looked to Bob to check.
"Yes, your uncles," Andri told her.
"Does that mean AndrAIa and Andri are my aunts?"
"Actually no. we're not related," Andri told her.
"Not, yet, anyway," AndrAIa quickly said.
"Okay," Mollie smiled. "Someday?"
"Maybe..." Matrix told her.
"We'll see," AndrAIa smiled.
"Guess who would be your great uncle," Jo Ann said.
"Who?" Mollie shrugged.
"Turbo."
"The man who brought me?"
"Yes. That's Turbo. He's the Prime Guardian. That means he tells all the other Guardians what to do. Even Bob," Jo Ann smiled. Mollie giggled.
"Whoa; big boss!"
Turbo chuckled.
Mollie looked at both Matrix and little Enzo. "Do I call you both 'Uncle Enzo'?" she asked.
"Just stick with Enzo for me," the younger one said. "It'll be too coinfusing otherwise"
"Okay." She looked up --and up-- at Matrix. "Do I call you Uncle 'Enzo' or Uncle 'Matrix'?"
"I don't mind, kiddo, whatever..."
"Okay." She looked around and saw Monitor. "Hello," she said. "Who are you?"
"I'm Monitor," she smiled.
"Are you a Guardian, too?"
"I'm training to become a Guardian," Monitor told her.
"Are you going to marry Uncle Turbo?"
"What?" Monitor asked, not quite believing her ears
"Sorry, Monitor!" Jo Ann laughed. "Mollie tends to throw curves like that, every once in a while!"
"Your Uncle Turbo and I are..." Monitor searched for the best way to phrase it for the girl.
Mollie looked up at Monitor, hanging on every word.
"We're umm...Turbo?"
"We are together a lot. We hope ta someday get married. But it won't be anytime soon," Turbo smiled.
"Thats a good way to put it, thank-you, [beloved]..."
"Okay." Mollie walked around, seeing eveybody. She petted Frisket and Scuzzy, and said hello to Mike. Mike found a funny clown on his screen to show her. She laughed. She went up to Hack and Slash.
"Hello, my name is Mollie. What are your names?" Mollie had never met the two robots before.
"I'm Hack and he's Slash."
"Yeah; He's Hack and I'm Slash.."
"Hack."
"Slash."
"Slash"
"Hack"
"Hack is red, and Slash is blue," Mollie said, looking at them.
"Yes. You are right."
"You are a smart girl."
"Very smart."
"Very right."
"Thank you," Mollie giggled. She liked the two robots!
"Very good, Mollie!" Bob smiled. Mollie smiled back and went to him.
"Look," she said. "I have a lost tooth." She showed him where one of her baby teeth were missing.
"Did the 'tooth fairy' come?" Dot asked.
"Uh, huh," Mollie said. She was still showing off the hole where her tooth was.
"How long can she stay, Turbo?" Jo Ann asked.
"If she stays in tha PO, she has until her school starts. Then she must go back. We can't keep her any longer then then that."
"Cool!" Enzo exclaimed.
"At least, she'll be here for a week," Jo Ann smiled. "Thank you, Uncle Turbo." She gave him a hug and a kiss.
"Happy Christmas, Jo Ann..."
"You, too, Uncle Turbo," Jo Ann sniffed. She released him and went to sit beside Wild Card.
Monitor slipped up behind Turbo and hugged him, "That was a beautiful thing you did..."
"Ah was only too happy ta help bring Mollie ta visit, even fer a short tyme." Moliie was still showing her lost tooth.
"Does it hurt any, Mollie?" Bob asked.
"A little," she said.
"Here. Let me help, then." Bob touched the gum where the tooth was and the area was still swollen. Warm, gentle energy flowed, removing the swelling and any pain she had. "I can't seal up the hole; It might hurt when your big tooth comes in."
"Thanks, Uncle Bob!" she hugged him.
"You're very welcome, Mollie," he smiled, hugging her back.
The group fell into conversation.
"Guess what, Mollie?" Jo Ann said.
"What?"
"Turbo says you can stay until your school starts back up."
"Yea!!!" Mollie clapped her hands. She climbed up onto the sofa so that she was tall enough to reach Turbo. She held her arms out to him.
He hugged her.
"Thank you, Uncle Turbo." She gave him a little kiss on the cheek.
"Ye're welcome!"
The child looked over to Wild Card. She climbed over Jo Ann to sit in Wild Card's lap. Mollie looked up into his warm, brown eyes.
"You look like Uncle Bob," she said, finally.
"There's a good reason for that, Mollie," Wild Card smiled.
"Why?"
"We're twins," he smiled.
"Oh," Mollie smiled. She gave Wild Card a big hug and a big kiss.
Wild Card smiled, "She's so sweet!"
"Yeah, and definately, 'Little Mischief'!" Bob laughed.
"Little Enzo isn't the only one that can be called, [little whirlwind]!" Jo Ann grinned.
Monitor smiiled, "I think [perceptive] suits her best..."
"Yes, she certainly is that!" Jo Ann agreed.
"I'm hungry!" Mollie said.
Dot chuckled, "Cookie?"
"Hmm...isn't it time for Christmas diner?" Jo Ann asked.
"Actually I have a few things left to do for the Christmas dinner -- you guys carry on without me for a while!" Dot smiled.
"Okay, Dot," Jo Ann smiled. "Diner will be ready soon, Mollie,"
"Okay." Mollie sat on Wild Card's lap, looking at her Mainframe relatives.
Bob took over handing out gifts.
"This is to Ray from Dot and me," Bob said. He handed the gift to Enzo, who gave it to Ray.
Ray grinned and took the gift, "Thank-ya, Bob!"
"Can I help?" Mollie asked.
"Sure!" little Enzo grinned.
"You can do my share," Andri told her
"Okay." Mollie slid off of Wild Card's lap and ran up to Bob, ready to hand out presents with little Enzo.
Andri sat down hard and shifted her attention to her dolls.
"This one goes to Mouse from Jo Ann and Wild Card," Bob said to Mollie, handing her a package. He pointed to Mouse to show the child who it was. Mollie took the gift and gave it to the hacker.
Ray, meanwhile, had openned his gift to find a Web-proof digital watch.
"Neat!!" Ray exclaimed, "Thanks mates!"
"Thank y'all kandly, sugah," Mouse grinned at Mollie.
"You welcome," Mollie smiled up at the purple woman. Mollie liked all the different colors of the sprites. It made them pretty!
Mouse ruffled the User-child's hair.
Mollie grinned up at Mouse, then went back to Bob for another present.
Mouse opened the gift and smiled broadly.
"I thought you could use some sword polish and cleaner," Jo Ann smiled.
"Always, sugah!"
"This is for Hexadecimal from Mouse and Ray." Bob handed the package to Mollie. While Mollie took the gift to Hex, Bob got out another present. "Hmmm...this ones to me from Jo Ann."
Bob smiled and let Hex open her gift first.
Hex openned her present to reveal an icon pendent and matching earrings.
"Well, that is simply divine. Thank you both!"
"We're glad ya'll like it, sugah," Mouse smiled.
"I dooooooo!" the ex-virus grinned.
"Put them on!" Ray encouraged her.
Meanwhile, Bob was openning his present. In a thick box was a huge stack of sheet music, from a variety of music types.
Bob leafed through and found a particular song he and Dot loved. He grabbed his guitar and headed into the kitchen to serenade Dot.
"I think he likes your present, darlin'!" Wild Card grinned.
"I think he does, at that!" Jo Ann laughed.
"Where Uncle Bob go?" Mollie asked.
"To see Aunt Dot," AndrAIa told her.
"Why?"
"To sing to her," the older game-sprite explained.
"Oh."
"He'll be back soon, Mollie," Jo Ann smiled.
"Okay."
Faint music and laughter were heard from the kitchen.
"I think Dot likes your present to Bob, too, JoJo!" Matrix laughed.
The laughetr died down and two voices were heard singing in harmony.
Mollie quietly crept into the kitchen to see what the two adult sprites were doing.
Dot was finishing off the cranberry sauce and Bob sat on the side, playing his guitar. They sang out to each other, "all I ask of you"
Mollie kept watching her uncle sing to her aunt.
Dot responded to Bob's verse, singing the female part back to him; all the time her mind focused on the cranberry sauce.
Mollie did not move. She waited, a bit impatiantly, for the song to end.
Finally, together, their eyes locked, they sang the final phrase;
"Anywhere you go let me go too!
Love me; that's all I ask of you!"
When the song ended, Mollie giggled and clapped her hands.
Dot and Bob's heads whipped around to see who had interupted them
Mollie ran over to Bob. "Uncle Bob sing very nice," she said.
"He does, doesn't he..." Dot mused.
"Well, thank you," Bob grinned.
"She's right," Dot kissed him.
Mollie giggled, then hugged Bob's arm.
Dot poured the cranberry sauce into a container and smiled.
"You go on back out, Mollie. I'll be right there," Bob said.
"Okay." Mollie left the kitchen.
"We should get her something for Christmas, even if we give it to her on the day after," Bob said, as soon as Mollie had left.
"We should. But what do User children play with?" Dot asked.
"The same things sprite children play with. In Mollie's case, I would say dolls, dress-up kits, balls, that sort of thing."
"I guess. Some Guardians dolls?" Dot suggested.
"Good one. Maybe we could talk to the others and we all get her something."
"Lets...daddy..." Dot kissed his forehead.
"Alright...mommy!" he chuckled, kissing her back. Together, they left the kitchen.
"I love you, Bob..."
"I love you, too, Dot."
She smiled contendedly, "Matrix; AndrAIa -- go set the table..."
"You got it, sis!" Matrix grinned. He and AndrAIa left to get the dishes and the silverware.
"You two have an unexpected audeince in there?" Jo Ann grinned.
Dot laughed, "Yeah; kind of -- just glad we were behaving ourselves," she laughed.
"More presents?" Mollie asked Bob.
"Yeah; this is for Dot, from me..." Bob smiled.
"I think she wants to hand out more presents, bro," Wild Card smiled. Mollie nodded.
"You can give it to her," Bob handed the small parcel to Mollie to give to Dot.
"Okay." Mollie gave the present to Dot.
Dot unwrapped it and found a gold heart shaped locket. Inside was a JPG of her and a JPG of Bob,
"Like it?" Bob smiled.
"Its beautiful!"
"I thought of you the nano I saw it..."
"You're soo sweet!"
"Let me see!" Mollie cried.
Dot removed the locket from the box and showed it to her.
"Pretty. Put it on!" Mollie giggled.
Dot held it up to her neck and Bob fastened the clasp.
Mollie clapped her hands with glee.
Dot kissed Bob in thanks.
Mollie grabbed Dot's legs and hugged them.
Dot chuckled and bent down to hug the little girl.
"I love you, Aunt Dot." Mollie said.
Dot smiled at her, "Thanks, kiddo; love you too..."
Mollie reached for Bob.
Bob slipped close and hugged both Dot and Mollie, who was still in Dot's arms.
"I love you, Uncle Bob," Mollie whispered in his ear.
"Ditto, kiddo!"
She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
He ruffled her hair.
Matrix and AndrAIa was done setting the table.
"How about dinner?" Matrix asked, grinning at the three.
"Lets go!"
At the table, the couples sat next to each other. Andri and little Enzo sat together. Between little Enzo and Matrix was Mollie.
"Jo Ann, want to lead us in grace?"
"Why don't we let Mollie do it? She does it back home."
"Okay. Mollie, will you lead us?" Dot asked.
"God is gracious. God is good. Let us thank him for our food! AMEN!" Mollie shouted this last.
Dot chuckled, "Lets eat!"
Matrix helped Mollie with her plate.
Everyone tucked into the hearty meal.
As they were eating, Bob said. "Dot and I were just discussing that since we didn't plan for Mollie to be here, and didn't get her anything, why don't we extend our little party a couple more seconds --that's days, in User terms, Mollie-- so that we can all get her some preasents, too. So, how about it?"
"Thats a good idea!" AndrAIa exclaimed.
"Would you like that, Mollie?" Bob asked.
Mollie's mouth was full of turkey, so she smiled and nodded up-and-down very vigrously.
Dot chuckled, feeling strongly maternal at the cute sight.
"Okay. We'll continue with passing out the presents after we eat, and tomorrow, we go shopping for Mollie's gifts," Bob smiled.
"It should be fun..."
"Of course, since Dot and Jo Ann has to stay in the Principle Office, they get to watch the kids while the rest of us does the shopping," Bob grinned around a forkfull of potatos and peas.
Dot groaned, "How could they know yet?"
"We're not taking any chances. They don't even have to know. They might just decide to ruin the holiday, and not even know about the...um...special conditions you two are in," Bob said. Without knowing it, he had taken emergency command, as he always did when something happened and his Guardian protocals demanded immediant action.
Dot still groaned, "I'll go stir crazy!"
"With Mollie around, I doubt it!" Jo Ann laughed.
"I hate being cooped up!"
"It's for the best, Dot. I don't want anything to happen to you. Or Jo Ann. Or those kids," Bob smiled gently at his wife.
Dot groaned.
"Besides, we need a little practice," Jo Ann grinned, pointing to Mollie, little Enzo, and Andri.
Dot sighed, "I have had enough practice!!"
"Well, you can help me, then. I haven't had any practice at all!" Jo Ann smiled.
"Lucky you!" Dot joked.
"Can I have more tu'key, please?" Mollie asked.
Dot grinned, "Pass your plate!"
Mollie passed her plate to Matrix, who passed it to Dot.
Dot took it and smiled, "White or brown meat?"
"White, please."
Dot took a large piece of white meat and placed in on her plate, "More stuffing or cranberry sauce?"
"No, thank you. Just tu'key."
"Okay," Dot passed the plate back.
Matrix set the plate in front of Mollie and she began to eat the turkey.
"Enjoy!"
"But save some room for desert," Martrix smiled.
"Oh, do!! I made a Christmas pudding and chocolate cake."
"Hmmmmmmmm..." Mollie smiled around the turkey.
Dot winked at her.
Mollie giggled, then took a sip of her energy shake.
The group ate quietly, and under the table, Monitor let her leg caress Turbo's.
They heard a "BURP!" and then a tiny voice say, "Excuse me."
Little Enzo started to laugh, loudly.
Mollie giggled. Her hand was over her mouth, so they knew who had burped.
Monitor chuckled, and went back to playing footsie with the Prime Guardian.
"All done," Mollie said, and showed them her cleaned plate.
"Well done!" Mouse smiled at her.
"Thank you," Mollie smiled. "Cake now?"
Dot laughed, "Soon!"
"Okay," Mollie smiled.
"Good girl!"
Mollie beamed. She sat back and waited paitiantly as she could for the others to finish.
Slowly, all the plates were emptied.
"Cake, now?" Mollie repeated, looking at Dot.
"In a nano, kiddo!" Dot grinned.
"Okay."
Matrix and Bob cleared the plates into the kitchen.
Nanos later, they returned with the pudding and the cake.
Dot stood up to serve.
Mollie clapped her hands when Dot placed the plate with the slice of cake in front of the child.
"Enjoy it, honey..."
Mollie dug in with her fork. "Hmmmm..." she said, as she took her first bite.
Dot smiled at the girl's obvious enjoyment.
Jo Ann and Wild Card began to eat their pieces of cake, too.
"I wonder where Mollie is going to sleep while she's here?" Bob mused.
"We'll find room; we always do..."
"Enzo and Andri!" Mollie spoke up.
"What about them?" Dot asked.
"I want to sleep with Enzo and Andri."
Dot looked over at AndrAIa; no objections there. "I guess that'll work...Jo Ann?"
"Fine with me," Jo Ann smiled.
"Okay. We'll get a bed from the infirmiry."
"Good!" Bob grinned. "That's settled."
"One less problem!"
"Now, let's finish eating so we can get back to the presents," Bob smiled at the children.
The kids grinned as one and eagerly started to shovel food in.
Jo Ann giggled as she watched them. Kids were the same everywhere, even when they lived inside a computer!
"Slow down guys!! You'll get indigestion otherwise!" Dot told them.
Mollie did as Dot told her. She looked to see if little Enzo and Andri did too.
Both little sprites complied.
Soon, Mollie finished her cake. She held up the empty plate to show Dot. "Done," she said.
"Good girl!"
Mollie smiled as Matrix took her plate, as well as his own, AndrAIa's and little Enzo's and Andri's to the kitchen.
"Thanks!"
"No problem," the green warrior smiled.
AndrAIa got up and helped out.
Bob handed AndrAIa his plate, then got up and led the children back to the tree.
"We'll wait for the others to finish and get in here before we continue handing out gifts," he said. He got out his new guitar. "In the meantime, how about some songs?"
Dot smiled, "Wonderful!"
"Rudoloph!" Mollie giggled.
"What?" Dot asked.
"'Rudoloph, the Red-Nosed Raindeer'. We played it last night, remember?" Jo Ann smiled.
Dot smiled and nodded, remembering.
Bob began to play the tune, just as he had heard it the night before. He sang in his strong, gentle voice. When he got to the line, "...had a very shiny nose," he would nod to Mollie. Mollie would then pipe up with, "Like a light bulb!"
Dot chuckled softly.
Mollie giggled. She loved doing that when she sang the song. Providing it for Bob as he sang it was fun!
Bob winked at her.
Mollie winked back, or tried to. What she ended up doing was squeezing both eyes shut.
Bob chuckled.
As soon as the song was over, Mollie clapped. "Another one!" she laughed.
Bob complied with a rendition of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
Mollie giggled. Matrix and AndrAIa gave each other wry grins, remembering that one game where the User had been Santa Claus.
Bob kept playing.
When the song was over, Mollie clapped.
The rest of the day was filled with songs and passing out the presents. All too soon, it was time for bed. Bob and Dot gently tucked the three children into bed, then went to their own bedroom.
"A wonderful and magical Christmas," Bob smiled. He lay on his side, next to his wife, looking into her purple eyes.
"Yes. Two more sprites will soon be born, and a visit from a child from the world of the Users." Dot faced him, smiling into his warm, brown eyes.
"Everything is going to be okay, Dot," Bob smiled. "Wait and see."
"I hope so, Bob. I hope so..."
THE END