Chapter 43: Christmas Eve Part II
~Paul's POV~
"No, no, no, let me go," she screamed as she started to hit, punch, and kick around, trying to make me break my hold on her.
"I'm not letting you go! I'm staying right here with you! You need to see that I'm not dead. I'm alive and right here holding you!!!!" I said to her.
"Let me go!!!!!" her voice was breaking and she was crying more. Her fighting had somewhat subsided, but still fighting. "Let me go!!!!"
"I'm not going to let you go! You hear me? I'm not going to let you go," I said, my own voice was breaking. "I love you, Samantha," I said softly, "I love you with all my heart." I held onto her as my eyes were becoming blurry with tears.
"No, let me go!!! Daddy's dead. no!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Baby, daddy's right here," I said as I held onto her.
"No!!! Let me go, please!!!!!!" she begged but I refused to let her go.
"I'm not letting you go. I'm staying right here until you understand that daddy's right here," I told her as tears came running down my face.
"Daddy?" she said softly.
"I'm right here, sweetheart, I'm right here," I said, trying to compose myself.
"What's wrong with me?" she said as her body became limp in my arms."
"You just had a bad dream. That's all," I said soothingly.
"Uuugghhhh, daddy," she said as she started crying again.
"I'm right here, baby. I'm not going anywhere," I said as I stroked her back. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her legs around my waist, and she burrowed her face between my neck and chest. "Ssssshhhh, baby. Everything will be all right."
"Daddy," she said softly.
~Meanwhile, Adam's POV~
Mom stood up straight and started to go over to Samantha's room. I caught up with her and stopped her. "Adam, let me go. Samantha needs me," she said, trying to make me break my hold on her.
"No," I said firmly.
She looked up at me in shock, "What?"
"You heard me. Let Paul take care of it, mom," I told her.
"She needs me, Adam," she replied, as tears came down her face.
"Mom, let me tell you something. But first why don't we go downstairs and get some hot chocolate. I know that it calms you down," I said as I led her downstairs. Once we were, I started getting the hot chocolate started and mom was sitting down at the dining room table. Once that was done, I went and sat across from her. "Mom, there's something that you need to know about Samantha and Paul that you don't see everyday like I do."
"Did Paul do something bad to her?"
"No, nothing like that, mom," I looked at her reassuringly.
"Then what is it, Adam?" she asked as she sipped her drink.
"It's hard to explain but I'll do my best to help you understand," I started off. "Samantha and Paul have a very special type of relationship since they met but it became more special since dad passed away."
"Adam, anyone knows that they have a special relationship," she said.
"I know, mom. Let me explain, please," I asked as she nodded.
"It's like they are two halves of a whole," I replied.
"You mean as a couple type thing?"
"No, I mean two halves of a whole in related to a parent-child type of thing. Whenever I see Paul around Samantha, he lightens up. It's like he has everything in life already. It goes the same way with Samantha. She looks so fulfilled in life with you being her mother, me being her brother, Jeff being her fiancée and Paul being her father," I said as I looked at her.
"I think I understand what you're saying. It's like Samantha's circle is completed."
"Yeah, like that. She just really needs Paul right now, especially since dad's not here for Christmas and New Year's."
"Is that why you pulled me back?"
"Yeah, we just need to let Paul take care of everything right now."
"All right," she said reluctantly. We stayed there and chatted for a few minutes before going upstairs to bed. We stopped by Samantha's room, and we heard Paul singing softly to Samantha, who was somewhat still crying. I motioned to mom to go back to bed and go to sleep since it will probably be a long night. I went into my room across the hall from Samantha hoping that she will be all right. I knew that it was a big risk of not going in there with Samantha, but I had to trust Paul, especially at a time like this. It's the only thing that I could do.
~Paul's POV~
She had calm down after I sang to her and said, "Baby, we need to change our clothes so that we can go to bed."
"Mmmm," she said softly.
"Baby?"
"Yeah?"
"Go to the bathroom and change your clothes and come to bed. I'll be right here for you. I'm not going anywhere," I said as I pulled her away from me. Her whole face was red and puffy from crying. She unwillingly pulled away and got her clothes and went into the bathroom across the hall. When she came back, I was in my boxers and lying on her bed. She put her clothes away and climbed into bed. She looked a little bit more fresh but still red and puffy. As soon as she settled in, she cuddled against me. "Go to sleep, baby. You need your sleep tonight so that you can open your presents in the morning," I said to her softly. She looked up at me and smiled.
"Thank you for being here for me, daddy," she said as she laid her head back down on my chest. "I love you daddy, good night." She closed her eyes and her breathing became slow and even.
"You are most welcome, baby. I love you too, baby. Sweet dreams of teddy bears and angels," I replied softly as I watched her sleep. After an hour, my eyes were starting to feel heavy, so I decided to close them and fall asleep. During that time, I've come to the decision to protect her with my life, no matter what the circumstances were. I woke up to the sounds of screaming, I looked at the clock and it read 1:28 am. I immediately turned on the light and found Samantha pounding on the door. I got up and ran to her. I grabbed her and held onto her as she screamed and fought against me. "Samantha, wake up. You're having a bad dream!" Helen and Adam immediately opened the door to see what was going on. Samantha was still fighting against me. "Wake up sweetheart!"
She was screaming, "Go away!!! You killed my daddy!!!!!! I hate you!!!!!!!"
I turned her around and shook her and said, "Wake up!!!!!"
She woke up and saw me holding her. When she figured out who I was, she immediately started clinging to me and crying. "You were dead!!!"
"It's ok, baby. I'm right here," I said soothingly.
"And it was Adam who killed you. I thought you were Adam," she said as the sobs ran through her body. She was bawling hysterically.
"It's ok, baby. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," I said as Adam had tears welled up in his eyes. I motioned to Helen to comfort Adam and she nodded. They closed the door and left. I stayed there with Samantha comforting her. I held onto her tightly. It always reassured her that I was there and holding her. I just hoped that everything would be all right in the morning when we all woke up for Christmas.
~Meanwhile, Adam's POV~
I ran my hands through my hair as I went into my room, angry. "God! Why does this always happen especially on Christmas Eve?" I went down on my knees as I started crying violently. I felt a pair of arms wrapping around me.
"It's ok, Adam. Everything will be all right. Remember she is always happy when morning comes."
"That's because dad makes her forget the dreams," I said through my tears.
"Dad does what?" she said as she pulled me away from her.
"He always made her forget so that she can have a good time on Christmas. It's always the same dreams except now it's Paul as her father."
Mom immediately stood up and went to Samantha's room. I followed her there. We opened the door and found Paul still on the floor holding Samantha. She was still crying, but slightly subsided. "Adam just told me that somehow Michael has always made Samantha forget her dreams."
"What do you mean?"
"Every year, it's the same thing with the nightmares, but on Christmas morning, she's happy and I never figured out how that could be. not until tonight," Helen explained.
"Adam, what did your father do to make her forget?"
"He always said 'Forget the dreams and be happy' to her," I said softly without having Samantha hear them. "He says other things to her and stuff. I just don't remember them. Dad says them softly so that I don't hear what he says to her."
"What do you both want her to do? Do you want her to remember or forget?"
"I want her to remember," I said.
"Same here," Helen said.
"Both of you go on back to bed and I'll take care of her," Paul said to both of us as he got up with Samantha clinging to him.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure," he replied as mom and I left Samantha's room.
~Paul's POV~
I got in bed with her and talked to her soothingly. I sang to her the song that always calmed her down. Her crying has died down after I finished and she was sleeping. "Samantha, I want you to remember the dreams, but no more nightmares for the night. You need your sleep," I said to her as I held onto her and turned off the lights. "Please don't cry in the morning. I know that you're going to cry in the morning. Just remember them and be strong. It's just a dream and it's not real."
"Ok, daddy," she said in her sleep. "I love you." She snuggled into me and I held onto her tightly, afraid that she would somehow sleepwalk again.
"I love you too, baby," I said as I held onto her and watched her sleep until I fell asleep. An hour later, I felt her squirming in my arms. I opened my eyes and said soothingly, "You are not having a bad dream. It's nothing to be afraid of." Slowly but surely, she stopped squirming and relaxed. "It's just a dream, it's not real, and none of it is real." I watched her for a few minutes as I stroked her back. I fell back to sleep a few minutes later after knowing for sure that she was not going to squirm again.
~Paul's POV~
"No, no, no, let me go," she screamed as she started to hit, punch, and kick around, trying to make me break my hold on her.
"I'm not letting you go! I'm staying right here with you! You need to see that I'm not dead. I'm alive and right here holding you!!!!" I said to her.
"Let me go!!!!!" her voice was breaking and she was crying more. Her fighting had somewhat subsided, but still fighting. "Let me go!!!!"
"I'm not going to let you go! You hear me? I'm not going to let you go," I said, my own voice was breaking. "I love you, Samantha," I said softly, "I love you with all my heart." I held onto her as my eyes were becoming blurry with tears.
"No, let me go!!! Daddy's dead. no!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Baby, daddy's right here," I said as I held onto her.
"No!!! Let me go, please!!!!!!" she begged but I refused to let her go.
"I'm not letting you go. I'm staying right here until you understand that daddy's right here," I told her as tears came running down my face.
"Daddy?" she said softly.
"I'm right here, sweetheart, I'm right here," I said, trying to compose myself.
"What's wrong with me?" she said as her body became limp in my arms."
"You just had a bad dream. That's all," I said soothingly.
"Uuugghhhh, daddy," she said as she started crying again.
"I'm right here, baby. I'm not going anywhere," I said as I stroked her back. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her legs around my waist, and she burrowed her face between my neck and chest. "Ssssshhhh, baby. Everything will be all right."
"Daddy," she said softly.
~Meanwhile, Adam's POV~
Mom stood up straight and started to go over to Samantha's room. I caught up with her and stopped her. "Adam, let me go. Samantha needs me," she said, trying to make me break my hold on her.
"No," I said firmly.
She looked up at me in shock, "What?"
"You heard me. Let Paul take care of it, mom," I told her.
"She needs me, Adam," she replied, as tears came down her face.
"Mom, let me tell you something. But first why don't we go downstairs and get some hot chocolate. I know that it calms you down," I said as I led her downstairs. Once we were, I started getting the hot chocolate started and mom was sitting down at the dining room table. Once that was done, I went and sat across from her. "Mom, there's something that you need to know about Samantha and Paul that you don't see everyday like I do."
"Did Paul do something bad to her?"
"No, nothing like that, mom," I looked at her reassuringly.
"Then what is it, Adam?" she asked as she sipped her drink.
"It's hard to explain but I'll do my best to help you understand," I started off. "Samantha and Paul have a very special type of relationship since they met but it became more special since dad passed away."
"Adam, anyone knows that they have a special relationship," she said.
"I know, mom. Let me explain, please," I asked as she nodded.
"It's like they are two halves of a whole," I replied.
"You mean as a couple type thing?"
"No, I mean two halves of a whole in related to a parent-child type of thing. Whenever I see Paul around Samantha, he lightens up. It's like he has everything in life already. It goes the same way with Samantha. She looks so fulfilled in life with you being her mother, me being her brother, Jeff being her fiancée and Paul being her father," I said as I looked at her.
"I think I understand what you're saying. It's like Samantha's circle is completed."
"Yeah, like that. She just really needs Paul right now, especially since dad's not here for Christmas and New Year's."
"Is that why you pulled me back?"
"Yeah, we just need to let Paul take care of everything right now."
"All right," she said reluctantly. We stayed there and chatted for a few minutes before going upstairs to bed. We stopped by Samantha's room, and we heard Paul singing softly to Samantha, who was somewhat still crying. I motioned to mom to go back to bed and go to sleep since it will probably be a long night. I went into my room across the hall from Samantha hoping that she will be all right. I knew that it was a big risk of not going in there with Samantha, but I had to trust Paul, especially at a time like this. It's the only thing that I could do.
~Paul's POV~
She had calm down after I sang to her and said, "Baby, we need to change our clothes so that we can go to bed."
"Mmmm," she said softly.
"Baby?"
"Yeah?"
"Go to the bathroom and change your clothes and come to bed. I'll be right here for you. I'm not going anywhere," I said as I pulled her away from me. Her whole face was red and puffy from crying. She unwillingly pulled away and got her clothes and went into the bathroom across the hall. When she came back, I was in my boxers and lying on her bed. She put her clothes away and climbed into bed. She looked a little bit more fresh but still red and puffy. As soon as she settled in, she cuddled against me. "Go to sleep, baby. You need your sleep tonight so that you can open your presents in the morning," I said to her softly. She looked up at me and smiled.
"Thank you for being here for me, daddy," she said as she laid her head back down on my chest. "I love you daddy, good night." She closed her eyes and her breathing became slow and even.
"You are most welcome, baby. I love you too, baby. Sweet dreams of teddy bears and angels," I replied softly as I watched her sleep. After an hour, my eyes were starting to feel heavy, so I decided to close them and fall asleep. During that time, I've come to the decision to protect her with my life, no matter what the circumstances were. I woke up to the sounds of screaming, I looked at the clock and it read 1:28 am. I immediately turned on the light and found Samantha pounding on the door. I got up and ran to her. I grabbed her and held onto her as she screamed and fought against me. "Samantha, wake up. You're having a bad dream!" Helen and Adam immediately opened the door to see what was going on. Samantha was still fighting against me. "Wake up sweetheart!"
She was screaming, "Go away!!! You killed my daddy!!!!!! I hate you!!!!!!!"
I turned her around and shook her and said, "Wake up!!!!!"
She woke up and saw me holding her. When she figured out who I was, she immediately started clinging to me and crying. "You were dead!!!"
"It's ok, baby. I'm right here," I said soothingly.
"And it was Adam who killed you. I thought you were Adam," she said as the sobs ran through her body. She was bawling hysterically.
"It's ok, baby. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," I said as Adam had tears welled up in his eyes. I motioned to Helen to comfort Adam and she nodded. They closed the door and left. I stayed there with Samantha comforting her. I held onto her tightly. It always reassured her that I was there and holding her. I just hoped that everything would be all right in the morning when we all woke up for Christmas.
~Meanwhile, Adam's POV~
I ran my hands through my hair as I went into my room, angry. "God! Why does this always happen especially on Christmas Eve?" I went down on my knees as I started crying violently. I felt a pair of arms wrapping around me.
"It's ok, Adam. Everything will be all right. Remember she is always happy when morning comes."
"That's because dad makes her forget the dreams," I said through my tears.
"Dad does what?" she said as she pulled me away from her.
"He always made her forget so that she can have a good time on Christmas. It's always the same dreams except now it's Paul as her father."
Mom immediately stood up and went to Samantha's room. I followed her there. We opened the door and found Paul still on the floor holding Samantha. She was still crying, but slightly subsided. "Adam just told me that somehow Michael has always made Samantha forget her dreams."
"What do you mean?"
"Every year, it's the same thing with the nightmares, but on Christmas morning, she's happy and I never figured out how that could be. not until tonight," Helen explained.
"Adam, what did your father do to make her forget?"
"He always said 'Forget the dreams and be happy' to her," I said softly without having Samantha hear them. "He says other things to her and stuff. I just don't remember them. Dad says them softly so that I don't hear what he says to her."
"What do you both want her to do? Do you want her to remember or forget?"
"I want her to remember," I said.
"Same here," Helen said.
"Both of you go on back to bed and I'll take care of her," Paul said to both of us as he got up with Samantha clinging to him.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure," he replied as mom and I left Samantha's room.
~Paul's POV~
I got in bed with her and talked to her soothingly. I sang to her the song that always calmed her down. Her crying has died down after I finished and she was sleeping. "Samantha, I want you to remember the dreams, but no more nightmares for the night. You need your sleep," I said to her as I held onto her and turned off the lights. "Please don't cry in the morning. I know that you're going to cry in the morning. Just remember them and be strong. It's just a dream and it's not real."
"Ok, daddy," she said in her sleep. "I love you." She snuggled into me and I held onto her tightly, afraid that she would somehow sleepwalk again.
"I love you too, baby," I said as I held onto her and watched her sleep until I fell asleep. An hour later, I felt her squirming in my arms. I opened my eyes and said soothingly, "You are not having a bad dream. It's nothing to be afraid of." Slowly but surely, she stopped squirming and relaxed. "It's just a dream, it's not real, and none of it is real." I watched her for a few minutes as I stroked her back. I fell back to sleep a few minutes later after knowing for sure that she was not going to squirm again.
