"Yes, well Sydney's mother and I thought that the two of you might need a
bigger place. And considering how many people are here at the moment, I
believe we were right." Jack flashed one of his 'once in a blue moon,'
smiles.
"Dad, it's wonderful. Thank you." Sydney said stepping toward him and pulling him in for a hug.
"Yeah Jack, this is great, thank you so much." Vaughn said as Sydney and Jack released each other.
"Well shall we go inside?" Mrs. Vaughn said snatching up the keys and heading to the front door. Sydney looked at Vaughn, who stared back. They shared a silent conversation of disbelief, and then followed the crowd into the house. Vaughn took Sydney's hand as they crossed the threshold, and they stood for a moment just inside the doorway. People were everywhere. Ryan was following Alex up the stairs, Mrs. Vaughn had apparently found the kitchen, Will and Alicia were in the living room, and Jack was standing in the entryway.
"Your mother was disappointed that she unable to be here." Jack said softly, once the noise of the others dissipated. Sydney sighed.
"I wish she was here, too Dad." She said softly.
"Jack, I mean wow, this is amazing. I don't mean to sound rude but how." He trailed off.
"After over forty years in the business you learn to keep your options, and your bank accounts open and available." He said with a sly smile.
"Actually, Sydney, your mother has been saving for you in an offshore account since you were a baby. I have the feeling that we should just leave it at that. Personally I don't really want to know where the money came from." He said as he turned to look up at the vaulted ceiling of the entryway. From where Sydney and Vaughn stood they could see the walkway above that led from the stairs to another hallway, and out of sight. "Well would you like the grand tour?" Jack asked.
"That'd be great!" Vaughn said locking eyes with Sydney. They followed Jack to their left and into the kitchen. It was beautifully designed, with granite countertops, and top of the line appliances. Mrs. Vaughn was peering into the huge double ovens, and began jabbering on instantly about the refrigerator. "It was built only fifteen years ago, but all the appliances and fixtures are new. The tile is imported from Italy and the countertops are French." He said leading them past the breakfast nook, and into the family room. Sydney and Vaughn followed, both speechless. The large room was empty except for a large built in entertainment center, and a beautiful fireplace. At the other end of the room from the kitchen was a vaulted area where they could see down into the basement. There were windows everywhere, and the morning sun lit each room extensively. Next they moved into the formal living room, which was located behind the kitchen and past the dining room. After that he led them back into the entryway and to the master bedroom. Sydney gasped as Jack pushed open the large French doors, and led the way into the enormous room. It too has a fireplace, as well as a huge bathroom, and two walk in closets.
After the master bedroom, he led them to the formal bathroom, the laundry room and the three car garage.
Next came the second floor, which contained two bedrooms above the kitchen, and two more above the garage. There was also a large office space as well. Then came the basement which opened into a huge recreation room, and two more bed rooms. Finally Jack led them through the recreation room, and to the small area where they could look up into the family room. It was tiled and in the middle of the floor was a large hot tub.
"They threw in the hot tub for free." Jack laughed. Sydney and Vaughn were too amazed to even respond. They stood looking at each other as Jack moseyed his way up the stairs. After a moment Sydney broke Vaughn's gaze and laughed to herself.
"What?" He said grabbing her hands.
"This is all just too much." She said looking up at him again.
"I know, it's pretty amazing. I don't think I've ever seen a house this big in my entire life."
"I know, and it's just," She sighed. "I don't know, I guess I'm just in shock. We did need a bigger place, but I didn't expect for it to happen like this. It's amazing!"
"Nah, you're amazing." He said leaning forward and kissing her. Sydney wrapped her arms around his waist and they embraced for a long time.
"Hey dad, are you down there?" Damien's voice came booming from above in the family room.
"Yeah we're down here." Vaughn called.
"Dad this is awesome!" Damien yelled.
"I know!" Vaughn called back, "I know."
"Well we should get back. As if we haven't had enough presents already, there is a huge pile waiting for us back home."
"Yeah, we should try to round everybody up."
It took a while but soon the entire clan was back at the town house opening more and more presents. There were Harry Potter books, and new video games, sports equipment, cooking supplies, posters, pictures, cell phones, cameras, and miscellaneous items strewn about the living room within an hour. Wrapping paper covered nearly every inch of the floor, and by the time One o'clock rolled around everyone was ready for a nap.
So while many of them slept, others went to the grocery store, and some of them played new video games. Not a person was left unsatisfied, or without a great feeling of happiness, and generosity. Sydney laid down next to Vaughn and rested her head on his shoulder. She was so happy she felt as though she might burst. Vaughn felt the exact same way, and kissed her forehead gently. Neither could remember a time when they had been so incredibly happy, or unworried. There was not a think weighing on the mind of anyone. Everyone felt the spirit of Christmas, and love, and as Sydney closed her eyes she did something she'd never done before. She thanked the universe, and the stars, the earth, the moon, and the heavens, for everyone, and everything she'd been given.
"Dad, it's wonderful. Thank you." Sydney said stepping toward him and pulling him in for a hug.
"Yeah Jack, this is great, thank you so much." Vaughn said as Sydney and Jack released each other.
"Well shall we go inside?" Mrs. Vaughn said snatching up the keys and heading to the front door. Sydney looked at Vaughn, who stared back. They shared a silent conversation of disbelief, and then followed the crowd into the house. Vaughn took Sydney's hand as they crossed the threshold, and they stood for a moment just inside the doorway. People were everywhere. Ryan was following Alex up the stairs, Mrs. Vaughn had apparently found the kitchen, Will and Alicia were in the living room, and Jack was standing in the entryway.
"Your mother was disappointed that she unable to be here." Jack said softly, once the noise of the others dissipated. Sydney sighed.
"I wish she was here, too Dad." She said softly.
"Jack, I mean wow, this is amazing. I don't mean to sound rude but how." He trailed off.
"After over forty years in the business you learn to keep your options, and your bank accounts open and available." He said with a sly smile.
"Actually, Sydney, your mother has been saving for you in an offshore account since you were a baby. I have the feeling that we should just leave it at that. Personally I don't really want to know where the money came from." He said as he turned to look up at the vaulted ceiling of the entryway. From where Sydney and Vaughn stood they could see the walkway above that led from the stairs to another hallway, and out of sight. "Well would you like the grand tour?" Jack asked.
"That'd be great!" Vaughn said locking eyes with Sydney. They followed Jack to their left and into the kitchen. It was beautifully designed, with granite countertops, and top of the line appliances. Mrs. Vaughn was peering into the huge double ovens, and began jabbering on instantly about the refrigerator. "It was built only fifteen years ago, but all the appliances and fixtures are new. The tile is imported from Italy and the countertops are French." He said leading them past the breakfast nook, and into the family room. Sydney and Vaughn followed, both speechless. The large room was empty except for a large built in entertainment center, and a beautiful fireplace. At the other end of the room from the kitchen was a vaulted area where they could see down into the basement. There were windows everywhere, and the morning sun lit each room extensively. Next they moved into the formal living room, which was located behind the kitchen and past the dining room. After that he led them back into the entryway and to the master bedroom. Sydney gasped as Jack pushed open the large French doors, and led the way into the enormous room. It too has a fireplace, as well as a huge bathroom, and two walk in closets.
After the master bedroom, he led them to the formal bathroom, the laundry room and the three car garage.
Next came the second floor, which contained two bedrooms above the kitchen, and two more above the garage. There was also a large office space as well. Then came the basement which opened into a huge recreation room, and two more bed rooms. Finally Jack led them through the recreation room, and to the small area where they could look up into the family room. It was tiled and in the middle of the floor was a large hot tub.
"They threw in the hot tub for free." Jack laughed. Sydney and Vaughn were too amazed to even respond. They stood looking at each other as Jack moseyed his way up the stairs. After a moment Sydney broke Vaughn's gaze and laughed to herself.
"What?" He said grabbing her hands.
"This is all just too much." She said looking up at him again.
"I know, it's pretty amazing. I don't think I've ever seen a house this big in my entire life."
"I know, and it's just," She sighed. "I don't know, I guess I'm just in shock. We did need a bigger place, but I didn't expect for it to happen like this. It's amazing!"
"Nah, you're amazing." He said leaning forward and kissing her. Sydney wrapped her arms around his waist and they embraced for a long time.
"Hey dad, are you down there?" Damien's voice came booming from above in the family room.
"Yeah we're down here." Vaughn called.
"Dad this is awesome!" Damien yelled.
"I know!" Vaughn called back, "I know."
"Well we should get back. As if we haven't had enough presents already, there is a huge pile waiting for us back home."
"Yeah, we should try to round everybody up."
It took a while but soon the entire clan was back at the town house opening more and more presents. There were Harry Potter books, and new video games, sports equipment, cooking supplies, posters, pictures, cell phones, cameras, and miscellaneous items strewn about the living room within an hour. Wrapping paper covered nearly every inch of the floor, and by the time One o'clock rolled around everyone was ready for a nap.
So while many of them slept, others went to the grocery store, and some of them played new video games. Not a person was left unsatisfied, or without a great feeling of happiness, and generosity. Sydney laid down next to Vaughn and rested her head on his shoulder. She was so happy she felt as though she might burst. Vaughn felt the exact same way, and kissed her forehead gently. Neither could remember a time when they had been so incredibly happy, or unworried. There was not a think weighing on the mind of anyone. Everyone felt the spirit of Christmas, and love, and as Sydney closed her eyes she did something she'd never done before. She thanked the universe, and the stars, the earth, the moon, and the heavens, for everyone, and everything she'd been given.