21st December. 4 days until Christmas.
A yawn passing her lips, Ana's eyes fluttered open as she frowned not seeing Christian beside her. When she got home from her meeting yesterday, she couldn't wait to go to bed. One thing for sure was this pregnancy was leaving her exhausted all the time. She had never slept so much. She had no morning sickness like she did with Lily-Rose but she never felt this exhausted when she was pregnant with their little girl. Looking to the time she frowned. It was five in the morning. Getting up she slipped out of bed and put on her dressing gown and went in search for Christian. Peaking into Lily-Rose's bedroom she couldn't help but smile seeing her sprawled out in bed fast asleep, her little hand clutching onto her unicorn teddy. Pulling the door closed she then followed the light to Christian's office. Stepping inside she looked to him and sighed. He looked exhausted as she felt. "Christian why are you awake?" She asked walking over to him a small yawn passing her lips.
"We need to find a solution." He simply told her locking his eyes on the screen in front of him. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Lily-Rose's request from Santa.
Ana sighed. When he had told her about what Lily-Rose wanted for Christmas, Ana didn't really know how to respond. Apart from the fact it wasn't going to happen. "Babe there isn't a solution…it's not something we can do."
"I know but Elliot told her Santa can do anything…and well. I'm Santa! I've got to try!"
Sitting on the edge of the desk, Ana looked to him. "But we can't do it…he's not done cooking and she's going to have to accept it. She needs to learn that she can't always have what she asks for and this is something she certainly can't have. Not yet."
"But she'll be heartbroken…she has her heart set on him being here. I don't know how to deal with a broken-hearted three-year-old." He grumbled moving his hand to Ana's growing bump. She wasn't very big but she was starting to show more each day.
Ana shrugged. "There's a first time for everything." Moving onto his lap she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked to him. "Look. We will talk to her when she gets up. We physically cannot make that wish come true…"
Christian sighed. "I know…I just wanted to try."
"I know. And I love you for it…" She smiled and kissed him. "Now come on. Let's go back to bed before she gets us up. We don't have long." Getting up she too his hand and led him back to the bedroom quietly, making sure they didn't disturb Lily-Rose. Climbing into bed, Ana waited until Christian was laying down before she curled into him, resting her head on his shoulder, smiling as she felt his arms tighten around her.
Kissing the top of Ana's head, Christian held her close to him before he let his eyes close as he began to drift off to sleep once more.
"Jingle bells, batman smells, robins laid an eggs, uncle Billy lost his willys on the motorways, hey!"
Eyes shooting open hearing his daughter singing, Christian grinded down on his teeth as he heard Ana groan next to him and hide her face in his neck. "I'm going to kill Elliot." He hissed, mainly to himself.
"If she starts singing that in daycare…I'm so getting a phone call." Ana groaned still keeping her eyes closed and curled into Christian knowing that their little bundle of energy will be here any minute.
"Mommy! Daddy! The sun is up!" Lily-Rose called as she came bouncing in the bedroom and over to the bed to her parents.
Christian glanced at the clock. 7:30. Wow. Their bundle of energy had a little lie in this morning. He putting it down to be so dark in the mornings. He was glad she couldn't tell the time yet, though she was getting good with her numbers so she was figuring it out more quickly. "Baby what was that song you were singing?" He asked as he held her close as she snuggled into him.
"Jingle bells."
"Who taught you it?"
"Uncle Lelliot."
"Knew it." Sighed Christian before he looked to her. "Look princess. That's not the right song. That's a very silly song, okay? And you mustn't sing it in daycare…"
"Theres no more daycares. We's on holidays because Santy's coming."
"I know but we mustn't sing it okay? I'm going to have to talk to Uncle Elliot about it because it's not very nice." He told her softly hoping he wasn't going to get tears.
Lily-Rose pouted. "Otays daddy."
A yawn passing her lips, Ana sat up properly and opened her arms for Lily-Rose.
Lily-Rose smiled and moved into her mother's embrace and snuggled into her. "Baby mommy needs to talk to you."
Lily-Rose tilted her head up and smiled. "Yes mommy?"
"You know what you asked for Christmas off Santa?"
Lily-Rose grinned and nodded. "I's so excited for my brother to be heres! I'm goings to be the bestest big sister in the wholes wides world!"
Christian's heart broke at that statement. Although he knew it would be true when he did arrive.
Sitting Lily-Rose opposite her so they could be eye to eye Ana smiled to her. "You will be the best big sister. You're going to help me so much. But baby. Your brother isn't going to be here for Christmas."
"It's otay mommy. I asked Santa to cook hims more quickly." She gestured to her tummy. "He wills be cookeds in times to comes for Christmas."
"Baby Santa can't do that…"
"But uncle Lelliot saids Santa cans do anything."
"Normally he can, but not when it comes to babies…they have to cook in their own time. Now I know you are super excited to be a big sister but your baby brother isn't coming until around daddy's birthday…can you remember when we said daddy's birthday is?"
"June." She mumbled as she looked down to her lap and played with her fingers. "Uncle Lelliot is a liar." She grumbled with a frown forming on her features.
Ana looked to Christian. Now she needed help. She didn't want to make Elliot the bad guy in this. She knew Elliot tended not to think before he spoke when it came to Lily-Rose.
"It's not so much he's a liar princess." Christian told her softly as he sat up next to Ana. "But sometimes when we ask Santa for things, although he can do pretty much everything else…when it comes to babies. He's not allowed."
"Whose saids?" She asked looking to him, her frown still in place.
"God." Christian quickly replied.
Ana rolled her eyes at his answer. Trust him to throw religion into it! He didn't even go to church and swore like a sailor on a bad day. "But do you understand why your brother won't be here for Christmas?" She asked her softly moving some hair out of her face. She hated seeing her so sad but she needed to know that she understood.
Lily-Rose nodded to her mother and sighed a little. "I justs can'ts wait for him to be here."
"I know baby, and I'm sure time will fly by." Ana smiled. "Now come give me and your brother a cuddle."
Crawling over to her mother, Lily-Rose cuddled into her, resting her head on her small bump.
Ana smiled and ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. One crisis averted at least. Though they did have to have a very strong word with Elliot.
"I's mades a decision." Lily-Rose declared as she sat up and folded her arms across her little chest.
"What's that baby?" Ana asked down to her.
"Me and Uncle Lelliot? We's are not friends anymores!" She jumped down from the bed. "Taylors!" She shouted running out of the bedroom and towards Taylor's office. "Puts Uncle Lelliot on the nots allowed in my house list!"
Christian looked to Ana and chuckled a little. "Did that go as well as expected?"
Ana looked to him. "For us…yes. For Elliot? Hell no. She'll hold a grudge!"
"That's his own fault. Least now he'll stop teaching her and telling her shit!"
Ana playfully slapped his chest. "She's three. She's said a whole lot worse and you know it. They're coming over tomorrow as well."
"What? Why?"
"Christmas tradition we have. We start the run up. So, tomorrow is movie night with popcorn and treats. Kate and I always did this as kids. Something I want to continue with Lily-Rose."
Christian smiled and nodded. "Traditions sound good. And we can start some of our own." He smiled to her before smirking. "There's one thing I know I'm certain of though."
"What's that?" Ana asked as she got out of bed ready to go in search to look for her little human before she had the entire world banned from the house.
"I'm sure as hell glad that tomorrow I am not Elliot Grey."
