November 10th 2022

Chapter 314
Our Holidays With the Day

They'd had a feeling that they'd be seeing Kacey pop up and join them in bed on that morning, but they woke up with only the two of them in their bed on the twenty-fifth. One quick look into the room across the hall would show them that, rather than going to her parents, Kacey had ended up with Remy and Lucy, all three of them in the little cub's bed and sleeping soundly. Down the hall, there'd be Mackenzie, over with Marianne, leaving only Aubrey by her lonesome, up in her crib, though it left them wondering just how long it would be before she, too, was able to be sprung from there so she could cuddle up with her big sisters.

The important part just now was that they were all asleep and at ease, none of them yet aware that 'Santa' had stopped by, surrounding their tree with many a brightly wrapped present for each of them. He'd also consumed and been very satisfied with their offering of GiGi cookies and milk – only the best for him – and some carrots for the reindeer. And as they returned to their bed with the baby while everyone still slept, the parents enjoyed some of that peace and quiet together, discussing the coming day, and their departure for Arkansas the following morning, while looking on to their littlest one, not yet awake on her first Christmas morning. Tomorrow would be another first for her, tomorrow and the next week…

Oh, how they cherished those firsts with her whenever they happened. Yes, they had this plan between them, to surrender on to fate whether she would be their last child or not in a little while, but for all they knew she would be the last of their babies, and that meant a lot even before they dipped back toward the manner of her birth. It was never going to stop nagging at them at them completely, was it? For sure, in this first year, it would continue to happen, but they would deal with it and focus as much as possible on the good things instead, good things such as… her. Aubrey Juliet Friar, just days shy of seven months old. She was a delight in their lives, every single day, whether she was feeling happy or cranky or downright loud and impossible for a little while.

"Hey… Hey, Lucky girl…" Maya whispered, smiling, when Aubrey's eyes blinked open and saw her face there. She reached up a small hand and Maya leaned to kiss it before coming to pepper her face with more of those and being treated to some sweet baby laughter. If that was not one of her favorite sounds… "Merry Christmas," Maya told her. Would she know what that meant already? Probably not, but it didn't mean she didn't deserve to receive the wish.

Lucas could have been contented just to watch the two of them like this for a good long while. It was one of those moments that came every once in a while, and when they did, they would remind him and Maya both of days where the idea of their becoming parents had still been a distant idea, a dream. They had come so far since those days, obviously, but they remembered, and they would take in their lives as they were today, wondering if their younger selves could have had any genuine idea of how well this wish would eventually shape up. It wasn't as though they didn't have days where they were simply overwhelmed with the weight of looking after six small girls, raising them well. Those days would come, and more importantly they would pass, and at no instance whatsoever would they doubt that they would pass, and then they would get more days like this one. For him just now, as he suspected that it was for her as well, it was never more important that they had been getting more days and weeks and months like this, all of them together.

"Santa! Santa!" a chirpy voice called from down the hall, and it was like the bell being rung to wake everyone up and set them in motion. Mackenzie… funny little macaroni… Even as they could spy the three girls sitting up almost as one across the hall and scrambling to get up, they could hear the twenty-month-old come stomping up from her room and very nearly going right past her parents' room toward the stairs before her big sister and roommate caught up to her, long braid swinging. Marianne snatched up Mackenzie from under her arms and lifted her, redirecting her toward the master bedroom, which made her laugh and bat her legs around.

"Good morning, Macaroon," Lucas smirked as he got up and came to get her out of Marianne's hands. Mackenzie was a firm hugger when she was bursting with energy, like she'd pounce right at whoever had the bright idea to pick her up. He was a practiced receiver of these embraces though, so Lucas was not thrown off balance in the slightest. "Merry Christmas to you, and to you, Annie girl," he extended an arm so his firstborn might join in, which she gladly did, barely seconds before there was a rush of squealing girls coming out from across the hall. Suddenly it was a group hug, and it was debatable who in that group was being careful, remembering the elbow incident and who had forgotten and was just happy to be involved.

With all greetings and wishes exchanged, everyone wanted to go downstairs, none more than the triplets. Santa would surely have come, and they wanted to see what he had left for them. They had to wait to open the presents, wouldn't get to do that until after breakfast, but they had been told that they could look if they kept their hands to themselves, and they understood that idea very well. Plus, they had to get everyone from upstairs…

They were reminded again of this being the last Christmas here for Eliza and Emma as they thought of the progress of the former's story with one Ben Landau. They recalled her first year here, when they had been surprised to come upon Eliza's 'special guest' on Christmas morning, and then the return of said special guest the following year. Then last year, the third go around, he had not been there when they woke up no: he'd instead shown up at the door, and it had been perhaps Eliza's favorite memory in her time living here. Now this year, they were closing this chapter. Ben was here, and they knew about it, had wished him a good night when they'd all gone to bed the night before. To top it off, they also had Dakota Day, across the hall from Eliza and Ben, with girlfriend Emma. It was not the first time he'd stayed here by now, but he still couldn't help but be a bit awkward when he'd remember that he was not just dating but sleeping with his former art teacher's little sister. Maya could hear it whenever he'd call her Mrs. Friar, and she'd find it just as difficult not to tease him for it… so she usually didn't hold herself back. It would make Emma laugh the most.

This year, Christmas really felt as though, among other things, it revolved around these young couples finding their way. They had these two pairs so often in the house, yes, but they had another, at once near and far. Ella and Taylor… One living in Texas, in Houston, and the other out in Indiana, and always waiting on the moment when this separation would come to an end. For now, the distance had been bridged, as Taylor Munroe came home to Austin for the holidays. They were well and over the mid-point now, two and a half years in, one and a half year to go. It was reflected on their arms, in the matching tattoos that showed a compass, halfway colored. In the summer, it would be three quarters of the way colored, when the third year was over. Lucas and Maya knew how much their daughter and her boyfriend looked forward to the day when the whole of that compass would be filled in, because that would mean that he'd be home again, with her, for good. It would mean that she could come home to Austin and be with Tori again like she used to be, though that in itself would demand some more discussions with Theo. He was raising her as much Ella had been, now that she was living with him and Nika, and they would have to figure out how best to share their time with their daughter.

Ella and Taylor both had been at the apartment overnight, there with Theo and Lea, with Nika, and with Tori. They would have gotten up by now, for their own breakfast and some presents before making their way out to the Friar house. She would not fault her parents for going ahead and starting on their own load of presents with her little sisters before she arrived, understanding that reining in their patience and their curiosity could only go so far, but at least they would have done their very best to sneakily ensure that those of Santa's presents that may have been acquired through her own intervention would not be opened until after she arrived.

The girls were all so fascinated, watching each other open their presents, and it was all too sweet to truly convey, the way they would be wholly patient, not so much waiting their turns as being intrigued to see what would be under each parcel's coverings, or to see where this bow or that ribbon would end up. This year, the bows had been finding their way on to Lucas, on his head, his face, his hands, slippers, clothing… It amused the girls so much to see him exist there with the colorful things, and the giggles did not often quiet down to nothing for very long.

But they were so enthralled in this activity that they didn't realize that their big sister and the others had arrived, not until they'd had time to let themselves in, leave their boots and coats aside, and come into the living room to see Remy tear her way through the paper off one of her presents. When she got up and went to plant the bow right on her father's chin, she laughed and turned around and…

"Ella! Ella, Ella, Ellaaa!" she ran into her big sister's open arms, soon joined by the others, from Marianne down to Mackenzie, even as Aubrey squealed and stretched out her arms, almost willing her mother to stand and bring her over. Maya gladly obliged.

"Hi! Hi! Merry Christmas!" Ella laughed, overrun with little blondes. "You okay, cub?" she focused on Kacey when she came up. The bruise was unmistakable, one day later. Ella hadn't gotten to see it for herself until now, but she'd been caught up on it and had been wanting to see how the three-year-old was doing ever since.

"Uh huh," Kacey nodded confidently. She'd found, as her father had told her, that if she didn't poke it, she didn't hurt nearly as much. It was a wonder.

Lucas got snuck up on, too, after his daughters had their reunion. He was so busy recording the whole moment that he didn't see her coming along, his sneaky little granddaughter, not until he set his phone down and found her there, a present in her arms as she stared up at him. He grinned and crouched down to her eye level.

"Merry Christmas, Granddaughter," he told her as she stepped up to hug him with one arm.

"Merry Christmas, Pappy Luke," she beamed. She held up her present and he 'gasped.'

"For me?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Santa forgot it at Daddy's," she informed him, and he shook his head in contemplation.

"You know, with how many presents he has to deliver every year, it's a good thing he left it with you, huh?" he told her, and Tori nodded, in full agreement, before pointing. "Oh, right, let's see what it is…"

TO BE CONTINUED


See you tomorrow! - mooners