14th Christmas
Walter lay quietly in his bed, listening to the cabin shift and settle.
The gale howled outside and he was secretly revelling in the shovelling to be done tomorrow, the graft, the real labour that would bring his Taddy out to watch and clap as he hooted that his son was a man.
Maybe there would be fresh tracks in the snow, some little creatures in their midnight wanders. Tom was so funny when they found deer tracks, putting his own little feet in them and making weird noises of glee as he tried to jump to the next set.
Walter hoped no little rabbits or birds were caught out in that storm.
Taddy said it would blow though in the night and the sun would shine again tomorrow, that Christmas Day would endure, as it always does.
Taddy never lies and even though Walter was no longer a child, he was thirteen and a half thank you very much, he still believed in the magic of wishes.
And although Taddy said he was a star, Walter knew by now that the real star was down below in the bed with his Daddy, getting a back massage.
He had sweated every gift and knew his Taddy had as well, reminding himself to help Ton with the unwrapping so Daddy and Taddy could open theirs as well.
This Christmas was different; the whole thing had been different and wonderful the same time.
Just them, no village, phone calls, reporters, well wishers or studio call backs. Just them. Family.
The cabin rocked ….as in bloody brilliantly rocked!
The bed Dad had made up downstairs by the huge fire meant he was banking it long into the night and although the snow was getting deeper outside, inside they were toasty warm.
They had tried fishing today before the storm had blown in and Daddy had wrapped them in blankets by the fishing hole with hot toddies in their own little flasks, the only way to get Babs and Ton out of the cabin so Tad could do some last minute things and he had watched his Tad creep along to place a few more gifts under the tree from the travel bags after lights out. Dad had whispered Taddy's name with such affection and as he had crawled back he had made a soft meowing noise that had made Dad laugh.
Taddy was still a bit wobbly when tired and Walter knew the day would come when he would need to care for him, like he had for him once and it felt right somehow that there would be no fear. Walter felt nothing but joy in the thought of nursing his parents though their twilight years, gods how he wished they would have each other for the longest time.
Taddy was whispering and Walter canted his head to catch the words.
"May we grow old together and be apart only a moment beyond the veil" Ianto sighed as he felt Jack's arms tighten, as if he had heard Walter's plea.
"Oh baby, I want us to go together" Jack sighed, "A natural disaster or something, where we only have time to grab hold of our babies and whisper our love before we all open our eyes in the next place, still together holding on."
"I am so happy Cariad" Ianto sighed as he nuzzled against him, "I know I'm a worry wart and it drives you mad, but really …I am happy. Please know that you make me so damned happy."
"This cabin has been so nice, this area" Jack sighed softly, "Funny how the village was our retreat and now we are on a retreat again. We should come back."
"I would like that" Ianto yawned, "But the kids have to be agreed as well, I can't do it without them."
"Of course not sugar bum" Jack crooned and Ianto started to giggle at his silly ways.
Stephen rolled over to find Walter awake looking at him and they smiled at each other as the giggles continued below.
It was so peaceful here.
Walter reached across Babs and Ton, his hand easily reachable to Stephen who clasped it as they held on tight.
This ride wasn't over.
And so, back to Walter and Family Part 11 … Christmas time.