26th Christmas
"well … I don't know if I have words" Ianto said diplomatically as he turned to gift over in his hands, the kid watching with glee.
The tree was festooned with lights, the entire living room of Walt and Curt's lit up in many colours and Maisey was the one who was watching most intently.
This was her first Christmas. Her first EVER and the kid's play pen around the tree and gifts the last week had been a killer, especially finding it overflowing with gifts this morning. But apparently they did this too.
"I made it" Ben said, then added "Pen helped."
"I did the bow!" Grace said in her tiny voice, her frown deep as she thought she was being overlooked "And Moo-moo chose da paper!"
"Really? You did the bow Mooey?" Ianto crooned at the small child finally getting used to her nickname being' Mooey' as named by the Toninator."Maisey? You chose the woodland paper? I do like it."
Still so nervous even with four months to settle in … she simply nodded, moving further into the curtains she was hiding behind. Ianto shook it gently and then made a face "Not a puppy then."
Giggling now started amongst the kids as the small box would not fit a kitten, let alone a puppy. Maisey peeking again as Ianto carefully removed the bow "If my sweet Gracie did the bow, I must keep it in my special box. All the best things go there."
Grace lit up.
Ianto then opened the paper, painstakingly popping the tape and folding the paper back "And the paper was inspired. Must keep that too …oh."
Ianto looked at the weirdest looking ashtray he had ever seen, it was the colour of snot. Really … for a moment he had an image of Ben saving all the snot from his nose examinations during the past year … green. He couldn't help but grin at the image
"It glows in the dark" Ben whispered like it was a secret "so … in the middle of the night you can sneak to it and have a treat."
A bowl. Not an ashtray, it was a sweet bowl. "Oh my gods! What an idea, Benji … I am blown away with the thought process here. I can get to the loo, wash my hands and find something to suck when I get back to bed."
Jack started a choking snigger from the other side of the room and Walt reached out to cuff him behind the head without taking his eyes off the little girl who was peeking from the curtains once more. She slid out to look at the bowl then frown. Ianto knew why. Empty.
"Well … I was going to make some Christmas Taffy later, you can all help and taste it with me Maisey. Then some of it can go in here for my midnight snacks" Ianto explained, her face lighting up as her excitement bretrayed her, then she moved to the curtain once more, peeking out.
Almost.
"Right, I am opening the gates to hell" Jack said theatrically as he reached for the latch on the playpen, opening it so gifts tumbled out and the kids scrambled in the race for them, Ton the one demanding order from the heathen scummers.
"Imp, help me here. We shall place all the gifts into piles by the owner. That way we avoid the deadly accident of last year" Ton looked meaningfully at Grace who shrugged. Her wrapping thing still remembered. It was a year ago. Like ... get over it already.
Maisey watched the piles grow, including one near her and finally Ton sighed "Get out of there and start opening them ya silly moo-cow. Come on. This is your pile."
She slid from the curtain with a look of confusion as the little pile of gifts grew. Then she watched the other kids opening them, sitting to choose one and open it, then gasp as the little soft toy dog stared at her.
"Oh, who is that from?" Ianto asked reaching for the discarded wrapping paper and investigating it "There. Says To Maisey from Imp. Ah, Imperoony got you this. See? That's his name there on the card."
She made a noise of interest, looking shyly at the boy who stopped opening his gift to grin at her, then resume ripping and tearing.
She chose another gift with more confidence now. Now she knew why Curt-Tad asked her if the others would like different things in those catalogues, their faces as they opened them and thanked her for choosing good things … mostly chocolates that they might share later.
The smell of the yummy food egging her on to believe maybe this was a magic day after all. In a place of special things.