7 Years Ago
It was a snowy December evening and a 5 and 3 year old Gumball and Darwin were sat on the sofa in their pyjamas with their mother, watching an animated movie with her whilst their Dad went down the shop to get some milk.
Suddenly they heard a knock on the front door.
"Oh, sounds like someone's at the door! I wonder who would possibly come at this time in the evening...? Can one of you go and see who it is."
Gumball nodded and hopped off the sofa, walking over to the door.
He opened it and at the doorstep was Richard in a Santa costume, holding a large sack of gifts.
"Hohoho, hello kids!"He greeted in a jolly Santa like voice.
"SANTA?!" The two's faces lit up excited as Darwin also ran over.
"My goodness! What are you doing here??"Nicole played along.
"I've come to check and see if you two have both been good little boys this year! Now, tell me the truth, have you?"
"Yeah!"Gumball nodded.
"Are you suuure?!"
"Yeah, we were!"Darwin agreed.
"Well I heard that just this morning you broke one of your mother's plates! Is this true?" He placed his arms on his side.
Darwin hesitated before replying. "Yeah..."
Gumball's ears lowered. "but it was an accident, honestly!"
Richard placed his paw on his chin in thought. "Hmm, is that so? I suppose you can still be on the good list then!"
"Really? We can?!" Gumball asked.
"Of course! In fact, how about I give you one of your Christmas presents early, hmm?"
"YEAH!" They cheered and jumped up and down excited.
"That is along your mother here agrees that you belong on the nice list. What do you say Nic-Mrs Watterson?" He quickly saved himself.
She pretended to think, then grinned. "Nah, they've been very naughty! I think you should take away all their presents and give them coal instead!" She teased.
He made a fake gasp of shock. "Oh, is that so?"
"What?! No!" Darwin begged.
"We've been good, really we have!"Gumball insisted.
They turned to Nicole and looked at her with wide eyes.
"Please! Tell him we can have our presents, please!"
She smiled. "Oh, I'm only kidding! Of course they've been good!"
"Oh, well in that case of course you can have your presents!"
They ran over and hugged her."Yay, thanks Mom!"
She giggled. "Aww, you're welcome! You boys have earned it!"
Richard pretended to fish around in the sack. "Let's see...ah, here we go!"
He gave them a present. "There you go! Now as long as you stay good for the rest of the month you'll the rest of your presents on Christmas Day!"
"Okay, we will, we promise!"
"Right then, I best be off! I have millions of other children to visit! Have fun with your present!"
"We will, thanks Santa!"
He waved at them before beginning to walk away.
Nicole waked over and closed the door."So, what did Santa get for you both?"
They excitedly opened their present.
"The new Legend of Zelmore we wanted!" Gumball cheered excitedly.
"Can we stay up to play it Mrs. Mom? Can we, can we, can we?" Darwin begged her.
She chuckled. "Aww, of course you can! Not too late though!"
"Yay, thanks Mom!"
They hugged her lovingly before running over to their games console to play the game.
A couple of minutes later the front door opened and Richard came in, in his regular clothes, with a bag of shopping. "I'm home!"
Gumball and Darwin suddenly ran over to him excitedly and began jumping up and down. "Dad, dad, you'll never guess what happened!"
"Oh? Did I miss something?"
"Yeah! Santa came over and he gave us one of our presents early cause we were so good!"Darwin informed him.
He made a fake gasp of shock. "Really?! Santa?! You're joking!"
"No, he really came, I swear!"He replied.
"Well I never!"He placed his arms on his hips and pretended to be annoyed. "Santa came and visited you, and I missed it because I was out shopping?! How unlucky is that?!"
They giggled, and he crouched down and rubbed their heads."You'll just have to tell me all about it, just as soon I put the shopping away! You go and sit on the sofa and wait for me, okay?"
"Okay!" Gumball replied, and the two ran off to the sofa.
Richard chuckled and went into the kitchen, where Nicole was waiting for him with a smile.
He placed down the bag of shopping and walked over.
She pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Thanks honey, that really made their day,. No, their month. I bet they're gonna tell all their friends at school about it!" She chuckled.
He smiled."Aww, it was nothing!I'll do anything to make my boys happy!"
She smiled and wrapped her arms around him."They're very lucky to have a father like you."
"Aww, Nikki..."
They kissed again, for longer this time, before they were interrupted by Darwin.
"Hurry up Mr Dad, we're waiting!"
"Coming!"
She smiled at him. "You go have fun with them, and how about I make us all some dessert?"
"Ooh, really?!"His face lit up.
"Of course. You've earned it." She kissed him on the nose.
"Yes!"
"Dad, come on!" Gumball called, sounding impatient.
She held back laughter. "Sounds like they're getting impatient! You'd better go."
He nodded and left the kitchen."I'm coming, I'm coming!"
She smiled as she watched the two cuddle up to him on the sofa and excitedly begin to tell him what happened as he pretended to be shocked and amazed by it.
She sighed. It's been a bumpy few years, but we did it. Despite all the odds, we got together, got ourselves a proper home, and raised a family...and I never would've been able to do any of it without him...