A/N I promised I'd be back with a follow-up chapter, and what better time to do that than Christmas time?!
It was the Saturday before Christmas. Rick had been out doing the usual weekly errands, washing and gassing up the vehicle, dropping a couple of his uniforms off at the cleaners and picking up the cleaned ones. Not real exciting stuff but not too worry, there was always plenty of excitement at home.
The house looked like Santa's village. She'd kept he and Carl busy the whole weekend after Thanksgiving hanging lights on the outside of the house, both front and backyards. And she'd insisted on getting the biggest tree that he could fit in the house. She had the thing covered with lights that he'd had the privilege of hanging, and decorations. Some were store bought but many had been made by the girls.
Sweet and patient Violet had strung more cranberries than he could count, but she could tell you exactly how many. She had her Mother's gift with numbers. She'd moved on from the cranberries to popcorn.
Violet was such a quiet girl, not shy, she just enjoyed quiet activities, reading, working in the flower garden and her favorite, solving math problems.
Daisy had made and painted so many ornaments, mostly lots and lots of Christmas flowers and wreaths and holly. But also plenty of Santa Clauses and Snowmen.
Daisy was the outgoing one, she was always singing, dancing and telling stories. And although she was good with math, she loved painting more.
The girls were only four years old and already reading, writing and displaying many of their Mother's "abilities." Which was why their Christmas presents were hidden at Carol and Merle's house.
He walked in the door and there was his beautiful and keyed-up wife, "Oh Rick this is going to be the best Christmas ever the girls are the perfect age, Carl will be home from college, and we're going to have a houseful for Christmas Day. I just can't wait, I'm so excited!"
He was trying so hard to stifle a laugh, he didn't want to spoil her excitement but when his wife got going she was like a roomful of kids on a sugar high. "Sweetheart I'm wound-up too but if you don't calm down and quit bouncing off the walls, you're going to wake those little girls up from their nap."
She still blushed when he teased her that way, and he loved to see those pink cheeks, "I know Rick I just can't wait. It's going to be a wonderful Christmas, I just know it."
"Did you hear from Carl this morning?" He put a hand up to one of those pink cheeks.
"Oh my gosh Rick I did I can't believe I didn't tell you. He'll be home the 21st and guess what! Guess what! Guess what!"
He just couldn't help himself he had to laugh. "The only guess I have is that he's passing all of his classes and I should be happy as hell. Is that it?" His hands were on her waist.
"Well my gosh I didn't even ask him about that but I'm sure he is. No silly, he's bringing a girl to Christmas dinner!" As soon as she said it she felt him tense up, both his body and his mind. "You're unhappy about this Rick, why is that?"
"No Sweetheart it's not exactly that I'm unhappy, I just have the slightest bit of concern. It's just the crabby old Dad in me I'm sure it'll be just fine."
They heard the little girls stir and she gave him one last look, "I hope later you'll be more honest with me Rick."
Shit, after all these years he should know better than to try and keep things from her.
They went to Violet and Daisy's room together. Violet was laying quietly on her bed and Daisy was up playing with the child-sized vintage kitchen.
They made an adorable picture, identical in every way except for personalities. But as different as they were they were a unit, an almost inseparable unit. Half the time they didn't even need to speak to each other they knew what the other was thinking. If one of them got in any kind of trouble it never failed, the other would cry.
Daisy had a personality like her Mama, excitable, emotional, and outgoing. She was friendly with some, but shy and nervous in the outside world. And Daisy had a little trouble with things getting tangled. Hair ribbons, the chain of her little gold necklace that said "Daisy", and anything else that could possibly get tangled up.
Violet would quietly take care of these problems for her sister. She was more like Rick. She quiet, serious, prone to worry and very protective. And she was endlessly patient with Daisy and her silliness.
All parents think their children are special, but Rick and Beth were convinced that together their girls could conquer the world.
There was one little playmate they let into their world and that was Caitlin Dixon. She'd been born just 10 months after Daryl and Kathleen's wedding. She was a tiny version of her mother in looks, size and spunky personality, but she could also be a rough and tumble force to be reckoned with, like her Daddy. Violet and Daisy loved her.
Kathleen and Beth were the best of friends and Rick and Daryl were like brothers, so the children spent lots of time together.
Kathleen was seven months pregnant with a boy and she and Daryl were over the moon. They'd already chosen the name, Kieran. Daryl had teaseed that all of their kids, and they planned at least four, were going to have Irish names whether he liked it or not. Ah but he liked it.
All three little girls were so excited for Kieran's arrival; he was going to be their baby. Daryl and Kathleen had joked they wouldn't even have to raise the boy, those three girls would take care of everything.
Privately Daryl had smiled at Kathleen and said, "Well at least hanging around all them little ladies he won't be a big shy, awkward dumbass around girls like his Daddy." And Kathleen had immediately admonished him, "Don't ya be speaking about my husband that way Daryl Dixon, he's the finest man I've ever known!"
After the girls were in bed for the night Rick and Beth went to the living room. Rick had poured them each a glass of wine and after a few sips Beth had brought it up. "Why are you so tense about Carl bringing a girl home, isn't that just normal behavior? He is nearly 20 years old."
His arm was around her shoulders and he pulled her close to his side. "It is normal Sweetheart but it does concern me. In the grand scheme of things he's still so young. It's not that I don't want him to date, that's just normal stuff. Bringing a girl to Christmas dinner where she's not only going to meet your Mom and Dad, but practically everyone you know; Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, younger siblings, and friends; that seems like real serious stuff to me. Honestly Beth, well I have to be honest with you don't I?" He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I was too young when I married Lori. I thought it was true love but it was raging hormones, and because I was so eager I didn't see the warning signs. And then she got pregnant with Carl and well you know the whole story. Anyway, I guess I think about how my life went before you, and I want so much better for him. I want him to wait until the right woman walks into his life."
She set her glass down, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "I understand that but you've spoken to Carl about all of these things. You've been so honest with him and Carl wasn't a tiny child when everything went wrong. He was old enough to know exactly what was going on. So you're just going to have to trust him to make his own decisions. Some are going to be good and some aren't going to be so good. That's just life Rick and you have to let Carl live his."
"How come you're so much smarter than me? Doesn't it make you feel like you married an idiot when you always have to be explaining everything to your husband?" But he was smiling when he said it and they began to kiss with passion.
"Take me to bed Rick and let me show you just how perfect I think my husband is."
Monday Daryl and Kathleen had the girls over for dinner so Rick and Beth could talk to Carl alone. Beth took the lead, "Tell me all about the girl you're having over for Christmas dinner Carl, I'm so anxious to hear everything."
Carl couldn't resist, he smiled and said, "Geez Mom I figured you'd already know everything about her."
Then he started, "Her name is Melanie she and I had a couple of classes together. We'd talk after class sometimes and I finally got the nerve to ask her to a movie. I've actually been seeing her since I was a Freshman. I know I probably should have told you but I was afraid you'd panic Dad. And Dad I listened when you talked I really did, don't worry we've taken it slow."
"We're in love but we're not in a rush. We both want to get our degrees and she wants to go to law school. Before we do anything serious like get married we want to be established in our careers. She's turned me into a real nerd and I found out I like that." Beth started to cry.
"What Mom? Why are you crying?"
"I'm sorry Carl, I'm not sad I'm just so proud of you you're such a good man and a smart man. I can't wait to meet Melanie, if you love her I'm sure I will too. I am pretty mystified that I didn't get this vibe, I just thought you were happy that college was agreeing with you."
Rick just hoped it was all as good as it sounded.
Christmas morning was happy chaos at the Grimes' home. The little girls were up at five and the first thing they did was run into Carl's room. Violet stood back and smiled while Daisy jumped up and down on his bed yelling, "Get up, get up Carl it's Christmas Santa Claus came, I know he did I felt him here. Hurry! Hurry!"
He knew he'd kill anyone else who woke him up at 5:00am, but when he looked at his little sisters he just laughed. "Okay I'm getting up this second you go get Mom and Dad." They scurried off and Carl waited in the hall with a big grin on his face while they pulled the same routine on their parents.
And it appeared Santa had come. Either that or Merle had been by at ten the night before with a truck full of presents.
As tough as it was on the girls Beth had them wait a few minutes while she made them and Carl hot chocolate and Rick and herself coffees with eggnog and brandy.
And the excitement began. Carl did the honors of handing out the gifts alternating between the girls, Mom and Dad, and stopping to open his own.
Violet was thrilled to have received math books an abacus and what Carl was sure was every book ever written about flowers. His little sisters were so weird and he loved everything about them.
Daisy was jumping up and down over her new easel, paints and artist chalk.
Carl had gotten them both packets of flower seeds and tiny gardening gloves.
Of course they both got baby dolls and strollers from Santa. They wanted to practice for when Kieran arrived.
Carl never thought he'd be happy to get clothes for Christmas but now that he was in college his feelings had definitely changed. And he was thrilled with the mini fridge for his dorm room.
Rick fared like Carl, a couple of new shirts and a new pair of boots. But there was something else something he hadn't expected at all. Beth had made him a small book filled with love poems she written to him. Violet had made the cover and Daisy had done all the illustrations. Rick was a little overwhelmed, Carl thought he saw a tear in his Dad's eye. "This is the most beautiful and the most special Christmas gift I've ever received. Thank you I am so lucky to have you three beautiful ladies in my life."
Carl teased, "So you're saying you like that better than the pocket knife I got you? Great Dad, thanks I feel real special now."
Beth got a beautiful painting from Daisy, a necklace of tiny dried flowers from Violet and a new journal from Carl. Rick gave her a lovely pinkie ring with Carl's birthstone in the center and the girls' on either side of it. "Oh Rick this is perfect I love it so much, thank you."
Everyone was due to arrive at 12:30 but Carl brought Melanie over at 11:30, so she and his parents would have some time to meet and talk.
She was what you'd think of as a natural beauty, long auburn hair, high cheek bones, striking blue eyes and a warm beautiful smile. She was gracious, she was serious but she also had a sense of humor and a way of speaking that Beth could only describe as extremely thoughtful, she could tell the girl was full of kindness.
She and Carl held hands while they talked and when they looked at each other, neither one of his parents missed the love those eyes transmitted.
Rick felt like his fears had been put to rest, this girl obviously had both feet on the ground and she was a great compliment to Carl.
The pandemonium really started when the guests began arriving, Daddy and Mama, Maggie, who was now four months pregnant, and Glenn, Daryl, Kathleen and Caitlin, Aaron and Eric, Shawn and his wife Susan, and of course Santa himself Merle, and Carol.
There were many more gifts exchanged the beauty of that being they'd all agreed, only homemade gifts were allowed.
Rick had smoke cooked a ham in the backyard and Beth had made a turkey. Everyone had brought side dishes, there were several card tables end to end covered with a tablecloth, and everyone was seated in folding chairs.
Hershel said the blessing and just as everyone was ready to dig in Merle spoke, "Uh Carol n I well we got a little announcement. This seemed like the perfect time ta tell y'all when we're all here together ta celebrate sumthin' happy. Anyway we found out about a boy, well Carol did. He's 10 years old and his name is Billy. His Mama and Daddy were killed in a plane crash and wasn't no other family wanted him. We checked on it, started ta have him ta the house, we got ta know him and he got ta know us. We come ta love the young fella an right after the first a the year we're gonna officially become Billy's Mama and Daddy, gonna be adoptin' him."
Daryl immediately rose from his seat and went to his brother who stood and they did something no one ever expected to see, they hugged each other tight, Daryl spoke with emotion, "Aw man brother that's so awesome I ain't ever been happier for ya, 'cept when ya found Carol. Good on you brother, good on you." And then he put an arm around Carol, bent down kissed her cheek and said, "That's wonderful sister, I'm real real happy for ya."
And everybody was up from the table hugging, congratulating, smiling and crying all at the same time. It was beautiful bedlam.
After dinner Beth made her little announcement while Violet, Daisy and Caitlin stood at her side, "The little girls have a Christmas gift for everyone. If you'd gather around they're going to present it to you now. Beth began strumming her guitar while the little girls remained standing holding hands and singing Silent Night.
It was the perfect ending to what had been a beautiful Christmas day.
The house was calm and quiet and they lay in bed, her in his arms. He pulled her close and whispered, "I kept looking at you today thinking about that day in the laundromat. I was thinking about how happy I am the idiot who designed the washers didn't make them big enough to hold sleeping bags and quilts. I love you so much Sweetheart I'm the most blessed man on earth. I know that for a fact."
She put her hand to his cheek smiled and said, "I was thinking the same thing every time I looked at you today, I'm the most blessed woman on earth and I love you so much Rick. Will you make love to me?"
She didn't really have to ask.
A/N That was Christmas Candy! I hope you enjoyed revisiting the Grimes family and spending Christmas Day with the extended family. May you all have a Very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year! Thanks so much for reading, please review. xo