Sorry it's been so long! Thanks for the reviews though!
When Quinn woke up on Christmas morning all he could think of was how happy his mom was going to be when she saw Fluff. How Fluff was going to make his mom better and help her.
So when he realized he was probably the only one up, he rolled out of his bed and landed on his feet lightly. He saw Bryan still drooling on his pillow and got a devilish idea. Quinn grabbed a pillow off his bed and chucked it at Bryan's head. Quinn held in his laughter as Bryan opened an eye groggily and flicked off Quinn. "Get up loser!" Quinn chuckled before bounding out of the room to Jake's room.
He flung open Jake's door and flew onto Jake's bed.
The bed frame squeaked as Quinn bounced on it. Jake groaned as Quinn put his full weight on him. Quinn chuckled, continuing to bounce on him with gusto. Jake's head bounced on the pillow. "Come on Jakey! Get up!" He said in a sing-song voice.
Jake rolled over and opened his eyes, grouchily. "Get off," His voice was deadly and his glare was filled with annoyance, but Quinn just laughed and hopped off.
"Don't make me come back in here!" Quinn said as he skipped out of Jake's room.
"If you do, I might punch you," Jake grumbled as he sat up, rubbing his face.
Quinn popped his head back in Jake's room. "What was that?" He said with a smirk.
Jake groaned. "Nothing," He mumbled, he's voice low and gravely. Quinn nodded with a smile.
He tried to walk to Nate and Seth's room, but about halfway to their room his excitement bubbled over and he charged the rest of the way. As he barged in the room he noticed that only one bed was occupied. Seth was still bundled in his bed, but Nate's bed was empty.
"Seth get up, get up, get up!" He shook Seth by his arm, but Seth just turned away from him. Quinn rolled his eyes before yanking Seth out of his bed. Seth's body made a loud thunk as it hit the floor. Seth grunted, loudly. "I hate you Quinn," He mumbled into the floor as he lifted his body off the floor, slowly. he got half way up and then rolled back into his bed a second before Quinn yanked him back out.
"Love you too!" Quinn smiled walking out of Seth and Nate's room. He walked down the steps to the kitchen at a fast pace. He felt like he needed to hurry, like it was very important to rush everything. As he got down the step he saw Luke, Maxine, and Nate were sitting at the table talking. They looked up at him, curiously.
"We heard a lot of noise upstairs," Luke said, looking at Quinn questioningly. He raised a dark eyebrow and leaned his head on his hand. He looked slightly amused, like he already knew what had happened.
"You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?" Maxine's head was tilted to the side, waiting for an answer.
Quinn shook his head with a smile. Pouring himself a bowl of cereal, he watched his parents. Luke had his arm Maxine's shoulders and was looking at her with hopeful eyes, playing with the blonde strands of her hair. Ever since Luke met Fluff he had changed his attitude. He'd been helping Maxine more and been more affectionate towards her. Not that he hadn't helped her and been loving towards he before, he had been cautious and tip-toed around anything that might possibly set her off.
That had been helping Maxine. She had started smiling again. She no longer spent all day grading papers and cleaning, but would go out for a walk to around the farm to be alone with nature, mediating basically. Maybe Fluff would help in a way they hadn't expected.
Quinn caught Nate's eye. Nate had been watching their parents with a smirk also. Nate winked at Quinn.
Soon Bryan, Jake, and Seth came down the stairs, half awake.
"Nate and I did chores all ready, so don't worry." Luke smiled as the boys plopped down in the kitchen chairs.
"Pass the Captain Crunch," Bryan mumbled. Nate smiled as he passed the box.
"Thanks," Jake said to Nate and Luke. They nodded.
"What time is Grandpa Mac coming over?" Quinn asked, taking a spoonful of Cheerio's. They always waited for Grandpa Mac to come over before opening presents.
"Around noon, like usual," Maxine answered, rising to take her bowl to the sink. "What are you so excited about, Quinn?" She set her bowl down and turned to him. The Ely men's eyes widened.
"Well it's Christmas and that's exciting!" Quinn rolled his eyes like it was obvious.
"Mhmm," Maxine nodded, skeptically. "You haven't been this excited at Christmas since you were 10 years old." She raised an eyebrow.
The others watched as Quinn shrugged nonchalantly."I just feel like this is going to be a really good Christmas, that's all."
Maxine contemplated the answer before answering. "I hope you're right." With that she left the kitchen, heading to her and Luke's bedroom.
The guys watched her disappear before turning to Quinn. "That was close," Luke commented. Quinn shrugged with a smirk.
"Jake, put down your phone and help set the table." Luke scolded, his brow creased.
"Okay," Jake put his in his pocket and went to a cubbard, pulling out dishes. He felt his phone vibrate as he set the dishes on the table. He looked around the room to his if anyone was watching as he dug out his phone.
1 message from Brat
'I'm so excited to hear how Maxine reacts to Fluff,'
Jake checked over his shoulder before answering, quickly.
'Me too. I g2g though. Bye Brat.'
"Mac is here," Maxine said. Jake jumped a little, shoving his phone in his pocket. Maxine didn't notice and Jake quickly let out the breath her hadn't realized he was holding. He finished setting the table just as Mac walked in the door.
"Mac," Maxine exclaimed greeting Mac with a hug. Mac immediately pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back.
"Maxine, how are you my beautiful daughter?" He kissed the top of her head as Maxine smiled.
"I'm good Mac, thanks for asking," Maxine smiled, pulling away.
"Are you?" Mac tilted Maxine's chin so she looked in his eyes. Maxine smile was strained, but she nodded. "Mhmm," He released her, but his look told her they weren't finished. "How are my grandsons?"
The boys enclosed their grandfather like a swarm of bees, each giving him a bear hug and moving for the others, each greeting their grandfather with one saying or another.
"The ham smells delicious," Mac commented when they were done with the greetings. Maxine immediately whirled around the kitchen getting all the final things in place. "So Adam couldn't come home, I gather?" Mac said, lowering himself slowly into the chair.
"No, he couldn't get back," Luke said settling himself at the head of the table. The boys carried some final things to the table before sitting down in their own chairs. Maxine followed suit soon.
"I suppose with football he couldn't work, could he?" Mac said folding his hands.
Maxine nodded. "And you know how Adam is, even if he did work he wouldn't have thought to save for a trip back home," She managed a tight-lipped smile. Nate and Seth held back a snort. That was defiantly true. Adam was always kind of dense that way.
Mac nodded slowly, his brow crinkling. "Well, he'll soon learn that is not wise," Jake rolled his eyes at his grandfather's prediction.
Jake had long since decided Mac was over dramatic. Then again he was always right...
"Shall we start?" Maxine asked, holding up a bowl of beans.
There was a chorus of "Yes's" and "I'm starved's". As the food was passed around a comfortable silence fell over the kitchen. Only the clink of silverware on plates broke the silence.
Well, not everyone was that comfortable with the silence.
Quinn was about to scream with anticipation and the only thing that was stopping him was stuffing his face with potatoes. His leg bounced the whole time, shaking the table occasionally. Bryan kicked Quinn in an attempt to silence him. Quinn shot him a look across the table. Bryan returned it with a warning look at their oblivious mother. Quinn nodded and tried to keep his leg still, for the most part he was successful.
Everyone stood as the meal ended and brought their dishes to the sink. The boys headed outside to the barn, their grandfather trailing. Maxine started to wash the dishes, but Luke grabbed her wrist. "We'll deal with that later, okay?" Luke asked when she turned to him questioningly. She nodded, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled and brushed back a strand of blonde hair that had fallen in he face.
"What are you up to?" She searched his face. Luke laughed out right, throwing his head back. The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled down. He brought Maxine into him and held her as he laughed.
"Nothing gets passed you does it?" He continued to chuckled as he set his chin on her head. She shook her head, a smile gracing her face. "Well, follow me," He tugged her behind him.
Maxine smiled geniunly for the first time since losing Faith as they tugged on their boots and coats.
Luke waited at the door for Maxine to zip her coat. As they headed toward the barn Luke snagged he hand. They could hear the boys in the barn, talking.
"Boys, are you ready?" Luke yelled when they were at the barn door.
"Yeah!" Quinn yelled back. He was holding Fluff in his arms with everyone else crowded around him. He was shaking as much as Fluff's tail was wiggling. Mac was sitting on a bail to the side, ready to watch the scene unfold.
Jake had just sent Sam a message, telling her what they were about to do. She replied quickly saying, 'Take a video!'
Jake did just that as the barn door opened. Maxine peeked around the corner, her eyes skimming over Fluff and the boys and then flying back to Fluff.
"Oh my!" She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. Quinn set Fluff down. Fluff charge toward Maxine, her tail wagging a hundred miles an hour. She tripped right in front of Maxine. Fluff sprawled on the floor and looked up at Maxine in with pathetic look. Everyone and Maxine chuckled as she bent to pick up the little black ball of fur. "What's your name little cutie?" Maxine rubbed Fluff's ears. "Mhmm? Where did you come from?"
Luke came up behind Maxine and put a hand on her shoulder. "What do you think?" She looked up from Fluff and looked at everyone.
She pursed her lips. "Well, we don't exactly need another mouth to feed," She said as Fluff licked her. "But I think she is adorable and I think it be very cruel to send her back to wherever she came from." She kissed the top of Fluff's head. Fluff yipped and Maxine chuckled. "Yes, little girl, you can stay." Maxine smiled, set Fluff down, and hugged Luke. "Thank you," She kissed his cheek and then hugged all the boys.
"What are you going to name her?" Quinn asked as she hugged him. Fluff was running around in circles, tripping over nothing, and bouncing at anything that moved.
Maxine tucked herself back in Luke's side, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I don't know," She said, watching Fluff run around. "She's very bouncy and cheerful isn't she?" Maxine asked, looking up at the boys.
"And cute," Nathan commented. Maxine smiled and nodded.
"She's magnificently smart too," Quinn added.
"Magnificently?" Maxine questioned. Quinn nodded. "Magnificent. Mag. Maggi?" She asked herself, contemplating the name. "Maggi." She called to the pup. Fluff looked at her. "Come here Maggi," Fluff trotted half way to Maxine before getting distracted by an imaginary cat. "Good enough," Maxine laughed. Luke squeezed her shoulders.
"Maggi is your dog, she can be a house dog, she can be anything you want her to be, spoil her as much as you want." Luke said watching Maggi sniff at Mac's boot.
Maxine laughed. "Like I believe she's all mine for the spoiling," She said when Luke looked at her funny. "She's going to get bored if we don't give her a job anyway."
Luke smirked. "Her job is to make you happy," He kissed the top of her head when she started tearing up. "But I expect her to be well disciplined." Maxine started laughing as she wiped her eyes.
"Thank you boys," She said giving each one of them another hug before picking up Maggi and heading to the house.
As she disappeared in the house Mac spoke. "I think she is going to be much happier with another Ely to watch over." The boys and Luke nodded before returning to the house.