Welcome back. This chapter is for you Emily lovers. If you dislike Paily, you might want to avoid this one! Enjoy.
-:- it's christmastime in the city -:-
Fluffy, white snow collected silently on the frozen ground outside the Rosewood Galleria Mall as cars whooshed in and out of the parking lots.
Inside stood a long line of families, eager to have their visit with Santa, which wrapped around the corner.
At the front of the line, just two families from Santa's chair, Cooper and Taylor practically vibrated with excitement as they awaited their turn.
"What are you gonna ask him for, Tay?" The five-year-old prodded his best friend.
"I told you, I want a my size pony and tea set!" She informed him for what seemed like the forty-eighth time. They sat silently for a few seconds before her patience got the better of her. "Did you add something else to your list?"
"They're relentless," Hanna stated to her husband as they watched the children entertain themselves.
Caleb laughed softly and shrugged. "They're five, babe. What else is there to talk about when you've got the attention span of a squirrel?"
Hanna smacked his chest playfully as they moved up one spot in line. She rocked on the heels of her boots and sighed. "I never thought that I would become one of those parents who actually waits hours and hours in line, just to let my child have a one minute conversation with an obese actor..."
"Well, look where we are now." He teased. He wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and squeezed her arm lightly. "After this we can go grab a coffee or something."
"I hope this line moves fast, I promised Melissa that I would have Taylor back by five." Hanna groaned, gazing at her watch.
"What's a few minutes? Let the kid have a little fun."
"They're flying out to Aspen to spend Christmas with Isaac's parents." She replied, killing the joke.
Cooper then toddled over and grabbed his mom a hand and pulled her to the front. "Mommy, it's our turn!"
"Okay, boo." She giggled. "Daddy and I are going to watch you ans Tay over by the big snowman, okay?"
Cooper nodded and followed Taylor to the throne where St. Nick sat.
"Aw, how precious!" Hanna gushed as she snapped pictures of the kids on her phone. "Oh, Melissa will LOVE these."
Caleb rolled his eyes at his wife but continued to watch his son, waving at Cooper suddenly grew shy at Santa's question.
"Cooper wants an new Iron Man costume and the aviation Legos. Duh!" Taylor informed the jolly man when Cooper remained silent.
'Santa' laughed jovially and jiggled his knees, causing both children to break into a fit of giggles.
"Is that all, young man?"
"Uh..." Cooper began nervously, shifting his eyes to his parents and back to the bearded man. "I want a baby sister." He finished quietly.
Across the restriction ropes, Hanna's mouth hung open.
Caleb stood, wide-eyed and frozen. "What?"
The seasonally paid actor bounced the children again and asked, "Why do you want a baby sister?"
Cooper shrugged. "I dunno. My Aunt Spencer just had a baby. Her name is Avery and she's so cool. I just think that it would be fun."
"Me too," Taylor added.
"Well, children." The man breathed awkwardly. "I think that is something that you should ask your parents about. I will do what I can, and my elves will try to get back to you on that." He finished, setting both kids back on the velvet carpet which surrounded them.
"Thank you, Santy Clause!" Taylor shouted after her as she and Cooper raced to the adults.
"So did you have fun?" Caleb asked as he and his wife walked the children to their car.
"Yeah. He was a little scary, but he was very nice." Cooper answered simply, taking licks from his red and green lollipop the elf had handed him when they left.
Hanna forced a smile and rubbed her son's back as Caleb carried him at his side. "I saw you got a bit shy for a moment, didn't you?"
He nodded. "But then I remembered what Nana told me to ask him if I forgot my real list."
Both his parents sighed in relief. After having buckled them into their seats, they got into the front two seats. Hanna squinted at Cooper through the rearview mirror. "So you don't want a baby sister?"
"I don't know." He sighed. "Babies are fun and all, but when they cry it gets like, really loud!"
Caleb laughed softly. "Bud, it's ok if you don't. Babies are a pretty big deal."
It was hard for both parents not to laugh at themselves for sounding so lame when speaking of the particular topic. It was beginning to sound more like the birds and the bees discussion than anything else.
"I know," he replied. "But it sounds like lots of fun. And I would always have someone to play with and trick-or-treat with. And we could make forts like Uncle Toby and me do...but I like just having Mommy, Daddy, and Coopster."
Hanna had to sink her head downward to wipe the almost non-visible tear that gathered in her eye. She sniffed loudly and giggled. "Coop, I think that's wonderful. And I love having Daddy and I and Coopster too."
"I want a baby sister to play dress up with and to play sharks as minnows and hide 'n go seek with." Taylor interrupted.
"I'm sure your mom does, too." Caleb told the little girl.
When they left Melissa's town home the family of three drive back to Rosewood, and to Aria and Ezra's for dinner.
"Welcome, you guys." Ezra smiled as he opened the front door.
"Uncle Ezra!" Cooper launched himself at his uncle's leg.
"Dude, I missed you, too." The dark haired man laughed and patted the child's back.
"Merry Christmas Eve," Hanna said as she pulled him in for a one-armed hug before following her son inside.
"Hey, man." Caleb greeted him with a handshake before entering the house.
In the excessively decorated home, the friends were gathered around, chatting.
Spencer and Toby sat on the love seat by the fireplace, Avery wrapped in blankets on her mother's lap. They cooed and made funny faces at the giddy infant.
"My God, she's already the next Albert Einstein." Teased Hanna as she entered the room.
The couple looked up from the distracting baby and blushed. "She's very talkative for a few weeks old, I know. But it's not uncommon."
"Whatever. Coop didn't gab until three months. Just coos and grunts." The blonde defended playfully. She sat down on Spencer's other side and began marveling at little Avery.
"Merry Christmas Eve, you guys!" Emily called as she and Paige entered the house. The women walked over and sat in the chairs across from the fireplace where Hanna and the new parents were.
Emily immediately retreated to Spencer and pried Avery off her hands. "My goddaughter is getting so big." She cooed in a sing-song voice. She tapped the little girl's dimpled chin lightly and smiled. "You need so stop growing right now, you have to stay little Avery forever!"
Paige looked on with a loving gleam in her eye, marveling at how natural her girlfriend was with the baby.
"Okay, dinner is ready!" Ella called from the kitchen where she and Aria had been slaving all afternoon.
Everyone ventured into the formal dining room to eat. Spencer put Avery in a bouncy seat and then took a seat at the table next to her husband and Hanna.
"Oh my God, Ella! This is phenomenal." Hanna praised as she ate the woman's roast.
"Thanks, Kiddo. I'd be happy to give you the recipe later on."
Chewing her bite, Hanna tried not to choke as she laughed. "If I cold cook, that would be feasible. I burn water."
"Mom, that's not possible." Cooper stated from his seat next to Ezra who chuckled, having obviously said that under his breath first.
"Cute..." She glared at them. "Trying to turn my own kid against me?"
Emily and Paige made moves to tap their knives against their glasses lightly. Everyone turned toward them with curious looks.
"You clinked," Spencer observed.
The women looked at each other, and Paige gave Em an encouraging nod to continue. The tan on Emily's cheeks slowly faded into a deep crimson with her blush and she returned the nod.
"We have some news," Paige finally announced.
"Okay...neither one of you has a ring, so I won't ask if you're engaged..." Aria furrowed her brow and pursed her lips.
Toby perked up, "I know, you got that spot on the US Olympic training team!"
Emily shook her head. "No, I quit swimming recently."
"What? Why?" Spencer asked.
She shrugged. "I don't have the time, what with work."
"... Then what is it?" Hanna inquired.
The pair shared sideways glances at each other and Paige pulled a folded up sheet of computer paper out of her sweater pocket and handed it to Hanna.
As she unfolded it, Hanna's confusion slowly melted away. She laid it out on the table and smoothed the folded parts.
"Oh, Em!" Hanna cried.
"What is it?" Spencer practically bounced in her seat, trying to get a peek.
Paige cleared her throat and began to explain the papers to the rest of the table. "A couple months ago, Em and I sent in our profile to some adoption services and agencies in other countries.
"We were let go by the agency in Somalia, because it shut down." Emily explained further, as everyone's face grew aware and excited. "But last month, the day after Avery was born, our wishes were granted when the agency in Beijing called - we're getting a baby!"
Aria squealed and all the girls got out of their seats and took turns hugging their friends.
When they sat down, Spencer was still about to burst. "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"A girl," Paige answered.
"Her name is Raina. But we get to choose the middle name, and we think we're going with Pam. She's going to be six months old when we bring her home."
"Oh, Emily. Your mother must be so excited!" Ella declared, her hands clasped together in delight. Then she looked to her own daughter and son-in-law, glaring. "When do I get a granddaughter to be a namesake for?"
The couple looked back defensively as everyone continued gabbing with Paige and Emily.
"Mom, we just moved into our house." Aria stated, holding onto Ezra's arm which draped over her shoulder.
"Four months ago. Four months is plenty of time to settle into a house. You've been completely moved in for at least three."
"Ella, Aria and I don't think we're ready just yet for a baby. We are still young-" a glare from Ella came, "Aria is still young."
"Yeah, and I just started my new job managing the Brew's new bookstore for Zack. I'm kind of busy." His petite wife added.
Ella let out an exasperated sigh and crossed her arms. "I just want a grandchild so badly."
"Then ask Mike."
At the other end of the table, Hanna and Emily were still chatting.
"So when do you guys leave for China?" The blonde asked, smoothing out the now tattered piece of paper so she could get a better look.
"Uh, I think the week after New Years."
"That's so quick!"
Emily nodded. "It would be quicker, but they don't like doing a lot of pick-ups during the holidays. It gets pretty hectic."
"I can imagine."
Caleb sat back down in a chair next to his wife and set down a plate of cake for them to share. He pulled Hanna into his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
Hanna began taking small bites of the cake, spoon feeding Caleb every once in a while.
"Em, I am so happy for you. Caleb and I are really proud!" She said as she finished up eating.
"Yeah, congratulations!" He insisted.
"Thanks, you guys." Emily beamed.
Caleb retreated back to the kitchen with the empty dessert plate, passing his son on the way. Cooper ran up to Emily and rested his elbows on her knees and propped his face up in his hands.
"Auntie Em, am I getting another cousin?"
Emily beamed more and nodded. "Yeah, baby. Are you excited for her?"
He shrugged. "Sure, but I wish she was a boy like me."
"Aw, I'm sorry, Coop. But we don't get to choose what kind of baby we get." She ran her palm over top of his hair and down his cheek.
Cooper thought for a minute before he asked, "Auntie Em, how come you're not fat like Aunt Spencer was?"
"Boo, Auntie Em doesn't get fa- ...pregnant because she's adopting her and Aunt Paige's baby." Hanna explained.
The little boy squinted and looked back and forth at the women. "What's 'dopting?"
Emily pulled the child in her lap and rested her head over his shoulder. "Coop, sometimes married people, like your mommy and daddy, can't have their own baby. Aunt Paige and I can't because we're both girls."
"But mommy says you can only get pregnant if you love each other,"
Hanna nodded. "Yes, but a girl needs a boy to have a baby."
Emily rocked her knees up and down and continued. "Aunt Paige and I love each other very, very much. But since we can't have our own baby, we're going to adopt one from China, and then we will bring her home with us. She will be ours here in Rosewood, and we will call her our own while she will call us her parents."
"So she's Chinese?" He asked in disbelief.
Hanna giggled at this. "She will be. But does that even matter, as long as we all welcome her and love her?"
Cooper shook his head. "No. This sounds super fun." He glanced over his shoulder at his aunt. "I can't wait to meet her!"
Emily sniffled slightly and squeezed him tightly in a hug. "I can't wait to meet her either, babe. And to bring her home and introduce you to her."
Later that night, the family had finally arrived back home from the gathering. Cooper was ordered upstairs immediately to get ready for bed before he could come back to watch a movie.
Every Christmas Eve, the family would piled on the couch in the den and watch "Elf." It wasn't the most classic movie, but it was coming to be a tradition for them as years passed.
When it was over, Cooper shot off the couch and ran over next to the fireplace, crouching down beside it.
"What are you doing, Boo?" Hanna asked as she folded the blankets they'd been under.
"We forgot his cookies!" He replied in distress.
She chuckled and laid the blanket she had been folding back on the couch. Walking over to him she said, "Baby, we ate all the cookies that Nana made us."
Cooper's eyes bugged out at this discovery. "Then what are we supposed to give Santa?! He might get hungry and pass out on our floor because there are no cookies. And THEN he couldn't deliver presents to other kids in the world, like Auntie Em's baby!"
"Okay, okay," she whispered, trying to appease him. "We will get him cookies. But it's bedtime now, so I will make sure daddy goes to buy some."
"Promise?" He looked up at her with puppy eyes.
Hanna sighed, glancing at the clock on the tv box. "There's a roll of cookie dough in the fridge. I guess we could make him some right now, but we have to hurry. We don't want him to catch us awake!"
Cooper clapped his hands and jumped up and down. "We're making Santa emergency cookies, daddy!" He informed Caleb.
"Oh, fun. But you better get to it." Caleb replied, yawning.
"C'mon, mom!" He grabbed Hanna's hand and dragged her into the kitchen.
When the cookies were finally done, the couple put their son to bed and retreated back into their bedroom after setting out the gifts.
"Tomorrow is Christmas." Hanna whispered as they laid in bed.
"It is, isn't it?" Caleb turned his head to look at her.
"It came so fast. One minute we're carving pumpkins and the next..."
"Pretty crazy." He rolled over and propped his head on his hand. "What did you ask Santa for?"
She giggle and blushed. "I can't tell you, I do want it to come true you know! But I can give you a hint..." She sat up and dove in for his lips, suctioning them in hers. She kissed him forcefully, sliding her tongue over his bottom lip and nipping at it.
He then wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled them both over so that she was below him.
Between heated, passionate kisses, he whispered, "I think I can guess."
How was that? I know I said I would put it on hiatus, but I suddenly got a burst of ideas.
Sorry if I worried any of you. I really haven't been feeling this story because of the lack of attention it's getting. I'm not trying to sound selfish, but I wish you all could review more.
More reviews=Faster updates. Its basic Fanfiction logic.
Anyway, have a good weekend!