AN- Hey guys I'm back and will be posting regularly from now on, thank the fact that I had inspiration from The OC being back on and...other reasons
Disclaimer- on my user page but I don't own anything.
"Ah," Seth sighed contently, "I love the smell of the first day of Chrismukkah!"
"Does it really smell any different?" Ryan said as Seth came dashing down from his bedroom at 9 in the morning, dressed and ready for the start of his favorite holiday.
"Ah, but it does Ryan. Oh how it does," he replied in an exaggerated tone.
It had been ten days since Summer's dad had left, she had talked to him every night and although she wasn't completely over it, she was getting there. Summer had stayed over at both the Cohen's, and the Coopers any night she could, and spent a lot of time in either of those two places. Summer had spent the night at then Cohen's that night and was just coming down to the kitchen for some coffee.
"Ah, there is my Summer, my sweet, sweet Summer, do you smell the Chrismukkah in the air, I know you do," he got up from the stool. Seth walked over to her and grabbed her hand in his and spun her in and out like their own little dance, despite how cheesy he was, she couldn't help but giggle.
"Sure Cohen whatever you say."
He dropped his hands to his sides and with an exasperated sigh said, "You two need to get into the holiday sprit," and he dropped down onto the stool and started to fix his coffee.
"Ah, the first day of the Chrismukkah," Sandy said as he strode into the kitchen dressed in his suit and red and green striped tie.
"At least someone appreciates the holidays," Seth glared at Summer, she stuck her tongue out at him, causing both Seth and herself to giggle, he was the only on who could bring a genuine smile to her face these days.
"So Dad are we doing the usual first day of Chrismukkah thing: a) tree shopping and b) decorating said tree while eating takeout?" Seth asked.
"Of course son, but maybe this year we will have some extra help?" Sandy shot a glance at Summer.
"Oh no I couldn't, I wouldn't be much help, I've never put up a tree before," Summer said.
"You've never put up a tree?" Seth asked, shocked.
"Nope, my dad get really flustered with ornaments and hates the way the trees smell, so we have this enormous one that is pre-decorated," she explained.
"Pre-decorated?" Seth said questionably.
"Yes, it happens to be quite pretty, whenever its up we eat in front of it."
"Well Summer, tonight you'll decorate a tree, Marissa can come too," Sandy implied to Ryan.
"I'll go call her now," Ryan strode towards the pool house.
That night Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, Ryan, Summer and Marissa pulled up at a Christmas tree lot that had a banner across the fence that read "Dan's Tree Emporium". They stepped out of the car and were greeted by a wood-chipped covered ground and hundreds of deep green trees being observed by a variety of people. A short boy about the age of 15 that none of them recognized came up to the group. He was dressed in a red and green elf outfit, and his cheeks were pink from the cold night air.
"Hi I'm Renaldo, please to meet you." He did a little bow and forced Seth to suppress a giggle, which wasn't hard after Summer elbowed him in the stomach. The elf didn't seem to notice Seth's outbreak and continued on.
"Is there anything your interested in. We have a great selection of furs. Douglas, Fraser, Balsam, Grand, Noble."
He was talking so fast Marissa just wanted to shake him and tell him to breathe. After his long speech Sandy told him they would have a look around and find him when they needed him. He stalked off in a huff, holidays were so stressful.
They had been walking up and down the isles for around half an hour when they had decided on a Douglas fur. A small child was obviously annoyed at his parents and had been whining for quite a while, Seth could see Summer was getting annoyed and decided he didn't want her to have a rage blackout and it was best to get her to talk to him.
"Mom, Dad; Summer and I are going to go find someone to help us out," and they walked off hand in hand.
"You okay?" he asked.
"That kid needs to shut up."
Seth rubbed his girlfriends back comfortingly.
"Summer."
"What?"
"What's really wrong?"
"This is wonderful," she huffed
"I'm not following."
"Your parents and you, and everything its so great, I love this. Picking out a tree, even if its pretty cold and they all look the same to me and oh my gosh that kid over there needs to be quiet. I still love it, and I've never done this before, I've never been this happy"
"Summer."
"Seth, me and my dad were close, but I've never really been a part of a real family, not since my mom anyway, and I guess." She paused to breathe, "I guess I'm mad at him for leaving during Christmas, and at her for leaving, forever. I guess I'm just jealous of you"
He smiled at her, "Well you should be jealous, after all I have the greatest girl in the world." despite the tears threatening to fall she smiled as he kissed her. Just then, the elf came and interrupted them.
"Have you found a tree yet?"
Seth and Summer jumped apart and both nodding.
Sandy and Ryan brought the tree into the house and got it set up while the girls and Seth retrieved ornaments and lights from a back closet. They set the tree on the stand and began to string white lights around it. After it was brightly lit, they began to hang ornaments all over it. They were so personal, they hadn't all been bought at once and weren't all in the same color scheme. There were ones with pictures in them and others played music. There were funny ones and ones that had been bought as souvenirs. Some had obviously been made my Seth throughout his elementary school years and then there was one that made Summer's face light up in a great big smile. She held an ornament that read "Baby's First Christmas", in it was a picture of Seth, about nine months old in a green and red plaid nighty, his hair was a wild mess of curls and there was wrapping paper all around him. A smile so huge that showed off his adorable dimples was plastered across his face as he held up none other than Captain Oats, obviously a present he had received. Kirsten had noticed Summer looking at the ornament and spoke.
"Is that the first Christmas one, I love that one, my mom gave him Captain Oats that year."
"It's adorable," Summer said.
"Put it up front, it's my favorite," Kirsten told her. Summer did as she was told and soon felt two arms encircle her around the waist and kiss her head. She looked up to see Seth there smiling at her.
They had finished the tree and it was getting late.
"You staying here Summer?" Sandy asked.
"Um, no I think I'm going to go home for tonight."
"You sure?" Seth asked.
"Yeah."
"I have a better idea," Ryan said, "how 'bout we have a sleepover all four of us, if its ok with you two," he gestured towards Sandy and Kirsten. They looked at each other.
"If you say in here by the tree, not in the pool house and you all sleep in here no coupling up."
"Aye, aye captain" Seth replied mockingly.
Sandy shot him a knowing look and he and Kirsten headed up to bed.
The four teens sat in a pile of blankets pillows and junk food gazing at the Christmas tree.
"Let's play a game," said Marissa
"What game?" Ryan asked.
"Um. well. how about 'would you rather?'?"
"Ok," they replied in unison.
"I'll start" Marissa told them "Okay... Um… OH! Summer?"
"Yes?"
"Would you rather... Kiss Ryan or Luke?"
"Hey!" Ryan and Seth said in unison.
"No questions about the four of us," Seth said.
"You guys are no fun," Marissa whined.
"No, its okay," Summer said, "Luke, because he's not my boyfriends brother."
"Good answer," replied Seth.
"My turn," Summer smiled. She turned her head around to face Seth, since her back was leaning on his chest, "Would you rather…"
"Ew! Coop!"
"What?"
"You're telling me you would rather eat a raw fish than do that!"
"Yes."
The night had been full of laughs and jokes. Summer forgot all about her early outburst and was having a genuinely good time. This day had been great, if she had a choice it would never have ended, but it did, and she fell asleep that night underneath the glow of the Christmas tree in the arms of the person she cared about most.
AN- hope you all liked it. PLEASE review.
Danielle (editor) will be leaving EN's (editors notes) from now on.
EN- Hey it's me the EDITOR! Well hope you love this story it just so mushy and lovey: just like pie. WowI'm being weird, anyhow hope you love Niemey's story.
