So I firstly didn't intend on making this whole story just a massive romance-fest, but I'm a sappy girl and I love love and I just want everyone to be in love OK STOP JUDGING ME. Jokes. More love.
The Christmas season was a special one for the Thompson and Byrne families. It would be the first time that both families would all come together just themselves for a family holiday. Judd and Vicki were greeted by hugs and kisses from Judd Snr and Sarah when they arrived at the Thompson's house on Christmas Eve. The Thompson's had built a house that was identical to the one they had lived in before the rapture and it was strange for Judd and Vicki to see it so full of life and joy.
"Merry Christmas kids!" Sarah exclaimed planting a huge kiss on Judd's cheek.
Vicki smiled. She liked being referred to as a kid. The irony of hating it when she actually was a kid but now, loving it as an adult was not lost on her.
"Merry Christmas, mom." Judd said, blushing and rubbing his mothers lipstick off his cheek.
"How are you going Vicki, my dear?" Sarah asked, putting an arm around her daughter-in-law and patting her belly.
"I'm doing okay." She said, "They're getting heavier!"
"You don't have to tell me about carrying twins darling!" Sarah laughed.
Just on cue, Marc and Marcie ran around the corner.
"Hey Judd!" Marc exclaimed.
"Hey man! How you doing?" Judd smiled, giving his little brother a high-five.
Marcie gave Vicki a hug. She loved Vicki. Growing up with two brothers, she'd always wanted a sister and thought Vicki was wonderful.
It wasn't long before Tom and Dawn Byrne arrived with Jeanni in tow and they all hugged and greeted each other.
Dawn hugged Vicki, "How are my grandbabies?"
"Making me super tired already, mom." Vicki laughed.
"I'm proud of you sweetie." She replied, "I'm sure they'll be gorgeous."
"There's someone else, Vick that was able to drag himself here." Tom said with a grin.
"Hey Vick." Eddie smiled as he stepped in the house.
"Eddie!" Vicki almost screamed as she awkwardly half-ran/half-waddled to hug her big brother, "Judd, this is my brother!"
Eddie jokingly sized Judd up, "So you're the guy who married my little sister?"
"That's me." Judd said.
"Nice to finally meet you man!" Eddie said, slapping Judd on the back and shaking his hand.
It was an amazing reunion. Vicki watched as the two families bonded. It was strange to think how different these two families had been once before. The Thompson's had been wealthy and upper-class. The Byrne's had lived in a trailer and struggled to get by. But there was one important thing that they had in common and that was the love of Christ. She smiled as she watched Eddie and Judd talk each others ears off. She laughed as Jeanni joined Marc and Marcie in playing video games in the living room. She watched her parents and Judd's parents sharing stories and interests.
So this is what normality feels like. She thought as she watched the surreal scene take place. Normality. It was crazy how strange normality felt after seven years of chaos. But here she was at a family Christmas with her family and her husband's family all sharing in the love and friendship. It was strange. Normal, wonderful… and strange.
Christmastime was difficult for Ryan. It was another reminder that his parents weren't there. He was very grateful when Darrion invited him to the Stahley's for Christmas.
"Of course I'd invite you, Ryan!" She said when he expressed his gratitude, "I don't want you to be alone for Christmas!"
It was nice seeing the Stahley's again. Ryan hadn't spent much time with Maxwell as he had died only moments after meeting him, but he'd known Louise longer and was very happy to see her. She was equally as excited.
"I'm so happy to see you again Ryan!" she exclaimed squeezing him in a hug when they arrived at the Stahley's, "And I'm happy that you two are together."
"It's good to properly meet you, Ryan." Maxwell said, "I never did really get to thank you for saving my daughter."
"For saving all of us." Louise added.
"It was the least I could do." Ryan said.
The Stahley's did everything possible to make Ryan feel at home, but there was a twinge of sadness in him not having his family around, as there always had been every Christmas after the rapture, but being with Darrion was uplifting. She'd squeeze his hand under the table when he began to look a bit down and make sure to include him in every conversation. He couldn't help but think how blessed he was. It had been a few weeks since there first date and things were going amazingly. He knew this was the real deal, and was certain that she was the one for him. He loved her parents too. They were amazing people and so welcoming. They made a difficult time relatively easy for him and he was grateful.
Conrad and Shelly didn't have any family around anymore and found Christmastime difficult, but Bruce invited them along with any other young people that were part of the group that didn't have families to his house for Christmas. Everyone was accounted for and everyone felt at home. It was the first Christmas of the Millennium and there was something even more beautiful about celebrating the birth of Christ now that He lived amongst them.
Everyone attended a Christmas service at the newly rebuilt New Hope Village Church and all worshipped before heading back to their families or friends for Christmas dinner.
Christmas night, the Thompson's and Byrne's all gathered in the Thompson's living room around the fire and read some scriptures and prayed for each other while sipping hot cocoa while Christmas songs played quietly on the stereo. When everyone had gone to bed, Judd and Vicki stayed downstairs by the fire a bit longer. He sat on the couch and she sat almost on his lap with her back to his chest, his arms around her.
"This is so weird." She said.
"What's weird?" he asked.
"Being in this house." She said, "It's pretty much the same house we lived in when we first met."
"I know." Judd replied, "It creeped me out at first, but it's kind of nice. It's almost as if the last seven years never happened."
Judd poked her lightly, "Hey, remember that first Christmas at my house when Ryan got you that necklace and you thought it was from me?"
Vicki dropped her head and groaned, "Oh, that was so embarrassing."
"It was funny."
"Shut up." She laughed.
"You so had a crush on me then." He smiled.
"I'm not even going to respond to that." She giggled.
"See! You can't deny it." He laughed.
"You're right. I can't. It's true."
"Ha!" he laughed, "I knew it."
"As if you didn't crush on me!" she accused.
"You're right." He shook his head, "Let's just say we had a huge crush on each other and call it quits."
"Lets." She smiled. "I love how well our families get on. Everything was so perfect."
"It really was." Judd sighed, "This is definitely the best Christmas Eve."
"Shame there's no mistletoe here though." Vicki said looking around.
"Ah, who needs it?" Judd shrugged as he leaned in to kiss her.
Darrion stood staring out the window of the living room into the snow covered streets that were glowing by street lights in the otherwise darkness of night. She was so happy to be with her parents again. She'd really taken them for granted when they were alive and it hurt so much to lose them. Same with Ryan. It was then she realized that she was the only one in the house that hadn't died and been brought back to life. She shivered at the thought.
Suddenly, she saw Ryan come up behind her in the reflection in the window.
"Hey." She said as he put his arms around her and rested his chin atop her head.
"Hey." He replied, "I can't thank you enough for welcoming me into your family for Christmas."
"It was the very least I could do, Ryan." She replied. "Like I said, I didn't want you to be alone."
"Sometimes, even though everything is wonderful here, and Jesus is here, I feel alone when I see my friends with their families and realize mine is gone." He mused quietly.
Darrion turned to face him, still wrapped in his arms, "I'm so sorry Ryan. But you don't ever have to feel alone, okay? You're never alone, I'm going to make sure you're never alone again, okay?"
Ryan looked away nervously, "Would it be… weird… if I said… I love you?"
Darrion cupped his cheek with her hand and guided his face back to look her in the eye.
"No," she said with a smile, "That wouldn't be weird at all."
She stood on her toes and gently touched her nose to his to gauge his reaction. He reacted by closing the small gap between their lips and kissing her sweetly and softly.
"I do then." He said as he drew away. "I do love you, Darrion."
She smiled, "I love you too, Ryan."
:D hope you like the love.
Peace xo