Shout-outs: I Dream Of Scotty, superwoman1015, AngryLittlePrincess, blueyedmentalistfan, Mareear, Jane Doe51, mayzee and MissDonnie
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rated: T
.
Chicago
Dear Patrick,
Can you believe that it's almost Christmas? Our whole street looks like a Christmas card and yesterday, we put up our tree while we ate vanilla ice cream with crushed candy canes and hot chocolate. Mom played all of her Christmas records and afterwards, they had us write out our Christmas lists. Tonight, Leah is coming over and we're going to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. This coming Sunday is the Christmas pageant at church, I'm still an angel. This year, I actually get to sing a song. Angels We Have Heard On High.
And then by Friday, we're going to have Christmas break. Everyone is so excited about it; they can barely concentrate on anything else.
I hope you are doing well and that maybe Candy is planning something wonderful for your Christmas. I'm thinking about you.
Love,
Teresa
"It's snowing!" Leah proclaimed. "Do you think we're going to get to leave school early?"
Teresa looked up from the snowman she was doodling in the margin of Patrick's letter and shrugged. "Maybe. I wouldn't count on it though; it's barely coming down right now."
Leah sighed and turned back to her half-written letter to Eddie. "Snow, we're actually going to have a white Christmas!"
"Don't get too excited, it snows a lot here. You'll be sick of it by February."
"I could never be sick of snow! We didn't have it in the Philippines!"
Teresa smiled and put her pencil down. "I'll teach you how to make snow angels when we get to my house. Or we could build a snowman; we have plenty of things to play outside in."
"Okay!" Leah agreed.
Teresa picked up her pencil and tacked on a PS to the end of her letter.
It's snowing today. The first snowfall of the season, Leah is excited about it. After school is finished, I am going to teach her how to make snow angels and snowmen. I wish you were here with us, I think we would have a lot of fun together.
.
When they got to the Lisbon home, a Nat King Cole Christmas record was playing on the record player and Siobhan had thick mugs filled to the brim with homemade hot chocolate and whipped cream waiting for them.
"Thanks mom," Teresa said, kicking off her red Converse sneakers and rubbing her cold feet.
"Here you go darling," Siobhan answered, handing her a thick pair of socks. "I have some for you too Leah, if your feet are cold."
"I'm fine," Leah answered. "Mom's been making me wear a double pair of socks and boots all week long. She thinks I'll catch the flu or something if I don't."
"Teresa refuses to wear boots, its Converses or nothing. Isn't it?" Siobhan asked affectionately.
"Mom!" Teresa said, taking a sip of hot chocolate.
"It's true though, isn't it?" Siobhan answered, turning to Leah. "You love your Converse sneakers. I can barely convince her to wear something else to church."
"I wear other shoes to church!" Teresa said, rolling her eyes.
"Only because I bribe you."
Teresa smirked and took another sip of hot chocolate; she licked the whipped cream off the top of her lip and cleared her throat. "So, Leah and I were thinking about playing outside for a little bit. Do you think that would be a good idea?"
"Why don't you wait for it to accumulate a little bit more?" Siobhan suggested. "I don't think you could build a snowman with that amount of snow."
"I know mom," Teresa said.
"There might be a snow day tomorrow," Siobhan said.
Leah's face lit up. "Really!? Do you really think we'll have a snow day, Mrs. Lisbon?"
"Most likely," Siobhan answered. "Why don't you call your mom and see if you can spend the night, just in case?"
"Okay!" Leah agreed enthusiastically, jumping up and going to the telephone. She dialed the number and a few minutes later, she had permission to spend the night as long as she went to bed at a reasonable time in case there wasn't a snow day and she did all of her homework.
.
Florida
Dear Teresa,
Christmas is in full swing at the trailer park too. Yesterday, I helped Fred string white lights up on the palm trees at the entrance of the trailer park. Today, I am going to Candy's apartment to help her decorate it for Christmas and tomorrow I'm going to make gingerbread houses with the Millers and then we are going caroling with their church in the evening.
I was wondering. . . I don't want to go two weeks without hearing from you. Could I write to you over Christmas break? I'll send you my address and you can write me first, so it won't be weird or anything. And I promise I'm not going to show up at your house. I just want to write you during the holidays.
Also, maybe if we have each other's addresses, we could continue to write each other after this school project ends in the spring. Tell me if you're interested.
Sincerely,
Patrick
"Do you want some eggnog?" Candy asked, as she turned up her air conditioning and then putting in a Dolly Parton Christmas album.
"Sure," Patrick answered, trying to untangle a set of multi-colored lights. "Hey Candy, could I ask you a question?"
"What is it darling?" Candy asked, taking out a carton of eggnog and sloshing it into a glass.
"Would you marry my father if he asked?"
Candy looked startled and then shook her head. "I don't know, I honestly haven't thought about it. Would you want me to marry him if he asked?"
"I'd like that," Patrick admitted after a minute.
"You know your father isn't very marriage minded, right?" Candy asked, handing him his drink. "I can barely get him to take me to the Chick Fil A for a date. Getting that man to marry me would be like tying a noose around his neck."
"Do you even want to get married?" Patrick asked.
"Of course I want to get married, and I want to be your stepfather more than anything. But we both know that your father isn't the marrying kind. "
Patrick sighed. "I know. Have you met somebody who does want to marry you?"
"I always meet a man who would like to marry me, but I'm faithful to your father. I'm not fooling around on him or anything, but I don't know if I'm going to stay with him long-term. I want you to know. . ." Candy trailed off and knelt down in front of him, taking his hands in her's. "I want you to know that whatever happens, I'm always going to be part of your life. I promise I'm always going to be part of your life. Okay?"
Patrick looked into her eyes and saw she was sincere. He nodded and tightened his grip on her's. "Okay," he agreed.
Candy let go of his hands and pulled him in for a hug, enveloping him in cheap perfume and baby powder. He hugged her back, pretending for a second that he was her stepson. After a few minutes, she let him go and wiped her eyes, sniffing a little bit.
"Come on sugar, let's decorate the apartment. Okay?"
"Okay," Patrick agreed, managing to smile back at her.
Candy cleared her throat. "How about we order some pizza to eat while we work? I'm starving."
"Could we order a Hawaiian pizza?" Patrick asked.
"Honey, I got a huge tip from one of my wealthy clients today as a Christmas bonus, we can order whatever you'd like!" Candy answered as she picked up the phone dialed the pizza parlor's number with a long, candy cane striped nail. "If you'd like, we could even run and get Eddie when we go and pick up the pizza!"
Patrick smiled and nodded. "Sounds good to me!"
Candy's smile brightened and she spoke into the phone. "Billy? It's Candy, I want to order a Hawaiian pizza. What the heck, we'll order an extra-large. We're having a celebration tonight! Okay. I'll be by to pick it up, see you soon!"
Patrick grinned at her as she hung up the phone. "I better call Eddie and see if we can come by and get him."
"And then we have to talk about what you're doing for his and Teresa's Christmas presents," Candy said. "You were planning on doing something for them, weren't you?"
"Well, now that I'm thinking about it. . ." Patrick trailed off and said, "Hello Eddie, its Patrick. Candy and I were wondering if you want to come and help decorate her Christmas tree. Great! See you soon!"
.
Chicago
When Teresa woke up the next morning, she threw the curtains in her bedroom open and gasped in delight. The whole world had been covered in white while they had slept, there was obviously not going to be any school that day. She leapt on Leah and started shaking her vigorously.
"Leah, wake up! You need to see what happened!"
"Five more minutes," Leah muttered, turning on her stomach and burrowing deeper under the covers.
Teresa huffed and shook her friend again. "We're not going to have school today!"
Leah opened one eye and frowned. "We're not?"
"It snowed tons last night!" Teresa answered, tugging on her friend's hand. "Come and see!"
Leah stretched and then yawned, tucking her dark hair behind her ears. "Okay, okay! I'm coming! Keep your nightgown on."
"Come on!" Teresa said, dragging her towards the window.
Leah rubbed her eyes and then gasped too. "Oh my gosh! It's beautiful!" she said, her eyes lighting up and her face breaking out into a huge smile. "Do you think we'd be able to play in it?"
Teresa shrugged. "Sure, we'll just need to get dressed and eat breakfast first. But after that, we can do whatever we want!"
"So, we can build a snowman then?"
"Yeah," Teresa answered. "My mom and brothers will even do it with us, if we ask."
After a breakfast of waffles and coffee, Siobhan helped them bundle up and they all went outside, they made snow angels and a snowman that looked like Santa Claus, complete with a red Santa hat.
Then, Siobhan took pictures of them so they could send to Eddie and Patrick, so they could see how they spent their snow day. Afterwards, she made homemade mac & cheese, and they all ate it while they watched cartoons on TV under a fort of homemade quilts and blankets. They drove Leah home after dinner and took a longer route to see the other houses decorated in lights while they listened to Christmas music on the radio.
Dear Patrick,
I would love to write you over the holidays and after the school year ends! I mean, if that's what you REALLY want, I would really love to keep in touch especially after school ends.
Last week, we had a snow day. We made Santa Claus snowmen and snow angels, and afterwards we built a fort out of blankets and ate homemade mac & cheese while we watched TV. There's more snow in the forecast for this weekend, so we're definitely in for a white Christmas. But by January first, half of the people I know will be complaining about the snow and the ice. Especially as the snow days start to pile up and the heating bills go through the roof.
I won't care though. Winter is my favorite season; Christmas is my favorite time of the year.
I'll be looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Love,
Teresa
P.S
If I don't hear from you before Christmas, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
.
Florida
"She really is cute," Eddie said through a mouthful of red gumdrops. "I bet if she were here, you would marry her one day."
Patrick rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Eddie!? What is it with you and trying to match people up? Especially when they're still, I don't know, kids?"
Eddie shrugged and stole a few green gumdrops from Scout.
"Eddie!" She said, slapping his hand away in annoyance.
"Edward, those candies are for the gingerbread houses!" Mrs. Miller said. "Stop eating it or you won't have anything left to decorate with!"
Eddie smiled sheepishly and dropped the remaining gumdrops on the table. "I know, I know. I'm sorry."
"You're the reason we keep having to push up making the gingerbread houses," Scout informed him primly. "If you hadn't eaten all the candy and gingerbread last week, we wouldn't have to do it now."
"You know you're probably going to have a mouthful of cavities the next time you go to the dentist," Patrick informed him.
"Ha! I've never had a cavity in my whole life!" Eddie retorted, slathering a good amount of frosting on a graham cracker and slapping it on the top of his gingerbread house. It broke into pieces, causing Scout and Patrick to dissolve into fits of laughter.
Eddie sighed in exasperation and scooped up the mess, dropping it in the garbage bin his mother had set up for them and then licked the frosting off of his fingers. He glared at his friend and sister. "Okay, you two can stop laughing now!"
This caused them to laugh even more. Eddie deepened his glare and then gave up, laughing a little bit himself as he tried to clean up the icing off his house and start all over again. Finally, Patrick took pity on him and stopped laughing, helping him clean the frosting off so he could start to rebuild it.
Dear Teresa,
This is the first letter I'm writing to you from my home. Christmas is in five days and I am sending your Christmas gift along with this letter, I do not want protests that you didn't get me anything. Your friendship is enough.
I am glad you're going to have a White Christmas. We are going to have a green Christmas with sunny skies and warm temperatures; I think I'll even get some surfing in. Dad and I are going to Candy's apartment for Christmas, she insisted since she has an apartment that has already been decorated. She's going to cook dinner for us. I confess I have been entertaining daydreams of getting a stepmother for Christmas, but I know it isn't going to happen. Dad already told me not to get too attached to her; I think a break up is inevitable. It'll probably happen sometime after the New Year, so he won't have to find a date for New Year's Eve.
I hope you have a Merry Christmas my dear friend, I will be thinking about you and hoping you get everything you ask for and more.
Your friend,
Patrick
TBC. . .
.
Author's Note:
Life is still crazy, but I worked on this chapter a little bit every day this week so I could be finished with it for today. I hope you enjoyed it, in December I might post a little Christmas one-shot in this AU. But for now, I am leaving it here. The next chapter will have a time jump because I am beginning to be daunted by this story and I want to speed things along. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'll be looking forward to your reviews!
Until next time!
Love,
Holly, 9/19/2014_