Hello lovelys!
I am SO sorry this never got updated for like… ANY holidays! I honestly completely forgot about this! I'm going to mark this as complete from now on, but if I get holiday inspiration, I may add another chapter, so do feel free to follow of that sounds like something you might be interested in, but for now, I'm done with this.
Also, just a note, I think the meals in this chapter is wrong. I don't think you do breakfast on Christmas day… I wouldn't know, I'm not American or English, we usually just do a late dinner at home. Sorry if it's wrong!
Anyways, please review, but most importantly, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Whatever you may celebrate, HAPPY WINTERVAL!
San Francisco, Christmas Day, 2020
"Mom, dad, wake up!" a four year old boy screamed, jumping up and down on his parents bed. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
"Mmm…" the father groaned, rolling over. "Not now, Frankie…"
"Daaaad!" the boy whined. "It's Christmas!"
"It's seven in the morning," the woman in bed corrected.
"But mom! Santa was here, come on!"
The ear splitting cry of a young infant was what really got the couple to wake up. The man rolled onto his back, before glancing at his beautiful wife next to him. She in turn stared right back at him. Despite the chaotic scene in front of them, they couldn't help but smile. Their crazy four year old son, jumping up and down in absolute joy at the mere idea of Santa. Their little girl was in the crib, crying to be awake again. Any other day, the parents might have wanted to cry, but there was something special about Christmas morning.
"I'll get it, Jules," the husband said, climbing out of bed. "You take our hyperactive little Frankie down for an early breakfast."
"Sounds like a plan," Juliet O'Hara agreed, sitting up in her bed. "Under one condition," she looked at her son directly in the eye. "Do not wake up anyone. Not you grandpa Henry, not your Auntie Marlowe, definitely not your Uncle Gus, or we'll be dealing with two babies this Christmas. Understood?"
Little Frankie's smile instantly lit up the whole room as he nodded furiously. Juliet smiled in response and got up out of bed, holding her hand out for her son to grab hold of. Frankie eagerly did just that and together they walked towards the door.
"Pineapple pancakes?" Juliet suggested, just loud enough for her husband to hear.
"What was that?" he asked, spinning around with their six month baby in his arms. Juliet laughed as so headed towards to kitchen. Nothing perked Shawn Spencer up more than the thought of pineapples.
As Juliet and Franke made their way downstairs, they were surprised by the presence of none other than Carlton Lassiter in the kitchen. Juliet raised an eyebrow and she observed him rummage through their cabinets, clearly desperate to find something.
"Can I help you with something, Chief Lassiter?" Juliet asked, causing her friend to jump. Carlton turned around to find his ex-partner now-best-friend standing behind him, a huge grin lighting up her face.
"Looking for some cereal for Lilly," he responded, still clearly half asleep. "She came bouncing our bed, screaming about Christmas and Santa." Juliet looked in the living room and saw six year old Lilly sitting in front of the Christmas tree, just staring at the presents in wonder and excitement.
"Something tells me our little devils were working together on this one," Juliet said, staring down at her son who had the most innocent smile on his face. "Go and join Lilly, Uncle Lass – Uh, Uncle Carlton and I will make some breakfast for everyone," Juliet announced, cringing at the accidental slip of 'Lassie'. Judging by the glare from the man in question, her slip didn't go unnoticed. But hey, she could only live with Shawn for so long before picking up his nicknames.
"Uncle Lassie?" he hissed at her through clenched teeth. She winced, trying to quickly come up with a way out of this mess, and at the same time, make breakfast enough for an army.
"Slip of the half asleep tongue?" she offered.
"Spencer really is a poison," he muttered. He then turned and looked seriously at his friend, "Run. Before he changes you for good."
"Carlton," she protested, slapping his arm for good measure.
"I'm going to have Lilly start calling your husband Mr. Spencer," Carlton grumbled. "See how he likes that."
Juliet rolled her eyes, but smiled none the less. She really did miss this. All of this. She missed her old partner, she missed her family, she missed how close they all were. And she wished with all her heart that they could meet up more than just once or twice a year. But, as it is, they had to make the most of their short time together. So, Juliet and Carlton cooked breakfast together. Or, rather, Juliet cooked breakfast while Carlton offered useless tips every now and then.
It was roughly ten minutes later that Shawn came down holding their little Stella. He put her in her high chair and gave her formula. Not five minutes later, Henry Spencer came down the stairs, and immediately made a bee line for the kids by the Christmas tree. Soon after, an seven month pregnant Emanuelle Guster came down the stairs, with her husband Burton Guster supporting her as she did, the smell of pancakes having woken up both of them and given reason for them to go downstairs. Last, but certainly not least, was Marlow who came down the stairs, her smile as bright as ever as she took in the Christmas environment around her.
Pancakes were served, causing all of them to sit at the table and tuck in. Emanuelle ate at a pace and quantity that rivalled her husband's, while everyone else was able to calmly make their way through their meal. Lilly and Frankie practically swallowed their breakfast, eager to finally get to the 'opening presents' part of the morning.
It took another fifteen minutes, but finally, everyone filed into the living room and crowded around the tree. They all allowed the little kids to open a present first, and both of them squealed with excitement at what they found. Everyone else exchanged their gifts, and Shawn and Henry continued their yearly tradition of guessing each other's presents – Shawn of course won easily, but parenthood had taught him some maturity, and so he let his father win as well. And finally, it was the last present. A gift from Shawn to his daughter.
Juliet was the one who picked up the present, and it was a surprise to see a gift from her husband to her child. She didn't remember this one. She stared at Shawn, but he simply smiled. So, she opened up the package and stared inside confused. There was a plush starfish inside. Juliet raised an eyebrow at Shawn, but he still didn't say anything. He waited patiently for it to hit her.
"A starfish?" she asked out loud. "For Stella – noooo…!"
"There it is," Shawn said with a laugh.
"You didn't!" Juliet exclaimed, pushing the gift to the side and grabbing her phone.
"Stella Kala Spencer," Shawn said, the smile still as wide on his face as ever.
Juliet put both names through google translate before staring back at her husband in absolute shock.
"Did you seriously call our second born child Starfish Spencer?!"
"After the majestic sea creature," Shawn confirmed.
"I like it," Gus said from the side.
"You know that's right," Shawn responded. He put out his fist, and without even looking, Gus bumped it with his own.
"I cannot believe you did that!"
"Yay, Starfish!" Frankie screamed, hugging his sister close.
Stella laughed a full and loud laugh, complete with clapping her hands together. Shawn and Juliet stared at their baby. She had never done that before. The laughing, yes. All the time. The clapping, never. Juliet, completely forgetting her frustration with her husband knelt down in front of her baby.
"Starfish?" she said lightly. Again, baby Stella laughed and clapped her hands together. "Do you like that? Starfish?" for the third time, Stella clapped her hands together. And suddenly, all the anger, all the joking around vanished into thin air as they watched the littlest Spencer clap her hands again and again. Around the room, there were only smiles. And that was how they all spent Christmas. They were all reunited once again with all their families. Despite how much each of them had moved on, and yes, even matured, when it came down to it, they'd always be the same. They'd always come back to each other, and things would be just as they were.
They were a family. Albeit, a very weird family that kept on growing and growing, but a family none the less. And they wouldn't have it any other way.