Thank you for all of your lovely reviews! I can't respond to many of them because they're anon so I just wanted to put this message here. You're all wonderful and I appreciate you taking the time to read my stories!

Please Come Home for Christmas – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Year 5.

"Erin, don't mouth off please." April reminded her daughter who always had good intentions but sometimes needed a reminder to behave.

"But mama, tell Graycin that I'm made of pudding and he's not!" She begged her mother completely seriously. Graycin wasn't having it and April had no idea what this argument was about. She had that 'unbelievable' face on. "But you're not made of pudding. You're made of sugar and spice and everything nice."

Erin shook her head, unconvinced. "Actually mom, I'm made of blood and bones. You're the doctor." She adamantly explained to her mother. April stared at her, shocked. She didn't even know how to respond to that. But then again, her daughters' mouth was nothing new. Their Halloween a few months earlier went the same way.

"What a scary little lion you are!" Mrs. Walker down the street feigned at a little Erin, the soon-to-be middle Avery child. But she was only a ripe four years old so she didn't do anything other than stare at the older woman shyly.

"Take two pieces, you're too cute for just one." She offered Erin, holding the treat bowl down at her level so she could choose her favorites.

Erin dug through the bowl carefully, looking for some of her favorites. But she didn't find any. "No thank you."

The look on April's face was priceless. It was a mixture of laughter, shock and embarrassment. Luckily for them Mrs. Walker laughed herself and moved onto Graycin.

"And you! You look like such a handsome pirate. You can have two pieces too." She cooed, bending down and holding her giant bowl of candy out for the little boy. She babysat every now and then and so the kids knew her well. Graycin grabbed the first two pieces he could see.

April spoke up. "What do we say to Mrs. Walker?"

Graycin smiled his best smile for the woman, already daunting the classic Avery smile. "Thank you!"

Erin wasn't as friendly. Instead of saying thank you, she roared at Mrs. Walker the same way she undoubtedly imagined a real lion would. "Roaaaaaaar!"

Jackson grinned. His daughter was weird. Just like his wife. April's cheeks flushed rosy red with embarrassment again. "Erin Olivia Avery! We've talked about this. No more roaring at people, no more growling and no more barking. Do you understand me?"

This wasn't the first time it had happened. The first time was during a Sunday morning service a few weeks ago. Randomly.

Instead of nodding though, she walked a few steps back toward Jackson and held her arms up. He scooped her up and Erin instantly grabbed ahold of his sweater and nestled her head into his chest and then started crying. April shook her head at Jackson for allowing it. "Really Jackson?"

He shrugged. "She's four. If she wants to roar or bark or meow even, just let her. She'll grow out of it." He smiled at his wife, rubbing Erin's back. April was nearly 9 months pregnant and he knew she was just tired.

"Sometimes we all just want to roar," Mrs. Walker laughed, waving goodbye at the family.

"Thanks again." April waved back, grabbing Graycin's hand.

"You're welcome. You guys have a good night." She smiled, turning around and closing her door.

"What do you say we call it a night?" Jackson asked April. He was tired from working all day and going strong with Halloween activities during the evening. The fact that it was almost 9 pm wasn't helping any either.

"I think that's a good idea. What do you think sweetheart?" April leaned down to ask Graycin. Erin was already nearly asleep in Jackson's arms.

Instead of being the gracious and happy little boy he had been all night, he started panicking. The tears were real and they knew he was just exhausted too. Not only had they been doing Halloween activities all day but daycare had too. The poor little boy was just beat.

"Shh." April shushed him, but it was all nourishing. She scooped him up into her arms and held him closely. He was getting so big that it was probably ify as to whether she should be carrying him anymore while pregnant but he was upset. He started crying and screaming but within a minute or two his movements stilled and cries diminished. He dropped his face against her chest and she felt his movements even out. He was already asleep in her arms.

Jackson had to smile at his adorable wife, wearing a shirt that emphasized her popping belly as a pumpkin with black leggings and holding a passed out pirate on her hip. He toted a sleeping lion against his chest as they walked the few blocks back to their home in silence.

April finally snapped out of her flashback. "You're right. We're all made of blood and bones but sometimes we feel like we're made of a little pudding." She threw in for Erin. Both of her older kids seemed pacified with that answer.

"How many more days til Daddy comes home?" Graycin whined, feeling outnumbered by the girls since the new one Colin was only a couple months old.

April wanted to tell them that he was going to be home any minute but she didn't want to ruin the surprise. "Oh I'm not sure baby. I think he's still going to be gone for a while. He's got a lot of work to do still in Boston with Grandma Catherine."

Graycin lost it. He didn't realize Jackson had only been in Boston for three days. But it was the longest they had been away from each other since the day he was born. April felt terrible since she was just trying to surprise him. "We could call Daddy?"

He held his phone up, itching for her cell phone as she found his name and dialed. She put the phone on speaker so they could all hear him.

"Hey gorgeous," He answered happily, picking up on the second ring. She could hear the smile on his face and it gave her butterflies in the pit of her stomach.

"Hi Daddy!" Graycin welcomed into the phone. He was so excited. "Hey Buddy. What's going on?"

Graycin took the phone and headed into the living room. "Nothing. Too many girls here." He sighed. "It's becoming a problem."

Jackson had to take a minute to contain himself. He knew that phrase was from April and the way his son used it was hilarious, he just didn't want to encourage it. "Why's it becoming a problem? We're lucky to have such beautiful girls in our life. You need to take care of them for me whenever I'm away. Can you do that?"

Graycin nodded and agreed in a serious and matter-of-fact kind of way. He was ready for that responsibility, even if he didn't always like being around them. At least Erin.

"What'd you do today?" Jackson asked him, probing for conversation. The little guy was quiet while he thought about it.

"Mommy made us go shopping and buy lots of things and wrap your presents but I can't tell you what they are because I pinky promised and then we went to see Aunt Amy and Uncle Owen and they gave me ice cream."

Jackson soaked in the whole story. "Wow. That seems like a pretty amazing day. And Santa comes to visit tonight too, right?"

"Yeah but Mom said…she said that if she keep fighting then he might not come at all."

He had to laugh at that. April was the bad cop. He didn't know how it ended up that way, but it did. "I think she might be right. But you can be nice to your sister for a few more hours. Right?"

Graycin didn't like the thought of that and gave the phone back to his mom, then he went back to his toys. "Hey you."

April switched the phone off speaker. "Hey yourself. Be here soon?"

"Five minutes." He laughed at the timing they had and said a quick goodbye since he would be home any minute anyway.