New York City Christmas – Rob Thomas

Year 32

A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank each and every one of you who have been reading this series. Thank you. I put a lot of time and effort into writing these stories so I'm glad they're being enjoyed. Secondly, I didn't mean to complain about lack of notes/reviews and come off as unappreciative. I don't care about that stuff much, but it is hard to know if you're stories are even being read when there is no sign of it. So if you are reading or have been, then I would really appreciate it if you dropped by on either tumblr or FF to let me know. Thanks and I hope you enjoy year 32!

"New York City is absolutely beautiful during Christmastime." April looked around, smiling happily at the snow and the white lights that were covering the city. Everyone seemed happier, there was Christmas music playing through the speakers as her, Erin and Emily walked through the Manhattan shops. Their Christmas shopping was done but now they were just spending some girl time together. Even the kids were at home.

"It is. Even after living here most of my life, I still can't get over it. I love the city." Emily sang as she prodded through the snow with her family. They each had a couple of bags in their hands and everything tonight was on April and Jackson. She wanted to take the girls shopping while the boys stayed home with the kids for the afternoon.

They entered a small boutique that smelled like sugar cookies and had a lot of jewelry. While April and Erin were looking at necklaces, Emily spotted a white scarf that had a collection of colorful painted birds on it and she had to buy it for her mother-in-law. Her and Graycin had already finished their Christmas shopping but the scarf had her name all over it. So she waited until they left but ran back in by herself quickly and purchased the scarf. It was pricy, but worth it.

"So do you miss the city?" Erin asked Emily eventually, they were waiting to get some hot cocoa from a street vendor. She shrugged. "I did, at first. But the truth it is home doesn't feel like where I'm from anymore, home is wherever Graycin, Isabelle and Gracie are."

April nodded. Emily was the perfect mother. She didn't agree at first that Emily decided to be a stay at home mom, just because she was traditional but not in the sense that women should be giving up their careers for their kids. But when she did it anyway and gave them two perfect lovely little girls as granddaughters, she had to admit they were doing a great job.

After strolling down a few more blocks of stores, they met the boys and kids for dinner downtown. There was no way April could cook such a large dinner for so many people in suite. It had a kitchen but almost no supplies. So they went out. They all took their seats around the table and talked about their day while the drinks were being poured and food brought out.

When the food came, everyone held hands. Jackson led the prayer. He'd gotten pretty good at it over the years and at some point he even started meaning it. His faith grew over the years that he'd been with April and now his relationship with God was real. It blossomed especially after sitting in the same pew, week after week and answering questions when his kids were little. When he saw them sing at church or picked them up from vacation bible school and saw the grace they lived with, he knew He was the reason.

Dear Heavenly Father,

For each new morning,

With its light

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food

For love and friends,

For everything that goodness sends

We thank you

Amen

There was a collective murmur of 'Amen' said around the table by kids and adults. April rubbed her hand gently along his leg, reassuring him of their faith and their love and everything in between.

The rest of the dinner went by perfectly and they were home before 9. The tradition stood and everyone got to open up new pajamas that night to wear over Christmas, until they went to the shelter.

Christmas morning was easy and fun. Having small kids around again was wonderful and most of the gifts under the tree were for them. Isabelle was six, Gracie was three and they were close to welcoming a little boy, most likely their last. Erin and Scott had decided that they weren't going to have kids of their own, but might adopt later in life if they decided to and Colin and Rachel were still enjoying the newlywed wife and traveling all over the world doing this and that. April loved her scarf and insisted on wearing it with her outfit that day.

"Uncle Luke is still meeting us at Holy Apostle's, right?" Colin asked his parents from behind them as they waited outside for cabs. It was still early, just after nine am. This year the Avery's were helping at Holy Apostle's Soup Kitchen. They had paid for the entire dinner and were able to feed 500+ people that day for dinner. On top of the monetary contribution, their entire immediate family was going to be working to prepare and serve the meal all day.

They weren't the kind of people who do those things only on major events and holidays, they frequently helped with both Holy Apostle and another smaller soup kitchen back in Seattle. It was the best way to humble their family, because they were truly blessed. Not just in love and faith, but in wealth, health and happiness. This gave them compassion and humility.

"Uncle Luke is meeting us there and it sounded like he's bringing someone too." Jackson waggled his eyebrows at Colin who had formed a close relationship the Luke. They had a lot in common and Colin was so young when Luke came into their lives that he just thought of him as an uncle.

"Dad, I told you he's been seeing a woman named Belinda, remember?. I met up with them when we were both in Philly a couple weeks ago for a convention." He reminded him and April turned around from her spot next to her husband. "Luke is dating someone?"

Her eyes were wide and she was obviously surprised. She thought maybe her brother would be a bachelor forever since he had no relationship that any of them had ever heard of or saw before.

"She's great too. Teaches kindergarten in Ithaca and she's a huge Knicks fan. They work." He laughed, assuring his mom that she was great.

"Knicks fan? Ewww…" Jackson groaned, being a Celtics fan made him a little weary but he was willing to potentially overlook that flaw in her personality. April playfully tapped his arm to signal that he wasn't being funny.

Luckily for them before that argument could go any further they arrived at the soup kitchen. Colin had a bit more experience with this kind of thing so he took over and started helping others organize while everyone else went to their places. The Christmas dinner was coming along nicely and a long line was forming just outside the building.

April abandoned her post with Jackson mashing potatoes to help hand out hot chocolate to all of the people waiting outside. She got compliment after compliment on her scarf when really she wanted to thank everyone else for their Christmas spirit, even when they didn't seem to have a whole lot of reasons to be thankful.

April's scarf: listing/128478301/cute-beige-little-bird-scarf-colorful?ref=hp_mod_rf

*The prayer was actually part of a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that I used. Due credit*