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The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
It's the most wonderful time of the year,
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When love ones are near
It's the most wonderful time of the year
"Merry Christmas baby" I say nuzzling Rachel's neck before placing a small kiss on the bare skin.
She mumbles something from under the sheets that I can't make out.
"What?"
"I said It might be for you, you're not the one that has to cook for a houseful of people" she says turning around in my arms so that she's facing me.
"That is your fault. I was looking forward to a quiet Christmas just the two of us but no, you have to invite the whole family round" I tell her.
"It's Elijah's first Christmas."
"It was Elijah's first Hanukah too and we spent that with everybody besides Isabella has her family now she should be spending it with them."
"You do realise you basically just said you don't want to spend Christmas with your family."
"That's not what I meant. I just thought for the first time in over twenty years we would spend a Christmas just you and me. We never got the chance to celebrate as a couple, our first Christmas together I was woken up by a very excited Alex at seven o'clock in the morning. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, I love my family but I just thought it would be nice to have a quiet and relaxing Christmas."
"We will next year, I promise" Rachel says.
"I'll hold you to that" She leans in and quickly kisses me on the lips before attempting to get out of the bed. I quickly grab her arm before she can make her escape.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I need to start preparations before everybody gets here."
"You're not going anywhere, it' Christmas morning. You're supposed to relax and cuddle with me for at least another half an hour."
"But-"
"Nope, no buts unless it's yours in this bed. I promise everything will be fine and will run smoothly and I offer my services if you need help."
"Okay, your option does sound more appealing although you know how much I like to be organised but since you promised to help then I think we can stay in bed a little longer."
I pull her closer to me, making sure there is no distance between us. I love these quiet little moments when it's just the two of us together. It's relaxing but it kind of feels like the calm before the storm. A metaphorical storm that is my family.
"So exactly who is coming today?" I ask.
"I have only invited our immediate family so that's the kids and Elijah plus Quinn, Noah, Jasper, Beth, Tom and Paige. Alex has also invited Samantha to spend Christmas with us since she's Jewish and has never experienced Christmas before."
"Alex must be serious about her if he's willing to bring her into the lion's den. She'll spend one day with our family and see how crazy we all are."
"Why must you always paint our family as a bunch of crazies?"
"Because we are" I laugh.
"I mean come on. They're our kids which mean they are a mix of the both of us so they're bound to be a little crazy. Plus Puck and Quinn can't be considered normal. After Quinn had Beth in high school she went all kinds of crazy and went through a Punk phase and then there's Puck he's Puck so that pretty much explains that."
"Well Alex really likes Samantha so we have to make an effort. What time is it?" Rachel asks.
"Nearly ten."
"What! I better get started on the preparations otherwise my schedule will be off" Rachel says, making her way out of the bed.
I don't say this very often but maybe just maybe I was wrong. Rachel was fretting in the kitchen, most of the family have already arrived and the food was behind schedule which obviously was my fault according to my wife.
I have been ordered to continuously peel vegetables, it's like I'm a child again and I'm being punished. I am being punished by my own wife for wanting to spend the morning in bed with her, how is that fair?
The doorbell rings and I am more than happy to cut short my peeling duties to go and answer it.
"Thank god! I have never been so happy to see you."
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult" Alex says.
"My house is filled with people and your mom is driving me fucking crazy."
"Santana! Why are you making them stand at the door?" Rachel yells.
"See what I mean" I whisper before Rachel arrives at the door.
"You didn't give me chance to invite them in."
"Merry Christmas" Rachel greets, ignoring my comment choosing to hug Alex instead. She then proceeds to hug the tall, blonde girl.
"Samantha it's lovely to see you again. Everyone is waiting in the living room."
I watch as Rachel walks away with Alex and Samantha following her, leaving me to close the door. I make my own way into the living room where the whole Lopez-Puckerman family are waiting. Elijah who had recently found his feet, slowly wobbles over to me, stretching his arms out for me to pick him up.
I gather the little boy in my arms and place a small kiss on his head.
"Hey baby boy, ready to open some presents?" I asks him.
He replies with cheeky smile, clearly not knowing what the hell was going on.
I take him over to where Jasper and Isabella where sitting and place him in the middle, before sitting next to Rachel on the couch.
"Who wants to open their present first?" I ask.
"Me!" Beth and Tom's three year old daughter, Paige yells.
We all laugh at the excitement of the small child when Quinn hands her a present. It doesn't take long for all the gifts to be handed out and opened. I gather up all the discarded wrapping paper and go to find Rachel who is putting the finishing touches on the food.
The food looks and smells absolutely amazing, for the first time since I met Rachel there was an actual turkey on the table courtesy of Quinn. Normally I would have to cook a small chicken for Alex and I to share since Isabella followed in her mother's vegan footsteps.
Along side the turkey is Rachel's Christmas nut loaf and mounds of potatoes and vegetables. In the middle of the table is the menorah that we used for Hanukkah. Rachel had eloquently decorated the table, so everything was absolutely perfect and in place.
Everyone takes a seat around the table, I'm sat at the head of the table with Rachel on my left. It's the first time we have been altogether on Christmas day before so I thought I make a small toast. I stand up from my seat and take my glass in my hands.
"I want to thank you all for coming. We have been one big family for over twenty years and since then we have gained new family members along the way. This year we gained Samantha and of course our first grandchild Elijah and I am very happy to be sharing this day with all of you. So Merry Christmas everyone."
"Merry Christmas" they all cheered.
"Now let's eat!" I say before starting to carve the turkey.
After dinner we make our way into the living room. A Christmas Carol is playing on the television as the lights are slowly twinkling on the Christmas tree. Paige is playing with Elijah on the floor. He has so many new toys to choose from but his favourite was a little wooden dreidel that Rachel had given him for Hanukah. Paige was trying to show him how to spin it but he just kept trying to put it in his mouth.
The rest of the couples were spread across the two couches apart from Isabella and Jasper who had opted to sit on the floor so they can keep and eye out on their son.
"When do we get dessert?" Alex asks.
"Dude, you have just devoured two platefuls of food, how are you still hungry?"
"I have a fast metabolism plus I am a young, athletic man unlike you Pucky" Alex teases.
"You can have dessert whenever you want Alex we have pecan pie and tembleque in the refrigerator" Rachel says.
Alex jumps up and makes a beeline to the kitchen and I follow close behind him. His head is in the refrigerator when I walk in.
"Get me a beer while you're in there" I tell him.
He pulls out two bottles of beer and a large pecan pie, he hands me one of the bottles of beer before getting a knife to cut the dessert.
"So how are things going with you and Sam?" I ask him.
"Great, I have finally found a girl that loves me just as much as I love her."
"I'm happy for you. What?" I ask noticing the blush that appears on my son's face.
"It's just…..I want to ask her to marry me but I'm not sure if it's too soon" he rushes out.
"Time doesn't matter, it's about how you feel. You're Mom and I were together for two years before I proposed, some people might think that's too soon but here we are twenty years down the line with two amazing kids and a grandchild. I know people that were together for years before they got married and ended up getting a divorce a year later. If you believe with your heart and soul that Sam is the one for you and your serious about marrying her then ask her. Besides we could do with another Lopez in the family, the Puckermans are outnumbering us." I laugh.
"So how did you plan proposing to Mom?"
"I didn't."
*Flashback*
A small stream of light wakes me from my sleep, I slowly open my eyes and expect to see a sleeping Rachel but instead I am faced with two small brown eyes.
"Morning Santi."
"Good morning Alex, did you sleep okay?" I ask.
Every weekend he would always wake up first and snuggle himself in between Rachel and I. It's a good job I no longer sleep naked, something I had to change when I moved in with Rachel and Alex.
"I sleep good. Looks like you sleep good too" he laughs.
"He has been waiting for you to wake up for nearly half an hour. I had to stop him from poking you at least three times" Rachel says.
Alex finally snuggles back into the covers so I can see my beautiful girlfriend's face.
"Morning baby" I say leaning over Alex and giving her a quick kiss.
"Can we go now?" Alex asks.
"Not yet, the game doesn't start until later."
Alex pouts, a face I had seen his mother pull many of times, unfortunately there was nothing I could do about this one. We were taking him to his first baseball game, he had become interested since he started school and met friends who loved the sport. Rachel wasn't really fussed about any type of sport but was willing to sit through a game so we can enjoy Alex's first baseball game as a family.
I loved these little moments in the morning where we are all just lounge in bed, laughing and just enjoying each other's company.
"How about I cook some breakfast" Rachel says.
"Sounds good, do I have enough time to have a quick shower?"
"Of course, everything will be waiting for you when you get out."
I shower as quickly as possible. I can smell the vegan pancakes that Rachel is cooking in the kitchen. I should have known it would be pancakes they're Alex's favourite.
I lean against the door frame and watch the scene unfold before me, Alex is sat at the table tucking into a large pile of pancakes. Rachel has just finished cooking another batch and is now putting them onto a plate. I can't help but smile at the scene.
I walk over to Rachel and wrap my arms around her waist before placing a light kiss on the crook of her neck.
"Marry me?" I whisper in her ear.
She spins around in my arms.
"What?"
"I know I don't have a ring but that doesn't mean I'm any less serious. I want you to marry me."
"I don't know what to say."
"I think you should say yes Mommy" Alex says.
We both turn to look at the little boy, I didn't realise that he could hear us but I was glad that he approved of my proposal.
"See I'm not the only one that wants it" I say turning my attention back to Rachel.
"Of course I'm going to say yes, you just took me by surprise is all".
"Yes? So we're getting married?"
"Yes, we're getting married" Rachel says turning my questions into statements.
*End Flashback*
"I though you proposed to Mom on your second anniversary" Alex says.
"Our anniversary was a week later, we went out for a big romantic meal and then I re-proposed to her under the stars in the park. I actually had a ring that time, she thinks it was really romantic so she likes to tell people that story."
"What about you?"
"What about me?" I ask.
"Which story would you prefer to tell?"
"As romantic as your Mom thinks my second proposal was, for me it was the first one. I didn't plan on asking her. I just watched you both and in that moment I realised that that is what I wanted for the rest of my life."
"That is actually rather beautiful Mami" Alex smiles.
"Thanks. Okay, things are getting far too soppy in here."
"Hey I wondered where you two snuck off to" Rachel says as she enters the kitchen.
"What have you been getting up to?"
"Oh you know just having a mother and son chat" I reply.
"Okay well I just came to clean up, San will you help me?"
"That's my cue to exit" Alex says.
"You could have offered to help you know" I yell as he walks out of the kitchen.
As much as I love my family I was glad that everybody had finally gone home. I was exhausted, it has been a long time since I have run around after two small children. I was looking forward to getting in bed with my wife and sleeping off the alcohol.
I strip off my jeans and t-shirt and slip on a tank top before getting into bed. It doesn't take Rachel long to join me, I instantly wrap my arms around her when she gets into the bed.
"So do you still wish you had your quiet Christmas or did you enjoy having everybody over?" Rachel ask.
"It was good to finally have everyone together but I am looking forward to the quiet Christmas you promised me next year."
"I promise, you can decided everything that we do next year. Thank you for allowing everybody to come over today, it was nice to see Beth and Tom again. I think Elijah enjoyed playing with Paige and we got to spend some time with Samantha."
"We have an awesome family. Alex told me he wants to ask Sam to marry him" I tell her.
"Really?"
"Yeah, he asked me about how I proposed to you so I told him how I proposed to you in the kitchen. He thought it might be too soon but I told him that if it feels right then he should do it. I know it was the best decision I ever made." I say kissing her temple.
"You know if Alex and Sam get married and have a baby, we'd have to do this all again next year."
"That's not fair, you said I got to choose what we do next year besides he hasn't even asked her to marry him yet he didn't even mention kids. Don't be putting ideas into their heads."
"I'm not I was just saying that if they have a child then we would have to celebrate his first Christmas, just like we did with Eli."
"It was pretty awesome to have all my family around me" I admit.
"I'm glad because you'll be seeing the rest of the Lopez family next week, you mom invited us to her New Year's Eve party."
"I'm hoping you're going to tell me that you said we couldn't make it."
"Nope, I'll told her we'll be there for seven and that we would bring some canapés."
"Why do I always let you talk me into doing things I never want to do?" I ask.
"It's because you love me."
"Yes I do and you're always taking advantage of that" I tease.
"It's not taking advantage, it's just what we do for the people we love. God knows the amount of boring things you have made me endure besides you'll get to see some of your family you haven't seen for years" Rachel replies.
"I guess your right, it's been a while since I've seen Marco and watching my Aunt Maria getting drunk off Coquito is always fun. Sometimes when you have a big family, it's hard to keep in touch with everybody."
"I love getting to see all of your family together, apart from your weird Uncle that likes to hit on me."
"Yeah sorry about him, sometimes us Lopezes can't handle our drink. As you know I'm a well renowned weepy drunk. It would be nice to see everyone again plus I get to show off my gorgeous grandson." I smile.
"What?" I ask noticing the look on Rachel's face.
"I just love the way you face lights up when you talk about Eli, it's rather adorable. I'm proud of how easily you slipped into the role of Abuela."
"I have you to thank for that, you made me see sense and now I'm a proud Grandmother. Jesus that makes me sound old."
"We are old" Rachel laughs before continuing.
"The bad news is we're only going to get older but the good news is we get to grow old together."
"That sounds pretty good to me."
A/N I can't believe it's Christmas eve tomorrow! So this is the last chapter of my Christmas one-shots but I have plenty of ideas for my Circumstances series and will hopeful post the first one sometime in the New Year.
Thank you for reading and a special thank you to all those that left a review.
A very Merry Christmas to you all.
Live_Young.