One More for Christmas

“This might be the best Christmas ever.” She took another mouthful and handed it to him.

“It’s the best so far. There are going to be plenty more. Champagne from the bottle on Christmas Eve can be our first tradition.”

The future was theirs. Whatever they chose to do with it. At some point they’d have to make choices, but they didn’t have to make those choices tonight. Tonight all they had to do was enjoy their time together.

And that’s what they did.

Gayle

“Nanna! Wake up.”

Gayle woke to find Tab jumping on her bed holding a bulging stocking and Bear, her ever-present guardian, sitting patiently by the door.

Ella appeared in the doorway. “Sorry! Tab, I told you that you weren’t to wake Nanna.”

“But I want to open my stocking with her.”

Gayle sat up and pulled Tab into the bed so she wouldn’t be cold.

“Ella, you might want to check the end of my bed because there is something there.”

It had been gone midnight when she’d finally finished wrapping, and she hoped she’d done the right thing.

Tab checked and found the two stockings. “They’re for Mommy and Aunty Sam. Santa must have come into your room, Nanna. Did you see him?”

“I was sound asleep the whole night.”

Samantha appeared in the doorway. “Did someone say Santa?”

“He left a stocking for you!” Tab pushed it toward her and Samantha glanced at her sister, and then at Gayle.

“Santa filled a stocking for us?”

Aware that Tab was watching, Gayle mirrored Ella’s excitement. She wasn’t going to blow this. “It seems that way.”

“A stocking.” Ella sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled it onto her lap. “I can’t believe—”

“Can I open it for you?” Tab bounced on the bed. “Can I?”

“No you can’t,” Michael said. “You have your own to open. This one is for Mommy.”

Tab started opening her presents and Ella took wrapped packages from the lumpy, bumpy stocking with her name on it.

“I feel about six years old. I can’t believe Santa did this for us.” Ella pulled a dome-shaped parcel out of her stocking and gave her mother a knowing look.

“I can’t believe it, either.” Samantha was opening her own. It was full of extravagant treats, and watching their faces, Gayle wondered why she’d ever thought that fun for fun’s sake was a waste of money. She pushed aside regret. The past was done.

“A snow globe!” Ella pulled it out of the wrapping and shook it, watching as snow swirled around the winter scene inside. “I always wanted one.”

“And I predict you will play with it for five minutes,” Michael murmured, kissing her on the neck as he headed for the door to get dressed.

After breakfast, Gayle pulled her daughters to one side.

“There’s something I’d like us to do.” She’d been thinking about it since that conversation in the kitchen with Mary. “We’re going to build a snowman.”

Ella grinned. “Great idea. I’ll call Tab—”

“Not Tab. Not this time. Us. The three of us.”