by Renee Larsen
Alex looked at Derek and then at Nicholas. Nicholas kissed his cheek. “Go to Grandpa, I know he looks funny but he’s your Grandpa.” he coaxed. Alex reached out to Derek and went into his arms.
***
Danielle came down the stairs loaded with bags. She carried them to the tree and quickly distributed the brightly wrapped packages. As she stood up as Emily was coming downstairs with bags full of packages. “Let me help you,” Danielle said walking over taking some of the packages from her. Together they distributed the packages around the tree then stood up smiling.
Emily took Danielle’s hand and squeezed it, “It’s beginning to look like Christmas.” She said laughing.
Danielle nodded. “Emily, is this everyone’s first Christmas?”
“This will be the first in almost two hundred years for them. This should be a blast.”
The door opened and Nick entered with Beth and Joe. Emily ran over to them “Beth, Joe, God, I’ve missed you!” she cried as she hugged each of them.
Beth and Joe smiled. “Is this our little Emily,” Joe looked up as Derek approached. “Hi, Derek, I see you’re still taking good care of our girl.” he said extending his hand to Derek.
“We surprised Nicholas and Danielle this afternoon. We weren’t going to come but we missed them.” Derek said as Danielle and Nicholas walked into the foyer, each carrying a baby.
Beth looked up. “Oh, Joe, they have twins.” She said as she walked towards them. Nicholas leaned down and kissed Beth’s cheek. “Gram, this is Alexander and Danielle is holding Alexis. Come on; let’s go into the living room. The kid’s are quite entertaining to watch.” He said as he took Beth’s hand and led them into the living room.
“We decided to decorate the tree with your help,” Danielle said smiling.
Beth was staring at Alexander. “Nicholas, does he have two different color eyes?”
Nicholas nodded. “Yeah, pretty strange isn’t it? He’s got a blue eye and a green eye.”
Danielle laughed a bit and said, “Our son is unique. Can you imagine when he’s old enough to date? His eyes will be a chic magnet.” Beth nodded laughing.
Gerry walked into the room. “Can I get anyone some hot chocolate, I don’t know about anyone else, but it’s cold and hot chocolate sounds really good.” One by one they all agreed.
Danielle looked at Nicholas. “Why don’t you sing us a few songs while I take the ornaments out of the box so we can decorate the tree.” She said happily.
Nicholas turned his gaze to Beth and Joe. “Want to hear some music?” he asked.
Beth nodded. “We’d love to.” Nicholas walked over to the piano and sat down. The room was filled with music and Nicholas began to sing. Oddly enough he knew Christmas music and soon Emily, Beth, Joe, and Danielle were singing along with him. Derek and Gerry and the rest of the family sat on the floor with the twins enjoying the wonderful feeling of love and joy in the house.
Beth, Joe, Emily and Danielle strategically placed ornaments on the Christmas tree. Laughing and talking about Emily when she was a young girl and about Nicholas as a child.
Derek interrupted them when he excitedly said, “Look, Alex is standing!” They all turned toward Alexander. He stood holding on to Derek’s knees.
“Good boy, Alexander.” Danielle said smiling. He turned to look at his mother and promptly fell on his butt. He looked at Derek surprise in his eyes.
“You’ll do that a lot more son, come on I’ll help you.” Derek said taking Alexander’s hands pulling him to his feet. Lexie watched intently as her brother stood holding onto Derek. Not to be outdone she crawled to Nicholas and pulled herself up holding onto Nicholas’s jeans. “Our little girl is standing too” he said resting his hand on her back to steady her. Lexie wobbled and plopped down. She looked up at Nicholas stretching her hands up. Nicholas bent down picking her up. He carried her to the almost finished Christmas tree. “Look Lexie, here’s a snowman… Danielle, what the hell is this green thing in a santa suit?”
Danielle looked and laughed. “That’s the Grinch. Somewhere in mom’s movies there is a movie called the Grinch. It’s great.”
Nicholas shook his head, “But he’s green?”
Danielle walked over to him and took Lexie’s hand. “Alexis, this is the Grinch and look at this pretty star. Oh baby, look here’s a polar bear.” She said pointing to the different ornaments.
No one noticed that Derek had disappeared with Alexander. He carried him up the stairs into the master bedroom. “Alex, we’re going to give grandma a surprise. It will make her very happy.” He said as he opened the hiding place in the fireplace. “This is where grandma put this a long time ago. Your daddy was a baby, just like you.” He said hugging his son. “I love you son, you’ll grow up to be the one that can do so much more than your daddy or I ever could. I can call you son when we’re alone and someday when your older you’ll know that I am your father. Actually Alex, I think Nicky has some blood in there too. You’re right eye is the color of a rich emerald and your left the deep vivid blue of a sapphire.” Alex held onto Derek and rested his head against Derek’s shoulder. Derek kissed Alex’s cheek then reached in pulling out the small velvet box. “You’ll have Christmas like human children. It makes your grandma happy and I love it when she smiles and her blue eyes twinkle like they are tonight. See, little man, you do have exceptional powers. You’re making all of us feel human again.” Derek said as he turned towards the door.
Derek, with Alexander in his arms walked over to Emily. “Blue eyes, I have something for you.”
Emily turned. “What is it?”
Derek placed the velvet box in her hands. “This is the special ornament, the one that symbolizes our love through eternity.” He said as he leaned down kissing her cheek.
Emily opened the box and looked into Derek’s eyes. Oh my love, it survived so many obstacles. It will have the place of honor; I love you more than when you gave this to me all those years ago she said silently. Emily stood up and hung the shiny, delicate, ornate ornament.
Beth looked at the ornament and then at Emily. “Honey, wasn’t that the ornament your father acquired all those years ago; the one that was on display in your shop for years because your father had put such a high price on it?”
Emily smiled. “Yes it is. It’s the ornament that brought Derek to me. He bought it the night we met. It broke my heart to part with it but somehow he let me know it would always be mine.” Emily wrapped her arm around Derek’s waist kissing him.
Joe smiled sentimentally. “Your dad is smiling down at you Em, I know he is. Look at the love you and Derek share, your son and his beautiful wife, and these two absolutely beautiful children. You’re blessed Em.”
Emily walked over to Joe and hugged him. “You forgot two more of my blessings, you and Beth. I love you guys so much.” She kissed his cheek and then Beth’s cheek.
Gerry and Claire and Merrek came in from the kitchen. “Food and spirits,” Merrek announced setting a tray of cookies and hot steamy cups of wine with a cinnamon stick in each cup.
Danielle smiled. “You guys are great, look at this.”
Claire, Merrek and Gerry quickly distributed the cups making sure Beth and Joe got the wine and everyone else got the blood. They sat around talking and laughing for hours.
Nicholas walked over to the tree. Dani, which one? he asked silently. Danielle pointed to two boxes wrapped in bright red foil paper with white ribbons. Nicholas waited a minute and when the large grandfather clock struck midnight he said, “Merry Christmas.” He looked at the names on the packaged and handed one to Beth and another to Joe.
Beth looked up. “You shouldn’t have.”
Nicholas kissed her cheek. “Gram, we wanted to, now go ahead and open them.
They carefully opened the packages. Joe got his open first. The first thing he found was a framed picture of Emily and Derek. Underneath the picture was a new warm down jacket and gloves. “This is great, I needed a new jacket, mine
is threadbare and not keeping me to warm anymore.”
Danielle smiled, “This will keep you very warm.” Beth opened hers. She found a framed photo of Danielle, Nicholas and the twins and she two had a warm down jacket and gloves. She studies the picture she had received and the one Joe received. “It’s amazing how you look just like your father when he was a young man.”
“At least I know I’ll be a hot fifty years old.” Nicholas chuckled, knowing the photo of Derek and Emily was taken about six months ago.
Beth smiled “Alexander is going to look just like Derek too.”
Killer and Rusty sauntered into the room and lay by the fireplace. As usual, Rusty climbed up on Killer’s back, curled up and began to groom Killers head.
Beth and Joe watched in amazement. “Is that Killer?” Joe asked.
Derek shook his head. “No it’s his son. Killer would be twenty seven if it was him. Killer two is just like his father.”
Beth looked at the cat. “And the kitty?”
Danielle smiled lovingly as she looked at Rusty. “He’s my first baby. His name is Rusty, and it amazes me and everyone else how much he loves Killer. You can’t separate these two.”
Emily stood up and walked over to the tree pulling out a small box shaped like a tie box. She placed it in Beth’s lap. “Merry Christmas.”
Beth opened the package. She lifted the papers from the box and looked at them. “Em, what is this?”
Emily sat between them. “You and Joe have worked very hard your whole lives. I thought you’d like a vacation in a nice warm climate. Its airline tickets, hotel, meals, and anything else you and Joe would like to do. Derek, Nicholas, and the whole family will meet you there. Nicholas is still photo sensitive so we can all get together in the evenings. I think it would be great fun. And I think you both deserve to be treated like royalty.”
Beth hugged her. “My girl, you can read minds, I so wanted to go someplace warm for a while, my old bones ache from the cold.”
Emily returned her. “You leave in a few days. We’ll meet up and spend New Years together.”
Joe looked up at Derek who was standing by the tree with Alexander and Alexis in his arms. “Thank you Derek, now all we need to do is find the appropriate clothes.”
Derek grinned. “Don’t you worry; everything will be taken care of. You don’t even need a suitcase. Clothes will be waiting for you in your room. I have money and I love to spend it on people I love.”
Joe stood up walking over to Derek. “This has been the best Christmas ever, we love you too. Thank you.”
Derek bent down putting the twins on the floor then put his arm around the grayed shrinking Joe. “You and Beth have always helped us, you’ve always been there for Em, it’s the least we could do. We’ll have fun.”
Joe looked up at Derek. “You’re a good man, I’m so happy Emily found you.”
Derek smiled, “It was I that found my fair beauty, the minute I saw her I knew I would marry her. I love her more now than I did when I found her.”
Joe laughed. “Its funny how that works isn’t it. I feel the same about old Beth over there. She’s older but just as beautiful as the day I met her fifty years ago.”
It was two in the morning when Derek helped Beth into her new warm jacket. “It was wonderful seeing you; we’ll see you in the islands on Thursday. You leave the day after tomorrow and I have arranged for a car to pick you up and get you to the airport and onto the plane.”
Beth hugged him. “Thank you for everything.”
Derek kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome.” Nicholas stood holding Alexander and Danielle held Alexis. Beth leaned over and kissed each of the babies then glancing at Joe. “We have great grandchildren” she said happily.
“Gram, you have fun in the islands. When we get there we’ll come to the hotel.” Nicholas said kissing her cheek. Then he leaned over kissing Joes cheek. “We’ll see you in a few days have fun. Nick, take them home.” Nicholas said.
Shortly after the car pulled out of the driveway Emily looked at Nicholas and Danielle. “Thank you both. This has been so much fun. Now how the hell do we get this wax off,” she said laughing.
Danielle walked over to Emily and grasped the wax by her forehead and slowly peeled it down and off. “There, all gone, you’re beautiful and twenty-five again,” she said smiling.
Danielle looked around, “Anyone else need any help?” One by one she watched as they peeled the wax from their faces.
Nicholas sat next to Danielle “Freckles, I don’t think they liked being fifty something,” he said looking around the room, then he added “Wow, everyone’s twenty something again and we have a bag full of wax faces,” he laughed.
Derek and Emily sat beside Claire and Merrek. Derek looked at the tree, “I last celebrated Christmas when I was a young human man and planning my life with Elizabeth. The tree was lit with tiny candles, it was beautiful, and it was a wonderful memory. But tonight, having all of you here, my family, my wife, my son, my new daughter, and my beautiful grandchildren has been one of the most memorable nights in my lifetime. Danielle, I want to thank you for doing all this.”
Danielle smiled. “Thank Nicholas; he’s the one that invited Beth and Joe over.”
Nicholas looked around the room at his family. “It has been a pretty special night. I’m glad we are all together.”
Danielle sat on the floor next to Alexis and reached under the tree. She pulled out two deep square boxes. She looked up at Nicholas. “Help your son, he has a box to open.” she said showing the twins the shiny paper that covered the boxes and bright white and red ribbons. Nicholas sat next to Danielle on the floor and they each opened a box. There was a brown teddy bear for Alexander and a black and white Panda bear for Alexis. Nicholas took the teddy bear and walked it up to Alexander. He put the face of the teddy against Alexander’s cheek and made a kissing sound. Alexander giggled and hugged the teddy. Danielle did the same with the Panda and watched happily as Alexis hugged her panda.
Danielle reached under the tree and gathered several packages. She walked around the room handing one each to Claire, Merrek, Tanya, Nick, Eve, Frank, Tony and Gerry. They she picked up two more and handed one to Emily and one to Derek. “Merry Christmas” she said and sat beside Nicholas and the twins. She reached under the tree and pulled out one last package and handed it to Nicholas. “Not much, just a little something for each of you.” She said leaning her head against Nicholas’ shoulder. “Open the gifts guys; you’re supposed to do that on Christmas.”
Claire, Tanya and Eve all received blood red ruby earrings, Tony, Nick, and Merrek and Frank received gold bracelets. Gerry opened his. Inside was a gold men’s ID bracelet with a blood red ruby. “Flip it over,” Danielle said softly. Gerry turned it. The back was engraved, “My protector, my friend, Danielle” was engraved on the back. Gerry smiled “Thanks Danielle,” he said looking back at the bracelet.
Nicholas looked at his parents. “Will you open them please?”
Derek opened his box first. Inside was a golden ring with a teardrop shaped ruby and two diamonds, “Wow, this is beautiful,” he said slipping it on his finger. He raised his hand for all to see. He looked at Nicholas and Danielle, “Thank you, I love it.”
Emily opened her package slowly. Inside was a ring that matched Derek’s except it had only one diamond. Emily’s box also contained a necklace and earrings that matched. Emily slipped the ring on her finger. “It’s too small,” she said sadly.
Danielle stood up and walked over to her. “I had no idea what size. We did all this in about thirty minutes. We can take it back to the shop and they’ll size it for you.”
Emily hugged Danielle. “Thank you, they’re beautiful.”
Nicholas looked at everyone. “Dani bought these gifts to symbolize family. We ordered rings like Dads and Moms for all of you but we need to get your ring sizes. We’ll all go; the rings will be in next week. You’re all our family and we wanted to acknowledge that.”
> Danielle giggled. “We even ordered them for the twins. Not for them to wear now; for when they grow up.”
Emily stood up and hugged Danielle and then Nicholas. “What a wonderful idea, I love it.”
Danielle looked at Nicholas. “Drac, open yours.”
Nicholas smiled as he opened the little box. Inside was a picture of a ring that matched to Derek’s “They’re ordering it for you. The ruby is family; the diamonds are for your children. It will be a few weeks before it’s in.”
Nicholas reached for her hand and pulled her onto his lap wrapping his arms around him. “Thank you, by chance did you order one for yourself?”