She was just finishing brushing her teeth when the door opened, admitting a sleep rumpled, bare chested Richie. The sight of him made her wonder if crawling back into bed with him wouldn’t have been a better idea than getting up.
“You didn’t have to get up yet. You can go back to sleep if you want.” She offered after she’d rinsed her mouth.
Scratching his chest, he yawned and shook his head. “Not much point. Prince Charming and his evil sister will be up soon and then no one will get to sleep. I’ll just grab a quick shower and get started on breakfast. Or do you want me to stuff the turkey first?”
“Did you just call your youngest daughter evil?”
“Are you going to deny that she can be?”
“No, I’m just surprised that you would admit it.”
He sighed. “Some things you just can’t over look.”
As she turned towards him chuckling, he pulled her into his arms. “Merry Christmas angel.”
“Merry Christmas honey.” She stretched up on tiptoe to kiss him then wrapped both arms around his waist and hugged him, nestling her body close to his, resting her head on his chest.
“Can we try something today?” He asked, rubbing her back.
“What?”
“Can we maybe try not to think of crazy fans and threats against us and just focus on having a nice, happy, family Christmas?”
She leaned back to smile up at him. “I think that sounds like a great idea! I think we all could use that.”
“Good.” He gave her a squeezed. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“Okay. I’ll take Zachary with me.”
Half an hour later, a bleary eyed Ava half stumbled into the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee pot, an excited Stevie beside her, chattering nonstop.
“I hope the big blue one is for me, and the pink one is for you or maybe ‘Oren. The green one is for Nana and the yellow one is for Mama and the purple one is for Daddy and the other blue one is for Zacky. And der’s lots and lots and I can’t wait to open dem, but Mama said we have to have bekfast first.” He looked at his parents and smiled. “Hi Mama, hi Daddy. It Mismas!”
“Hi Peanut. Yes, it’s Christmas.” Tori had to smile at his youthful enthusiasm.
“What do you want for breakfast Peanut?” Richie spoke from where he was looking into the fridge. “Pancakes or scrambled eggs?”
“Scambled eggs pease.”
Coffee in hand, Ava slumped onto a stool at the counter across from where Tori was peeling potatoes, and groaned. “Merry Christmas. Doesn’t anyone in this house sleep past dawn anymore?”
“Not on Christmas Day. Not when there’s little ones in the house. Merry Christmas everyone.” Joan answered as she joined them, Lauren in her arms. She set the toddler in her high chair and leaned over to whisper to her granddaughter. “But if we wear them out enough opening presents we can all take a nap later.”
Half an hour later, the family trooped into the living room. Joan settled into her favourite armchair, Tori on the couch with Zachary and Richie cross legged on the floor, Lauren on one knee, Stevie on the other. Ava acted as elf and distributed the presents.
Very quickly, the room was buried in a sea of brightly coloured ribbon and paper – which of course Lauren found much more entertaining than what was inside. Stevie, on the other hand, was super excited about everything he got, including clothes. Every time he opened a gift, he would jump off his father’s knee and run to show first his mother, then his grandmother and finally Ava, completing the circle back to Richie, almost tripping over Taffy in the process.
Tori looked around as she took pictures and felt a wave of emotion sweep over her. She would have liked to blame it in residual hormones, but she couldn’t be sure. All she knew is how much she loved her family and how blessed she felt to have them in her life.
Her too perceptive mother-in-law had been watching her as she moved around the edges of the room with the camera. Having some idea of what was going through Tori’s head, Joan reached out to take her hand and gave it a squeeze. Tori squeezed back, gave her a watery smile and resumed her seat on the couch, bending to take a ribbon away from Taffy before she choked on it. A high pitched voice had her sitting up quickly and staring towards the group in the middle of the floor.
“Elmo loves to rock and roll!”
Despite her daughter’s obvious delight with her new toy, as evidenced by her gleeful laughter, Tori groaned. “Who gave her that?”
Richie picked up the tag. “Uncle Matt.”
“Of course he did. Brat.” Tori growled. “Well wait until he sees what we got Rocco.”
Wincing as his daughter banged on Elmo’s bongos beside him, Richie had to agree. “Yeah. I don’t feel guilty anymore about sending him that pop tunes keyboard thing.”
Taffy had been stealthily creepy up on the furry creature that always made her see red – in more ways than one. She had reached her goal and was about to sink her teeth into him when he was snatched away from her and meaningless – to her – words screeched at her in a scolding tone had her slinking back to her place by the couch.
Tori reached down to pet her. “Nice try. Maybe next time you’ll get him.”
After cleaning up the living room – with Joan and Ava’s help – Tori headed into the kitchen to continue preparations for dinner. She was putting together a light lunch for everyone when her sons’ voices reached her.
“Mama! Zacky hungy!” Stevie shouted to be heard over his brother’s cries.
“Okay. I’m coming!”
As she sat feeding the baby, she had to smile at the scene in front of her. Richie was lying on his stomach on the floor helping Stevie put together a new toy while Lauren sat on his back like she was riding him and bouncing up and down.
“I...think...this...goes....like....this.” The pauses between each word were caused by the need to take a breath since the air was being pushed out of his lungs with each of his daughter’s bounces.
“Honey, are you okay?”
“Uh....huh. Now...I....know...how...a.....boun..cy...cast..le...feels!”
Tori chuckled. “Well, you are comfortable to relax on.” She just grinned at the look he shot her.
After a huge dinner, the family was once again spread out around the living room relaxing. Joan was in her favourite chair, Ava in a similar one texting her friends, and Stevie and Lauren were on the floor playing with new toys. Tori sat at the end of the couch, Taffy at her feet, while Richie stretched out with his head in her lap and Zachary sleeping on his chest.
Tori sifted her fingers through her husband’s hair absently and stared almost blindly at the TV, her brain fighting a post turkey stupor. Richie was likewise half dozing. Neither one paid much attention to Lauren getting up and walking around the coffee table. She stood beside them for a moment, then suddenly reached out and slapped Zachary on the back.
His little face scrunched up and he began to cry.
“LAUREN VICTORIA SAMBORA!” Tori scolded while Richie worked to calm the baby and make sure he was alright. “That’s a bad girl!”
A low growl was the only warning they got before Taffy moved in and gently nudged Lauren back from the couch.....and onto her butt.
The bottom lip came out and started to quiver. Large brown eyes filled with tears. She glanced hopefully towards her father, but he was preoccupied with the baby and didn’t look her way so she started to sob.
Richie sighed and started to reach for her.
“Don’t.” Joan advised. “She’s not hurt and she needs to learn. What she wants most right now is your attention, so you need to deny it to her when she does something like that.” She smiled gently at him. “I know it’s hard for you, but it really is in her best interest – and Zachary’s until he’s big enough to defend himself.”
“I know.” Richie acknowledged. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Later that night, after the kids were in bed and Joan had retired to her room, Richie met Tori in the hallway. “Hot tub?”
“Mmm. That sounds like a great idea.”
“You get the towels, I’ll get the tub ready.”
“Do you want your trunks?”
Richie met her eyes and smirked. “I don’t really think that’s necessary....do you?”
The shiver that ran down her spine had nothing to do with the thought of the cool air on bare skin, and everything to do with the look in his eyes. “No.”
“So, do you like your gift?” Richie murmured into his wife’s ear, large hands rubbing the tension of the day out of her shoulders.
“Mmm. It’s beautiful.” She’d gotten many gifts, but she knew which one he was referring to. He’d taken a few of her favourite pictures of the kids and had them transferred to canvas, forming a huge collage for the wall of the office. She turned her head to kiss him. “I love it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.” It had taken him awhile to accept that, unlike his previous experience with the female half of the species, jewellery was not the way to this woman’s heart – family was. Since he felt the same way, finding gifts she’d appreciate wasn’t all that difficult. The truth was, he got as much enjoyment out of find them as she did in receiving them.
Leaning back against his firm chest, she let the heat – both from the water and from him – soothe and relax her. She closed her eyes and trusted him to keep her from drowning.
“It was a nice day today, wasn’t it?” He anchored her to him with and arm around her waist.
“Mmmmm.”
Feeling her go slack against him, Richie smiled wryly. This wasn’t what he’d had in mind when he’d suggested the hot tub, but between having a baby, dealing with a nutjob and Christmas, it really wasn’t surprising that she was so tired. He touched his lips to her temple and settled into his job as caretaker – at least until Zachary woke up and wanted food.
OK they need to catch that crazy nut job that is running loose!!!! They need some rest and peace!!! Jon sick your goons on her!!
ReplyDeleteLiz as always I love this story. Waiting patiently for more (as patient as I can be).