Back To Our Roots, Book One

XXXVI. Nick's First Real Christmas

"Nick. Nick, wake up," Jeff whispered.

Nick blinked tiredly. "What?"

"It's Christmas."

Nick couldn't help but smile, rolling over to face Jeff. "You're like a child on Christmas."

"I am a child on Christmas."

Nick chuckled. "Merry Christmas, Jeffy."

"Merry Christmas, Nicky." Jeff leaned in, kissing him. It was short and sweet, a simple good morning kiss, but he loved it all the same.

They were interrupted by a pillow sailing at them, hitting Jeff's head.

"Wake up, lovebirds!" Sarah's voice excitedly whispered.

"We were already awake," Jeff pointed out.

"It's snowing!"

That got his attention. Jeff climbed over the bed, looking out his window.

The snow was falling thick and fast, already about a foot of it on the ground.

"Nick, look at it!" Jeff said.

Nick got up as well, looking out the window. He gasped softly. "It looks so peaceful."

He was right. The snow was untouched, giving it a serene look.

"Come on," Sarah said, heading down the hall.

Jeff grabbed Nick's hand, pulling him along.

"Wait, just in our pajamas?" Nick asked, trying to keep up.

"Yeah. I mean, as long as you don't sleep shirtless, and you don't."

As soon as they got downstairs, Nick was in awe. There was a mound of presents under the tree, and the stockings were absolutely stuffed. The decorations seemed to be even better than the night before, or maybe Christmas decorations simply looked better on Christmas.

The fairy lights that seemed to be everywhere lit up the house, fake snow on some of the surfaces.

"It's beautiful," Nick breathed.

"My family really goes all out on Christmas." Jeff looked over to Nick, seeing this light in his eyes. A light of hope and love, some forgotten Christmases long ago. A spark of pure, childish joy and awe. He'd never seen it there before.

"I'm really glad you came, Nick."

Nick looked over at him and smiled. "So am I."

There was the sound of something hitting the window and they looked over, seeing it was a snowball.

Jeff laughed. "I swear, those girls. They're ridiculous."

They pulled on their shoes and jackets, stepping outside.

"You're going to get frostbite!" Jeff yelled at his sisters, who were in the middle of a snowball fight.

"Jay started it!" Stephanie called out, giggling uncontrollably.

Jay was tossing and catching a snowball. "Guilty."

Rather than asking why he was there, Jeff packed a snowball of his own and threw it at Sarah. She cried out in surprise as the ice went down the back of her shirt. "That's for throwing the pillow at me!"

Jeff joined in with the fight, but Nick was hesitant. He had some not so pleasant memories of snowballs being thrown at him. Granted, there were rocks inside those, but all the same.

He stepped off the porch and into the snow, which went up to just below his knees. He shivered at the cold, or perhaps something else.

He walked out into the snow a ways, content with watching.