"Of Magic & Mistletoe", by Gratiana Lovelace (2020); (Completed)

Ch. 07 End: Their loving Christmas feelings expand

"Of Magic & Mistletoe", Ch. 07 End: Their loving Christmas feelings expand, 
by Gratiana Lovelace, December 30, 2020 (Post #1356)(All rights reserved; An original story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2020) [(1) cover story]

Author's content note: My 2020 Christmas short story here is a gentle romance mostly rated G for all, with some dramatic moments. I will serialize my story here and on my Wattpad site. I'll continue with publishing new chapters almost every day through New Year's Eve. I hope that you enjoy my new story.

Illustrations: I cast my stories as I write them, with Richard Armitage as Luke Wharton, Erin Krakow as Diana Groves, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benjy Groves, Helen Hayes as Martha Lesley, Anna Knyazeva as Heidi Wharton, Betty White as Granny Wilma Wharton, and others as noted in the references.

Ch. 07 End: Their loving Christmas feelings expand

Sleeping in Luke Wharton's and his four year old daughter Heidi's home overnight--after spending a lovely Christmas Day with them--is very cozy and comfortable for Diana Groves and her four year old son Benjy. Their camping out on the family/living room couches was especially enjoyed by the kids—who slept together on the pull out futon loveseat.

Everyone ended up wearing flannel pjs to bed last night—with Diana especially not wanting to wear a night gown in front of Luke, since their relationship is so new. And Luke also makes a concession to having overnight guests by wearing a pj top with his pj bottom overnight, when he usually forgoes the matching pj top—claiming the flannel pj top makes him feel too hot. So he usually just wears an undershirt over his pj bottoms in Winter. And everyone looks cutely mussed while lying under mounds of comforters and blankets to keep warm on the couches, now that the fireplace logs have burned down to embers.

And of course, with the kids having also napped earlier in the day on Christmas Day yesterday, they are raring to go first thing at 6am in the morning on Sunday, December 26, 2010.

Benjy goes to wake up his Mommy Diana on one of the long couches in the Wharton family/living room—while Heidi goes to wake up her Daddy Luke.

Benjy: "Mommy?  It's Sunday. May we have Christmas Tree French toast for breakfast?"

Diana: "Hhhhh!" Diana yawns with her whole mouth stretched wide—but her eyes are still firmly shut. "Sure, wake me in the morning, Benjy." Then Diana burrows further into her pillow as she sleeps some more. The front of the Wharton home faces west, so the family/living room does not have much natural light in it in the early morning—which aids those who wish to continue sleeping.

Heidi: "Is your Mommy awake, Benjy?" Heidi whispers cutely—which is in her normal speaking voice volume level.

Benjy: "No." He says forlornly. "And I'm hungry. What about your Daddy?"

Heidi: "Daddy won't wake up either." Then she gets a brilliant idea. "Let's switch! I'll wake up your Mommy and you wake up my Daddy."

Benjy: "Alright." Benjy sighs as he heads past the coffee table to Heidi's Daddy Luke sleeping on the other long couch.

Heidi: Then Heidi tries to awaken Benjy's Mommy Diana--as delicately as she did her Granny Wilma yesterday, with a gentle two taps on Benjy's Mommy's shoulder and speaking in a soft voice. "Benjy's Mommy. Please wake up. We would like breakfast." Heidi waits patiently, but Diana is too deep in sleep to respond.

Whereas Benjy, being all boy, is not quite so delicately trying to wake up Heidi's Daddy Luke. Giving Heidi's Daddy Luke a wide berth—with Benjy staying away from Luke's arms in case Luke is startled and reaches out, because startling Luke awake is Benjy's intention. So Benjy grabs the hem of the puffy comforter over Luke's sock covered feet and pulls it off of Luke—which makes Benjy tumble backward onto the futon with a puddle of puffy comforter.