Christmas Love

Chapter Nineteen

 The front door flew open and in walked Aunt Mabel, "is dinner about ready?" she asked as she shut the door. "Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes Aunt Mabel" Steve said from the kitchen.

"Okay good" she said as she made her way into the family room where I was half dozing and half watching a movie.

"Well Laura, I see you look you are ready to pop at any moment, when is the bundle of joy supposed to arrive?" "Christmas day is when she is supposed to make her grand entrance into our lives" I said rubbing my belly.

"Wouldn't that be the best Christmas present" she said as she sat down in the chair closest to the fireplace.

We sat there in silence both watching the movie that was on, if you asked me the name of it, I would not be able to tell you, I was in a comfortable state of sleepiness.

As soon as I drifted off, I heard Aunt Mabel get up, she must have decided to see if Steve needed any help, that made me smile.

"Aunt Mabel, I do not need your help, I got this, so please go sit in with Laura," "I don't think you're stirring the gravy right, there's some clumps in it."

"I just started the gravy, there is going to be lumps right now."

I could hear the tone in Steves voice start to get louder. "Aunt Mabel, can you help me up please" I called to her.

"Be right there Laura" she said, Aunt Mabel came walking in muttering under her breath. Now I know where Steve picked that up from.

After helping me up, we went to the kitchen table and I asked Aunt Mabel to get me a glass of water, Steve winked at me, I was going to keep her busy while Steve set the food on the table.

Once we were all sitting down, Steve carved the turkey, and he dished my plate for me. I had a tough time reaching for things with my belly being as big as a beach ball.

For the next hour while we ate, Aunt Mabel told me stories of Steve when he was little and the mischief he would get into during the holidays.

After dinner Steve helped me to the couch, he made sure the fireplace was going well and that I had the remote and my ice water.

Before long, my eyes started to close, listening to the logs snap and crackle, dishes being washed, and some movie playing on low on the television.

I woke up the next morning to Tipsy whining, I let out a groan knowing full well she wanted to go outside to go potty and when I opened my eyes I was still on the couch.

I laid there for a minute clearing out the fog in my head, wondering why Steve did not wake me up to go to bed, until it dawned on me that once I was asleep it was harder than anything to wake me up.

The fire was low in the fireplace, and the sun was just starting to come up so the outside looked like a beautiful wonderland, with the snow sparkling from the sunlight peeking through the trees.

Only thing I liked about the snow, I did not care for the cold anymore, not like when I was a kid, I loved being out in it, never bothered me.

Now though I dreaded going out in it, but being inside nice and warm, looking out the windows, it was a remarkable sight.

Tipsy let out a small little yip, looking down at her, her tail just a wagging a mile a minute, almost lifting her little back legs off the ground, I got up and put on my coat.

I put her little jacket on, grabbed the leash and hooked it to her jacket that had a little loop for it.

Once on, I opened the door and off she went, sideways to her little spot. She did her business and came running inside, I took her stuff off and she went to her bed.

"That sounds like a promising idea" I said as I went to start up the tea kettle, putting on the coffee pot for Steve and made myself some oatmeal.

The clock said eight in the morning, I knew Steve would sleep most of the morning, it was his day off and he needed the sleep after everything he has been doing for me.

I made sure Tipsy had her food and fresh water, my tea was ready as was my oatmeal. I put it down on the coffee table and picked up a few small logs to put into the fire.

There was not much on television right now, so I put on a good holiday movie that was full of comedy.