Flashbacks

Christmas to Last a Lifetime

AN: Christmas is beginning a little earlier than normal. Although, where I am Christmas has been in stores since at least July. This Christmas flashback is pretty long so I'm breaking it down in shorter chapters that will go up twice a week until Christmas Eve.

Prologue and Epilogue post AiP. No spoilers.

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Prologue: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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It's the most wonderful time of the year.

With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you "be of good cheer",

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

It's the hap-happiest season of all with those holiday greetings

And gay happy meetings when friends come to call.

It's the hap-happiest season of all!

There'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting and caroling out in the snow.

There'll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago!

-Andy Williams

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Christmas Eve 2015

"Hey!" Jamie Turner shouted even though his brother was less than six inches away from him. "How come Santa looked like Grandpa Alan?"

Grayson slapped his face and rolled his eyes. "Because he was, doofus."

Jamie blinked. "So wait-Grandpa Alan took over Scott Calvin's job? When? Why didn't anyone tell me!"

His brother stared at him. "Scott Calvin isn't real, dummy!"

"'Course, he is, stupid. We just watched two documentaries on him last night!"

"Hey!" Jon stepped into between the two, "It's Christmas Eve. Could we save the name callin' until after New Year's?"

Shawn grinned as he watched his father attempt to redirect his younger brothers away from the Santa Claus argument. He leaned his elbows against the dining room table and took a moment to survey the flurry of activity that was going on around him.

At the table, the kids: Julia, Maya, Jamie, Grayson, and Bella were crowded around making Christmas ornaments that would be hung on a special tree just for the kids as soon as they dried. Glitter, paint, beads, and other assorted objects littered the table and the floor. Shawn watched them for a while then he added his name in white to the gingerbread salt dough bell he had made and painted.

He hadn't made a Christmas ornament in twenty-one years.

His thoughts drifted to events still to come. Cory and his family, including Eric and their parents, were coming over later to spend the night and Christmas morning with them. Mr. Feeny and his wife would be joining them for Christmas breakfast via Skype.

Shawn sighed contentedly. There hadn't been a better Christmas than this.

Except one.

The house was warm from all the bodies moving around and the breath from those bodies talking and laughing at elevated volumes. The aroma of baking that had gone on just a few hours before still lingered in the air. The snow falling in swirling gusts and the nutmeg and pumpkin, gingerbread and cloves spicing the room made it feel like being in a cozy snow globe that someone had just given a shake to.