Christmas Day was always one of joy and happiness Beau household. It was now 9am Christmas Day and I was sat round my kitchen table with my parents and my brother and sister, we had just opened a few gifts previously, but it was a tradition that we then had breakfast then finished off unwrapping our gifts. I love this particular day as it was full of love and family, it was a perfect day like always but I did yearn to see River, as I loved this day and would love to share it with him, I was comforted by the thought that I would have many Christmas Day's with River in the future.
As we were all half way through our breakfast there was a knock at the door that interrupted us all, we all looked up towards the front door, “I wonder who that is”, my dad said as he looked at my mom with a smile on his face. “Will one of you kids get it?”, he asked with a smile still on his face looking round at us all. “I'll go”, Logan said as he got up looking suspiciously at my parents as he left the room. We all sat there not touching our food until Logan was back to share with us who the knock at the door was, finally he walked through the door with the biggest smile on his face, and I suddenly realised why as walking behind him was my Grandma Annie and my Granddad Patrick. They still lived back in Boise, Idaho the last thing I expected was to see them, especially since I was talking to Grandma Annie last week and she was saying how she would love to come to Gainesville for Christmas but it wouldn't be happening this year due to funds. So as soon as I saw them I ran up and gave them both a massive hug, while Amelie was right behind me greeting them, my parents got up once me and Amelie had finished and greeted them themselves. We were all finally sat round the table carrying on with our breakfast, “I can't believe you're both here”, I said smiling looking between them both. “We couldn't miss Christmas with our favourite people could we”, Granddad Patrick said with a smile to us all. “You're just in time as well to open some more gifts”, Amelie said with a smile as well on her face, as she hugged Grandma Annie who was sat beside her. “Of course, we wouldn't miss that would we”, Granddad Patrick said with a smile and a small laugh, which caused us all to start laughing. “I hear through the grapevine Autumn that you are no longer a single young girl”, Grandma Annie said looking at me with a smile on her face. My cheeks started to reddened as I looked down at my food then finally back up at her smiling face, as I nodded my head, “Well I guess that would be true”, I said with a smile back at her. “Will I have the pleasure of meeting this young man?”, she asked, I nodded and looked at Granddad Patrick who was smiling at me with such love in his eyes, he could always put me at ease and make me feel comfortable no matter the setting, “Of course”, I said with a smile. “Soon?”, she asked. I nodded, “I hope so”. “Well I hope he is treating you well”, she smiled finally, I nodded once again, “He really does”, I smiled back at her, to which she winked at me.
Now breakfast was over we all made our way into the living room and started unwrapping the rest of our presents, and relaxing while enjoying the day as a whole. It was now 2pm and my Mom, Grandma and Amelie were in the kitchen cooking our Christmas dinner while I sat with Dad, Granddad and Logan, they were talking about sports as I was reading a book about James Dean. A sudden knock on the front door made me jump and lose concentration, we all looked up, “I definitely don't know who that is”, My dad laughed as he got up and headed for the front door, I turned my attention back to my book and started to gain some focus again, next thing my Dad had re-entered the room, I was still looking down reading, “Autumn”, my Dad said causing me to look up and instead of being faced with my Dad I was now looking at River, who had that beautiful smile on his face which always caused my heart to warm up. I jumped up out of my chair and jumped into his arms, his arms were tightly wrapped around me until he gave me a quick soft kiss and then I turned him to where my Dad, Granddad and Logan were sat. “Granddad this is River, River this is my Granddad Patrick”, I smiled looking between them both, my Granddad took a step towards River with his hand out and a smile on his face, while River took a step away from me and closer to my Granddad his hand to out-stretched in front of his. Their hands finally meet which a strong shake and both said “Nice to meet you”. I was about to take River into the kitchen to meet my Grandmother went she entered the living room, following my Mom and Amelie. “You must be River?”, my Grandmother said we a smile on her face and her arms wide open, River turned and looked at me with a massive smile on his face, before he turned and took my Grandmother in his arms, “I certainly am, it's lovely to meet you”. When they came out of each others embrace, my Grandmother kept her hands on River's upper arms and looked at him from a distance, “Aren't you a handsome young man”, my Grandmother said still smiling, River looked down shyly and, “Thank you”. “You need to learn how to take compliments”, she smiled at him as she took both of his hands in hers, he looked up at her and smiled into her eyes. I felt such a rush of love and happiness, this day could not get any better.
