Just The Girl (under editing)

Chapter Forty Two - Jingle Bells

It was six AM.

I laughed and shook my head. How come every other day of the year I absolutely refuse to wake up this early, but on Christmas I'm the first one awake? I guess I'm just a big kid at heart.

Rosie's parents were going to spend the day with us today. Mom had invited them over because she thought it would be nice for us to spend the day together, and either Rosie or I would have ended up spending the whole day at the other one's house anyway, so it just worked out better this way with joining our families.

I wasn't sure what time they'd be over at yet, but it wouldn't be for a while.

''Josh, do you think Santa's been here?!'' Sasha exclaimed, her bright blue eyes sparkling eagerly.

I smirked.

''It depends, have you been good?'' I teased. She crossed her arms over her chest and puffed out her cheeks.

''I'm always good.'' she insisted, looking to Rosie for reassurance.

Rosie nodded her head.

''Of course he's been here Sasha.'' she laughed, hugging the blankets closer to her for warmth.

Sasha seemed perfectly warm enough in her onsie, sandwiched between both Rosie and my body.

''Are you hungry?'' I asked Sasha, making to get out of bed, even though I kinda just wanted to stay in a little longer.

She nodded her head eagerly, as well as Rosie, to whom I rolled my eyes and informed her that it wasn't her I asked.

I was only joking though, and she playfully pouted and jutted out her bottom lip.

''Does Rosie not get breakfast?'' Sasha asked, actually believing that I wasn't going to make Rosie anything to eat.

''Nope.'' I shook my head. ''Rosie's been a bad...bad girl.'' I told her, smirking at Rosie who blushed strongly at the double meaning in there that a four year old was never going to understand.

''Really?!'' Sasha exclaimed, looking at Rosie with a horrified look on her innocent little baby face.

Rosie giggled and shook her head, laying back down again and closing her eyes.

I pulled a hoodie over my head and left the two of them in bed, going to get Mom up before I attempted to make breakfast.

Emphasise on the attempted.

I knocked her door before stepping in, surprised to see she was sitting up in her bed, her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head as she smiled down at a big book in her hands.

Her head popped up to see me as I stepped in, and I smiled at her on my way over to see what she was looking at.

She made room for me to sit on the edge of her bed, and I gave her a kiss on the side of her head as I took the book she was holding out to me into my hands and looked down at it.

I smiled sadly as I ran my fingers over the pages, it was the scrapbook she had made, of all my baby pictures, Sasha's baby pictures, and Dad.

He was in so many of them, holding us, playing with us. There was one of the day I had a flashback about, we were both grinning happily with our woolly hats and scarves, and gloves, our ice skates on as we both held our hockey sticks in the air for the photo.

We looked so happy then, like nothing would ever bring us down.

''He would be so proud of you, you know.'' she told me, putting her arm around my shoulder affectionately. ''You've been so strong, and just look at you and Rosie – I've never seen anyone so in love since your Father an I when we were young.''