Above the waves

27

It's the day of Christmas Eve and everyone is bustling about to prepare for our annual party on the beach. Not a surprise that Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are celebrated in the same place we meet every Saturday but during these times, it's more extravagant.

Poles stick out of the ground surrounding the platform. White lights are strung up connecting the poles and the platform is surrounded by dim lights with a fire cackling in the middle of the circular group of logs.

A small table is set in between each pair of logs and some food is placed on each. Two of the tables have different viands like ribs, fish fillet, turkey, mashed potato and fries. Another table has a variety of bread and fruits. The last two tables have desserts baked my my family and the Carlsons.

"I can't wait to eat!" Gail squeals from beside me.

I laugh. She's been going on and on about food since the food came.

"We have to pray first, Gail. Then we can eat." Mom says with a knowing smile.

"Will we bring the presents to your house now?" Nate asks me and I look at mom.

We also have a thing to choose one house to give and open gifts in. This year it'll be in ours and it'll be the first Christmas where we're complete.

"Sure thing, Nate. The other boys are already bringing them." Mom replies.

Nate gets up and walks to their house with his dad.

"I'm also excited for the gifts." Gail whispers with a laugh.

"Gail. You're excited about everything." Tasha comments, sitting down on the other side of Gail.

She shrugs. "I know. But I love it when we're all here and this time, complete."

Tasha nods. "True. It's really different when Nate is around."

"Yeah. So where has he been celebrating Christmas all these years?" Gail asks. I was going to ask the same thing.

"Amanda's." Tasha replies simply.

"So, it must be real hard for them. To break up like that." I say softly.

Tasha thinks for a while. "Well, let's just say they only had a few moments where they were truly happy and felt like they were in a relationship and the rest was just a show. Mostly for Amanda. So, it's not as bad as it could be. Not that I'd know anything about breaking up."

We're soon ready to pray and eat. I lead the prayer, thanking God for another amazing year and for orchestrating everything to work for good like He promised He would always do.

We pass around paper plates and get the food we want, Gail being the first in line. Sierra gets food for me and I wait at the same log. The other settle down and spend the next hour laughing and talking.

When it's thirty minutes before twelve, we all march to our house where the gifts are gathered around the tree.

"Oooh I'm sooo excited!" Gail squeals again.

"Alright everyone. Let's sit down and parents, let's get the gifts for secret santa first." Nate's mom, Charity, says.

The parents sit on the couches, the twins, Faley and Sierra too. The younger ones sit on the stairs overlooking the living room and I stay glued to my wheelchair at the edge of the stairs but near the couches too.

"So, as you all know, every year we give gifts to our kids and each other. We pick names for secret santa and give what we think that person should have out of the generosity of our hearts." Nate's mom looks at him while talking probably thinking he could've forgotten our family traditions.