~
"It's the little memories
that last a lifetime"
~
I'm jolted awake by my phone vibrating on the table next to me, and I groan.
"Ugh turn that stupid thing off already." Kara groans from next to me.
I sigh before reaching over and turning off my alarm, confused as to why there's an alarm set.
However, before I know it, my phone starts vibrating again in my hand and I see that it's an incoming call, not an alarm.
"What?" I ask groggily.
"You got a little bit of drool right there..." I hear Dwight's deep tease out. I pause for a second trying to gather my thoughts before I realize it's a FaceTime call. I instantly sit up, the world spinning.
"Dwight? Why are you calling me at...six in the morning?!" I ask, checking the time on my phone.
"Take that outside or something dang. Some of us are trying to sleep." Kara says, hitting me with a pillow.
"Shut up. You don't see me complaining when you call my brother." I say, hitting her back. "Hang on Dwight."
I put the phone down on the bed and wander over to my suitcase to grab a sweatshirt and slip my boots on before grabbing a blanket and my phone before going outside to the balcony and sitting down on one of the chairs.
"So why are you calling me this early in the morning?" I ask him, the freezing air waking me up.
"I wanted to be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas. Plus, Annalee woke us up at like five this morning. I barely got any sleep, you know how excited she gets on Christmas." He says running a hand down his face.
"Excuse you, that little girl is precious." I say, smiling.
"I don't know about little, she almost took me out earlier." He chuckles.
"You're just weak." I tease him, making him roll his eyes.
Before he can answer back, I hear Annalee's voice come into the room.
"Hey Dwight! Who you talking to?" Her cute voice asks.
"It's Em-" He gets cut off by her squeal and I hear him grunt as her face comes into view.
"Hi Em!" She shouts, making me laugh.
"Hi Annalee! Did Santa come?" I ask her and her face completely lights up.
"Yeah! I got my own kitchen!" She says excitedly.
"Really? That's awesome!" I tell her, knowing that already since I helped Dwight pick it out for her.
"Mommy said I can't actually cook anything in it though, which is unfair." She says, pouting.
"That's okay, I'll help you cook something in the big girl kitchen when I get back!" I tell her, and her face lights up even more.
"Yay thanks Em! See Dwight, Em said she'd help me. Unlike you." She mutters and I burst out laughing at Dwight's face.
"Whatever." He mutters and I smile.
"Annalee, come help me with breakfast!" I hear Aria say, causing her to jump off of Dwight's bed and leave the room.
"She's so energetic." Dwight comments with a smile.
"She's adorable." I inform him and he rolls his eyes.
"I'm pretty sure she likes you more than me."
"Well yeah, I'm way more like-able." I tell him, flipping my hair sarcastically, making him laugh.
"So how's the rest of the gang?" I ask and he instantly rolls his eyes.
"Austin's acting like y'all have been gone for like ten years." He says, and I laugh.
"It's been like one full day since we saw him."
"Exactly. He's like a two year old." He says, rolling his eyes again.
"We love him though." I tell him, and he nods.
"I guess. So, how are you?"
"I'm actually pretty good."
"Yeah? That's good Em."
"Yeah, I think I'm going to talk to Alex when I get back though." I say and he doesn't say anything for a minute.
"I think that's a good idea." He finally says and I have to do a double-take.
"I'm sorry what?" I ask and he rolls his eyes.
"I think you should hear him out."
"Where's this coming from? I thought y'all hated him?" I ask confused as I cross my legs.
Dwight sighs heavily. "When Jake and I went to the store on my birthday we bumped into him. He just looked so defeated."
"Wait, you and Jake bumped into him?" I ask, confused.
"Yeah, Jake kind of lost his temper a bit." He says and I sigh.
"Of course he did."
"We didn't tell you because it wasn't really anything we needed to tell you. But, I can tell you that when we talked to Mason after what he did to you and Alex, the two were completely different. Alex actually looked like he was sorry and filled with regret."
"Well good, he should." I say, getting a little angry. Not at Dwight, but Alex.
"Look, I'm not saying what he did was right, or that you even have to hear him out. But I think Alex does or did care about you, he just made a really really idiotic mistake that ruined it. But, it might help you to find some closure." He says and I sigh, nodding.
"Yeah I guess. So, what's y'all's plan today?" I ask, changing the subject. I can see that he notices it, but he goes along with it.
"My grandma is coming over soon, when it's a reasonable time, and we'll probably just stay home and have a quiet day. Well, as quiet as you can get with Annalee." He says and I laugh.
"At least you don't have six of her." I tell him, referring to my nieces and nephews.
"Yeah, I'm thankful for that. I bet it's going to be chaos for you today." He says and I laugh.
"Yeah, it's pretty much a given." I say, agreeing with him.
I hear Ms. Aria yell something in the background before Dwight says that he has to go.
"Well Merry Christmas Em, I hope you have a good Christmas." He says.
"You too Dwight, tell your mom and grandma I said hi!"
"I will. Bye Em." He says, smiling before hanging up the call.
I take a deep breath before walking back inside and crawling back into my bed, slipping back into bed.
'~'
"Auntie Em! Wake up!!" A little voice says, jumping up and down on my bed.
I open my eyes to see Kinsley, excitement written all over her face. I smile and grab her, tickling her to death.
"Ah! Auntie Em stop! We have to open presents!" She shrieks as she tries to wiggle her way out of my arm.
"You too Auntie Kara! Wake up!" She says, getting out of my hold and jumping on top of Kara.
I smile at hearing her call Kara auntie, and from the smile on Kara's face, so is she.
"Okay okay, come on! Let's go see if Santa came." Kara says, getting out of bed and picking up Kinsley.
I grab my phone, and Kara's, before following them downstairs to where Jordan and Trevor are drinking coffee.
"Merry Christmas!" I say, hugging each of them before pouring my own cup of coffee.
"Merry Christmas sis. I see Kinsley got y'all up?" Trevor says, nodding to his daughter.
"In a very aggressive way too." Kara points out, causing us to laugh.
"Where is everyone else? Kinsley didn't get to them?" I ask, taking a seat at the island with my brothers.
"Arianna is getting Sophia ready for the day and I think the boys are still asleep." Jordan says with a yawn.
"Mom and dad were out here a minute ago, so I'm sure they'll be out in a second." Trevor says, and at the same time Madison comes down the stairs holding Talia.
I instantly make my way over to her, taking Talia into my arms. Talia instantly wraps her small arms around my neck and lays her head on my shoulder.
"She's still tired." Maddie says, pouring herself some coffee.
I sit back down at the island and situate Talia so that she's comfortable while we wait for the rest of the family to get out of bed.
Before long, we hear little footsteps coming down the stairs and look over to see the rest of the clan coming out of their hibernation.
"Good morning everyone." Katelyn says, hugging each of us after handing Cheyenne to Kara.
"Good morning baby." Trevor says, giving her a quick kiss before standing up and letting her have his spot.
"You're such a gentleman." Jordan teases, causing Trevor to roll his eyes.
"Where are my other kids?" My mom asks, asking about Jake and Caleb.
"Probably still completely passed out." Kara says, causing us to laugh.
"Grammie, when can we open the presents?" Kinsley asks, pulling on my mom's robe.
"As soon as you wake up uncle Jake and uncle Caleb." She says, and Kinsley instantly runs towards the stairs leading to the basement.
Not too long after that, Jake and Caleb come up the stairs looking frazzled.
"Merry Christmas!" My mom says with a smile, taking a sip of her coffee.
My brothers respond groggily and we are all practically dragged by the kids into the living room where Santa definitely came for these little ones.
"Mommy look!" Kinsley says, pointing towards her Barbie doll dreamhouse that's literally taller than her.
"I see baby!" Katelyn says, smiling as she holds Cheyenne.
The rest of the kids obsess over what Santa brought them while the rest of us go through our stockings.
"Uncle Caleb! You got coal!" Ryder shouts, his eyes wide in shock.
The rest of us are trying to hold in our laughs as Ryder is traumatized by the fact that Caleb got coal from Santa.
"I guess I wasn't good this year." Caleb says, pretending to be sad.
Jake however, can't contain his laughter as he's currently doubled over, causing my parents to roll their eyes.
"I bet you got the same thing Jake." My dad says.
Jake is about to protest before he's cut off by Ryder again.
"Uncle Jake! You got coal too!" He exclaims again, his eyes even wider.
Jake whips his head around to Caleb, who has an evil grin on his face.
"You really should've been a good boy this year, big brother." Caleb says nonchalantly.
Before the two idiots begin to fight, my mom steers Ryder away and back to the presents.
We go through opening all of the presents, which takes quite a while with the amount of family members we have, especially little kids.
As we're finally on our last round of opening presents, Arianna gets up and disappears into one of the rooms.
"Okay, we have one more present for mom and dad." Jordan says as we all finish.
Arianna walks back in with a small, brown box with a white ribbon tied around the top of it.
"You both have to open it together." Arianna says, handing the present to my mom and taking a seat next to Jordan again. From my peripheral, I see Trevor pull out his phone to record.
My mom takes her sweet and precious time opening this present, causing us to sigh.
"Mom, just open it!" Jake says frustratedly.
She rolls her eyes as my dad takes the present from her and finishes opening it.
They pull out a pair of brown baby booties that look like little bears. Confusion takes over my mom's face as she grabs the note.
"Surprise! Grandma and grandpa, please keep my booties safe. I'll be coming out of hibernation in April." My dad reads out and I quickly cover my ears as my mom screams in excitement.
"What!" She says, getting up and running over to Jordan and Arianna.
"Congratulations!" I say excitedly, getting up and pulling Arianna in for a hug.
"Another one!?" Caleb says in shock, staring at Arianna's stomach.
"Here we go again..." Jake mutters under his breath with a small smile. It quickly faded though when Kara hit him upside the head.
We continue to congratulate them before settling down, and heading into the kitchen for breakfast.
"So how far along are you?" I ask Arianna, sitting back at the island while she starts breakfast.
"Three months, I've been wearing so many baggy shirts and dresses to try and hide it, so it will be nice to stop hiding it." She tells me, and I smile.
"Are y'all planning on finding out the gender?" Madison asks her.
"No, we want this one to be a surprise. We have so many things from Ryder and Sophia, and we are planning for this one to be our last one, so we want a surprise." She tells us.
"That's so cool. I'm so happy for y'all!" Kara says, sitting next to me.
Even though I'm so happy for Arianna I can't help but feel my heart ache. Before I even register it, my hand drifts down to my stomach and I feel my eyes sting.
"I'll be right back." I say, getting up and heading upstairs and locking the bedroom door.
I'm not sure why the news is affecting me so much. This isn't the first kid that's been born since everything that happened with Mason and the miscarriage.
But, sometimes I just need to step away to get rid of the thoughts coming in about how I couldn't save my baby.
Just take a deep breath Em.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to get rid of the thoughts in my head.
Luckily, I'm brought out of my thoughts by my phone vibrating.
Austin: Merry freaking Christmas besties!
I smile at his message in our group chat and laugh at the responses coming in.
Travis: Merry Christmas to everyone but Austin
Austin: Hey! :(
Chase: He's like a child on crack. Em come back and save me
Sierra: Yeah, I definitely ain't gonna save him
Kara: Sierra it's like you don't love him
Jake: Can y'all stop blowing up the chat?? Dang...
Dwight: Why are y'all so dysfunctional...
Austin: Excuse me?!
Me: Austin, Merry Christmas
Austin: See! Em loves me!
Me: Now shut up
Austin sends a gasping emoji and I laugh, putting my phone back on the bed.
Running my hands over my face, I stand up again and look in the mirror.
It's not your fault.
Breathe.
I take one more shaky breath before grabbing my phone and opening the door to the hallway.
Jake stands outside the door, and his head pops up from his phone when I open the door.
"Hey? What are you doing?" I question, even though I already have an idea.
He doesn't say anything, just pulling me in for a hug.
"I love you sis." He says, and I smile.
"Love you too brother."
"Emma! Jake! Breakfast!" I hear my mom yell.
"Just remember I'm here for you." He says quietly before going downstairs.
'~'
"Auntie Em! Come make a snowman!" Kinsley yells from the snow later that day.
"Yeah auntie Em." Jake starts, "Come make a snowman." He says, giving me an evil smirk, a perfect snowball in his gloved hands.
"Jacob Grant Richardson, you better back away with that snowball." I warn, keeping a giggling Kinsley behind us. My little niece knew that an all out war was about to begin.
"Now why would I do that?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.
What happens next almost seems to happen in slow motion.
"Hey Em--OH MY GOSH!"
The second Jake released his snowball, Kara walked out of the house directly into his line of fire.
I see Jake's eyes widen as he takes in his girlfriend's angry face covered in snow.
"Jacob. Run." She grits out.
She didn't have to tell him twice.
Jake took off running around the backyard as Kara gathered snow into her hands.
I take Kinsley's hand into mine and take her to the side so as to not get hit by a flying snowball.
"They are such children." She says, bending down to start her snowman. I laugh at her and go down to help her, keeping my eye on the fight between Kara and Jake.
Just then Jordan and Trevor come out of the house, most likely seeing a snowball fight happen from inside.
"Jake doesn't waste any time does he?" Jordan says, shaking his head.
"Always the instigator." Trevor mutters.
From the corner of my eye, I see Caleb emerge from the balcony.
Oh no.
I see him gather all the snow that piled up around the edges of the balcony and hover it over Jordan and Trevor.
All that I register next is World War IV beginning as Trevor and Jordan are pelted with snowballs.
I grab Kinsley again and we take refuge behind the patio chairs.
"I just wanna make my snowman!" She angrily stomps her foot in frustration.
"And we will after they're done." I tell her, eyeing my older brothers wearily. Jake is on the ground and Jordan, Kara and Trevor are pelting him with snowballs.
Jake: zero. The rest of my family: one
"Why did I have children again?" I hear my mom ask from the doors, opening her arms for Kinsley to run into.
"Because we're a blast." I inform her, laughing.
The men in this family are trouble, because I see my dad and Dawson gearing up to join the war.
I think it's safe to say that Kinsley and I are never going to build a snowman.
Throughout the entire fight I sat with my mom, Madison, Arianna, Katelyn and Kinsley and watched as the guys used up all the snow in our backyard.
Just as Dawson pelts my dad in his face, the baby monitor goes off signaling that Ryder and Zach have officially woken up.
"Okay! The little kids are awake, let's chill out!" Madison yells, throwing one of our ammo at Jordan.
Jordan looks like he was betrayed, but sighs in defeat.
"Gramma can we watch Elsa?" Kinsley asks my mom, giving her puppy dog eyes.
My mom smiles and nods before picking her up and heading inside, us all following.
'~'
"Jake, I swear if you put down another house so help me--" Kara threatens glaring over at my brother.
"You started this." He comments, looking over at her smugly.
"I don't think I'm the one who threw a snowball at myself Jake!"
From the corner of my eye, I see Madison add another house to her property, and I laugh to myself.
Jake doesn't notice and rolls the dice for his turn, and lands right on her property.
"What?! When did that get there?" He asks incredulously while Kara just laughs to herself.
"Karma." She says, and he glares at her.
We've been playing monopoly for the past hour after the little kids went to bed. I got out relatively quickly because I actually suck at this game. Everyone else is still in, but Jake is by far the most competitive so far.
"Suck it up son. Your dad didn't raise a chicken." My dad says, taking a sip of his drink making my mom burst out laughing.
"Some would think y'all don't love me." Jake mutters.
"Because they don't." Trevor states with a blank face.
"Excuse you." Jake says, glaring at him.
He just sips his sweet tea like the savage he is.
After a ton of rounds go by, eventually all that's left in the game are the guys: Trevor, Jordan, Jake, Dawson, and Caleb. My parents got out back to back after trying to form an alliance and failing.
Now they're just giving each other weary looks as my brothers get a little too heated.
"If you put another hotel down, I'm actually going to kill you Jordan." Dawson says, glaring at Jordan.
"Try it brother, you better sleep with your eyes open. I'm almost convinced you rigged the die."
"Don't threaten my husband." Madison says, wrapping an arm around Dawson.
"How could you choose your husband over your own flesh and blood?" Trevor asks, placing a hand on his heart dramatically. Katelyn rolls her eyes at her husband, eyeing him wearily.
"Pretty sure no one was talking to you." Jordan states.
Trevor just scoffs. "As if I ever try to help you again."
"I married an actual manchild." Katelyn mutters under her breath.
Trevor hears it though and shoots her a glare. "In sickness and in health baby, this is my sickness." He says with a wink.
She just rolls her eyes.
"All of you shut up, is no one noticing Caleb winning? How did that happen?!" Jake says.
"Don't rope me into your absolutely ridiculous fight. You're all just stupid." Caleb says with an eye roll.
"What you say?!" Jake asks, his raising slightly.
"You heard me! All of your last moves have been crap. I play smart, not hard unlike you idiots."
Oh no.
I sense it coming so I grab my sweet tea from the table and go to stand beside Kara.
"It's about to go down huh?" Kara asks, eyeing all my glaring brothers.
"Yup."
"Play smart? That's cheap coming from you Caleb." Dawson says.
"What's that supposed to mean Dawson?" Caleb practically spits out.
"Aren't you still in the talking stages with that Skylar chick?"
Caleb raises an eyebrow at him.
"Shows what little you know." He claps back. "She's actually my girlfriend. Took me less time than you did with Madison, that's for sure."
"You take that back!" Dawson says, scoffing.
"Make me Dawson."
"Can you two shut up? I haven't finished saying my peace." Jake starts.
"No one gives an actual crap Jake!" Jordan says.
"Honey--" Arianna starts but Jake cuts her off.
"Wanna bet?" He yells, standing up.
"Bet what? The money you leach off our parents?" Trevor says, backing up Jordan.
"Says the one who got a job working at their law firm!" Jake says.
"Nepotism at its finest." I hear Caleb mutter under his breath.
"At least I have a job!" Trevor shoots back.
Katelyn just sighs and takes a sip of her wine.
"But at what cost Trevor? I actually have a life at high school, unlike your little nerd self, and yes I've seen the pictures."
"Please, you're like the stereotypical jock Jake."
"Hey! I'm nothing like him!" Caleb states, also going to stand up.
My mom just sips her wine in the background, raising both eyebrows as she does.
"Please, your father was the biggest jock there ever was. Y'all have nothing on him." My mom says, joining in.
"Hey!" My dad says, glaring at her. She just smirks.
"Well maybe there's still hope for Jake, I mean Dawson just stayed a jock for the rest of his life." Jordan says, smirking at Dawson.
"What did you just say?!" Dawson says, swiveling his head to Jordan.
"Okay I think everyone should just calm down and--" Madison says, grabbing Dawson's arm.
"I'm perfectly calm." He says, tugging his arm back but in the process knocks over one of Jake's hotels.
Oh no.
"And just what was that for?! What you knock down my hotel for? You got a problem with me, dearest brother-in-law?!" Jake practically spits out.
"It was an accident!"
"Trust me all of you being born was an accident." Caleb says again under his breath but I don't think he said it quietly enough, because Trevor glares daggers at him.
"I don't know what you're talking about little brother. If anyone was the accident here, it was you." Trevor says.
"No, all of y'all were the prototypes. I'm the final product mom actually wanted to have."
I know I should take offence to this but this is getting good.
"Actually, y'all were all products of my semen unfortunately swimming too fast." My dad cuts in, causing my mom to burst out laughing again and high-fiving him.
An array of dramatic gasps sound around the room.
"You take that back!" Jake says.
"Should we stop them?" Kara asks quietly from my right.
"Absolutely not, the board hasn't been thrown yet. It's my favorite part every year." I tell her.
"Yeah, it's honestly the best part of Christmas." Arianna says, a smile on her face.
"Why should I? I created y'all." Dad says, smugly from his seat.
Jake picks up a hotel from Dawson's property.
"Why'd you take my property?" Dawson asks incredulously.
"Cause you freaking knocked over my hotel!"
"Wow child much?" Dawson says, causing Jake to throw a handful of houses and hotels at him.
One of those said hotels somehow manages to hit Jordan in the eye and all hell breaks loose.
"Everyone take cover!" Madison yells, diving under the table with Arianna and Katelyn.
Everything seems to happen in slow motion as my mom ducks behind a chair, using my dad as a shield as well. Kara and I hide under the table with Madison, Katelyn, and Arianna.
The monopoly board whips past us and goes crashing to the floor as the boys start throwing everything within arms reach. A pillow goes flying by and I just cradle my sweet tea close to me. If this spills, they're going to have another thing to worry about.
A handful of hotels are thrown at someone, but hit the wall and scatter everywhere.
"Wow you don't even have good aim. It's a wonder Katelyn was able to get pregnant so many times." Jake says, to Trevor I'm guessing.
"Oh no." Katelyn mutters, placing her hand to her forehead.
It's silent for a bit before a loud crash is heard.
"Was that my chair?!" Arianna yells, from her cover.
She's drowned out though, by all the shouting. I'm thankful that the kids are asleep, or at least I think they still are, because profanities are being thrown left, right and center.
My mom just sips her wine, occasionally yelling and the boys for their language, but quickly gives up.
Another loud crash is heard and Arianna loses it, jumping out from under the table to join in.
"I'm actually going to murder every one of you guys for hurting my chairs!" She yells, the rest of us following the crazy pregnant woman.
They pause for a second to take in her threat, but Jake goes to tackle Dawson, who in turn pushes into Jordan, who knocks into me.
I lose my grip on my sweet tea, startled and it goes crashing to the floor, its contents spilling out onto the floor.
I look down in shock.
"Oh it's over. Say your prayers Jordan." I hear Kara say, backing away from me slowly.
I feel myself start to shake in rage and before I know it, I let out a war cry and jump onto Jordan's back.
"That was my sweet tea, you jerkwad! How dare you?!" I scream into his ear.
"Get off me Em!"
"Get me more sweet tea and maybe we'll see!"
"No one cares about your sweet tea Em!" Trevor yells out.
My head shoots up at the comment and I'm off Jordan and heading straight into Trevor. I may not be a footballer but Jake taught me a few things.
I tackle Trevor down to the ground and start my assault.
"Take that back!"
"Someone get her off me!" Trevor yells out, but who cares about his cries? No one insults my sweet tea.
I feel an arm try and wrap itself around my waste but quickly elbow whoever it is in the ribs.
"Oof--what is your elbow made of? Steel?" I think that was Jordan, not that I care.
Before I know what's happening, Caleb and Jordan are dragging me off of Trevor. But, luckily, my twin comes to my rescue.
Just as we're about to annihilate the rest of my brothers, my mom cuts in.
"Enough!" She yells, stopping all of the fighting.
As I look around, it's a sight to see. Jake is on Jordan's back, pulling at his hair. Caleb is clinging to Dawson's leg and Dawson has Trevor in a headlock.
I'm just trying to get my revenge.
I huff and flip my hair over my shoulder before calmly walking back to Kara's side.
"Well...that was interesting to watch." She says.
I'm about to answer but I'm cut off by my phone ringing.
I answer, still panting from all the fighting.
"Hello?" I answer.
"Hey girl--why does it sound like you just had sex?" Sierra starts at the other end of the line.
I throw my head back laughing at her.
"Well, it all started with a game of monopoly..."
'~'
Hey guys!
Don't forget to comment and vote!
~Marie Black :)