𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄

𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬 ; 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬

Having a kid during the holidays, had got to be some kind of punishment. Multiple times since we had gotten to my mom's house, I'd wished that I could shove Kaleb back inside of Grace.

Every time someone walked into the house for the first time that night, a squeal would bounce off the walls then jump right into my ear like these people-mostly family-wanted to render my eardrums entirely useless.

Kaleb was latched onto Grace's nipple and she was bouncing him on her knee as she held her phone not far from his face, a cartoon playing. Little man was living the life. Women gathered around him, being basically fed by hand-but technically, by tit. He even had TV when and wherever he wanted.

I should have been the one getting this kind of special treatment. Minus the women, of course. Not just because I have a girlfriend, but also because every female in the house is either related to me or related to someone else who I'm related to.

"PRIMADONNA GIRL!" Maddie sang and Grace cheered, laughing.

She looked at me with a grin, nudging my shoulder when no one finished my sister's singing.

"Yeah." I sang, more bored than anything else.

"ALL I EVER WANTED WAS THE WORLD!"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah-blah."

"THE PRIMADONNA LIFE, THE RISE AND FAAAAAALL!"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah-blah."

Then the song stopped and Maddie stalked toward me, a scowl on her face. My lip twitched with something of disgust as she got in my face, alcohol wafting straight up my nose. I nudged her back with the side of my foot and she stepped back.

She raised a pointed, lethal weapon that was her bright red acrylic nail at me accusingly, her gaze narrowed.

"You are ruining the mood." She complained, her words slurred.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Pitty."

Grace pinched my side and I raised my fist and pretend like I was about to punch our baby in the face.

"Funny guy." Grace deadpanned, pulling her legs up onto the couch as she switched Kaleb to her other breast.

I poked Kaleb's foot.

"Hungry guy." I corrected.

She laughed, nodding and sweeping hair out of his face. Kaleb pulled away and looked up at Grace with big eyes, babbling to her.

Grace nodded, pretending to understand him as she fixed her bra and pulled her shirt back over her boobs. "You are completely right, sir. I am too hot to tease men with your food."

"They were mine first." I grumbled.

Maddie gagged and stumbled out of the room.

"Put on Christmas music, Maddie! Not that shit!" I yell after her.

"Not that shit." She mocked from the kitchen, earning a laugh from my aunt Brooke who was leaning against the couch.

Leave it to Madison to be an absolute menace even during the holidays.

"I think they belonged to me first." Grace said and shifted on the couch so her back was facing my side. Then she leaned back with a groan and laid her head in my lap.

"Yeah, yeah."

She hugged Kaleb to her chest, rubbing his back gently as I untangled her braid from her hair. I massaged her scalp gently and she moaned softly, shutting her eyes.

"We're meant to be celebrating, but instead, I'm about to pass out on your mom's couch."

I leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead and sweeping hair out of her pretty, pretty face. I let my fingers stray until they grazed the side of her lip.

"Don't act like you don't deserve to rest, baby. You're body is going through so much and doing so much, working so hard. You need your rest." I poked between her lips and she parted them to bite at my finger. I laughed at her, shaking my head. "And I know you don't want to go to bed yet because you want to be awake for the presents."

She reached up for my face, swatting at the air until her palm covered my mouth, shushing me. It was no secret. Grace loved time with family and everything, but she was a sucker for Christmas and all the gift giving. Watching her watch people as they unwrapped gifts she got for them had become my favorite pastime.

"That's a secret." She yawned and patted Kaleb on the back as he fussed.

Grace let out a small whine. I frowned, looking back down at her head in my lap to find her eyes on me already, her eyes almost sorry.

"I'm so sorry, Sam. Can you take him? I just want to sleep and-"

I shushed her, nodding. "What did I say about the apologizing, hm? Gimme our baby."

She pulled him up and squeezed him tight, showering his face with kisses as he giggled and patted her face with his tiny hands. As she handed him off to me and I held him to my chest, I gestured for her to lay her head on the other side of the couch so her legs would be on me.

Not only did Kaleb love sitting on Gracie's legs, but she liked it too. And since having Kaleb, she'd been sleeping with a pillow under her feet, so having her legs splayed across my lap wouldn't bother her too much, either.

I leaned back into the couch and rubbed Kaleb's back, reaching over my shoulder to grab the throw blanket usually draped over the back of the couch. Pulling it over Grace and myself, I began humming to Kaleb.

❛❜

It was two hours later and Mom was sitting on her knees in front of me, pretending to be having a conversation with her grandson that I had balanced on my knee, my large hand over his tummy to keep him from falling.

Grace was still fast asleep and was going to have to wake up because it was time to open presents soon. Some of the younger kids were already gathered around the tree, practically vibrating with excitement.

Hopefully she'd be the one crawling out of her skin from how much she liked what I got for her. If she didn't like it, I'd probably collapse and die of a heart attack. Or heartbreak, maybe.

"Grant! Bring Nat!" One of my cousins called and Grant came into the room, leading his daughter toward the Christmas tree as she babbled.

Grace stirred, having me cursing Sophia in my head for being so damn loud while my girl was trying to sleep. Gracie sniffled with a yawn, scooting to sit up as she pulled her legs from my lap and crawled toward me. She nestled into my side, tugging the blanket back over us.

I leaned my head against hers.

"You're so warm." She hummed, wrapping her arms around one of mine and hugging it to her chest.

I pressed a kiss to her hair and nodded. "Thank you, my Gracie."

"Mm-hmm."

My mom reached for Kaleb and when I looked at her, she was looking at me, a question in her eyes. I nodded, giving her permission to take my son over toward where the rest of my family had gathered.

I really didn't want to make Grace get up, but I also couldn't wait for her to open her gift from me. I craned my neck to look at her and blew soft air against her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open and when her gorgeous, light eyes met mine. She grinned up at me sleepily, leaning up to capture my lips.

I cupped her jaw and deepened the kiss, moving hair away from her face. She groaned lightly when I pulled away, taking my face in her hands.

"Why must you ruin all things nice, Sammy?"

I only smiled at her and then pecked her on the lips. "It's present time."

Her gaze traveled around the room. She had to stir in her seat to look over her shoulder. Behind the couch and at the end of the room was the Christmas tree. She stood from her seat, letting the blanket sink off the couch and onto the floor. Standing in front of me, with a small smile, she held out her hand for me.

I rolled my eyes, smiling nonetheless as I took it. She grunted and I did too, mostly to mock her, as she tried pulling me up. I finally helped her by pushing myself up. She rolled her eyes at me, shoving me back down before rounding the couch.

"Grace!" I called incredulously and she laughed, jogging back toward me and taking my hand. She dragged me toward our family.

I took the only seat available and patted my knee, gesturing for Grace to take a seat in my lap. She sat and her dad passed Kaleb to her. Kaleb squealed, making grabby hands at me. Grace lifted him and my son licked my cheek.

Honest to God, I was pretty sure that Grace taught him that. Or maybe he picked it up from all the times Grace had licked my cheek for the sole purpose of being fucking annoying.

I pretend like I was going to bite him and he just smacked my face away. I went limp against the couch, playing dead until he started whining. Then I pretended that I was resurrected and played zombie with him while everyone started to open presents. It always went from oldest to youngest, so it would be a little while before it was any of our turns.

Then when it was, Grace went fist. She opened all of her presents, all of them ranging from socks to a new laptop. If I hadn't gotten it for her, she would never get rid of her old one.

She stood on her knees and waddled toward me, pushing herself up on my knees. I lowered my head and pressed my lips to hers.

"I love you, baby. Thank you."

After Grace, then two of my cousins took their turn. Then, after them, all the kids went and once everyone was done, I decided that it was time.

One of my uncles got up and as I got up, I tried to shake my head at him as slyly as I could. His brows furrowed, but he lowered himself back into his seat. I mouthed a thank you.

I nodded my head toward the kitchen when my mom's gaze met mine.

She smiled all big, making me laugh a little. She followed me into the kitchen and finally let out an excited little squeal. I shushed her, biting the inside of my cheek to stop from smiling so hard that my face begins to crumble.

"Mom! Quiet, okay? I have a plan." I said in a whisper and she bit down on her lip, nodding. I smile at her as she slips off her wedding ring. "Ring?"

"Babe, you're dad gave this to me. This ring is very important, and... And I just want to make sure that you really want this."

My expression softened and I reached out to take her face between my hands, lower my lips to her temple before pulling away. She placed her hand over mine, her eyes searching mine.

"Mom, I don't think I've ever been so sure about something in my entire life. I have never looked at something or someone that makes me feel more alive every second that I spend with them until I met my Grace. I have never..." I let out a sigh and nodded, pulling away from her. "I've never wanted to spend the rest of my life with anyone more than I do with her.

"I look at Grace and I see the future. In that future, I don't see me getting tired of her or falling out of love because as far as I know, she is-"

A sob I'd heard more times that I'd liked came from the doorway and my head shot up. There stood Grace with her a hand over her mouth and another over her chest as her glistened with fresh tears.

I frowned, hating it that this was making her cry. Good or bad cry, I hated it. Being a pretty crier couldn't have made up for it. Not really.

I opened my arms for her and she stepped toward me, snaking her arms around my waist as I wrapped mine around her shoulders. She cried silently, my shirt fisted in her hands as I rocked her side to side.

With one last sob, she pulled away. Getting up on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to mine. I kissed her right back.

She pulled away one last time and nodded vigorously.

"Love, you ruined my whole proposal idea."

She laughed, wiping at her eyes as she shook her head at my words. "It couldn't have been more perfect."

"Yeah?"

As she nodded her head again, I reached behind my back and grabbed her hand, slipping the ring on. She brought the hand back and looked down at it between us.

My fiancé looked up at me, love shining in her eyes.

"I love you, Sammy."

I grinned. "Love you, Gracie."

The clacking of my mom's heels passing us, made me look over Grace's shoulder at her.

I raised a brow at her as she lifted her arms and yelled:

"SHE SAID YES!"

Then the whole house erupted in cheering and clapping.

Someone gave our baby back to us and I kissed the top if Kaleb's head. He looked up at me, grinning at me.

"Da... Dada."

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Grace cursed, shoving away from me. I rolled my eyes, smiling.

Here we go.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU IF HE CALLED YOU DAD FIRST?" She shoved her finger into my chest and I just smiled down at my girl. "WEDDING IS OFF!"