"Wake uuuuuuuppppp!" Sam screamed at the top of his lungs in the foyer while Tam and Margot banged on everyone's doors.
"It's Chwistmas!" Margot said loudly as she banged on Maggie's door which flung open, revealing a very happy Maggie, who would have normally been very cross with the child for waking her up like that. But it was Christmas.
Christmas was an exception.
"Let's go wake up mama and papa!" Maggie picked up her younger sister and twirled her around as she laughed.
"No need. We're already awake." Annabel said as she and Richard walked down the hallway to them.
"You're still in your sleep wear." Maggie said, a grin stretching far across her face. She kissed both Annabel's and her papas cheeks in greeting and Margot copied her.
"So are you. I believe Christmas is an exception to wearing sleepwear in the morning, don't you think?" Annabel said, taking Margot from Maggie's arms as they all headed down together.
"So you and papa woke up at the same time. Did you also..."
Annabel slapped Maggie upside the head and the girl ran away giggling.
"Good morning sir." Mr.Peltons butler greeted everyone, he was also in his pajamas, and so was every other staff member.
"Should we have breakfast first?" George asked as everyone went into the large living room where they had their Christmas tree set up.
"We do always have breakfast first." Maggie agreed, although she felt a little sad.
Every year they ask their father to have breakfast after opening presents, but he never allowed that.
The children got up from their seats and dejectedly headed to the dinning room.
"Children. We'll have breakfast after opening presents." Annabel said and took a seat on the single couch.
"But papa always says-"
"Well, I don't think he really minds this time. Do you Mr.Pelton?" She asked him and gave him a certain look that said to not even try saying that he minded.
"No, not at all." He said and also made his way over to the couches.
The children looked at each other with excitement and ran back to the couches and sitting under the Christmas tree.
"Me first! Can I go first?" Margot said and they all agreed. Margot still couldn't read properly, but she knew that M was for Margot, so she took all the presents that had an M at the beginning.
"These ones are mine Mar Mar." Maggie laughed and took the ones with her name.
"M for Margot." Margot argued.
"M is also for Maggie." Maggie flicked her nose.
"But M is for Margot! G is for Gigi." Margot's bottom lips trembled and tears pricked her eyes.
"Now now Margot. Look here. This is how you spell Margot and this is how you spell Maggie. We both have an M in our name." Maggie said, trying to calm her down before she started to cry.
"Okay." And then Margot forgot about the confusion and ripped through her presents.
After Margot, no one was patient enough to wait their turn, so they all just opened theirs up.
Annabel sat back and watched everyone open everything with a smile on her face.
"Are you not going to open yours?" Richard asked.
"Mine? I'm not expecting any." She looked at him with slight confusion. He tilted his head towards the kids and when she turned to look, she gasped.
They were standing there, holding out a present for her.
"It's for me? But you guys didn't have to get me anything."
"You gave each of us something, it's only right we give you one. Plus, we all made it." Sam said.
"I hope you like it." Tam said. She took the present out of her siblings hands and placed it on Annabel's lap.
"That's very thoughtful of you. I'm really great full." She held a hand out for them and they each leaned down and she kissed their cheek.
"Open it up!" Maggie excitedly said. They sat down right in front of her, their eyes opened wide with excitement.
"Alright." Annabel laughed and opened up the present.
She smiled warmly at the painting they had created of her favorite meadow.
"We noticed that you really like to sit out in the back meadow where the horses graze. So we painted it for you." Maggie grinned.
"I really love it, thank you from the bottom of my heart." She gave them all a big group hug.
"But look here, Tam messed this horse up." Sam pointed to a deformed horse that wasn't noticeable until pointed out.
"I told you that was Margot, not me!" Tam shoved him away and stuck her tongue out.
"It doesn't matter, I think it makes the painting all better. Tam, apologise to Sam because you pushed him." Annabel said and steadied Sam.
She apologised to him and another present dropped in her lap.
"Imadeyousomethingextra." George said, slightly embarrassed. This was the first time he gifts her anything and he really hopes that she likes it.
"Hey! We said we'd all do the painting. This is cheating!" Maggie glared at her brother but he avoided her gaze and just studied Annabel's reaction as she opened it.
Maggie didn't like that George was winning the race to being Annabels favorite.
"Oh George! It's quite lovely. Did you carve it yourself?" Annabel gushed over it and turned it around in her hands to look at all the sides.
"Yes."
"Thank you. I'm going to keep this forever." She got up from her seat and gave him a proper hug and a kiss on the cheek.
He had carved out a squirrel that looked almost exactly identical to the one she saved half a year ago.
"Papa? Did you get anything for mama?" Tam said and bounded over to her father.
"Now Tam, we don't go around aski-" Annabel began to say because she didn't want Tam to pressure Richard into saying anything since he hadn't gotten her anything.
"I did actually."
"You did?" Annabel turned to look at him with surprise.
"I did." He pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket.
Maggie and George gasped.
"George, is this really happening?" She whispered to her older brother as they stood there in utter shock.
"It's small and I didn't know how to wrap it, so..." He got up and headed towards her. "I hope you like it darling."
He gave her a soft smile and handed her the velvet box. She felt immense relief that this wasn't a proposal like her and the children's crazy minds thought it was.
"Y-you really didn't have to get me any-" she gasped when she saw the inside. "It's wonderful Richard, but I can't take this." She got up and handed it back to him.
"No no, I got it for you. I want you to have it."
They were standing so close to each other but they haven't even noticed.
"But i-it's too expensive. A-are you sure?"
"Do you reckon they're going to kiss?" Maggie whispered to George.
"Should we shove papa from behind to get them to kiss?" He whispered back at her.
"I'm more than sure." Richard picked up the necklace from its place in the velvet box.
"Turn around Anna." He softly said.
She looked up into his eyes and hesitantly turned around, lifting the hair from off her back so the nape of her neck was exposed.
Richard put the necklace gently around her neck and tried to clasp it but was having a hard time. He leaned down so he had a better look at the clasp and when George and Maggie were too busy whispering to each other and the younger kids were preoccupied with their presents, he placed a quick but tender kiss on the back of her neck.
Annabel dropped her hair in surprise and spun around.
"Thank you. It's really beautiful. Also sorry, I didn't mean to hit you with my hair."
"It's alright." His eyes dropped to where the necklace hung from her neck. He picked up the pendant and brushed it with his thumb, looking at Annabel with such care that even Margot understood.
"It's looks good on you." He smiled and then placed it down.
"You have good taste." She countered.
They stared into each other's eyes for a few more seconds that were far longer than necessary before they snapped out of it and each went to their own seats.
Maggie groaned and then went back to opening her presents when nothing too exciting happened.
As the initial excitement of opening presents died down and hunger settled in, they moved along to the dinning room where a large Christmas breakfast awaited them. They had breakfast with all of the staff and the dinning room was a lot more lively than usual.
Everyone just had a great day which got even better when Mr.Wilton and his kids came for a visit during the late afternoon and stayed well into the evening. His wife couldn't make it. Tiffany and George were teased endlessly for being really close to each other and were forced to kiss because they were standing under the mistletoe. And it was clear as day that this wasn't the first time they kissed.
"Have a great night everyone and merry Christmas." Richard said, walking the Wilton's to the door when it was nearly midnight. Annabel has already herded his younger children to bed and Maggie followed soon after. George was just making his way up and after half an hour of just sitting in the calm silence, Richard too made his way to his room.
This was the first Christmas without his late wife that was actually fun. He prayed she was doing well up in heaven and that she was looking down and smiling at how wonderful her children were growing up to be. And he hoped that she was happy for him for moving on and finding someone that made him so incredibly happy and feel young and alive.
Thinking of Annabel always just put a smile on his face. He had secretly wished that she get him something for Christmas, but he wasn't too sad that she hadn't. Why would she?
He reached his door and opened it up, he stepped in but stubbed his toe at something he didn't see was laying on the ground. He peered down and a huge grin adorned his face. It was a present and it had his name on it, it didn't say who it's from, but he's not stupid, he could recognise that handwriting anywhere.
It was from Annabel, he was sure.
He picked up the box and closed the door after him. He sat on his bed and feeling like a little kid, he ripped through the wrapping and tape to see what's inside. He pulled out thermal pants and some sort of cream. A note tumbled out and he read it.
I read somewhere that if you had an injury and it hurts in the cold (like yours does), it's best to keep it warm and comfortable. So I hope the pants and medical cream are of some service. I also hope you like your new fuzzy socks!
He looked into the box and sure enough, there was a pair of funny fuzzy holiday socks that would surly make anyone laugh if they saw it. He smiled at her thoughtfulness and made a mental note to put them on tomorrow to make her happy.
He went to sleep that night feeling the happiest he's ever felt.