On Christmas morning, Julia woke up first. She gave Steve a good morning kiss on his forehead. His hair was all over the place his face was relaxed.
After she got out of the restroom, Julia went to the room next door, where Melody was barely waking up.
Her five month old daughter was on her crib yawning. "Good morning, sweet girl," Julia greeted her joyfully.
Melody's eyes widened seeing her mother. She extended her hands out to her mother.
She picked her up and kissed her cheek. "How did you sleep, my little Mellow," she asked her daughter.
Melody responded by yawning and resting her head on her shoulder.
The little girl was still tired, but Julia knew what would help her to wake up.
They walked in the room where Steve was still sleeping; his arms had moved to Julia's side of the bed.
The black blanket was covering only the lower part of his body, his hairy chest exposed. After seeing him without his shirt on multiple occasions, Julia still blushed seeing him like that. It was a view she would never get tired of seeing.
His crazy hair was all over the place his mouth was half opened. He was peacefully sleeping; his face was in a relaxed position.
"Let's wake up, dada," she whispered to her daughter, who smiled.
Julia dropped Melody on the bed. She bounced on the bed and dropped to all fours. She extended her arms as far as she could, reaching Steve's face.
Melody poked his lips with her little fingers. One of her fingers rested on his rosy lips. Steve only closed his mouth.
Seeing that her father was still sleeping, Melody squished his nose with her other hand. Steve woke up with a yelp. He grabbed his nose as Melody watched him curiously, grinning at him.
He was half asleep as he scanned the room; a worried expression was showing on his face until he saw Melody.
"Was that you, Mellow," he said in a sweet voice leaning closer to his daughter's face.
Melody placed her hand on his face repeatedly. She almost poked his eyes. "I love you too" he kissed her tiny hand when Melody hit him.
Julia lay on her side next to them, "It's Christmas," Julia said, thrilled.
"Is that today already," Steve asked, shocked, rubbing his hand on his eye. He was still tired.
"It is. Go wash your face and meet us downstairs."
Julia couldn't contain her joy.
Christmas with her father weren't the best; she never got presents, but this year was going to be different.
This year she had a family of her own. She had her beautiful healthy daughter with her. She wanted Melody to have a good first Christmas even though she wouldn't remember.
Steve kissed Melody's head and went to the restroom.
Julia wanted to wear matching sweaters for their first Christmas as a family of three. She already had on the sweater.
Before leaving the room, Julia took out Steve's sweater from a bag and set it on the bed. She had bought the three items of clothing the day before.
She went to Melody's room, where she changed her daughter's clothes.
The three of them wore matching Christmas sweaters. The lower side was red, while the top half was white. A row of snowflakes were horizontal in the middle all around the sweater.
They walked into the decorated living room.
The large Christmas tree was on the corner, decorated with lights, and gold tinsel were wrapped around the tree. Gold and red ornaments were scattered around the tree.
One of the red ornaments had Melody's hand painted on it. It was hard to tell it was a hand; the five-month-old moved her hand when Julia pressed it against the round shape making it more of a smudge rather than a hand. She gave it a final touch by writing Melody's 1st Christmas on with a thin paintbrush.
A few presents were under the Christmas tree, most of them were for Melody. It was her first Christmas.
"Look at all those presents Melody," Julia said excitedly, bouncing her daughter on her hip.
Steve walked next to Julia, "Let's see what Santa got you."
The three of them sat on the floor. Melody was still young to sit up straight on her own. Julia was close behind Melody to catch her if she lost her balance.
"Let's open your first present." Steve reached for a small box and set it in front of Melody.
The young girl didn't know what to do. She stared at it for a few seconds, then, with one hand, she hit it repeatedly. It was one of her favorite activities.
Melody babbled incoherent words, but she looked entertained.
"Like this Mellow look." Steve helped her by ripping one corner of the wrapping paper.
Melody moved her hand and pulled the piece of paper. She was stunned at what she had done. Her hands were moving where she wanted them to, and she did it with her mind.
Her hand moved closer to her mouth, and at the speed of light she brought the paper to her mouth.
"Oh no."
"Don't eat that" Julia pulled her daughter's hand, that was in a fist, out of her mouth.
The red wrapping paper was covered in saliva. Melody was holding it tight in her hand.
She began to yell mad at her parents for not letting her eat the paper. Isn't that what they wanted; her father was the one that brought her attention to the paper.
Julia carried her, trying to calm her down.Melody was able to calm down, feeling better in her mothers arms.
Julia handed Steve a medium size box wrapped in green paper decorated with the cartoon face of santa.
He unwrapped it with a smile on his face. Inside the box was a Blue Bomber Jacket and a yellow thin sweater. The bomber jacket was a full-length sleeve with open hem cuffs, and the material used on the inside of the jacket made it warm to wear.
Steve set the box to the side as he put on the bomber jacket. It fit him perfectly "thank you, Julia. I love it."
He looked under the tree, "I got you something too." He handed her a small thin gift messily wrapped in red paper. With a smile, she grabbed the box.
Since she only had one free hand, she struggled to open the gift. The wrapping paper fell on the floor once she was done unwrapping her gift.
It was a rectangular notebook. She opened it, and on the first page, it said property of Julia written in Steve's handwriting.
"It's a multipurpose notebook. You can write your recipes and the list of ingredients if you need to buy more. You can also write your orders there all in one place."
He walked toward her, "The last pages are the calendar for next year," he explained excitedly, flipping to the last part of the notebook. "You could write your orders there if it's easier."
She wanted to cry about how thoughtful Steve was.
She struggled keeping all of her notes together. She had written the same thing on different pieces of paper, forgetting where she had put it. Now she wouldn't have to worry about it as long as she didn't lose the notebook.
"Do you like it?" He asked after she didn't say anything because he thought he had messed up the gift. He thought of buying her a dress, but that wasn't Julia's style, and he didn't have a lot of money to buy her expensive jewelry, which also wasn't something Julia wore a lot of.
"It's perfect." She hugged him.
◦ ◦ ◦
Steve and Melody were playing with a new toy Steve got for her.
The toy was selling fast in the Indiana stores. Steve was able to get the last toy for his daughter. The toy was a Fisher-Price chatter telephone. It had small blue wheels, and it even made a ringing sound like an actual telephone. The blue eyes of the toy move up and down when the toy is pulled.
Steve held the telephone to his ear. "Hello, yes, she's here," he said, pretending to talk to someone.
He handed the telephone to his daughter, "it's for you," he said, placing the toy to her ear. Melody had her hands to her side, uninterested in holding the red telephone.
"Uhh," she said after a while.
"Who is it," Steve asked, playing along. "Ohh," she said louder.
Steve and Melody were staring at each other as she continued her very meaningful conversation.
Melody then gasped and hit her lap, her eyebrows furrowed, and she yelled.
Steve took the telephone and placed it by his ear "what did you say to my daughter," he said in a deeper tone.
Melody babbled some more, having something important to say.
Julia laughed at the two of them. She was happy she could spend this time with her little family. She had worked nonstop for the last few days on several orders for Christmas parties. The kitchen had been a mess. She needed larger ovens and more room. The kitchen had gotten crowded. Steve was able to watch Melody and clean a few dishes.
Julia cleaned the wrapping paper around them as Melody and Steve still argued with no one.
As each day passed, it was more evident that Melody was Steve's twin. It wasn't only their similar hair or long lashes, but it was also the way they both had the same facial expression as they leaned in, taking a better look at the toy.
Their eyebrows were furrowed, and their mouths were half opened as they observed the phone that was moving its blue eyes in a creepy way.
Julia quietly moved towards them, their backs were facing her. They were too focused on the toy in front of them; they didn't hear Julia approaching them.
Once she was closer to them, she scared them.
Melody flinched, and Steve let out a short scream. Julia held her stomach as she laughed.
Steve got up from the floor, holding Melody close to him. It was time for payback. "You think that was funny, huh."
Julia couldn't hide her smile. "Hilarious, yes."
Steve held Melody above his head, "Mellow attack."
The five-month-old moved her arms excitedly.
He chased Julia around the house. The loud giggles of Melody could be heard around the living room.