Chapter Twenty-Six
Eleanor's POV
"Eleanor?"
I looked to my right seeing Parker's sleepy face. It was Christmas eve just a few minutes before the clock strikes midnight.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" I asked hiding the key that goes opens my private, art room in the house. I always locked it in case Luke and Peyton accidentally do a damage to one of my work.
"A little, yeah," he grumbled trying to sit up. "What is it? Is anything wrong?"
"No, no," I said a bit too quickly. "I'm just going to check on the boys and make sure they're asleep and haven't opened any gifts yet. I'll be back soon."
"Okay," he resigned believing my lie.
I gave him a reassuring smile and slipped my feet into my house slippers walking out the room. I walked down to the lowest level and checked on my kids as well. They were soundly asleep. Then I walked to my safe haven and opened the door gently. Standing on the easel was the newly dried painting I did.
It was a painting of Parker, the boys, and I. A family painting you could say. It was my most prized painting I ever did in my life. I worked hard on it and took weeks to finish. I was planning on just painting it, but ever since I found out Parker was all about family, I decided to give this to him for a Christmas gift.
I gently took it off the easel, being careful of closing the door behind me and walking up the stairs. I went to the front foyer where all of the gifts were under the tree. I propped the painting against the other wrapped presents and placed a giant bow on the top frame.
After making sure it wouldn't fall, I turned off all the lights and went back to the room. Just before I slept, I caught the time at exactly twelve midnight. It was officially Christmas.
"Momma! Momma wake up!"
"Wake Mum."
I woke up being shaken quite violently by no other than my two sons. I opened my eyes and checked the time which was only seven am. These boys wake up early on Christmases!
"Daddy! Wake uppppp!"
I heard Parker grumble beside me sitting up in bed. I did the same and smothered Peyton in a hug who was in the middle of copying his older brother on banging on Parker's chest.
"Merry Christmas, Momma!" Luke said kissing me hugely on the cheek. "Can we open presents now? Can we? Can we? Can we?"
"Sure," I said a bit more sleepily. "Go on over there with your brother." I released Peyton and settled him on the ground. "Wait for Daddy and I before you open, alright?"
He nodded and ran out of the room with Peyton right behind him.
"Why'd you send them away?" Parker asked beside me slipping on his shirt covering his glorious body.
"So I can kiss my husband on our first Christmas together," I stated leaning in towards him for a kiss.
He met me halfway pulling me closer to him. "Merry Christmas, ma cheríe."
"Merry Christmas, Parker," I grinned giving him one more peck on the lips. "Come on. I bet you Luke already ripped a gift open."
We walked out of the bedroom and to the Christmas tree hand in hand. I was right. My eldest son was already in the process of opening a wrapped present. He couldn't read so I didn't know how he guessed that was his. I checked the ripped paper and sighed in relief that it was indeed one of his many gifts from no other than the man who spoils them most.
"You like it buddy?" Parker asked smirking conceitedly.
"Yes Daddy!" Luke beamed. "Thank you!"
I smiled and slipped away for just a minute and took the painting that was hiding behind the tree. I took the painting in my hands and presented it to Parker with wide eyes.
"I really couldn't give you the same gift I did on your birthday," I winked, "right now. So I didn't have any idea what to give you. You seem to already have everything, so I decided to just make you something."
Parker shook his head speechless. "No, this... This is beautiful. Wow. I think this is my favorite work of yours."
I smiled. "I worked hard on it. Merry Christmas."
Parker came over and placed a hand on the back of my head and bringing it to his forehead. "Thank you. I love you."
"Love ya, Dad!" Peyton squealed from between us who was on the floor smiling adorably.
I laughed and kissed Parker swiftly on the lips before placing the painting on the floor away from the danger zone, aka the kids. "We'll hang it up later." I promised.
For most part of the morning, Parker and I watched our kids open their infinity amount of gifts from our comfortable spot with me sitting in front of him, between his legs. They were real excited about their gifts, never having this much in their entire life. Parker was probably the one who gave them them the most, even beating all of their other gifts combined.
"You shouldn't have given them this much," I whispered looking up at his face. "You're going to spoil them, and they'll become rotten kids."
"Nah," he denied. "You raised them to be very grateful."
"What about your present, Momma?" Luke asked thoughtfully from his spot in the middle of all his toys and clothes.
"Why?" I asked teasingly. "Did you give me a gift?"
He nodded smiling shyly. "I made you a card. Wait. I'll go get it!" He stood up and dashed away and came back moments later. "I also made one for Daddy."
"Oh angel," I said taking the card from him and reading it. Since he didn't really know how to read and write well, he just drew me a picture of a tree and the words 'I love you.' "I love it. Thank you."
I gave him a big kiss and handed him off to his father who kissed him as well.
"This is nice, buddy. I'll place it in my office, so I have a constant reminder of you."
"Can we eat now? I'm hungry."
I nodded and stood up dusting off my pants. "Sure. Come on and let's see what we can whip up."
Augusto and James had the entire holidays off for break, so there wasn't anyone to serve us. It was perfectly fine with me. This was my time to shine as a wife and mother. "Let's see what we can cook." I opened the huge refrigerator door and saw it packed with all kinds of ingredients. Augusto would get mad at me if I messed up his kitchen, so I only took out the carton of eggs and biscuits.
"How about I cook?" Parker asked from behind me knowing my cooking abilities.
"Oh I don't know... Don't you want my special called the Burnt?"
"Sounds delicious, but your kids and I will pass."
I laughed and nodded giving him the space. "Alright, alright. I know cooking is not my strongest forte. I'll just be in the foyer cleaning up after these two."
I headed off to the now empty tree except for the presents we were suppose to deliver today and picked up the wrappings and bags. I stashed them in the garbage can in the garage and went back inside hurriedly due to the freezing air outside.
I decided to go to the bathroom and freshen up for the day. Every single day I went to the bathroom after Parker's birthday, I was hoping to not get my monthly visit or have some morning sickness. It was a failure, however. I had my visit a week ago. I was hoping that I could surprise Parker with being pregnant on Christmas, but it was negative. Another time.
After dressing in comfortable clothes, I walked out and sat on the bed drying my hair with my towel. I suddenly remembered all of my Christmases I spent with my parents. This happened every year. I would have a walk down memory lane and cry myself to sleep at night. I missed my parents so much. I knew I had the choice of ending this silence between us, but I just didn't know how.
I had so much to say to them. I wanted them to meet my sons, their grandsons. I wanted them to meet Summer, Finn, and most definitely Parker. They would love him, I was sure of it. I just wanted to be with them again. Maybe this upcoming new year, I could change that. Just maybe.
"Hey, breakfast's is ready."
Without knowing it I already had tears streaming down. I quickly wiped them away with my towel and stood up facing Parker. He stood there worriedly as he saw my face.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked taking me in his arms. "Why are you crying? Shouldn't you be happy on this day?"
"I just thought about my parents, is all," I admitted into his chest. "I just want to talk to them again. Even if it's just through the phone."
Parker stopped rubbing my back and kissed my forehead. "You really miss them don't you?"
I nodded laying the side of my head against his chest. "What kind of daughter am I? Just abandoning them."
"You didn't," Parker said sternly. "At that time you made a bad decision, but we all do at some point. Why don't you stop worrying over that for today and let's just enjoy ourselves, okay?"
I looked up at him with a teary smile. "Okay." I whispered softly.
"Actually..." He said pulling me back as I turned around to leave. A mischievous smile was playing on his lips. "I want to give you my Christmas present."
I cocked my head to the side, suddenly feeling giddy and excited. "Oh really?"
He nodded and pulled me over to the bed ordering me to sit down. He disappeared walking into his closet, and after hearing drawers being opened, he reappeared with a thin, square-shaped wrapped gift. Parker handed it to me while saying, "I didn't know what you wanted, since you never told me... but I went ahead with what every female would want."
I pecked him quickly on the lips and pulled him down with me on the bed. "I'm sure I'll love it." I ran my fingers over the badly-wrapped gift, imagining Parker having a tough time wrapping. It definitely wasn't his strongest hobby.
Finally, I opened it ending my deep sense of curiosity. I first came in sight to see a deep blue, velvet box. I lifted the lid open already having an idea in mind on what it could be. I let out a gasp of surprise at the breathtaking beauty it presented.
A matching set of pearls. A pearl necklace, earrings, and bracelet.
"Parker, thank you." I tried my hardest to tell him how much I was grateful. "Wow. They're beautiful!" I touched each pearl with a tip of my fingertip. This must have cost him a fortune! Thousands and thousands way over my present to him.
"I'd like it if you wore it to the Christmas dinner at my parents' tonight," he suggested looking me in my glazed eyes.
I nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Thank you." I granted him with yet another kiss. "I love you."
"I love you so much more," he declared smiling at me as he pulled away. "I also have another thing for you."
I perked up. "Another one?"
"Trust me, this benefits me more than you," he said winking before standing up and walking to the dresser.
"That better not be lingerie," I called out playfully but wondered if it indeed was. That would be embarrassing if he got a wrong size!
"Don't worry," he chuckled over his shoulder. "As sexy as that sounds, this will be even better." He turned around with a piece of paper in his two hands.
"A contract that binds us forever and ever?"
"We don't need that to be certain. We are and always will stay together no matter what. I'm not letting you go. I hope you know that."
"Good," I said patting the space where he was sitting moments before. "Now sit and let me see that."
He handed me the paper with a gleeful look on his face. One of the many things I loved looking at every single day. I looked at him one more time before lowering my head down to read. I was suddenly feeling nervous.
After what seemed like three or four times rereading it thanks to the tears that came falling once I read the first few lines, it finally registered in my brain.
My sons were legally Luke Jenkins and Peyton Jenkins and are legally Parker's sons!
"Parker!" I exclaimed laughing in tearful joy hugging him. "Oh it's official!"
"Didn't I tell you I loved it more?" He asked kissing me on the forehead, wiping away my tears with his thumb.
"This is amazing! Thank you. Thank you!"
"There's nothing to be thankful for," he denies never taking his eyes off of me.
"Yes there is. For taking in Luke and Peyton. And of course me too. You're the father they have always wanted," I stated caressing one side of his face. "Now they have it. Did I ever tell you how much I love you?"
"It doesn't hurt to hear it again," he drawls on with a teasing look. "I love you. Come on, let's get to breakfast!"
"Momma, is this on right?" Luke asked me later that evening as we were preparing for the huge dinner with Parker's parents.
I looked over to my eldest son from where I was fixing the tie on Peyton's. "Good job honey! Now make sure you do the same to the other one, all right?" He was in the process of learning how to tie his shoes thanks to the song Parker taught him.
"Handsome, Mum?" Peyton asked me with a cute smile when I finished.
I kissed him on his nose, nodding. "Very handsome, sweetheart."
"You about done there?" Parker asked from the doorway.
I did a double take on him. "Look at you. All dressed up nicely." He was dressed in a red buttoned long-sleeved shirt and a leather jacket over it. My husband was hot.
"Haven't I always looked this good?" He raised an eyebrow assessing me.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe. I forget sometimes." Then answering his earlier question, "I'm done dressing these two up. Just watch over them, and make sure they don't spill anything on themselves!" I walked past him after dragging my hand up his chest suggestively. "You look very handsome, Parker dear." I smiled at him before leaving to go and change myself.
Slipping on yet another of the many dresses I had not worn yet, I looked myself in the mirror deciding if it fit me just right. It was a deep shade of red, dressing up for the Christmas holiday. I pursed my lips thinking. Hmm. This will be fine. It's not like I was there to impress anyone. It was just a family gathering. Before I forgot I took the box of Parker's earlier gift to me and clasped on the necklace and bracelet. The earrings I already wore earlier in the day.
The whiteness of the pearls shimmered against the lights and stood out from the dark number I was wearing. Parker does know how to choose his gifts for women. It probably comes from a lot of practice with his flavors of the month. I wasn't jealous though. Of course not. I believed him every single time he expresses his love for me. Besides, it wasn't like I had anything to be scared of. We were married, in love, with two sons. It would be hard to break us apart.
I checked the time on the wall and hurriedly slipped on my white pumps and snatched my purse on the side table. Turning off all the lights, I walked to the living room grabbing the trench coat I used to cover myself from the snowy weather tonight. It definitely was a white Christmas.
"Ready?" I asked my three favorite boys.
They all nodded and walked in front of me out to the garage where the SUV was. I spotted a forgotten gift bag hiding under the tree, and I bent down to pick it up. I didn't have any time to see who it was from or for and opened the passenger side door sliding in.
"We have an extra gift," I proclaimed holding up the small, Reindeer decorated bag.
"Who's it from?" Parker asked already on the road, our home vanishing from sights. Well he drove pretty fast!
"It doesn't say." It didn't have any name on it as I looked all over on the outside. I opened up the bag and saw a card and a pair of socks. First I opened the card and only a few things were written.
Parker,
Make sure you enjoy this family Christmas of yours.
-Heidi
"It's from Heidi," I said deadpanned. I turned the card over so Parker could read it. "I wonder why she would give us two pair of socks." I also held up the two small blue socks.
"Those are way too small to be Luke's and Peyton's," Parker observed frowning.
"What I wonder is how her gift got under our tree."
He was silent for a minute focusing on his driving before he spoke up once again. "It probably came with the many small gifts I received from my coworkers on our holiday party thing. Her dad probably handed it off to me, and I just forgot."
I shrugged. "Yeah. Maybe you're right." Although an unsettling feeling rose up in the pits of my stomach, but I chose to ignore it. I stashed her gift in the little space in the car door and cleared my mind off of it. "So, which gift do you think Agatha will like the most? Yours or mine?" I said starting the playful banter between us two.
Both of us were wrong. Agatha seemed to have loved Luke's and Peyton's performance of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I had to agree with her. It was the cutest thing ever! The boys insisted their dad to be Rudolph and placed a giant red circle piece of paper on his nose as they presented their performance to Agatha and Thomas.
When we arrived that evening, Agatha had already smothered her grandsons with gifts in her arms as she opened the door. The boys were ecstatic to have another gift-opening extravaganza once again! Parker and I had a conversation with Ellie, whom we told about our experience in getting her a birthday gift from the jewelry store.
During dinner, all seven of us including Ellie who was very much thrilled to have an addition to their family of four during Christmas, had a blast telling stories of when Parker was little. It was fun learning about Little Parker and his embarrassing moments.
When we were devouring our desserts afterwards, was when the big highlight of the day came out.
"Is that a ring I see?" I asked Ellie swiping her left hand and checking it.
Ellie paled and regained her color quickly with an accompanying blush. "Well..."
"Ellie." Parker asked with a warning tone in his voice. I placed a hand on his thigh, giving him a silent message to not overreact. That didn't leave him anything else to be but to stay calm. "Please don't tell me that's an engagement ring."
"I can't," she said in a grimaced smile. "Look, Mum, Parker, and Elle," she looked at me, "since you're practically family now... I was planning on telling you guys after dinner when we open gifts."
"Why didn't you want to tell your father?" Agatha asked confused, still not recovering from her state of shock.
"Jack already asked for my blessings," Thomas said in his firm but kind voice from the head of the table, "and I gave it to him."
"Congratulations!" I was the first to get the news settled in my head and stood up to hug Ellie. "I'm really happy for you and Jack."
She smiled at me genuinely. "Thank you." Then she turned her head to the rest with an apprehensive look. "Mum? Parker?"
I squeezed her shoulder encouragingly and sat back down.
"Oh, I knew it would happen sooner or later!" Agatha exclaims mimicking my move. "Congrats dear. I'm going to have a talk with him on why he didn't talk to me like to Thomas!"
"Parker go and congratulate your sister and stop being a baby," I whispered so only Parker could hear. "You are not going to ruin this engagement for her."
I pulled my head away with an innocent smile taking a bit of the mouth watering cake. I gave Parker one last look, inclining towards Ellie with my head. Thomas took in the whole thing with an amused expression.
"Congratulations, Ellie. I am very happy for you. When will my soon-to-be brother-in-law visit?" My husband said with truth to his words and a smile.
Ellie let out an audible sigh of relief. "He's coming two days from now to spend New Year's with us. He had to spend Christmas with his family, but we're fine with it. Thanks for not making a scene, dear brother."
"When do I ever?" He asked mockingly.
"Open gifts now, Momma?" Luke spoke up from across me with an expectant look on his face.
That brought us back to the current happenings inside the household. I just came back from upstairs placing the bags filled with clothing in the bedrooms for we were to stay the night at the mansion due to Agatha's orders. It seemed like they did this every year. Parker and Ellie would spend the night and leave to continue their lives the next day.
My boys and I were just thrown into the tradition.
I went back to the cozy living room where my boys were happily laying on the couch watching a Christmas movie. I saw their eyes drooping close but would instant shoot up once a large noise came from the movie that was on.
The adults were busy talking into conversations in the room next door giving my sons a more quieter atmosphere. I walked over and picked up a nearly asleep Peyton in my arms. I sat back in his spot leaning against the cushioned couch. He snuggled his head deeper into my shoulder, getting quite comfortable.
"Luke, angel," I said softly. "Do you want to sleep now?"
"Not yet Momma. Not sleepy," he said just as he yawned.
"Are you sure?"
"Yup," he said his eyes closing once more. "Not sleepy."
"Daddy will get you to bed later then, okay?" I said standing up about to take Peyton upstairs to a room they would be having for the night.
"Okay," he mumbled his eyes trained on the movie.
I quickly walked back up the grand staircase and opened the bedroom next to what Parker and I would be having tonight. In it was a huge bed for Luke and Peyton, so I didn't have to worry about them falling off in the middle of the night.
"There you go now," I said cooing to Peyton as I laid him gently under the covers making sure it was away from his face just in case it covers him completely. "Shh. Good night, sweetheart. I love you." I kissed the top of his head and left the door cracked open a bit. I took one last look at my son before heading back down to check on Luke.
I found Parker with him playing with one his many new toys. I shook my head. Just when Luke was close to a slumber!
"Parker," I said disappointingly. "He was about to sleep."
"Sorry," he said sheepishly standing up from the couch. "I just showed the rest the letter about Luke and Peyton becoming Jenkins."
A warm flutter flew in my stomach. I didn't think I would ever get over my happiness from that. "How'd they take it?"
"Well of course," he smiled. "So. Are you ready for another surprise?"
I was completely taken aback. "Another?" I asked disbelievingly. "Parker, are you trying to make me feel guilty over my lame present to you?"
He chuckled and stood in front of me. "No, no. Nothing like that. It's just that. They couldn't wait until tomorrow."
"They?" I questioned. "You want me to meet someone? Late at this night?"
"Like I said, they couldn't wait for the scheduled visit."
Parker pulled me with him to the formal living room where everyone else was plus two more people. I clutched onto Parker's hand for support at seeing who they were. A huge gasp flew out of me.
Surprise was definitely an understatement.