"Arrex get your ass down here!" I yell up to him
"We want to open our presents lazy ass!" Colton follows my lead. After no response, Cheri gets up with a devious grin before very calmly walking out into the kitchen and then upstairs with a pot and wooden spoon in hand. Seconds later the loud banging of a pan is heard followed by Arrex's groaning.
"Aww all my babies look so cute" Cheri grins as Arrex joins us. Since we were babies, we've always had matching Christmas pajamas, every single one of us, Lance and Lacey included. This year is no different.
"Yeah yeah, can we open our presents now?" Ace questions with an excited grin
"Go ahead guys" my dad just laughs as he takes a sip of his coffee.
All seven of us tear into our presents as our parents watch with amused faces. No matter how old we get, presents on Christmas morning will always give us this same joy.
After ripping all of them open, we simply sit back and admire all of our presents. Since we've gotten older, we get less bigger presents and really just more money. None of us complain though, who wouldn't like money?
"Oh and Belle, this came in the mail for you yesterday" Cheri hands me a letter from the organization that runs the law program. "I got an email about it too, you might want to open that"
I just smile as I tear the letter open, and quickly scan over it
"Holy shit!" I jump up with a wide smile on my face "They want me to go back for a weekend as a mentor for their leadership class"
"I know!" Cheri laughs as I hug her "Your dad and I got the email last week, last weekend of March you and I are going back to Chicago!"
"Not fair! I wanna go to Chicago" Colton pouts beside me
"This is for educational purposes, so unless you want to spend a weekend at Loyola Northwestern University speaking to Juniors in high school, you wouldn't like it" I grin at him
"Fair" he just shrugs
"So do you all like your presents?" My dad smiles, looking around at all of us
"Yes!" My brothers and I just laugh before tackling him into a hug
"Good, now its time get stuff ready, I gotta be at the Kazers by noon to help Aaron cook" he grins before hopping up and walking into the kitchen, Cheri following close being while the kids all stay in the living room, messing with our new presents.
"Kids are in the living room Kazer" I hear my dad say from the kitchen, I instantly perk up to see Caleb enter with the usual mischievous smirk on his face. He looked adorable in his Christmas pajamas- plaid pajama pants with little Rudolph head on them, paired with a red t-shirt.
"What's that look for?" I smile up at him, just as he plops beside me on the floor,
"I don't know, I'm just happy" he shrugs "What's that look for?" He points to my face
"Oh you know, I'm just going back to Chicago in March". I grin at him as I say this nonchalantly
"Wait when?" His smile grows
"Last weekend in March"
"You're shitting me right now" his eyes go wide "Remember the day you broke up with Dallas?" He questions
"Yeah why?" I quickly glance at my brothers who were now shooting each other in the head with Nerf guns
"And I said I got something the mail, like right before you yelled at me for no reason" he pokes with a grin
"Okay I apologized!"
"Yeah I know, it's fun to tease you though" he laughs before effortlessly shooting Colton in the head with the nerf gun he stole from Lance "Anyway, I was going to tell you that I'm going to need recommendations because I'm going to Chicago the last weekend of March for a conference with the head coach of the Bears"
"Are you serious?!" I can't help the grin that's grown on my face
"Jordan and I are both going" He laughs as I basically jump on him
"Oh my god I can't wait to show you guys everything! There's so much to do. There's Navy Pier, then the Field Museum, or the Science and Industry Museum. Oh and Wriggleyville is the best. There's also Soldier Field, the Sears tower, and there's this one spot I found by the lake that is actually closed off cause it's a danger zone but I snuck in but we don't have to talk about that. We can also go to Millenium park or to the fountain. Oh and the John Hancock building too!" I star rambling about all the touristy places in Chicago "Oh and we have to go to Ginos East or Giordanos- best deep dish ever. Then we can go to Portillos and Weiners circle too. There's also the Golden Nugget, or Ed Debevics, and I think Lelands diner is still there on Halstead"
"You realize you're only there for like three and a half days right?" Arrex grins as he sits beside us, greeting Caleb with a punch in the arm. I was currently on the armrest of the couch, my legs draped across Calebs lap.
"Yeah I don't think you'll have time for everything" Ace laughs, joining us
"Fair point" I chuckle before looking over at "We are definitely going to Portillos though, I miss that food"
"I'm down. And I'm almost a hundred percent positive Jordan will be too" he nods
"Oh you guys Don't have a choice" I smirk "We're going"
"Yeah okay whatever" he grins before looking over at Lance "Hey when's Elle comin in?"
"She'll be here around noon-ish," he smiles, obviously excited to see his little sister, I glance at Ryan to see him wearing a similar expression.
"Someone's excited" Caleb whispers as I glance at Ryan
"He's been over the moon excited since the mention of her coming" I smirk, Ryan and Lacy had always had little things here and there but never at the right time to do anything serious. Maybe this will finally be their chance.
"Okay we should start getting dressed" Ace states, standing up
"Yeah moms gonna flip her shit if I'm not back home in like two minutes" Caleb laughs, standing up after me "I'll see y'all in a bit"
"Bye Kazer" I call back before walking into the kitchen "Father"
"Daughter"
"Can I-"
"No cake until after dinner"
"But-"
"Nope go get ready"
I just huff before stomping upstairs to get dressed. Once finished, I stomp back dowbstairs, shower taken makeup done, clothes on and hair straightened, still with a pout on my face.
"That face doesn't work on me anymore" my dad just laughs at me "Nice try, now get the boys and start taking cakes over to the Kazers"
--------
"Hey go upstairs!" Ace walks in the living room of the Kazers house"Just saw Lace pull up"
"Go!" I yell at both Ryan and Lance.
We were all determined to surprise her. Coming up with a simple plan really to do so.
"Hey guys!" She yells as she enters the house, all of us swarming her in a hug.
"I know it's only been a few years but holy fuck have you all gotten big" she grins, wide eyed, looking at all of us
"Eh nothing changed but our looks" Arrex laughs
"Code for you're all still assholes?" She glances at Caleb, Ace and I with her typical grin that was almost identical to her older brothers
"Without a doubt" the three of us say at the same time before I start to lead her and everyone else back into the kitchen.
Everyone else continues their conversations as normal after the long greeting. Eventually, most of them returned to what they'd been doing, meanwhile, I hang out in the kitchen along with both Ace and Colton, talking to Lacey while Caleb went upstairs to let both Ryan and Lance know they could come down.
Ryan was the first to make an appearance.
He ever so casually strolls into the kitchen, picking up a bread roll from the counter in front of Lacey and I and just grins at the two of us.
"Hey Lace" he greets before shoving half the roll into his mouth.
Lacey on the other hand, is speechless, looking between my nonchalant brother, and I. Before full on tackling him in a hug as she started to sob.
Everyone watches as he wraps his arms around her and laughs before kissing the side of her head.
"Holy fuck, how are you here right now?!" She looks up at him a moment after he sets her down
Before he can even respond though, Lance decides to make an appearance, walking in with his typical confidence and bright grin.
He has the same calm nature as Ryan did, walking in as if nothing was weird.
"What's up baby sister?"
"What the fuck?" she covers her mouth now as more tears start to stream from her eyes, she can't even move at this point, standing motionless staring at Lance.
"Hey Lace" Lance steps foreword enveloping her in one of his signature bear hugs as she just cries
I just glance over at Caleb with a smile I can't help from showing, to see he's already looking at me.
I'm gonna cry I mouth over at him
I might too He grins and I just laugh before walking over to him
"We did good" I lean my head against him as he drops his arm around my shoulders
"Yeah we did" he just hold his hand up, and I smack it with mine, leaving it there as he intertwines his fingers with mine.
After all of them stop crying, Laceys actually able to talk, but only says one thing.
"Best Christmas ever"