CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: The Joy That Brings With Santa's Sleigh Bell Rings
"Fuck Christmas!" Diana screeches from the pantry door, whacking her brunette head on the cupboard lightly as she throws away yet another failed attempt at wrapping even one of her child's gifts the night before Santa 'supposedly' comes in the night, not breaking and entering into people's homes to give questionable gifts.
No mother will like the fact that once the most stressful time of year comes about, the magical fairytale of an obese, comically old cherry to the fanatic merry rotates the world on a sleigh sled of antlered animals that can fly in formation around the world in less than twelve hours. Delivering presents, when really, we did all the work.
No wonder we all get drunk afterwards.
I can't even believe I bought that shit...but, it was most certainly worth it. The first time I'd seen Marvin, Melanie and Mathias' faces when Maximus and I were awoken in excited over-enjoyment because a fat immortal old man had magical squeezed himself down our chimney and placed multiple gifts under the tree Maximus and I had decorated on the first of December.
Closing my eyes, another frustrated screech leaves Diana's lips and Rosa-belle chastises her quickly with an annoyed whisper-yell, "Enough, Diana. You'll wake the kids."
The next moment, the sound of thrumming engines enter my driveway and I notice the men have arrived back from their game, I take a sip of my tea before fixing the bow on one of Melanie's presents, a colouring book she'd wanted online.
She's become quite the little artist and Maximus couldn't be more thrilled to ask her in detail about what each artwork she draws is about.
She's obsessed with varies species of flowers that Hideyoshi sends over from Hong Kong, each new one she draws. Maximus, though disgruntled it's all our little Melanie likes to talk about, he'll stay up late working on framing her drawings and liking the looks of utter astonishment on her face each morning she sees a new framing on her wall.
Mathias, my youngest, who Maximus and I had only two years ago and Marvin take sheer interest in my assortments of model cars and the little figurine race cars I spoil them with.
The door unlocks as the men whisper for the other to be quiet, though it's Ivan who chuckles, "Shut up, our woman are probably asleep, idiot!" Andrew chastises and a pregnant Rosa-belle from the side of me, rolls her eyes in sheer annoyance.
Maximus is the third face I see when Carter and Trevor, both wearing blue and red painted stripes on this aged faces are the first.
Diana has no laughter in her eyes as she raises her glass of red wine, "So, the men decided that going to a football game was worthy of the shit they'll have to deal with when they return back home, on Christmas Eve, to their wives who are actually trying to make tomorrow the best day for our children? Is there not something wrong with this picture, you blithering imbeciles!"
I whistle, leaning my chin on my hand, watching as they sputter in their spots, right when Maximus takes a step forward, towards me, does Diana point her sharp finger in his direct.
"One more step, you little twat and I'll render you manless with Poppy's permission, you lousy excuse of a husband!" She spits at him and stress lines appear at his forehead but he stops his movements. His eyes search mine, while I decide to turn to the next page of the book I'm reading on my next client, taking a sip of my tea as Diana begins her devastatingly genius demands that'll certainly put the men in their place.
"Now, here's what we're going to do. Us woman are either going to bed or ordering a spa massage to soothe ourselves down while you imbeciles are going to finish the Christmas wrapping for tomorrow morning. You don't get to freaking fall asleep until they're all done and I mean, fucking spotless. Trevor, you're in fucking time out and you can sleep in one of Poppy's separate guest rooms for stressing the fuck out of me to make this day perfect for tomorrow. Ladies, have I missed anything out?!" She growls before turning to us, her voice sweetened to the point of glinted recognition and I refrain from giggling as I watch Rosa-belle turn to Andrew.
"Same goes for you, you can sleep with Trevor." Andrew deflates quickly, shaking his head in absolute torment and almost sprints to his newly-wedded wife.
"Honey?" Maximus asks, taking one step towards the kitchen as I write Melanie's name on her present.
I smirk, "You can dress up like Santa all you want, Maximus. Just know, that it was your wife that actually bothered to wrap the presents she bought for her children, while her husband thought going to a football game on Christmas Eve, was acceptable? You should know by now, you can't get away with anything, since you decided to put a ring on my finger. Did you not think I knew about your little outing?" I ask him, nonchalantly as I stand and place the present on the excessively large pile in front of me.
I sigh and shake my head when he sputters, "How disappointing?" I whisper, before adding, "We've been married for at least ten years and you still wouldn't think I'd know you took my SUV's in order to get VIP seating while I stay here, trying to make a Merry Christmas for our children. I guess you're lucky, considering I've just finished wrapping." I inform him and he removes the game hat from his head.
"Poppy-" He whispers, brokenly. I know how much he loves his kids, so to hear that I'd already finished their Christmas wrapping because he decided to go to a game, it didn't end well on his lips.
I turn to Diana, sighing, "Let's just call it a night. I have enough guest rooms for all of them, unless they find someway to make it up to you all. I'm calling it a night."
The other girls huff with impressed looks as they follow after me, Diana is the first to laugh, "Oh my Lord, did you see their faces? Like freaking grounded puppies."
Rosa-belle sighs, "Andrew will pay me back with a massage." Everdeen holds her hand as she helps her up the stairs.
Diana looks to her incredulously, "Perhaps, something more worthy of punishment?" She offers for suggestion but, Rosa-belle just slouches with a pout, "I'm in dire need of a seriously long worthy massage."
We all sigh, exhaustedly. Knowing she's right because, a massage sounds very worthy at the moment.
I smile towards them in 'goodnight', to which they return as they walk to their home stay rooms, the estate was large enough for them all to have their own rooms.
I walk straight to mine and Maximus', closing the door, I don't bother locking it before walking towards the on-suite, already having my pale peach chemise in their and turning on the large bathtub tap, already adding lavender and Ambrosia salts within before the sound of a hesitant knock on my door sounds.
Ignoring it, I undress and step in, checking the time to already be midnight, I sigh, leaning further back in.
Closing my eyes and finally relaxing into the steaming waters of the tub, bubbles start flying around when I notice a new body has decided to join, I don't bother opening my eyes when a rough, callous hand gently runs across my lower left leg, massaging it before he smoothly lowers his hands to the sole of my foot and begins to massage firmer.
I purse my lips and one of his hands grips my ankle, to stop me from moving away, even though I hadn't started yet. He was cautious, that I noticed distinctly.
"I shouldn't have gone with the guys to the game." Maximus whispers. I don't bother moving, nor answering as he sighs, before moving on to my right leg.
"I'm sorry, Poppy. Not just for not telling you, but for not helping you wrap the children's gifts. I hadn't realised it was so late and when I realised, it was too late. I forced them to leave before the game ended because you know how much I love helping you wrap their presents on Christmas Eve...and perhaps eating some of their chocolate." He chuckles lightly, thinking he'd get me to open my eyes.
Not a chance.
The next thing he does, should have surprised me, but I was honestly too exhausted to shed anything but a slight gasp before I blink my eyes open. I now, sit straight on his lap, his naked lap, with my legs around his narrow hips.
Scorching as they were, my arms were already around his neck and he'd pulled me flush to his chest, his sharp inhale before tormented groan follows once we connect in more ways than one.
"Poppy!" He moans against my lips as I haven't yet said a word.
A brave band to my jaw asks for permission, I stare gravely into his darkened eyes at the feeling of us so close together and he locks his other arm tightly around my mid-back, keeping me just above him, not yet inside.
Not yet, fully connected as one, but, he bucks his hips trying to move closer and another tortured groan leaves his lips. Still, not fully connected and the furrow in his eyebrows along with the rigid ness in his biceps tells me he's holding strong.
Waiting.
I run my fingers through the scalps at the back, "You lost track of time?" I whisper. He freezes.
"You forgot that wrapping the gifts for our children is something we'd chosen as a tradition, to do together?" I whisper next and he pauses, pulling back a little. Eyes lessen in their previously darkened mists as he removes his hand from my jaw and plays with my blonde strands, dampened at contours of my back.
He eyes the blonde curl at the side of my eye, still dry as I stare into his amethyst depths with precision, with clear certainty.
"You forgot that we're both supposed to work in making tomorrow the most magical day for Melanie, Marvin and Mathias because you lost track of time at a football game, Maximus?" I raise both my hands to his cheeks, moving them so he looks me in the eye.
I don't smile, I can't...he was supposed to be there with me.
Luckily, this is the only time he's done this and I can see how regretful he feels as he sits up, flushing his chest with mine once again and just pulling me in for an embrace. Locking his head into my bare neck, besides the necklace he'd given me last year, he inhales and exhales roughly. His arms fold me in closer, trembling slightly as they were, does my right hand trail up and down his back. He buckles with a shudder at my touch.
"It won't happen again." He whispers, brokenly, once again and I lock my arms around his neck once again, raising an eyebrow when he leans back, only to connect both our foreheads.
"I promise, Poppy! It won't." His own anger at himself shows clearly, he gathers me closer in his arms, my elbows bend in and I tilt his head up towards me, before whispering,
"Thank you."
His hands curve around back, trailing up and down my spine, hypnotically.
"I don't know if I ever told you but, when we first met, I was a racking nervous wreck. Lord, the second you came into my life, nothing...absolutely nothing else mattered, honey. I was scared I wasn't good enough for you, that's where my hesitancy got the best of me and I had made the worst mistakes. Falling for you was not one of them and getting to be with you wasn't either. Not taking action sooner, Indeed, that was a mistake but, I don't regret any of the choices I made with you and for you because I still got to be in your arms in the end. I just wanted you to know that." He whispers to me in the end and my eyes alight in teared wonder.
I close my eyes with a smile, before blinking up towards him and trailing my finger across the strands near his forehead, "I never got to tell you that even in your romantically devious mind, I was more than willing to have shared that tiny tent with you during camp where I shared one of my most cherished moments...with you, Maximus Darling. I was more than willing to actually have you as my boyfriend, now my husband and thanks to you, I now have a beautiful family, melodramatic and yet perfectly crafted friends. Not acting sooner...was a mistake that won't ever happen again." I breathe out, before looking up, only for him to nuzzle the side of his head into mine.
"You always had a way with words." He murmurs huskily. Breathless as well.
My arms tighten again, "And I'm holding the man who taught me."
His eyes scorch through mine for a moment, before the mere pressure of his lips on mine becomes more prominent and when he traces a line down the middle of my chest, only to cup my lower back and tighten gently, do I practically mewl against his mouth.
That's, what sets him on fire.
A flame of his own and I giggle against his lips as I'm forced to straighten my arms around his neck and we're flushed together once again.
He just stays still, not moving as he continues devouring my lips in his, all before his hard breathing kicks in and he murmurs against my lips, "I love you."
I smile, "I love you."
He mimicked my smile but, the intensity of his eyes rivals a heat of emotions that rise between the two of us when he doesn't decide to move, he just wants to feel all of me in the most sensual way that I find myself leaning forward, tapping my nose lightly to his.
I squeal in further surprise when he bends me forward, holding the back of my head as he slams his lips back onto mine and our touches electrify further under the water, lifting me back up slowly, the passion he sets between us has me breathing more erratically.
Lifting us both into a stand and I gasp once more, pulling back, I ask breathlessly, "What are you doing?"
His entire face is flushed, lips are reddened as well and he tightens his grip on me, one arm below my behind as he steps out before gesturing with one finger for me to move forward once again.
When I do, he pecks my chin, jawline, cheeks and nose as he opens our on-suite door, walking us strategically towards the large mattress and I laugh, wrapping my arms tighter around his neck.
"What are you doing?" I ask again and he slowly lowers me onto the sheets, having already opened the duvet. He smooths out a pillow underneath my dripping wet hair, closing our transparent bed curtains before turning back to me, crawling over and settling on top of me.
He encases his arms around the back of my chest and arches me forward, pecking me once before slowly parting my legs with his.
Before the laps of ecstasy, he murmurs a few more tantalising words.
"I'm making love to my wife."
*****
Maximus was true to his word, he'd satisfied me more than once before exhaustion took over and he'd drifted with his head locked between the points where my collarbone and neck meets.
Thankfully, he wasn't snoring as I check the time to be seven-thirty in the morning and I brush a few short dark strands of his hair, so to wake him softly. His arms tighten when I do and the sound of children squealing down the hall echoes. He snaps his head up, then, clearly hearing the laughter before.
"DADDY! MOMMY! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Melanie and Marvin screams with a few knocks on our door, still having trouble reaching the handles and I giggle when they try from the other side.
"Merry Christmas, my love." I murmur along his forehead, placing a long kiss as he falls back onto my bare chest, delicately.
He purrs contently, "Merry Christmas, Indeed, honey."
I sigh, before reaching under the pillow where I'd hid his first gift.
The casing was a small royal gold and chocolate brown box, he opens his eyes as I place it on the duvet beside us and his eyes widen before he growls, "Poppy!"
I smile a small smile, "What, Darling?"
"We promised 'no gifts' this year?" He growls again and I playfully slap his shoulder, chastising him.
"My memory doesn't recall that information. Now, open your first gift, you growling buffoon!" I order him and his eyes trace a slow trail past my chest and towards my eyes where he lifts himself and crawls higher, delving into a quick kiss before he sits up, only to reach under his pillow with a smirk and pulling out a thin, long box, wrapping with the exact same wrapping as he hands it to me.
I accept it, rolling my eyes as he says, "I just recall suggesting we don't, but, when do you ever listen to me anyway?" He asks, rhetorically with a lazy smile.
Pulling me in closer, he sits up and a curl the lower sheet around my upper chest while he turns to me, entangling our legs so mine sits on top of his and I hand him his present from me.
I smile, before opening mine, a charm bracelet with the capital of each city we've been to together has me rolling my eyes once more and he chuckles quietly, the shakes rivet from his chest that he moves closer to me, for me to lean on.
"Thank you, Darling." I whisper to him and he returns it with a long kiss on my forehead as he opens his present. I'd got him a new Gucci watch as well as a new key to something I'd made Jamison bring only an hour ago.
He looks to me confused and I bite my lip with a smile when Marvin yells loudly from downstairs, "DADDY! DADDY! THERE'S A TANK OUTSIDE!"
Now, his eyes widen, not realising, he shoves off the duvet, showing me his naked form but not caring as he walks towards the window, "Holy Hell! Is that an MC Maserati?!" His eyes resembles saucers now before snapping his head back at me and charging towards the bed.
I scream, "MAXIMUS!"
He kisses my neck first, open mouthed before making sure every inch of my face is touched by his lips as he profusely whisper-yells a grand 'thank you' to me.
Arms tightening me, he removes the sheet around me and pulls me closer but stops when he hears Melanie screech for us to open the door and he sighs into my neck, just as we hear more high-pitched squeals from all three.
"Carter?!" Mathias and Marvin shout at him simultaneously before the sound of them pounding down the stairs follows and I hear Melanie squeal before,
"I've got you, you little cutie!" Ivan growls playfully, Melanie's giggles follow.
Maximus chuckles on top of me, "You ever noticed my Mel has your laugh?"
I raise an eyebrow, "Really? Your Mel?"
He smiles down at me lazily, "Always." He places one last kiss on my lips before smirking as he looks down quickly but I scoff, lifting his eyes back up, "My clothes?"
He raises his own eyebrow, "I like what your wearing now?" He poses it like a question as one hand curls deviously around the back of my neck, flitting the tips of his fingers along my skin as he closes his eyes and smiles widely once his whole body leans closer to mine.
"I'm not wearing anything?" I tell him, thinking it was obvious but, he opens his eyes with a playful glint. Shaking his head, "You're currently wearing me, honey."
He joins in with my laughter before closing in on a few hushed kisses before he rolls us over and walks me, both of us stark naked, towards our walk-in wardrobe where he picks out the clothes he wants me to wear.
A floral red dress, knee-length and sleeveless as he just pulls on a pair of boxers and grabs one piece of lingerie, smiling as he brings it towards me, I snatch it from him before he can do anything and pull it on, under the dress.
He smirks, walking slowly towards me as he leans his bare arms down, running the fingertips of his hands up my thighs, skimming back down again before he continues his ministrations, almost falling into me.
He sighs once he hears Melanie screeching his name once again, "Daddy!"
I giggle into Maximus' bare shoulder when he groans into my neck, I grab his hand, "They've been waiting long enough, Darling." He grumbles behind me but, not satisfied with just holding my hand, he curls it around my waist, tugging me to his side before waddling us towards the door where a cheeky Melanie, with her blonde curls all over the place, claps her hands with a cute smile.
Few seconds and she's running into my arms, "MOMMY!"
I giggle into her curls when she's finally in my arms and Maximus encases his arm around my upper abdomen, directly under my arm, which holds Melanie up. Maximus leans his forehead against hers, his chin on my shoulder, as he inhales the fragrance in her hair, as it matches mine and her natural smell.
She laughs, whispering his name before she bundles her fingers with my hair and delves her little head into my neck as Maximus keeps us cuddled into his chest, patting her hair as we both whisper down towards her, "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."
She whispers, "Merry Christmas." Before we're walking down the stairs and towards the living room where all friends, family and children seem to be huddled. Marvin and Mathias come running towards us when Diana points and says, "Look! Look who's here, you two!"
Melanie holds tighter when Maximus kneels down to slow down the impact of the other two prowling towards my legs as they hug each one. I smile, looking down, as Marvin points towards the large decorated pine tree in the corner of the room, the thirty foot kind of Christmas tree.
Maximus tickles both as Marvin squeals, "Mom, look at the presents!"
There we stood, watching as the kids went straight to the presents and Ivan got into a full on debate with Maximus as to why he should be given the chance to take a spin with the Maserati first because he doesn't have the woman of his dreams yet.
Maximus had pulled me into his lap then, before biting back at Ivan that he hasn't been trying yet. Ivan waved him off before smiling when Melanie sprints towards his open arms, "Uncle Ivan, it has your name on it." She says to him as he places her sideways on his lap.
Diana laughs next to Trevor as their daughter, Lorraine throws tinsel in his hair, she mouths to me, 'Payback!'
I shake my head with a smile before a small hand touches my knee and I look down as Marvin slowly lifts himself up on the couch, holding his newest Lykan Hypersport in mint condition model, exactly like his Father's car. His eyes brighten as Maximus ruffles his blonde hair.
"Dad!" He whines and Maximus' chuckle follows, just as Mathias comes closer with his remote control tank. The boys play as Melanie forces Ivan to read to her the new fictional novel I'd gotten for her, he gives me the stink eye but, Melanie makes us all laugh when she reaches for his chin and forces him to look at the page she points at.
Maximus almost falls apart in laughter when our little princess surprises Ivan with a slack-jawed look at what she did, she smiles, turning to me with a cute wave and everyone sees it.
The life of the party, she was. Just as Lorraine joins them on the couch and she listens on Trevor's lap.
Grabbing the side tray on the table next to the sofa we sit on, I hand Mathias his small cup of hot milk and Marvin his hot chocolate as Carter does the same for the others.
I warm when Marvin sits closer to Maximus' side just as Mathias crawls onto my lap and we listen to the Christmas tale Ivan echoes through the air as he enchants all the children in the room when he enhances each word with strong meaning in the tones of his voice.
Mathias curls into me and Maximus wraps his other arm around Marvin's shoulder and he looks up at me, "Thank you, Mommy."
I lean down and place a kiss on his hairline, "No need, Darling. Merry Christmas." I whisper towards him as he smiles, placing his small hand in mine, easily warming it.
"Merry Christmas." He returns just as Mathias moves his forehead and grabs ahold of my chin, gently connecting our heads and Maximus gushes, "Lord, how do they know how to do that?!" Disbelief washes in his amethyst eyes as Mathias places a kiss on my cheek before whispering. His next words shock us all.
"And happy new year."
*****
THE END