Christmas with the Calvins

Chapter Fifty-Four

December 22nd started off the same as every other day at the North Pole, busy. The elves were in a mad dash to ensure all the final preparations had been made for the big day. The reindeer had been trained and reminded of their route. Comet of course made sure there was an ample supply of rope in case Scott fell off the roof. Which given his years of experience, was incredibly unlikely. Curtis had managed to perform his task as Assistant Head Elf as well as complete all of the paint department's work on time.

"Curtis, I can't believe you got everything done on time!" Jess laughed as she came by her department for one final Pre-Christmas visit.

"Jessica, I'm hurt." Curtis gasped. "I was an elf nine hundred years before you were even born and in that time, I took a painting class or two."

"You're right, you're right." She said holding her hands up in surrender. "And all joking aside, I really do want to thank you so much for your help Curtis. So, I thought I would bring you a thank you gift." Jess held out a small peppermint striped package, which he took carefully from her. Inside, was a delicately carved crystal paintbrush ornament. The ornament twinkled and shimmered as the lights inside the workshop bounced off it. "You're officially one of us now. Thank you again for your...AH...OUCH..."

"Jessie? Are you alright?"

"Doctor." She managed to gasp. "I need the Doctor Curtis, it's time."

"It's time? Oh." Curtis nodded before yelling out into the workshop. "IT'S TIME!"

"Hey Bernard, relax!" Scott commanded as he and Carol joined their son-in-law outside of the doctor's office. While Jess laid in the delivery room, her husband paced nervously in the snow. "You look like you're about to upchuck, buddy."

"Oh Scott, don't tease him!" Carol defended the elf. "Bernard, why don't you take a seat, this could take hours."

"Hours?" Bernard's voice cracked in panic. Scott and Carol exchanged concerned look.

"Say, I promised Neil and Laura I'd go get them when it came time. I'm thinking I'll go make a quick stop in Chicago and be back before the kids arrive." Scott suggested. "Why don't you come with me, Bernard?"

"Come with? What if I miss something?" The Head Elf worried.

"I don't think there's much to miss buddy. Come on. You're not going to help anybody by waiting around digging holes in the snow."

Bernard looked from his father-in-law to the door of the doctor's office and back. Jess would be crushed if he missed the birth of their children. On the other hand the Head Elf had a working mind. He needed to be doing something, the pacing, the waiting; it was painful. In the end Bernard did decide to go with Scott to pick up Neil, Laura, Charlie and Lucy. The whole sleigh ride back to the North Pole the family was rapid firing questions at Scott and the father-to-be. How was Jess doing? How many hours had it been already? Bernard was beginning to wonder if it would have been less tiring pacing his way up and down that snow bank by the door.

Nicolas Charles Calvin was born at 5:36 pm and his sister Noel Holly was born almost a full two hours later at 7:31pm. Noel was swaddled in a red blanket and she was perfectly content snuggling inside of that blanket. Nicolas on the other hand, was just like his father, he was using what small energy he could muster to try and wriggle out of his green swaddle blanket. Jess was sat up in her room, with a baby tucked safely in each arm.

"They're so little!" Lucy remarked when she spotted her niece and nephew for the first time.

"That's your Aunt Lucy." Jess whispered to her infant children. "And that's your Uncle Charlie." She nodded at her younger brother. "And all your grandparents are here too. Grandpa Scott and Grandma Carol, They both have very important jobs here at the North Pole. You'll find out why when you're older. And There's you're Nana Laura, and that guy in the bright ugly sweater is Neil." She teased which caused everyone, even her stepfather, to chuckle. "You can just call him Gramps. But of course the person you've been waiting the longest to meet, your Dad." Inhaling deeply, Bernard crouched down at the side of the bed. He wrapped one arm around his little family and smiled.

"I've got it from here." He told his wife with confidence. "Nick, Noel, hi." He sighed dreamily. "Wow, I guess Santa was right, you both do look like aliens." Again everyone laughed. "That was a joke because I'm uncomfortable, it's a quirk of mine, you'll learn to love it." He chuckled to himself. "But on a more serious note, it's no secret that Christmas was always my number one priority. Then one Christmas, I met the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was smart and creative and she had the most beautiful laugh, like the jingle of the bells on Santa's sleigh. I fell in love with that woman, and we got married. Which brings us to today. December 22, 2003, your birthday. So I promise you today on your first birthday, that you and your mother will always be my number one priority." All three moms in the room started cooing at this. It was the softest side of Bernard any of them had seen and if Scott didn't know any better he'd swear that Bernard himself was tearing up.

After the emotionally charged moment the twins were passed around the family like cuddly little footballs. Charlie taught Lucy how to hold a baby just like he had learned to hold her when she was born. Carol and Laura oohed and Ahhed and talked about how much the babies looked like Jess and Bernard. But neither new mother nor father could see the resemblance just yet. Whenever it was Scott's turn to hold Nick or Noel he would chuckle with a big Ho-ho-ho before launching into one story or another about his own kids being born. As usual Neil didn't say much, but Jess was glad to have her step-father's calm presences there to balance out the chaos and high energy of the rest of the family. The girl who never thought she would have a real family, found herself in a room surrounded by people who love her and each other more than anything else in the whole world.