One Way Bridge

Chapter 67

The plan was everyone would come over around nine. I'm pretty sure the dress code was pajamas, but I knew no one would follow it, so when I woke up, I changed into a sweater and pair of sweatpants. I didn't bother to do anything with my hair, Ally had braided it last night and it only looked slightly slept in, and make up was a definite no. The first thing I saw was presents under the tree. It might not have been my normal tree in my normal living room, heck this tree was blue, but it was still comforting.

Grandma was already up and dressed. She was busy cooking. "Good, you're up, will you get out the Christmas plates, the small ones?" She pointed towards the china cabinet. I went over and found the ones she was talking about. We had used them for years. There were nine little ones, each with a reindeer and the name on it and one large platter with Santa and the sleigh. My mom had given them as a present to Grandma when I was little. It was so long ago, I was probably the only one that remembered. I took them out and set them on the counter. Grandma quickly began washing the dust off them and giving them to me to dry. Once each plate was dry, Grandma gave me the pan filled with miniature cinnamon rolls to put on the platter.

"When you're done, will you go wake up your brother and Ally?" She asked me pulling a coffee cake out of the oven.

"Sure," I placed the last roll of the plate and went back to my room. Ally was still passed out on the trundle bed. "Ally," I said quietly. "Wake up, it's Christmas. Santa came. He said that if you don't get up right now, you get nothing!"

"Santa called and said you get nothing for waking me up," she rolled over and I smiled.

"Vince will be here soon, you really want him to see you like that?"

"Like I really care?"

"Fine," I pulled out my phone and took a picture. She heard the noise. I quickly got out of her reach. "Up in ten or this goes online."

Ally sat up. "Blackmailing? On Christmas?"

I smiled and skipped out of the room. Downstairs, all I did was knock and say "presents, bacon, potatoes," I could already hear Alex move around the room.

By the time I got upstairs, the Petersons were there and Ally was dressed and sitting beside Justin. Justin got up to hug me. I hugged him back and said Merry Christmas. When we parted, I tossed Ally my phone and went to join the others in the kitchen. I was quickly shooed, but not before I could grab a couple mugs of hot chocolate. I gave one to Justin and took a spot on the floor in front of him. I leaned back against his legs and enjoyed the sound of people. It had been a long time since I was around so many happy people, people that I cared about. It was only another ten minutes before the Carsons showed up with a bag of presents.

The presents were scattered under the tree and the Carsons, along with everyone else, found a mug and a place to sit. I had never seen a tree with so many gifts before. Charlotte picked up a gift and found a tag. "One for Alex," she tossed it to him and I just hoped it wasn't breakable. "One for Ally," she tossed that gift too. "A giant one for the King family," she didn't bother moving it. Charlotte was a trooper. I would have quit probably five gifts in, but she sorted every single one under that tree. She even had to deal with the ones meant for my aunts and uncles and cousins. Those were left under the tree, but the rest were scattered around the room in piles beside the people they were meant for. We let Charlotte open the first gift, it was a new phone which she freaked out about. My first present was one of the books I had wanted. It was from Alex. I said a quick thanks before Ally opened one of her gifts. We went around and around for probably an hour. Justin had opened the gift I got for him, a sweatshirt for his favorite team and Nana got the paper weight my dad made in his high school shop class. She started tearing up, but Kate was there to give her a hug. Alex had even opened the wireless speakers I got him. It was weird to have enough money to buy everything that people wanted. I even got a grill set for Jeff and a bath set for Kate.