A beautiful photographer

Chapter 16 - Day in

*Tom's pov*

The morning after we woke up to the kids jumping at the end of the bed screaming
"It's snowing!"

"Good morning!" Charlotte says as I prop myself on my elbows to look at the kids
"Hi!" Alex says "it's snowing!"
"Yeah I see it baby...let us get up. You go in the kitchen and take the breakfast things out for mommy please?"
"Sure...come on in Alex" Ellie says jumping off the bed and exiting the room with her little brother.
I turn on my side and look at Charlotte
"Is it their first time seeing snow?"
"Yep...how did you guess it?"
"Mhm...I have no idea"
She lays her head back on my chest and I hug her
"I can watch the kids acting like this for the rest of my life...they are adorable" I say
"You really do love kids don't you?"
"Oh I do...especially yours!"
"Cute" she says
"Your cuter...now let's go and make breakfast"

In the kitchen, after having breakfast, the kids are sat on the sofa watching tv and I decide to bring up something to Charlotte
"So...since today is the first day of December, Christmas is coming up real fast"
"It is"
"So my question is...do you have plans for Christmas?"
"If staying at home, just the three of us is a plan..."
"Would it be too much if I ask you to spend Christmas with me?"
"We'd love to" she says smiling and closing the distance between us, I place a soft kiss on the corner of her lips and she returns it.
"Deal...your choice if to be just the four of us at my place, or yours...or to go to my mum for lunch or dinner and going back home"
"We can go to your mom and go back home later, maybe in the same place...we can stay at yours. And for New year, do you have any plans Mr. Hiddleston?"
"Mmm...no, I'm free Ms. Banks"
"Good, then we can spend it together!"
"Good...see that was easy!"
"It was...oh one more thing, it's possible, actually highly possible that for New Year Leah is coming here"
"The more the merrier, my love" I say embracing her again and laying a kiss on her cheek.

*Charlotte pov*

"Can we go play in the snow?" Ellie asks
"I'm afraid it's too cold today darling" Tom says sitting on the couch and bringing Ellie down, sitting her on his legs "but maybe tomorrow after school we can go to the park and play a bit...what do you say mum?" He says
"We can do that, sure!"
"Oh it's going to be so fun!" Tom says
Alex comes jumping in the couch and lays his head against my arm.

After watching a movie, it's nearly dinner time and I stand from the couch going over in the kitchen
"Mommy, can Tom stay and have dinner with us?" Alex says
"Yes please mommy!" Ellie chimes in
"It's fine by me...ask Tom"
The kids go back in the living room where Tom is turning off the tv and after a minute or so I see him appear in the room balancing Alex on his hip and holding Ellie with his other arm
"I'm staying...what a silly question" he says lowering the kids and coming help me with dinner.

"Darling this is delicious!" Tom says eating his food
"Mom makes the best baked salmon!" Ellie says
"Well thank you!" I say smiling at them

After dinner we chat a bit more and at 9.45 I send the kids to brush their teeth and get ready for bed
"Goodnight Tom!" Alex says hugging him
"Night little guy" Tom says kissing his head and placing him back on the floor
"Bye Tom, night"
"Night night my sweet Ellie" he says kissing her as well
He stands from his position "I'll see you tomorrow after school" he says to the kids as they walk up the stairs.

I lead him to the door and wait for him to get dressed and ready to go out in the cold December weather
"And I'll see you tomorrow too, darling" he says hugging me one last time
"See you tomorrow babe"
"Uh...a new nickname, I like it!"
I laugh at his statement and bring him down for another kiss.
He then opens the door and fetches his car keys out of his pocket
"Oh and Tom-"
"I'll text you once home, love you" he says and turns his back to me
"Love you too, goodnight"
"Night darling" he says closing the car door and driving away.

Once back in the house I tuck the kids in their beds and finish to clean the kitchen, then as I go upstairs I see the sweater Tom gave me when we first met, that I gave back to him just the other day, laying on the couch with a note on top of it

This belongs to you, my love.
Feel free to wear it to sleep and be a bit warmer and have a part of me with you.
Sweet dreams!
Yours,
Tom.

I grab the sweater and run upstairs in my room, slipping it over my pj shirt and make myself comfy in the bed, waiting for his text and falling asleep with his scent filling my nostrils.