Happily Ever Christmas

~Thirty-Six~

The whole house felt like it was overflowing with tattered wrapping paper and squealing children hopped up on too much sugar and general Christmas cheer.

My two children, however, were in a different kind of mood, I noticed.

They were grateful for all their presents, I had raised them to be polite, but they were considerably more subdued than the other children.

They stayed close to Steve all night and neither of us were oblivious to how they kept trying to push us together, whether it was sending us out for firewood or into the kitchen to make more cocoa or even sneakily leading us both to the archway where the mistletoe was hanging - that was an awkward moment.

But nothing could've prepared us for what happened next.

All of a sudden, the front door blew open and a man in a navy blue pea coat came stumbling in over the threshold, bringing with him the icy wind and snow.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and even the Christmas music happened to reach a time-out on Pandora Radio in the background just then.

The man shook himself of snow and set down his bags of presents in the entryway. When he straightened up to grin at us all like he was Santa Claus himself, a few people around the room even gasped.

I put my hand over my heart, which was suddenly racing painfully.

"Peter?" I whispered.

Anger quickly replaced the shock.

How dare he show his face here?!

"Hey, kids! Merry Christmas!" He got down on a knee and held his arms out to embrace his children, clearly expecting them to run to him and be ecstatic to see him.

Our kids did not rush to him, however, neither of them were ready to forgive him quite yet.

Olivia was wise beyond her years, though, and after a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her little brother's arm and dragged him across the room in a stoic, resigned fashion to greet their father properly.

He was still their father, after all.

*~*~*~*

Steve came to stand at my side; I could feel his warm, comforting presence beside me.

He even put his hand at the small of my back and leaned down slightly to say into my ear, "You alright, snow angel?"

I looked up into his eyes and I no longer had the extra energy to have my guard up with him. I had to save my strength and my ire now to face my ex-husband.

I shrugged. How the hell was I supposed to feel? "I'm just glad he didn't bring his girlfriend, I guess?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Only 10 more chapters left in "Happily Ever Christmas" and only 3 Days left until Christmas, according to Siri!

Happy holiday reading, to all, and to all a good read! :D

HRH