Astrid Hoffmann was born in West Germany. It was 1987 and she was helping people get past the wall until the sunset. She was walking when she found an odd necklace and took it home to give back to somebody tomorrow. However, Hoffmann Wakes in a new...
(Wingdings, translate for a godly parent surprise)
December 1914 I have never seen such a large Christmas tree in my life before, it was grand and beautiful. It towered over all of us. Back in Germany, we always had mini sized or decent sized Christmas trees in the corner of the living room that didn't take up too much space as Margo always complained about them being in her way and so Heinz decided one day to just move it out of way. We had a tv which barely anyone watched and Margo was really the only one watching it for hours.
"Isn't it just beautiful?" Valentina asked me as I sat in the school room with Maria, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, Cian, Caoimhe and Zander. We were planning out gifts for mama and papa and of course Aloysha. Anastasia and Tatiana were arguing about what to get Alexei. This was so fucking stupid, all of us had different ideas and it would be easier if all of us just got a gift from one another- IDEA! I stood up from my chair and nearly fell backwards into it. Everyone's eyes fell onto me.
"I have an idea!" I exclaimed as I straightened. "Yes Astriya?" Olga asked. "What if we do a secret Santa?" I suggested, feeling pride in my answer. Everyone looked to me weirdly. "What?" Valentina asked, confusion in her tone of voice. "It's a gift exchange, we write our names on small pieces of paper and put them in a bowl, we rearrange them then each person takes a piece of paper out and whoever you get, you have to get them a gift." I explained.
"That sounds fun!" Maria smiled. "Any sort of gift?" Anastasia smirked mischievously. "That sounds wonderful, darling." Olga said as she looked over to Tatiana for input. Tatiana looked like she was deep into thought. "So everyone gets a gift?" She repeated to me. I nodded my head. "Yes, everyone gets a gift." She looked to me and smiled. "Well I don't see the issue then." Tatiana shrugs as my sisters, Valentina and Caoimhe stir in excitement. Cian stood up and walked to get a piece of paper and some pencils, he ripped the paper into pieces as he handed out paper. Cian wrote his name. Olga wrote her name and papa. Tatiana wrote her name and mama. Maria wrote her name and Alexei. The rest of us wrote just our names. We put the holder up papers into a bowl as Cian shook it around so that the names would be chose at random. "Now we just have to wait until dinner." Cian said.
*** As we finished eating around the long dinner table, OTMA, Valentina, and I look to Mama and Papa, Cian, Caoimhe and Zander were whispering something. Papa notices our glances and looked around himself, "Is there something written on my forehead?" He joked around. Mama looked to us, "It is impolite to stare, children." She sternly told us. "No Mama we have- Astya has a fun Christmas gift exchange idea." Tatiana quickly explained. Mama looked to me, "Go on."
I stood up and explained my idea, I was feeling so nervous from the stern stares I thought I was going to faint. There was a time in a play where I had one line and when it was my turn and everyone was staring at me, I fainted. I fell back into what kept the stage up and the whole stage went down. At the end of my presentation, Papa smiles. "That sounds fun." OTMA look at Mama, Valentina is now whispering with the others. "If your Papa agrees." Mama said, Papa smiled at her. "I agree, it sounds fun!"
Cian stood up like he had rehearsed it and walked over to the bowl, he came back with the bowl of crumbled paper. He put them in front of people, when everyone had a piece of paper, we all opened it. I looked and saw....
"Cian"
I let out a sigh of relief, I knew exactly what to get him. Paints. Perhaps it's a family thing because sometimes he gets gifts and they usually end up being paintings. He loves to draw and paint so I can get him some new paint and paint brushes. I smile as I looked over wondering who got who, Cian had his usual expression. Damn pokerface! Dinner finished and I start to wonder if me, Ci and Cao would see grandmama again. I think about our days in Denmark. I think of Rasputin. Oh shit, I hope he isn't joining us for the holiday. If he is I think Cian will actually kill himself. And I would too.
A few days past and I got Ci-Ci the paints and the paint brushes. I wrap them and put them under the enormous tree with little Heinz nest to me. The little pair, Cian and Caoimhe came with a camera. Valentina and Zander joined with presents. "Hey you guys!" Maria smiled. "Oh hello!" Thank goodness they didn't see me put the present under the tree, Valentina and Zander secretly placed their presents down as we were talking. "Want to take a picture with us under the tree?" Anastasia asked, Cian was stroking little Heinz. "Oh sure!" I told them. As we took the picture I watch Grandmama walk in with Ekaterina, after not seeing her for..forever!
I ran up to her in shock and hugged her. "Grandmama!" I say happily. "Granny!" The little pair rejoiced and ran up to greet her. "Hello my children, Astrid. Hello Cian, Caoimhe and.. I don't think I've met you two yet." She says. "Archduchess Valentina of Austria." Valentina muttered. "Prince Zander." Zander smiled. Heinrich came running up to me and barking happily. He was wagging his tail excitedly. "Nice to meet you both, who's little puppy does this belong to?" Grandmama smiled. "He is Astya's!" Anastasia exclaimed, carefully picking him up. A lady in waiting walks in and stopped in surprise, her eyes quickly darted to grandmama and she rushed back out the room. I shrug it off and we started telling granny what happened for the time we haven't seen each other for.
The doors soon harshly swung open and mama walked in. The doors slammed shut behind her. "I told you not to come here!" Mama yelled to Grandmama, Cian instantly pulled the little pair and me away, then we watched. Grandmama stood up. "I am the grandmother of your children, I can see them whenever i please. You stupid woman." Grandmama snapped back to Mama. "You must leave immediately! I order it!"Mama yelled. "Hmm, no I don't think I will leave. You aren't the boss of me." Grandmama argued. Cian took everyone out of the room and we decided to go to the small pairs room.
After a few hours, it's finally time for Christmas dinner! All of us sit down, including grandmama. We all sit quietly and observe mama and grandmama, to our surprise they started to act civil towards one another. We continued our lovely Christmas dinner, knowing that - I know that moments like this would be treasured compared to what is coming.
***
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To help you translate the wingdings at the beginning bye! :)
