Might as Well Face it, You're Addicted to Love (Joe Perry/Nikki Sixx)

Chapter 56: A Perry Family Christmas Part 1

If I'd thought my first Christmas as a family of three, with my beloved Honeybee and our then month-old daughter: Josephine was epic, and it was.... Christmas 89' was even more so, though it was tinged with the bitter-sweet because of my so-called blood, my so-called family having turned their backs on me. I got through that, thanks to Nikki and my daughter and my point here IS: I was determined to make Christmas 89's even more special and memorable, because I WANTED to. I remember very clearly Nikki's reaction on December 1, 1989....my surprising him, by telling him I'd planned to rent a house outside Boston, and we'd be spending Christmas there, not only Christmas but would be there thru New Years. I told Nikki, who was touched to his core...., "I really wanted to do this Nikki, for you and our daughter because baby you wanted to see snow and I wanted to share that with Josephine and make new memories, such precious memories."

To back track a moment, Thanksgiving that year in the Perry household was chaotic, what with Steven Tyler and Co...but it was family, the house filled with laughter.... pranking Steven, priceless...

And where you will find my husband, daughter, and myself is December 6, 1989, days before Nikki's 31st birthday and a special family moment....

The house smells like Christmas, the scents of Cinnamon, of Pine and Cranberry filling the air. We've been here in a rented house outside of Boston for a few days, and already so many memories made...photos capturing moments frozen in time. Currently Nikki and I are decorating a Christmas Tree I'd found.... It's not real, but still, it's a stunning tree. Josephine is in her play pen, looking on in fascination asking questions in her precious and special way, clutching her stuffed Olive aka Ollie and her Stuffed Raspberry aka Berry.

"What dat? Why do?"

"It's a Christmas tree sweetheart, its very special...something you do at Christmas time, something that I love sharing with you and mommy." I answer Josephine.

"I wuv twee daddy an' kissmas (Christmas)!" Is her enthusiastic reply.

"Do Ollie and Berry like the tree too?" Nikki asks her, he really is the best mother to our daughter...he's perfect to me.

"Uh-Uh mama."

We decorate the tree a little more except for one last thing, I pick up Josephine out of her play pen, her (for now) letting go of Ollie and Berry and tell her she can help with something very special to put on our tree and really, it's a surprise for Nikki too.

"I'll get what I want you to help put on the tree little bee, you can help and it's a surprise for mommy too."

Josephine giggles and makes grabby arms for Nikki, who takes her from me sighing with contentment, I fetch the surprise for my family...and I can't wait to see their reaction.... i re-enter the room, telling my husband and daughter to close their eyes until I am standing by them....

"Ok open those eyes..."

Both Nikki's and Josephine's eyes widen with awe, with tears as I hold up a custom ornament I had made, a tribute to both......a bee, a bee that's silver and gold, looking as if sprinkled with stardust and it says, 'Perry Family Christmas 89.'

"Joe.... this is I have no words."

"I wanted Nikki to do the bee since YOU are my Honeybee and our daughter is our precious baby bee and speaking of Josephine, princess wanna help hang it?"

"Pease dada?"

Carefully I and Nikki guide her little hands and hang the bee on the tree and sliding an arm around my husband's waist, him leaning against me we the three of us stand back and admire the tree....

"Ya know something Joe. I thought last year was an amazing Christmas. The most amazing and perfect gift was we had Josephine and now THIS year is even better. I've never been so happy Anthony Joseph Perry, to think I used to hate Christmas, but you changed all that." Nikki's words then were beautiful and bitter-sweet and a few years later, turns out they were bitter-sweet and prophetic in a way for DEANA may she rot in hell, would kidnap our oldest daughter during the holidays....

"Well said Honeybee, though I could argue YOU changed all that for me." I state softly, before asking Nikki and really Josephine, "So what do we wanna do next?"

"Well, I know I would love some hot cocoa and Christmas cookies.... I figured we could all do it together, it's her first time having those. I just wanna give her new experiences."

"Sounds perfect Nikki, absolutely perfect..." Before I can even ask her, Josephine pipes up in her ADORABLE little voice...

"Huwwy up!" Nikki and I both laugh, before we each give her a kiss on her little cheeks before then sharing a kiss, just he and I....

We start with the cookies first, we have a blast....Nikki and I teasing each other, flour gets everywhere, mainly in Josephine's hair, her declaring proudly she was helping...all that matters is we were all together.....Before long the cookies are baking, Josephine is taken for a bath and change of clothes by Nikki and I insist or try to help at least a bit and Nikki tells me he's got this and so I watch after the cookies and get started on the cocoa, cleaning the mess and I hear footsteps preceded by precious baby giggles and my beloved Honeybee's laugh and my husband and daughter come into view and I smile, heart warmed at the sight as both sniff the air appreciatively....their green eyes glowing.

"Man, it smells good in here! The whole house smells good." Nikki sighs dreamily.

"It does." I agree, before adding softly, "Now lets get the cookies out to cool, frost em and in the meantime, let's get Josephine some cocoa making sure its cool enough for her and more than that, let's make some new memories."

"Sounds perfect to me, but first...." I blink and I feel those lips I know and love so much upon my own. "I had to get some sugar of my own first..." Nikki teases me, and I lean in and whisper in his ear....

"Just wait until she's asleep tonight..."

I feel Nikki shiver and I can't help but smirk, Josephine is placed in her highchair declaring she wants Ollie and Berry, so Nikki gets them while I take the cookies out to cool and soon, he rejoins us and so we make more of those beautiful and precious memories....

The cookies and Cocoa were delicious, and my favorite memory was my daughter tasting Christmas cookies and Cocoa for the first time.... turns out she loved it and for a time became obsessed with Cocoa, but eventually as she got older, she wanted to learn how to bake, to cook and so Nikki and I would eventually teach her....

That night of December 6, of 89-, after Josephine was put to bed Nikki got 'some sugar' and then some, a good night indeed.... A few days would pass, and on my husband's birthday I surprised him with a new custom bass, his favorite lasagna of mine that I'd made for him before, and I really spoiled him in short. And the day after? Well, our daughter would get to see her first Christmas parade and get to eat at that Italian restaurant I'd taken Nikki to on our honeymoon and that is where you will next find the Perry family....

A/N: Many adorable moments from Josephine, precious family time and more. Stay tuned for part 2!