PREATH- Full Circle

Ch. 38

Ah, Christmas morning. In most cases, you would think of peace, quiet, eating breakfast around a fire, smiling and talking in low voices.

Nope. If you have kids this never has been, and never will be the case. "Mama! Mommy!" Caden squealed as he jumped on our bed.

"It's Christmas!" Grayson yelled, as he and EK followed their older brother.

"Christmas! Christmas!" EK sang.

I rolled over. "Five more minutes," I mumbled, as Press sat up.

"No way!" Mal ran in, jumping onto our bed. "Its Christmas! C'mon guys get up!"

"Okay, the bed can't take this much weight," Press laughed, picking up Grayson. "Graykey, EK, Cadester, why don't you three go wake up Aunt Hope and Aunt Kelley?"

"Okay mommy!" the three chorused, running out of the room.

Mal got into bed in between us. Press and I both wrapped an arm around her. "Merry Christmas Malley-O," I whispered, kissing her head.

"Merry Christmas," she repeated.

Meanwhile, the kids had found a, well, interesting way to wake up Hope and Kelley. Before waking them up, they decided to go downstairs and get as many pots and pans as they could find. They then walked back to Hope and Kelley's room, and began banging them loudly, chanting, "It's Christmas! It's Christmas!"

"What the hell?" Hope asked, sitting up sleepily.

Kelley slapped her chest. "Tiny ears are listening," she scolded.

"Oh whoops, kids don't repeat what I just said."

But it was too late. "Mommy! Mama! Aunt Hopey said 'What the hell'!" EK called.

"Well you did bang pots and pans to wake them up." Christen chuckled as we stood in the doorway. "She was just startled, that's all."

"Oh okay." Emmy giggled and skipped out of the room into Christen's arms. She carried Emmy down the hall towards the tree.

"Grayson." I called into Hope and Kelley's room. "C'mere."

He scurried out of bed and skidded to a stop at my feet. I bent down to his level and began to talk.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Uh huh!"

"Can you go, quietly, wake up Aunt Alex for me?"

"Okay!" He said and scurried off towards Alex's room down the hall. I quietly followed him to see what he'd do. He and Alex have gotten pretty close since he was born.

He gently crawled into the bad next to her, and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Aunt Alex. Wake up, it's Christmas!" He said in an excited whisper. Alex slowly opened her eyes and pulled Grayson into a hug.

"Merry Christmas Graykers!" She exclaimed.

"Merry Christmas!" Grayson repeated. "Now get up! Santa came Aunt A!"

"Did he really?! Were you guys good enough this year?"

With that, Grayson turned to her with the straightest face and said, "Aunt A. I got better from cancer." I had to stifle a laugh, but Alex couldn't.