Forever After ~ A Rydellington Story

Christmas

Chapter Fifteen

Riker's POV

Christmas. It came so fast hardly any of them were ready for it.

Rydel convinced them to still do the secret Santa exchange they did every year, so they drew names.

He got Ross.

He struggled with what to get his brother, and finally decided on some coloured strings for his guitars.

He woke up early on Christmas morning, to be honest he never fell asleep. Sleep felt so perfect compared to the hell his family had been through.

And he hated sleeping when Rydel was suffering. She had a nightmare practically every night. She would wake up sweating, kicking and screaming.

He would sit with her tell tell her she was okay. He wondered how long she would suffer.

Christmas was the first night she slept through without any night mare. He hoped she was finally over them.

Rocky was the second one up. Then Ross and Ryland. They all sat in his and Rocky's room and talked; talked until their parents came in.

"Merry Christmas" their mom smiled, hugging each of them. She bent down and kissed them on the tops of their heads.

"Is Rydel up?" Their dad asked.

"Not yet" Riker answered him, "and I don't think she had a nightmare last night either!"

"Really?" Dad asked. He was smiling. "Hopefully she's over them then!"

He left the room and returned a few minutes later with his sister. She looked relaxed, like she had finally gotten a good nights rest.

She looked almost normal, except for the bulging bump coming out from her once tiny stomach.

He couldn't believe how fast someone could grow a 'baby belly'. In the two weeks that Rydel had been home, she had gained 10 pounds, and it had all been in her stomach. Now she really looked pregnant.

Their mom hugged her and carried on down the stairs. The rest of the boys and their father followed behind her. Riker turned to his sister.

"Morning sleeping beauty" he smiled.

"Good morning" she laughed. She ran into his arms.

"It's real now Riker" she said into his chest.

"What is?" He asked.

"The baby" she whispered. "I'm fat now so I guess it's legit."

He couldn't help but laugh at her. She smiled too.

"It's legit eh?" He kept smiling.

"Shut up" she pushed him, "Lets go down stairs before I really hurt you" she held up her fists like she was ready to box with him.

He laughed to himself as he followed her down the stairs.

The Christmas cheer in their living room was everywhere. Wreaths and garlands and Christmas bows hung everywhere. It was something they all needed.

Their tree was in the corner of their living room; the same spot where Ratliff was shot. He tried to shove that image out of his head.

The first hour of their Christmas morning was spent opening their presents.

They did their secret Santa presents first; youngest to oldest, like it had always been.

Ryland opened up a new set of headphones from Rocky. When Ross opened his present he smiled at him.

"Thanks man" he smiled.

Rocky got a pair of sloth pyjama pants from Ryland. He was so excited he put them on right away.

Next was Rydel. Ross was her secret santa, and he had come to Riker for help getting the perfect present for her.

They finally found the perfect gift.

It was a porcelain angel holding a baby wrapped in pink cloth. The angel had blonde hair and a face like Rydel. It was so perfect for her. They got 'our angel' engraved on the side.

To say she cried would be an understatement. When she read the card that went with it, she both cried and laughed. Then she hugged Ross.

"Thank you" she whispered into his ear.

After she calmed down, she picked up the remaining present and handed it to him.

"I guess you can figure out who your secret Santa is then" she smiled as she handed the box to him.

He opened the box to something he didn't expect. Inside lay a picture frame. The picture inside was of him and Rydel. The picture was taken at Ryland's birthday party, only a few weeks before Rydel disappeared.

It was so precious. She had the words 'my hero' engraved on the bottom of the frame. He felt tears forming in his eyes.

"Thank you" he smiled, leaning over to hug his sister.

"There's more" she said, returning the hug.

He pulled away, and saw a card in the bottom of the box. He pulled it out. On the front it said 'Uncle Riker'.

A million possibilities ran through his head, but when he opened it he saw something he didn't expect.

It was an ultrasound picture, of Rydel's baby. It was so big, already months old.

He could see the face, and it's hands and feet. It was unbelievable.

But what really caught his eye, was the single word at the bottom.

He, Riker Lynch would be an uncle. He would have a niece.

The word was 'girl'.