Christmas P.I.E. (Life With P.I.E.)

Chapter 4

The next morning I woke up to Ghost and Johnny jumping at the foot of the bed exclaiming, "Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas! Come on!"

I laughed tiredly and pulled myself out of bed. "I'm coming. I'm coming."

Ghost led us excitedly to the living room where I had spent all night working. I had silently finished Johnny's gift and put all our presents for each other under the tree.

"Who wants to give their presents first?" I asked, letting my wings shake out to relax and wake up completely.

"Me!" Ghost grabbed his two and gave one to me and one to Johnny. "Open it open it open it!" he insisted.

Mine was a back scratcher. I laughed at his childish attempt to be practical. "Thanks Ghost. I was just about to ask Johnny to scratch my back, actually."

"Well, why didn't you?" Johnny began to, smiling.

"Open yours, Toast!"

"Okay, Sir, okay." It was a mug that said "#1 assistant" on it. He chuckled, "Thanks, Sir."

Ghost stuck out his chest proudly, "Yep!"

"I want to go next," Johnny stated as he reached under the tree, handing Ghost and I our gifts.

The snow came faster as Ghost tore into the wrapping paper, "A new flash light! Great! I needed one after that call a few days ago!"

"No problem, Sir," Johnny beamed then looked at me enthusiastically, "Go on! Look!"

I took the paper off quickly. Before me lay a beautiful necklace with a feather pendent

"Oh wow... Johnny..."

He smiled down at me, "It's perfect for you."

"I guess it's my turn huh?" I handed the last present under the tree to Ghost, "Here you go."

"Sweet!" He ripped it up and saw an erecter set.

"My dad gave me my first erecter set for Christmas when I was twelve," I explained, "I thought it was so fun to build different things with it. I thought you might too."

"Thanks! Even if it is for kids."

"Are you kidding?" I began, going into story mode, "One of the most loved rides at Disney Land in California came from an idea a grown man had with his erector set?"

"Really?"

"Oh yeah!" I sat back on the couch. "I heard that as a kid and got so many ideas for so many things."

Johnny sat staring from Ghost to the tree. He seemed a little shocked that there was nothing left.

It was time to reenact a scene for A Christmas Story. I faked curiosity and looked behind the table in the dining room, "Hey Johnny? What's that over there?"

He turned and saw it then looked back at me questioningly, a glint of hope in his eyes.

I somehow kept in character, "Why don't you go check it out?"

He stood up off the floor and picked it up, looking at me once before opening it. He about dropped the large collage frame when he opened it. He stared deeply into each of our moments that I had captured on my phone and printed so perfectly to fit in each little slot. A tear escaped his eyes and I stood up to go join him.

I hugged him from behind and reached up to kiss his cheek, "I love you."

He set the frame on the table and hugged my arms which were wrapped around in front of his waist. Extending my wings, I put them around the both of us, smiling. My first real Christmas was definitely the best.