Coming off an incredible Super Bowl victory, Harrison and the Panthers prepare for the upcoming season. While preparing for the new season, the newlyweds Harrison and Carrie prepare for the arrival of their baby. As Carrie's due date and the new sea...
When Harrison got home from practice, Carrie and Riley were making food for Christmas dinner tomorrow afternoon. He set the groceries Carrie asked him to get on the counter beside where she was working. Riley was the first one to notice him. She spun around in her little bouncer in the middle of the kitchen and immediately started smiling.
"Hey chickie."
He scooped Riley out of her bouncer as Carrie turned around. "How was practice?"
"They said I might be able to play this weekend," he told her with a beaming smile.
"That's good."
The Panthers lucked out in not having to play on Christmas. There were two games Christmas Day. Harrison had done it twice in the past with the Panthers and he wasn't very fond of it. It was hard not spending the one day of the year almost all families got together, with his own family. Christmas Day games were either late in the afternoon or at night, leaving players hardly any time to spend with their families. The team ended the season this coming weekend on New Years Eve.
With Riley in one hand, Harrison stood behind Carrie and watched her finish cutting up ham for tomorrow. "What else are we having?"
"I had you get potatoes for cheesy potatoes. We're going to have corn, green beans, and for dessert we're having apple pie and cake."
"Sounds good."
He turned to Riley. "Are you mommy's helper?"
She was still smiling. "You are, aren't you?"
Harrison lifted Riley onto his shoulders. She loved piggy back rides. And now that she was strong enough to support herself, he could hold her up on his shoulders. He held his hand over both her feet while keeping a hand behind her back just in case. As he walked over to Carrie's new workplace, Riley was pulling at her daddy's now long hair.
For the upcoming postseason, all the guys were required to grow beards or grow out their hair. Harrison did both. And Riley was loving both. She could pull at his near shoulder length hair, and tickle her hands on his beard.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Carrie crossed the kitchen and threw out the fatty parts of the ham. "Oh, Luke and Shannon are bringing roast."
"Shannon's roast is the best."
She pretended to pout. "Oh really?"
"You haven't made roast for me to try yet."
"Alright, I'll make some this week and you can try it."
➄➈
Harrison came downstairs with Riley Christmas morning to see Carrie unscrewing the top of the lamp farthest from their Christmas tree.
"What are you doing?"
"You'll see," she answered as she pulled the lampshade off.
"I left my tripod at work," she continued. "And, the screws on tripods are actually the same as those on most lamps. The screw on top of the lamp can hold a camera just like a tripod."
Harrison watched in awe as Carrie screwed her camera onto the top of the lamp. "See? It's as sturdy as a tripod."
"No way."
He leaned even closer to look at it. "Why a lamp? Out of all things, why a lamp?"
Carrie shrugged. "I read it online when I first got into photography. It's not the first time I've done that either."
"Now come on, let's go open presents."
Harrison carried Riley over to the Christmas tree which he sat in front of. Carrie came and sat beside them.
"I thought you were taking pictures?"
She held up a small remote. "That's why remote shutter release is a blessing."
He reached under the tree for Riley's presents. "Look what Santa brought you."
Little Riley started peeling the wrapping paper right off the present. "It's a Poppy!"
Her face was priceless. It was a giant Poppy almost her size. "Look at that!"
"Look Riley, it's Branch too!" There was a second stuffed toy from the movie Trolls.
Riley was hardly interested in the jerseys her parents got her, or the clothes and other stuffed animals. She loved that Poppy.
Harrison still held Riley on his lap when he handed Carrie her present. "I know it doesn't look like much, but trust me, it is."
Carrie opened the card. Her jaw immediately dropped. Inside were tickets to a Dodgers game against the Cubs next May. And behind those were pictures taken in London, France, and Scotland.
"You're kidding."
"Does the card say so?" She looked at the card.
Next summer is going to be a blast. This is going to be a late Christmas present, but I promise it will be worth it. I can't wait to take you to a Dodgers game and to travel Europe with you. Merry Christmas beautiful.
~Love, Harrison.
"You didn't have to!"
"But I did."
She leaned over and hugged him. "Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome."
Carrie reached under the tree and found his present. "Your turn."
She hoped she could somewhat match her gift with his. After all, shopping for a professional football player was hard work. If he didn't have it already, he could easily buy it.
As he opened the first wrapped present, she knew money couldn't buy this one. Because nobody other than Carrie could make it. There were two canvasses, one she painted of him playing football, and the other of the three of them when they took Riley to the lake.
He moved to the second box. Inside was a brand new pair of Beats headphones that he'd been needing to get for a while. Except these ones were custom made for him in Carolina blue, and they were so much lighter than the other ones.
"Where did you find these?"
"I got them custom made."
"You did?"
She nodded. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
➄➈
Two hours later, Luke came walking in with the pot of roast, followed by Shannon. "Merry Christmas." Then he spotted Riley. "Look what Uncle Luke and Aunt Shannon brought. You're going to love this."
When Harrison took the pot, he traded Luke for Riley who was already playing with his very curly and now poofy hair.
It wasn't long before Debbie and Todd arrived. Debbie immediately came looking for Riley who didn't want to leave Luke, and Luke who didn't want to give her up.
Harrison put his arm around Carrie and gave her a fist bump. "It's the best when they fight over her."
Alright, since Christmas is right around the corner, I was planning a big Christmas present for you guys. I plan on updating this story, Beginnings & Ends, possibly Han and Leia One Shots and Carrison One Shots. I also want to resurrect Lost and Chasing Dreams. The only thing I need to know is when would be a good time for you guys. I know a lot of you will be busy on Christmas, myself included. So when would a slew of updates work for you guys? I'm certainly open to suggestions. Or I was thinking I could just go off with updates on Christmas Eve.
And I did not plan this chapter being about Christmas either😂
