SYNCHRONICITY (Dream Walker) 🖋

Bonus Chapter - Thanksgiving Night

The fire roared in the hearth creating enough light to read by, he thought and he looked to the grandfather clock and noted the time, knowing that their guests would soon be arriving for dessert.

Sebastian watched her from the recliner, his belly full and his ears ringing with the sounds of her voice singing over amplified Christmas carols; she'd been working hard to decorate their home for the holidays...she told him that she had wanted this particular Christmas to be remembered for a long time...her family and a great deal of her memories had been returned to her and she wanted to celebrate with all the things that she knew would provoke a memorable moment.

She promised him that she was going to start decorating the tree immediately after their Thanksgiving dinner. His adolescent white cat had jumped up on his lap, purring profusely and his hand stroked her long fur. Beth was dozing on the love seat further on in the living room of the Victorian they shared. And he knew that somewhere deeper into the house, the twins were cleaning up after the amazing Thanksgiving dinner they all had shared together, preparing their dessert of apple and pumpkin pies, as well as a pecan pie and a cinnamon bread pudding. The aroma was intoxicating, coupled with the unfinished glass of wine by his side and the beauty flitting back and forth around the live tree that they had brought inside to share the love and warmth of hearth and home with...and he was content.

He watched her stand back and take in her work and she moved back in and moved a few baubles and stepped back again.

"I hate to break it to ya Sissy, but you have a hole," Beth said.

Alison's hands went to her hips as she turned on her heel. "Where," she asked. She watched Beth point upward. Alison found the discrepancy and crossed to the left and reached into a box of glass ornaments and Sebastian snorted. She looked over her shoulder toward him and seeing the grin on his face, did she stand finally and breathe in deeply. She turned on her heel and crossed the room toward him. Leaning over him, his eyes moved from hers to the gap in her blouse and then back to her eyes. His grin only widened. "Don't you ever get tired of seeing that," she asked.

He tilted his head, the same goofy grin became a toothy smile as he shook his head. "Nope."

She closed her eyes and rolled them behind her eyelids. She felt his large hands on her hips, bringing her closer to him. "Let me put this up before I forget where I want it please?"

James and Sarah arrived to the living room, placing the desserts on the coffee table and James stopped to admire the tree. "Dude..."

Sara tilted her head and stared at her brother for a moment and then looked toward the tree, then back to him again. "I hope you're not thinking that you want to climb that thing?" She reached up and raised his jaw, closing his mouth, only for it to open again.

He shook his head only slightly as his eyes glistened. Alison approached the tree and reached up to place the last bauble. "Stop," he whispered as he reached toward his back pocket. He withdrew his phone and held it up.

Alison grimaced and turned her face away. "Oh no!"

"Aww come on," he protested. "I want to remember this! This is the most beautiful tree I've ever seen!" The young man's voice had hitched in his throat causing his mother to turn toward him.

Sebastian withdrew his phone and glanced toward Beth who was nodding toward him, her own phone out. They both took several photos in rapid succession.

"Oh, you guys suck," she huffed with mock annoyance. Her gaze returned toward her son, softening instantly as she breathed in deeply. Her pregnancy wasn't showing all that much yet, but still the bump was present. Sebastian walked up behind her and took the ornament from her hand and held it up, silently asking where to place it. "No, three inches to the left and one down."