Ink (being edited)

Christmas Special

SAGE

"Aaaand there! The tree is all decked, babe. What do you think?" Ethan asked as he came up behind me, disturbing me from mixing my cookie batter.

I briefly looked up and smiled. The tree looked stunning, as did the rest of the apartment.

"You did an amazing job. Go grab Eli and Emi so they can come and greet everyone. They're gonna be here soon."

Ethan placed a chaste kiss to my temple and stalked off to go and grab the kids.

Our kids.

Elisabetta and Emiliana became my pride and joy as soon as they were born. Emiliana was a complete surprise seeing as we only expected one child. When the doctors told me I wasn't done yet I almost wrung Ethan's neck.

"Mama! You makin' cookies?"

"Cookies?!"

My girls squealed as they toddled over, almost falling over because they hadn't quite gotten the hang of running.

"Yes, mama is making cookies but only for good little girls. How come you guys aren't dressed yet?"

"Daddy said he would help us like eleventy-seven years ago and he never came back," Eli giggled.

I lightly slapped Ethan on the arm and hissed at him to get the girls ready. People would start arriving any-

Ding dong.

Shit.

"See what you did? Get them ready as soon as possible and then go fix the dining room. I'll get the door."

Opening the door I felt my heart swell. Nathaniel and Seinfeld were standing in the doorway with their mini tribe of kids.

They decided that they wanted to foster and adopt as many kids as possible after they got married and we all supported them in their decision. It meant a lot to me to see them giving underprivileged kids a fighting chance.

"Ooo it smells good in this house, when did you wake up to cook babe?" Seinfeld asked, bursting in the door with bags on his arms.

Nathaniel ushered in the kids giving me a big hug and smiling at his husband's antics, "Are we the first ones here?"

"Yeah, but everyone should be here any minute."

I sat them on the couch and went into the kitchen to get them all drinks and coasters. Hearing the giggles of little children I turned around to see my girls run at full speed through the kitchen, into the living room and straight into their uncles' arms.

A pair of familiar arms snaked around my waist as I put the finishing touches on cocoa for the children.

"You smell good," Ethan murmured in my ear, nuzzling the shell of it.

I let myself melt into his embrace. but quickly jumped at hearing the doorbell.

"I got it!" Nate called from the other room.

I wiggled out of Ethan's grasp and shot him a smirk as I picked up my tray and shuffled into the next room.

"Grandpa!" Emi shrieked and almost fell face first getting off the couch to see him.

"Piccola! Come va?" Daniel's face split into a huge grin and picked Emiliana off the ground, spinning her and making her laugh.

Eli, becoming jealous, raced over to him as well and hugged his leg making him laugh even louder.

The doorbell rang again and Travis and Bri came in next with their daughter Aubrey, "HEY GIRL!"

She gave me a tight hug while Travis dapped up all the rest of the guys. Jazz came last with her fiancee Mei and their newborn baby boy, Cole. I hugged her the longest and the tightest.