How to love

number twenty-five: Just us

Warning: long chapter.

Frankie's point of view:

"Wake up! Auntie Frankie, wake up!"

A strangled groan growls from the pit of my throat as I squirm deeper into the thick, striped comforter. Her tiny little hands tug to strip it from me, grunting as she uses all her strength to pull it back. With strands of hair shielding my eyes, I squint at the beaming little smile that greeted me with sheer excitement. I yawn, stretching my arms out as Vivian bouncing on the spot.

"Santa came! He came!" She yelps in glee, eyes shining and cheeks pinching. "Come on! Quick, quick!"

I let her haul me from the bed, laughing as she barely lets me have a minute to slip on the fluffy slippers by the door. Growing up, Flo and I anxiously sat on the stairs for our parents to gather themselves after we bundle into their room and bounce on top of their bed - usually it involved being dragged down and tickled until we couldn't see, so it wasn't a surprise when I found my family sitting at the bottom.

"Wait, where's Jason?"

Dad chuckles and nods his head towards the closed living room door. "Wait and see."

Bouncing by his side, Vivian almost knocks him over as she rushes past him and lets out a squeal of excitement. She launches onto her knees, hands hovering over the wrapped presents that surround the tree but she doesn't dare to touch yet. She stares up at Flo and Paul who laugh and crawl to the floor beside her, fishing through the gifts and glancing at name tags to present her with her first gift.

"Where's Jason?" I asked dad again. He nods to the kitchen, his eyes still focused on his precious granddaughter who gasps as she pulls out a veterinary barbie from the wrapping. I wander through to the kitchen, following the glorious smell like a sniffer dog. "Jason?"

"Morning." He says. Back turned to me, I can't see until he turn with plate in hand and a mountain of fluffy pancakes that almost made the drool seep from my mouth. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas - what's all this?"

"I thought I would make breakfast." He shrugs. "My Christmas gift, I suppose."

He sets the plate in the middle of the table before following me through to the living room. The floor was already getting covered in ripped paper, camouflaging the carpet and pooling around Vivian's small body. She tears through her presents with ease, taking only a few seconds to thank the person who was on the gift tag before ripping into the next.

After all the gifts were opened - Vivian scooting up and down the living room on her new scooter, Flo still speechless over her vacation to London and dad inspecting his new tool kit - Jason and I returned the empty plates to the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher as his phone rings. Frowning unintentionally, I force myself to pucker a smile as he excuses himself.

Another business call.

"Have you gave Jason his gift yet?" Flo asks, appearing at my side with tickets still clutched in hand.

I shake my head, "I was planning to after this - but he seems a bit caught up again. God, how is it so hard just to forget about work for one day? I know it's his business, I get that, but he seen the way his mother is when his dad is solely focused on work - why would he want to be like that?"

She smiles sympathetically, "Maybe he has a good reason."

Doubtful.

Jason returns shoving his phone back into his pocket as Flo pats my shoulder. Muttering something inheritable between each other before he approaches me with his dimples showing.