Neighbours

seventeen

'Mama has Santa been?' I was awoken to Layla jumping on the bed beside me.

I rolled over to check the time, 7AM, I was expecting her to wake up earlier if I'm being honest.

'Oh I don't know, I'm going to have to check.' I teased her. 'We need to wake nana, papa and auntie Soph up.'

She went running to Sophia's room, dragging her hand from bed to my mum and dads room.

She jumped up and down on their bed shouting 'Santa! Santa! Wake up!'

Once everyone was up I sat at the top of the stairs with Layla on my lap as my mum and Sophia stood behind me.

My dad went down to check if Santa had been.

It's a tradition he's done since we were young so I wanted Layla to experience it too.

'Santa's been!' He shouted from the living room causing Layla to clap her hands excitedly.

My mum and Sophia went in-front of me as I carried Layla down the stairs.

My dad was stood in the living room catching Layla's reaction on video.

'Oh wow!' She exclaimed as she jumped out of my arms and ran towards the sofa filled with toys.

'Mama look!' She exclaimed.

'Oh wow baby, look at all the stuff he brought for you.' I said as I sat on the floor beside her sofa.

I took out my phone and took a few photos and videos of her before sending them to Brad.

My mum and dad went to the kitchen to make pancakes as me and Sophia sat in the living room with Layla and her toys.

The living room was full of toys, boxes and rubbish now, a mixture of Layla toys and me, my parents and sisters presents to each other. 

As I was opening another box for her my phone began to ring. I picked it up to see Brad was FaceTiming me.

I answered before his face popped up on the screen as he lay in bed hopped up in his duvet.

'Merry Christmas.' He croaked in his morning voice as he stood up and put on a hoodie, the hood covering his bed head.

'Merry Christmas.' I chirped back at him.

'Wad!' Layla shouted as she ran across the living room as soon as she heard his voice.

'Laylaaa.' He said enthusiastically. 'Merry Christmas.'

'Merry Cwristmas.' She said cutely. 'Wad look what I got.' She pointed at the sofa.

I flipped the camera to show him all her toys.

'Wow is that all for you?' He asked to which she nodded excitedly. 'You must have been a really good girl for mummy.'

'Wook she has her newcklace on.' He told him as she played with the necklace the pair had bought me.

'We done a good job didn't we.' He said with a grin as they nodded at each other.

'Will I see yow later?' She asked him.

'Oh baby I don't know. But I'll definitely see you tomorrow!' He said trying to cheer her up as she had a frown on her face.

'Uh okay.' She said sadly.

'Hey! Turn that frown upside down.' He said in a playful voice causing her to laugh.

'Layla, pancakes!' My dad shouted from the kitchen.

'Bye wad, wuv you.' She said as she blew him a kiss.