A Falice Story

44. Lady in Red

FP's POV

"Get up! It's Christmas morning!" JB shouts into our bedroom. I hear Alice groan, "She better not have woken up the baby..." 

It was too late. I kiss Alice on the cheek and roll out of bed to get Isla. "Hey, peanut. Sorry your big sister woke you up."

Alice sits up, stretching as she does and I sit next to her, "Morning, baby. Merry Christmas."

She smiles, meeting my lips, "Merry Christmas, babe."

"Should we go appease JB and get breakfast rolling?" 

Alice nods, "Let me feed this one first and then I'll come down," she smiles taking the baby from me, "Merry First Christmas, peanut!" she kisses Isla's cheek, "I still can't believe she came before Christmas--all my other babies were overdue."

"She was just too excited to spend the holiday with her incredibly cool family," I joke, blowing a raspberry on Isla's tummy, earning an adorable giggle.

I kiss Alice again before heading downstairs to start on breakfast. JB is already down in the kitchen getting coffee, "Dad! It's about time!" 

I tousle her hair and press a kiss against her forehead, "Merry Christmas, Bean."

"Merry Christmas, Dad! What are we having for breakfast?"

I chuckle at how similar she is to her older brother. "Egg bake, cinnamon rolls--"

"--bacon?"

"Yes, bacon too," I laugh, getting coffee for myself. 

"And Ali trusted you enough to start without her?"

I take a sip of my coffee, setting it down in defense, "Hey, now--your old man is a lot better in the kitchen than you give him credit for."

She raises a brow skeptically, "Alice made it all last night, didn't she?"

I sigh, "Yeah, she did--I just have to put it in the oven."

JB smirks victoriously, "Knew it."

*

Wrapping paper littered the entire living room and huge smiles were plastered on all the kids' faces. Hotdog happily chewed on the bone Santa brought him amongst it all. Alice was curled up next to me on the couch, and I wonder if she suspects anything. 

I could tell she tried to hide her disappointment over the fact that the box she thought contained an engagement ring, actually contained a pair of diamond earrings. She swears up and down she loves them and I know she does, but I definitely threw her off my trail by purposely doing that. 

Little does she know I've been collaborating with Charles and Jug for the past month on creating an exceptional proposal. 

I motion for the boys to follow me and we convene in the kitchen, "Alright, fellas. How's it coming?"

"How's what coming?" Jug asks.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, "The proposal...?"

"Oh! Yeah--it's great," Charles says with a smile, "She's going to be so surprised."

"Good. So it'll be all set up by tonight?" 

They nod, "We just need to make sure Alice doesn't see us out there setting up."

Alice is known for being able to sniff out surprises and things we don't want her to find out about. 

"I'll have the girls distract her. Plus, she's so tired out from the baby, I doubt she'd even realize you two were setting up something in the backyard."

We enter back into the living room and Alice looks at me with a raised brow, "What was that about?"

I kiss her, "Nothing."

"Forsythe--"

"I just had to have a little guy talk with my boys. It's nothing, babe."

She pouts over the fact I won't tell her what's going on, but quickly dismisses it. 

"Well, I'll say this has been one really great Christmas," Gladys says slinging an arm around JB, "And it's not even noon yet."

"It'll be a day of surprises that's for sure," I say with a smirk. 

Alice shifts in my arms to look at me, "You are so hiding something from me! What is it?!" 

I run my hand along her arm, "What makes you think it's surprises for you?" I say with a grin and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm the mother of your children."

Gladys loudly clears her throat, "Um, hello?"

"Sorry--I am the more important mother of your children," she says with a smirk.

"HEY!" Gladys shouts, tossing a ball of wrapping paper at her. 

"Anyways, you know what I mean, FP."

I smile wide as she crawls on top of me. I love knowing things she doesn't, it drives her insane. "Sssshhhh...just enjoy the holiday baby."

She groans loudly and smacks my chest with a pillow. I chuckle and pull her down into me for a kiss. 

"Eeeewwww! P.D.A! P.D.A!" Gladys chants getting all the kids to do it too. 

"P.D.A! P.D.A! P.D.A!"

Alice sticks her tongue out at them, "Oh, shut up!"

Suddenly the front door chimes, and I assume it's Fred bringing me a box of items I requested for the proposal tonight. 

"I'll get it, I'll get it!" I announce, hoping Alice doesn't follow me.

I open the door and it is definitely not Fred who I am looking at. 

My stomach twists. I stare at the brunette woman in the red trench coat and I feel like I'm in some kind of a dream. Her bright red lips turn up into a smile and she nervously clutches her handbag. 

"Mom...?"

*****

Hello! Sorry for the major lack of updates to this story, I've had writer's block and no spare time. Updates should be more frequent now! 

Are you guys excited to meet Grandma Jones? I REALLY want to see both FP and Alice's mothers in S4, but I doubt we'll get it... :/