Patience

16

Alright, here's the freshly washed pajamas find your sizes." Stevie sets the clothes basket down on the kitchen table. 

The family had opted for pajama sets that had black and red flannel pajama bottoms, black shirts with white reindeer on them the long sleeves are the same flannel as the pants and it said Merry Christmas in gold. When they all had changed into their pajamas they made it back downstairs and Tori took one look at Stevie and laughed. 

"What?" She questions. 

"I just...you're not...you're more of a lacey nightgown person not flannel pajamas." Tori lays her head on Stevie's shoulder. 

"No you're right and I probably won't sleep in these and just put them back on before I come downstairs Christmas morning." Stevie lightly scratches her back.

"So, what's the plan for the evening?" Tori inquires.

"We have pizza on the way. And we're going to make and frost sugar cookies and we're going to have a gingerbread house building competition. Me and you against Lori and Chris against Jessie, Alec, and Roman." Stevie explains tapping on her shoulder.

"I love frosting sugar cookies." Tori cheers wrapping her arms around her mother.

"Well, I am so glad." Stevie chuckles.

***

Christmas Eve came in a flash and when all of the gifts were under the tree, Stevie was making her way back upstairs and Tori was coming out of the bathroom. 

"Um, Tori...would you like to watch a Christmas movie with me?" She asks

"Sure. I wasn't planning on going to bed for a while anyway." Tori nods as Stevie opens her bedroom door fully. 

"So, do we just want to flip through channels and decide what we want to watch." Stevie questions.

"Yeah, I'm sure we'll find something." Tori nods crawling in the bed with her mother. 

They settled on 'It's a Wonderful Life' and just like she did the first time she watched a movie with her mother, she fell asleep. 

The next morning, Tori woke up to light fingernails grazing her forehead brushing strands of hair away. She shook her head and tried to bat the hand away causing a throaty laugh to come out of Stevie. Tori internally rolled her eyes and flipped onto her stomach stuffing her head under the pillow.

"I know baby, I don't' want to be up either but Lori'll be in here any minute threatening to dump water on us. She loves Christmas." Stevie explains scratching Tori's back lightly.

Tori popped her head up and turned to look at Stevie who was sitting up in the bed. Tori groaned and then face-planted right into her mother's lap. Stevie just rubbed her back.

"I need a shower and coffee." Tori groans into her mother's thighs. 

"I thought you took a shower last night?" Stevie starts drawing shapes on her back.

"No, as soon as I walked in there I tripped over bath toys and towels and there was water all over the floor. Alec knocked on the door and said that he was sorry about Roman's mess. So I just walked out." Tori replies.

"Roman doesn't take baths well. Tell you what, until they go home why don't you just shower in here. " Stevie starts playing with the ends of her daughter's long knotted hair.

"Really?" She pops up and looks at her mom.

"Sure." Stevie nods.

"Okay." She falls back onto Stevie's legs and closes her eyes only for the door to fly open a she's falling back into sleep.