Beautiful Days

Chapter 22 -Four Days Till Christmas-

Four days till Christmas!

Emmett and Jasper had brought a Christmas tree yesterday and we were just starting to decorate the tree. “I’ve bought special Christmas balls,” Bella smiled and revealed a box full of red balls. I took one out of the package and on the back stood “Jasper” in golden glitter. “There is one for each of us,” Bella told us. I gave the one to Jasper and he put it on the tree with a huge grin. “That is a beautiful idea,” I smiled and helped distributing the balls to the right person. “Look, that one is for you,” I kneeled down and gave the one to Carlie. “You have to be very careful, it is very breakable,” I told her. She nodded and cradled the ball in her hands. “Tree?” she asked. “Yes,” I smiled and Carlisle swept her up into his arms so that Carlie could hang it high up in the Christmas tree. She giggled and looked proudly at her own Christmas ball.

“And lots of lametta,” Nessie giggled and put golden lametta around the tree. “And the last thing,” Edward smiled and held up the Christmas tree star. “You may have the honor,” I laughed and with a bit of help of Emmett, he arranged the star right on top of our tree. “It is finished,” Carlisle smiled and hugged me to his side. “It’s beautiful,” I marveled as Alice lighted up the tree. “Oh,” Carlie said and stood very still as she looked at the tree. “It’s not finished yet, though,” Rose said and kneeled next to Carlie as she spoke to her. Carlie looked questioningly at her. “Santa Claus will lay many presents under the tree on Christmas,” she smiled. Carlie’s eyes became huge and she patted Rosalie’s hand. “She can’t wait,” Rosalie explained to us. Carlisle and I smiled at each other and I kissed his neck. He took my face in his hands and kissed me tenderly. “Mama, Dada,” Carlie squealed and hugged our legs. “Hello,” I laughed and Carlisle lifted our daughter up into his arms. He kissed her cheek and rocked her. “Nessie, have you looked out the window?” Edward asked his daughter. Renesmee turned from the tree to the windows and gasped. “It started snowing,” she squealed. “We can go sleigh riding tomorrow,” Bella smiled and engulfed Nessie in a hug. “And build a snow man,” Jasper smiled.

“But until then, what about baking cookies?” I asked. “Oh yes,” Renesmee squealed and ran into the kitchen, dragging Bella and Edward with her. “I’ll help,” Emmett called and went into the kitchen as well, followed by Alice, Rosalie and Jasper. “You, too, Carlie?” Carlisle asked her. Carlie nodded eagerly. “Then let’s go,” he smiled and took my hand as we slowly walked into the kitchen. “How are you feeling right now?” Carlisle asked me as he checked my eyes. “I’m feeling quite well right now,” I smiled and kissed him. “Your eyes are scarlet,” he smiled and stroked his finger right over my eye. “Three more weeks and they are hazel permanently again,” I laughed. “That’s true,” he smiled, “are you thirsty?” he asked. “No, I drank a cup before you came home,” I explained to him and he nodded. “Esme, where do you keep the flour?” Alice asked as we approached the kitchen. Carlie ran right to Renesmee and watched her putting out the cookie cutters. “Up here,” I told her and opened a cupboard. “Exactly the one I haven’t looked into,” Alice smirked. “So, I have an egg, butter, vanilla, sugar and the flour… That’s about everything, right?” Rosalie asked. “Yes, you now need to mix them,” I told her. “I have the mixer,” Jasper smiled and Edward helped Rose putting the ingredients into a bowl. Suddenly Christmas songs started to play and I looked up to see Bella at the CD player. “Just for the Christmas feeling,” she smiled and returned to the kids. “It’s ready,” Rosalie smiled proudly. “And now?” Emmett asked. “We need the baking sheets and the dough has to go into the fridge for half an hour,” I told him. “Alright, Ma’am,” he grinned and did as I said.

An hour later, the first cookies were in the oven and Renesmee, Carlie and Carlisle already sat at the table to wait for the cookies to be finished so that they can decorate them. The timer went off and Jasper immediately put the baking sheet out. “Now?” Renesmee asked eagerly. “They need to cool down,” Edward told her. “But you can help making the rest of the cookies,” I told her with a smile. She helped Rosalie and Emmett then cutting out angels, reindeers and snowmen. “And here are the first cookies,” I smiled put them on the table. Carlie already wanted to put one into her mouth but Carlisle stopped her. “First decorating, then eating,” he laughed and showed Carlie what to do. It was a new level of mess as she started punching the frosting and threw decorations around. Renesmee and Emmett joined the two with the decorating and it all escalated into a frosting fight quite quickly. Emmett put frosting onto Renesmee’s nose and she glared at him before she did the same to him. Carlie stopped working on her cookie and watched the two fascinated. Then to all our surprise, she took her cookie and threw it right into Carlisle’s face. He had pink frosting and golden pearls all over his cheek. I sat down on the chair next to him and started laughing. “Not funny,” Carlisle laughed and took a huge amount of frosting and put it into my face. “Hey,” I complained and added some blue frosting to his nose. Carlie laughed loudly as we all put more frosting on each other than the cookies. “Guys,” Rosalie sighed and Alice stood right next to her. “Aren’t you the parents?” Rosalie asked us. “We are allowed to do something silly from time to time,” I giggled and attached some red frosting to Carlisle’s lips. Alice sighed but laughed as well. “But now we will finish those cookies,” she demanded and sat down to decorate a cookie. Edward, Jasper and Bella followed and we all sat there to decorate the cookies. When we were finished, we had three cookie jars full and nearly everyone needed a shower… “I’ll go to refresh,” Carlisle smiled and got up. I followed him and kissed him on the stairs. “I love you,” I whispered. “I love you, too,” he smiled and kissed me once more. “Now you have frosting all over your face, too,” he chuckled and tried to wipe the red one away. “It’s no use, I’ll go and take a shower as well,” I smirked…

I walked freshly showered back into the kitchen and Alice and Jasper were just cleaning the table and kitchen counter. “You didn’t have to, I could have cleaned it later,” I protested. “No, Esme, you need to relax,” Jasper smiled and hugged me lightly. “We don’t want our little bro or sis born too early,” Alice winked. I sighed and hugged Alice as well. “Then thank you,” I smiled and walked over to Rose and Edward at the table. Carlie just ate a cookie eagerly. “We will take a bath now, too, Carlie,” I smiled and lifted her out of the high chair. “Okay, then, we will go home now, too,” Edward told me and Nessie’s face fell. Edward whispered something into her ear and Renesmee smiled brilliantly. “Really?” she asked. “Yes, but shh…” Edward chuckled and Renesmee hugged me before she ran into the hall to her mother. “Okay, we’ll see each other tomorrow?” I asked Edward. “Yes, we will do some sleigh riding tomorrow, right Alice?” he asked. “That’s one of the things I can still determine with absolute certainty,” she laughed, “there will be lots of snow by tomorrow morning,” she winked. “Okay, we can’t wait,” I smiled and rocked Carlie. “Bye,” Bella called and Renesmee winked. “Bye,” Carlisle called from the hall as he stood on the stairs. “The bath is ready,” Carlisle told me and I walked upstairs.

Carlie splashed with the water and giggled. “Your ducky,” I smiled and gave her the yellow rubber duck. She took it and babbled. “Carlisle, can you look after her for a second? I need to get her clothes,” I called. Carlisle appeared a second later in a perfect outfit. He hitched up the sleeves of this shirt and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be back in a few seconds,” I smiled and walked out of the room. I stood in the hall for a second and watched Carlisle playing adorably with our daughter. He was born for this particular job, I thought and smiled…

-All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer-