Happily Ever After

Fifty Four~ Merry Little Christmas

Kris

This Christmas morning wasn't like the other ones I've had. I've had 22 christmases before this but this one felt different. I honestly loved Christmas growing up but it was never that special. Just another holiday where I got new baseball things and I got to eat whatever I want. But this Christmas I got to celebrate with a family of my own. I get to be with people I fell in love with instead of the ones I was born to love. And I finally get to tell Mary we're going to Disney so we can be excited together, even if it's just for a few days.

Once we finally get out of bed we all change and get ready for the day. Cameron was driving in this morning after he picked up Taylor from the airport. I can finally meet Jennas sister and maybe have one of the best Christmases ever.

After I looked my best and things were set in motion I decide to give Jenna her Christmas present to her before everyone got here. The Disney trip was part of it but like her there is more to it.

I go into the closet and pull out the box I had hidden in the back a while ago. I walk over to Jenna and place the red box right next to her. She looks at me questionably trying to figure out what's going on.

"What's this" she questions with her thick accent and I smile. I sit on the other side of the box as I nudge it towards her.

"Why don't you open it up and find out" I ask.

She reluctantly tears into the box and opens it up. Inside was a nice wooden picture frame with her, Mary and I after a Cubs game hanging out on the field. I was sitting on the third base path and Mary was in my lap smiling up at me. Jenna was behind me with her head on my shoulder as she looked down at Mary. We all had the biggest smiles on our faces as we celebrated a post season win against the Cardinals. Farrah took it all the way back in October and I've had it since then trying to figure out what to do with it since then. I wanted it to be special and my mom game me this idea. The picture was too perfect to pass up and I know how much Jenna loved the sentimental stuff. She's always asking for pictures to hang up but it's so hard to find one where all three of us are smiling and not making a funny face or laughing or rolling our eyes. Luckily for us this candid moment was caught and I could get it in a frame. Then I had some professionals wood burn the quote "family: where life begins and love never ends" across the bottom. It turned out great and I was kind of hoping we could keep it in here to see it all the time.

"Oh sweetie" she gasps as she continues to stare at it. I see the tears in her eyes start to grow along with the smile on her face. She finally looks up at me as she lets out a sigh. "This is so beautiful. I don't know what to say" she says softly.

That's a first.

"You don't have to say anything. Our love says enough" I promise.

She softly sets the picture down on the bed behind her before moving over to me. She sits herself in my lap and pulls me into a long kiss.

"Oh" I whisper on her lips as she smirks at me. Her hands resting on my face as she is looking down at me. My heart was beating so hard I thought I was having a heart attack.

"Thank you so much" she whispers.

"Of course baby" I assure her.

"And since we're exchanging presents let me get you yours" she insists.

So I sadly losen my grip on her as she darts out of the room. She comes back in with these long boxes and I knew what these were immediately.

"Let me guess, my dad showed you my bat guy" I laugh.

"He did. But I had a little wood burning of myself done" she claims.

So I pull out one of the bats and see the Vegas flag on it with my parents name on it. The second one had a cute message from Mary on it that made me cry. Then the third one was from her and I freeze when I see it. The quote "I love you a bushel, a peck, and a hug around your neck" was on there and I smile. That's what she said when she first told me that she loved me and I would never forget it. Mostly because I've never heard that before, but it was also the sweetest thing ever. And under the quote was the date we met and the three heart's like on the necklace I got her and Mary. Now it was my turn to tear up.

"Your dad insisted they were the best bats on the market" she insists.

"They're perfect" I say with a big smile.

Once that was said and done and we both clear up the tears we head to the living room. Cameron and Taylor join us as we tell Mary that in a little over a week we would be in Disney. She actually did cry and it was so cute. She thanked me a million times but little did she know I would do anything for her. Once she calmed down she opened her other presents from Connie and my parents and Jenna's siblings and everyone else who spoils her. Looks like she got her own room just in time so she has some room to put all of this stuff. Once she makes a mess she takes Cameron into her room and shows him what she missed last time she was here. Taylor stays back with me and Jenna to clean up and get food ready.

For what I've seen from Taylor she didn't say much, not like her sister at least. She had a accent too but it wasn't heavy like Jennas. She seemed sweet but she was just quiet.

"Mary is a cutie. Frannie would have been so happy to be her mother" Taylor says and I smile.

"She's incredible" I admit.

"She calls you her dad, right" Taylor wonders.

"She does" I state proudly.

"Well she's really lucky to have a good dad, it really doesn't run in this family and she's really lucky to have someone like you. I wish my dad was half the man you are" she claims.

"Jenna made sure Mary didn't feel the things you guys felt towards your parents. She made sure that Mary remembered her mother and knew that Jenna wasn't her. That she would never be her mom but will always love her like she was. And I know that Mary isn't my kid but at the same time she is. That's my girl and I would do anything for her" I promise.

She smiles and for a second she looked like a younger version of her sister. "Well I'm glad you guys got your little family. And thanks for inviting Cameron and I out for the holiday. It was great getting to see Jenna and meet you and Mary. I hope we can stay in touch" she says turning to Jenna.

"Of course sugar" Jenna smiles.