Taking Chances (WILL EDIT LATER)

Chapter Sixteen.

With Christmas music playing in the background and the smell of freshly made hot chocolate in the air, Nicola gracefully moved around the kitchen making Jasmine a special almost (December 23rd) Christmas breakfast. It was something that she had always wanted to enjoy with someone else and now that she had Jasmine, she vowed to herself that she was going to make this the best Christmas Jasmine would ever have and spoil her sister rotten.

Nicola had always felt guilty for celebrating Christmas when she knew full well Jasmine wasn't getting to celebrate it as her mother didn't believe in anything happy. This year however, was going to be the best for the both of them.

When breakfast was ready, Nicola bounded up the staircase excitedly and walked into her sister's room to wake her up.

"Good morning sleepy head." Nicola said before kissing the little girl's cheek. Jasmine slightly stirred before stretching and opening her eyes, squinting at the bright light coming from the curtains.

"I made a special breakfast." Nicola said. Jasmine climbed down from the top bunk and put her slippers and jacket on before reaching for her sister who gladly picked her up and carried her downstairs.

Jasmine gasped when she saw the food on the table waiting for them. Reindeer pancakes, Christmas themed fruit on sticks and of course hot chocolate in snowman mugs.

"What do you think?" Nicola asked. Jasmine beamed.

"I'm hungry." Jasmine replied, making Nicola chuckle.

"I should hope so. Let's eat and then we can set up the Christmas tree." Nicola said as she set Jasmine down helped her get settled at the table.

They ate their food and talked about what they'd do for the rest of the day. Jasmine had suggested going Christmas light hunting as it was something she had heard at school and wanted to do. Nicola agreed and she even said that she'd buy Jasmine a treat while they went hunting.

Hours later at Tina and Guy's house, Mikey and Taron were visiting before they headed out to hunt for Christmas lights so that Mikey could draw the picture he insisted on making after seeing the lights.

"Can you read dis?" Mikey asked as he walked up to Guy. Guy looked at the book Mikey was holding and smiled. It was the same book he would read to Taron when he was little. 'Under the Mistletoe' by Lizzie Lawson and Robert Ellice Mack was definitely a story he hadn't read in a long time but one he was happy to read now.

Taron and Tina stopped what they were doing in the kitchen to come and join the story. Taron smiled as Guy continued to read. The images of Guy reading the book when he was small entered his mind, painting a bright smile on his lips.

Tina took a sneaky picture of her boys all on the sofa listening to every word that was on the page. It really warmed her heart to see this happening once again.

"Daddy, you read me dis please?" Mikey asked after Guy announced that he was done reading.

"Sure." He replied. Mikey climbed off of Guy's lap and onto Taron's, leaning back and patting Taron's arms while Taron looked for another story to read.

"Under the Mistletoe; what happened there? Under the mistletoe, this happened there, in the dark passage, close by the stair, under the mistletoe, this little pair were." Taron began. Mikey pointed to the image on the page.

"What's that?" He asked with curiosity.

"That's mistletoe." Taron replied. Mikey looked up at Taron.

"Why?" He asked. Taron smiled.

"Mistletoe is something that people put up at Christmas." Taron explained but Mikey was still confused.

"Ok, keep reading." Mikey said whilst thinking of how he could acquire some.