“You were taking too long,” Ariel whined, as she took another sip. “I had to have coffee.”
“You had to be the first one to sneak a peek is more like it,” Logan’s voice preceded him as he and Elizabeth joined the group. “Good thing I caught you sneaking up the stairs before you got to the door, or you’d be opening your presents sitting on a very red butt. Girl, you haven’t changed a bit since you werelittle. I’m surprised you haven’t ripped open your stocking by now.”
“Stocking? What stocking?” Ariel’s gaze roamed around as if expecting to see stockings hanging from the cabinet pulls.
“Merry Christmas,” Ben said as he escorted his wife into the room. “Am I smelling cinnamon rolls?”
“Forget the rolls,” Ariel said, “I heard that there are stockings!” When her father looked down at his legs, pulling up his pants to reveal the pair of socks decorated with reindeer given to him as a gag gift years ago, she laughed. “I can’t believe you still have those, Daddy. Cute as they are, I don’t think those are the stockings I’m looking for—um, right, Logan?”
Logan shook his head as Helen scolded him. “Logan, it’s Christmas. Stop teasing your sister.”
“Fine, go look by the fireplace,” Logan said, and added, “But don’t touch until we all get in there.” They watched as the youngest of them ran from the kitchen, listening to her squeal when she found her mother’s surprise. “Who can believe that sound came from an adult? She sounds just like she did when she was six.”
“I know, isn’t it lovely?” Helen said, as memories of Christmas past rolled through her mind’s eye. “There is just something magical about the anticipation that captures everybody.”
Elizabeth gave Logan a smile. Logan was an absolute master of the art of anticipation. Logan gave her a grin that had her heart beating just a bit faster, her stomach fluttering with the magic of Christmas and the blessings of being with the people she loved.
By the time the cinnamon rolls had been iced, and slices of bacon and patties of sausage placed onto a platter, Nancy and Jason made their appearance. The satiated look in their eyes told of how they had elected to spend the early hours of Christmas.
Ariel was thrilled when her mother dictated that she could bring the stockings to the proper recipients.
It didn’t matter that stockings were something none of them had really expected. The moment they each had one, it was chaos as eight grown adults dug into them. Laughter and exclamations of surprise and joy were heard as small gifts of socks, cologne, lip gloss, nail polish, new toothbrushes, packages of gum, candy, and small puzzles were pulled from their depths. Elizabeth pulled a roll of lifesavers out of her stocking, giggling to see that Logan had done the same.
“It’s a tradition,” Logan explained. “Dad… oh, I mean Santa Claus, always puts in these rolls, and the fun is in trading them.”
“Trading?” Elizabeth said, looking down at the roll of butterscotch candies in her hand and then reaching out and grabbing the cherry flavored ones that Logan was holding. “Like this?”
“Hey!” Logan exclaimed, making a reach for the roll. The sound of Elizabeth’s laughter as she successfully won the battle, giving Logan a kiss as well as the butterscotch candies, made Helen laugh with the joy of watching their faces become as animated as they had been as children.
Giggles and protests continued as candies and gifts were traded or simply snatched from each other. Popping a lifesaver into his mouth, Logan’s hand delved deep into the toe of his stocking and pulled out a small box. He was grinning as he lifted the lid, and then something sprang out at him.
“Shit!” His scream accompanied the throwing of the box, the contents sailing in different directions. Everyone was looking toward him as he jumped out of his chair, confusion and concern on their faces. When a large, furry tarantula plopped down onto the platter of cinnamon rolls, even Elizabeth pushed away from the table with a screech.
“How do you like that dish?” Ariel managed, just before she squealed and jumped from her own chair at Logan’s roar. They watched as she took off running, Logan pounding after her. It was only a few moments before they heard Ariel squealing, and not a soul was surprised when Logan reappeared, his little sister draped over his shoulder, his hand swatting against the seat of her pajamas.
“Oww, stop, put me down you big bully!” Ariel’s demand was ignored as Logan swatted her again. “Owww! Truce… truce!”
Ben shook his head in amusement. “Son, it’s Christmas. Even opposing armies have a truce on this day.”
Logan looked over at his father and shook his head. “I pity any army that has this brat on their side.” He gave her another swat, and then flipped her to be held in his arms like a baby. “Okay, brat, care to have a peace treaty?”
Ariel giggled and then sighed. “Nothing in writing?”
“Not on your life,” Logan said. “It might be Christmas, but there is no way in hell I’m agreeing to that—just a truce for today.”
“Hmmm, okay, I can agree to that.”
Logan bent and kissed her cheek before moving to dump her in Garrett’s lap. “I hope you’ve thought this through—you’re stuck with her for the rest of your life!”
Garrett grinned as his fiancée snuggled into him, her giggles still audible from where she had buried her face against his neck. “Well, at least I’m not afraid of spiders, and I can blister her butt until she can’t sit down.”
Logan shook his head and turned to speak to Nancy, his disgust evident, to find her calmly licking the icing from the spring that had allowed the rubber tarantula to leap from its box. “You do realize you are one sick lady, right?”
Nancy looked up, her pink tongue swiping across the spider’s back and shrugged. “Hey, there are people in this world who consider bugs a delicacy.”
“Gross, but despite that fact, I want to place the first order for a tawse and mat.” He turned back to look at Ariel. “Birthdays are coming up, and they will make a most excellent gift.”
“Hey, we have a treaty, remember?” Ariel said, her bottom clenching.
