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Chapter Thirty Seven

"WAKE UP!"

A red sock barely missed smashing into my nose.

"Woah!"

I grabbed Brayden and he sat down on the mattress. His big brown eyes were sparkling.

"SANTA CAME!"

Tristan was off yelling in at Joe. I laughed and tickled Brayden's sides.

"Well, you better go tell mom and dad!"

He didn't waste a second. He hopped up and took off down the hallway. I got up and grabbed my big, fluffy robe. At least, it used to be big.

I walked into Ally's room. I could hear the soft sound of her sleeping. No amount of shouting was going to wake her. I sat down and shook her gently. She turned over. I shook her again.

Finally, her eyes fluttered open. She reached out and grabbed her hearing devices from the dresser. She yawned as she put them in place.

"Brayden just informed me Santa came," I said with a smile. Ally's face lit up.

"Sweet!"

She got out of bed and followed me down the stairs.

Dad was trying to keep order. He had both of the twins by the back of their PJs. Their little legs were swinging in the air.

"Nobody opens ANYTHING until we ALL sit down," he said calmly.

Finally we were all settled. Dad passed out the presents. As always, Joe tossed the boxes containing clothes as far away as possible. He was interesting in the video games and toys of mass destruction.

Out of all of us, Ally was the most conscientious present opener. She always took her time and studying things with an eagle eye.

I was almost as bad as Joe. I loved the excitement of getting through the pile as fast as possible and then falling back and hearing the wrapping paper crinkle in my ear.

But this year was different than past years. The type of presents had changed. Tucked amongst the art supplies, shoes, clothes, and hair accessories there were baby things.

A bassinet. Some onesies.

Little things for a little person.

"I couldn't resist," mom said as I held up a soft yellow little sleeper with duckies.

"I don't think that's going to fit her," Joe said with a smirk.

"Thank you," I said. "We're going to need it."

Ally was big into homemade gifts and this year was no exception. She walked around and handed out packages covered in her own little stamps. Last year she had made me a really cool corded bracelet. This year the package was bigger and bulkier. It was a picture frame with a picture of her and me. It said Sisters in crazy funky letters along the bottom.

"Aw, Al, I love it!" I said. She beamed.

"Sweet, a jar of slime," Joe said in appreciation. He looked thoughtful, reached into his PJ pocket and pulled out some lint. He extended it in her direction.

"Here you go!"

Ally laughed. "No thanks."

As always, the last present given out was dad's gift to mom. And like always, it was a piece of jewelry. And as always, she cried and covered him with kisses and there was way too much gross parental PDA and we all began to complain loudly.

Finally, they broke it up and we went to the kitchen for breakfast.

------------------------

I had sent Mason his present a week ago. I had painted a non-abstract picture of the lake. I threw in a few football things, a gushy letter, and sent it on his way. He had called the day he got it and we spoke for over an hour. He was spending Christmas with his mom. He promised me I would get my present soon.

Of course, I hadn't gotten it yet. That was bad because I wasn't the type of person that liked surprises.

By the time evening hit, the twins had played with every single toy and broken a couple of them. Ally had modeled all of her new clothes. Joe had put slime on my kitchen chair and I had almost throttled him.

All in all, it was a normal McLean Christmas.

We were all gathered in the living room. White Christmas was playing on the big TV. The movie was like a thousand years old, but it was Ally's favorite. The doorbell rang and dad got up to answer it. Ally was sitting beside me.

"This is my favorite part!" she exclaimed. She said the same thing every year. It was the part where the two female leads sang the song Sisters.

"C'mon Shel!"

It was a requirement that we sing along. I laughed.

"Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister, And Lord help the sister who comes between me and my man!" we sang in unison.

"Wow, I think I came in at the wrong time."

I gasped and turned around. Mason and his mom were standing there in the archway to the living room. I gasped.

"Mas?"

He laughed. "It's me."

I scrambled up and flew into his open arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"What are you doing here?"

He grinned. "This is part of your Christmas present. And well, my Christmas present. We're spending the rest of my break down here."

"Really?"

"Yup. I mean, someone's birthday is coming up."

I was a New Year's baby. When I was little, I thought that people celebrated midnight around the world solely because I was turning another year older.

My face hurt I was smiling so big. "This is awesome."

"Hi Shel."

I looked up. I hadn't seen Kristin since Mason's birthday.

"Merry Christmas."

Her eyes trailed down to my stomach.

"How are you doing?"

I was doing fabulous now. This was the best Christmas present I could have ever gotten.

"Great," I said.

Dad, mom and Kristin started talking. I took Mason's hand and we sat down by the Christmas tree.

"Look," I said. I held up some of the baby stuff. He looked at it and then at me.

"Can I touch it?"

I was holding the yellow ducky sleeper. "Sure. It's really soft and..."

He scooted close to me. His hand pressed lightly against my stomach. I hadn't realized that's what he meant. He kissed my cheek.

"Merry Christmas."

I smiled. My hand covered his.

"Merry Christmas, Mas."

He leaned over slightly and I saw his free hand move to his pocket. He struggled, but finally he yanked whatever it was out. He held it out to me.

"This is for you."

It was a box. A square box. A pretty box. A...ring box.

I stared at it in shock. My throat went dry.