AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter7
Livvie
Two weekslater
“Santa came!Santa came!”Chloe’s voice reverberated all the way into the kitchen, where Gareth and I sat at the table, drinking our coffee.
I tried to smile, but it turned into a yawn I smothered down.I’d actually struggled to get out of bed this morning.
Our daughter rushed into the room, her excitement palpable.This was what Gareth and I had always wanted—kids rushing down the stairs on Christmas morning at an ungodly hour, ecstatic about all the presents Santa had brought them.Although it was only Chloe, it was still absolutely perfect.
“Santa Claus came,” she hollered again even though she stood only feet from us.
“Yes, he did,” I answered, this time managing a huge smile to match hers.“Did he bring you lots of presents?”
“I think so.”She nodded.“There were tons more there when I looked than when I went to bed.”
“Wow, that many, huh?”Gareth asked.
“Uh-huh.Can we open them?”
“After breakfast, love.”
Chloe brought out the puppy-dog eyes, fluttering her lashes and looking pitiful.Especially when she clasped her hands to her chest like she was praying.“Please, Mama.Just one?”
“Yeah, Mama, just one?Please?”Gareth parroted her.
I smacked him with the towel.“You’re not supposed to encourage her.”
That mischievous grin I loved so much crossed his face, and he sent our daughter a conspiratorial wink.Chloe giggled behind her hand.He moved to stand next to her, and they both stared at me with the same sad expression.
“Fine,” I sighed good-naturedly.The two of them high-fived, but I held up a single finger.“But only one.”
I checked the breakfast casserole in the oven, and we moved into the living room, Chloe leading the charge.The fresh scent of pine filled the room, the lights of the tree sparkled from its place in front of the window, and the sun shone brightly down on the dusting of snow we’d actually received.The fireplace glowed and the warmth was cozy.Our daughter dove for the tree and started picking up random presents and looking at the labels, trying to recognize her name.
Gareth plucked the one she currently held from her hands.“You sit, young lady.I’ll pick one out for you and Mama.”
I waved my hands at her and she scurried over to sit with me on the floor.We sat cross-legged next to each other, surrounded by the pillows I’d pulled off the couch.
“Wait,” Gareth said, and Chloe groaned in frustration.“If we’re doing this, we need to set the mood.”
He turned the television on and scrolled until he came across a station playing Christmas music.He switched the speakers to the surround sound, and an instrumental version ofO Holy Nightspilled from them.At last, he seemed satisfied and returned to the brightly lit tree we’d turned back on first thing this morning.
Wewatched him closely inspect each present as though taking his job of playing gift chooser seriously.Our daughter squirmed anxiously and tapped her palms on her thighs with an impatient beat.
He picked one up, looked at the name before his gaze darted over to us.“Hmm,” he said.“This one is addressed to a Chloe Brown.I wonder if anyone here goes by that name?”
The young lady in question jacked up her arm and waved it frantically in the air.“Me.Me.Me.I’m Chloe Brown.”
I bit back my laugh.
“Well then, this must belong to you.”He passed the gift over with an exaggerated flourish.
She snatched it from his grasp with a rushed, “Thanks, Daddy” and collapsed back onto her cushion.I stayed her with a hand against her arm.“Wait until we all get one.”
Chloe squirmed in her seat, but she held the package in her lap, her fingers plucking at the bow.I caught Gareth’s eye and smirked.Then he began scouring the gifts again.He finally picked up a medium-sized box, wrapped in gaudy green paper with giant Santa heads, and handed it to me.
“For you, my dear,” he said, passing it off to me in the same silly way.
