Everleigh’s excitement was infectious. I never wanted that to end for her, and I couldn’t wait for it to start for Bentley, too. I could remember before the abuse started where I was as vocal about Christmas as her but after I was locked in a prison of silence. It made me work extra hard to give my children the most magical childhood I could.
She bounced up and down on my mum’s doorstep. “Uncle Jasper! Uncle Jasper!” My brother was probably her favourite person; he had a lot of time for her and they got along so well – probably because they both had the same mental age.
Mum opened the door and bent straight down to give Everleigh a hug. A chorus of ‘Merry Christmas’ flowed through the house as we made our way to the kitchen where everyone was.
My mum and her husband, Cole's parents, sister and niece, my brother, his girlfriend and their daughter were drinking, playing and chatting. Everleigh ran off to tackle her Jasper.
The people in this room were the only ones I trusted my children with, and they all meant so much to me.
We were welcomed with drinks and soon settled in the living room to exchange presents while the turkey cooked. Mum’s husband, Miles, was lighting a fire. The hosue looked like a Santa’s grotto, it was beautifully decorated.
There were plenty of seats for us all, but we still sat on the floor. I lost Bentley to my mum and Cole’s, and Sophia was also taken from Holly’s arms as they cooed over the littlest ones.
When we were here, I could relax with Cole because we knew Everleigh would be off with her cousin, Leona, and Bentley would be passed around to be cuddled. I sat right up against my husband’s side while we passed presents around.
“No one can open mine until the girls are in bed,” Jasper announced, smirking.
His girlfriend, Holly, slapped his arm playfully. “I have real presents for everyone. I don’t even know what he’s bought, so please don’t blame me,” she said.
“Oh, no one would blame you,” I replied, glaring at my brother.
His idea of a present was a sex toy. The more outrageous the better. Last year he gave Mum and Miles a strap-on. She couldn’t look him in the eye for a week after, bless her. I didn’t even want to open mine and Cole’s.
“Oh, Jasper!” Mum chastised. “I don’t know why you feel the need to buy things like that.”
His response was a huge, cheesy smile that made him look like a naughty schoolboy.
“Well, I think Jasper’s presents are funny,” Mia, Cole’s older sister, said.
Jasper bowed his head. “Don’t worry, love, I’ve sorted you out with the latest rabbit.”
“A bunny!” Leona said, suddenly stopping her unwrapping to look at her mum with pure hope in her innocent eyes.
Mia glared at Jasper. “Yes, looks like we’re getting a bunny rabbit, sweetie.”
“Jasper will buy you one, Leona,” Holly said, shaking her head at him. Holly really had her work cut out for her taking my brother on.
“Let’s make a pact,” Cole whispered in my ear. “Whatever it is, we use it.”
“Sure. If we use it on you.”
His eyebrows shot up and he tipped his head to the side. “Come on now...”
“So it’s good enough for me but not you?”
“I don’t have certain places where things can go in,” he replied in my ear. Even though the conversation was not a turn on his low, seductive voice and breath on my neck was.
“You have one place where things can go in…”
“So that’s settled, we’re throwing the present out,” he said and sat back.
“Thought you might say that.”
When the presents had been opened, leaving behind a mountain of wrapping paper in the middle of the room that Everleigh had to jump in between playing with her new toys, Cole and Jasper were entertaining Bentley and Sophia, Holly and I followed Mum into the kitchen.
“Are you having a good day?” she asked us, peering into the oven to see how the turkey was doing.
Holly nodded, leaning on the worktop. Later tonight, they were all heading to her parents and having another Christmas day tomorrow.
“Yeah, Everleigh loves it and Bentley is, well, loving the lights. It’s really nice to be together.”
“I know,” she replied, “I’m glad Jenna, David, Mia and Leona could come.”
Of course, they came. Cole’s family were our family, too, and had been since we were all young. I grew up with Cole and Mia as well as Jasper. We’d always been close, and not even four years and thousands of miles could get in the way of our bond.
“Can I do anything?” Jenna asked, setting her glass of wine on the granite worktop. Mia followed her, looking back over her shoulder and laughing at something going on in the living room.
“We need to get the roast potatoes and stuffing on soon,” Mum said. “There are jobs for everyone but first…” She reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. Thank goodness there were plenty of snacks and chocolate out, or everyone would be drunk.