Winter

Cece stomped her right foot on the cold cement below her for Oakley to stop moving around, he immediately felt the vibrations and stood still so she could finish grooming him after her chilly ride that evening. She smiled to herself, and moved around to the front of him, pulling his head toward her hand where a sugar cube sat and pressed a kiss to his dark brown nose. One small white patch circled his eye, and she ran her thumb across it as he sucked carefully on her hand. He was so beautiful, and more importantly, he was hers. She glanced up as she saw the barn lights flicker, and knew it was time to go inside for dinner. She clicked her tongue twice and brought him into his stall, covering him with a warm blanket and snapping it closed underneath his girth. The lights flickered again. She grabbed her iphone, and quickly texted her mother.

“Cool your jets, I’ll be in, in a minute, dinner’s not going to get cold that fast”

“Lol, very funny, Dad and I have something exciting to tell you, we just got the call, hurry up,”

“It better not be another baby” she sent a rolling eyes emoji.

The three dots showed up as she waited for her Mom to respond, and when they disappeared, either she was writing a novella or she changed her mind. Cece quickly slipped off her tall boots, and slid into a pair of slippers and glanced behind her at the large blue house. She smiled to herself, pulling her jacket a little tighter around her middle, and moved quickly to the porch door at the back of the house.

***
“Yes, absolutely, of course,” Jim hung up the phone, a smile appearing on his face, he was beaming. Pam moved from the kitchen into the large dining room where Jim was sitting at the table. Although it had been three years, this house had truly become their home, and it was the epitome of everything she’d always wanted. A large open concept dining room and kitchen, with a huge wooden table and a bench on one side. It was both country and modern, and fit their style perfectly. Olivia was sitting on the counter next to her, helping her mother stir the pasta sauce kicking her feet wildly in the air, giggling. Her red hair cascaded down to her shoulder blades, straight as a line, and her blue eyes were striking. She caught everyone’s attention who saw her.

“Daddy!” She’d been holding that in through the entire phone call. Jim walked over and pulled her off the counter top and into his chest, she snuggled against his flannel shirt, popping a thumb into her mouth; some habits die hard.

“Pam, you are never going to believe this,” He shook his head in disbelief, glanced down at the floor, and then back up at his wife.
“I got the job,”

“What?!” she exclaimed, dropping the spoon on the counter, and moving away from the sauce.

“They’ve offered me the job, I can’t believe it,” he scratched his tamed beard in disbelief.

“I told you! You’re fantastic Jim, the boys on the basketball team love you, you’ve made so many friends from being on the PTA, you were a shoe-in,” she brought his face to hers, cupping it, and kissing him long and hard.

“Ew!” Olivia giggled, pressing her forehead against her parents, she ran a circle around her belly with her hand.

“Livvy, you just wait, one day, you’re going to want to give someone a kiss too,” her and Jim glanced at each other and spat raspberries on her chubby cheeks. They moved away when they heard the back door open, and Cece walk into the kitchen.

What’s up? she pinched her thumb and pointer fingers together.

Cece moved toward the bench, and sat down, pulling her hair into a messy bun and moving her attention back to her parents.

“Your Dad and I have some really exciting news!” they’d become excellent at signing and talking at the same time over the last few years
.
“Dad’s gonna be your teacher!” Philip ran into the kitchen, sliding into his usual seat next to his father, and grinned fiercely.

Cece furrowed her eyebrows, glanced angrily at Philip,

“You know I can’t understand you if you’re not looking at me,” she spat at him, pushing her glasses up her nose.

Pam moved to the table before any more could be said, Philip loved to torment his sisters whenever he could, snd Pam wasn’t about to let him spoil a surprise that could go one way or another with their teenage daughter.

Jim and Olivia sat down, and she immediately began grabbing at silverware on the table pretending to eat off the empty plates. Cece looked at her and snickered,

There’s no spaghetti yet, silly girl

Olivia laughed and touched her fingers to her cheek, she knew.
Olivia’s entire life had been immersed in signing first and then speaking. She spent most of her time with her sister, when she was home from school of course, and ‘Ollie’ as she was referred to, only by Cece was enamored with her older sister. She twirled her sisters curls when she was tired, falling asleep many nights in bed next to her, while Cece played on her phone until she, herself, succumbed to sleep.

Cecelia adored her, and any chance she got, she was with her baby sister. With her parents permission, she’d started bringing Ollie out to the barn more, getting her used to being around Oakley, and with watching eyes from her father or mother, she’d walk Oakley around their fenced in ring, Ollie atop, smiling the entire way. She hoped her sister grew up to be exactly like her.

School wasn’t an easy transition for Cece. First, everyone there was deaf, or hard of hearing, and far superior at sign language then her. And when she started 6th grade there, everyone already had best friends, and many of them had deaf parents and grew up going to deaf schools. Cece was not only new to Nashville and the Tennessee School for the Deaf, she was completely unfamiliar with the “culture” of deaf people and frankly, she didn’t really fit in.

She’d of course became instantly close to her teachers. It was a small school, and many of her teachers were hearing and not only were they committed to helping Cece feel immersed, they met with her parents regularly to help with their sign, and involve them in school. Pam and Jim had found themselves becoming close friends with a few other family’s with children around the same age as their daughter, and quickly Jim grabbed on to becoming involved. Within their first year of Nashville he was hired to coach Basketball. After he finished up teaching freshman English at one of the local high school’s, he’d head to TSFD to train the boys varsity basketball team. They were good and Jim was amazed at how they communicated all with visual cues to assist each other during game play. The boys grew to love Jim, as he did, they, and the rest was history. Jim’s relationship with TSFD was a great one, and he was beloved by many of the faculty members. His charming smile, sense of humor, and ease of conversation made him someone the students loved, but Cece? Well, her opinion of her Dad being at school was slightly different.

Cee, you know how a couple months ago we found out that Mrs. Hardwick wasn’t returning to teach freshman English next year?
She nodded carefully at him, glancing over to Pam, trying to read her expression.

Well, I applied for the job, and after a lot of interviews and consideration, they offered it to me! Jim beamed at her, Olivia laughed and brought a fork up to her fathers hair trying to brush it.

“Mermaid, Daddy” she cooed, and he smiled, letting her painfully “comb” his hair.

Cece stared at him blankly, let out an exasperated sigh,
and stood up.

“I’ll be in the barn,” she grumped and moved to the sliding glass doors, her back toward them.

“It’s dark out Cece, and we need to talk,” Pam’s lips pursed as she watched her daughter move outside and across the grass, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

Jim’s smile quickly left his face and he ran a hand through his hair. Philip glanced between his parents,

“Is this my fault?” He asked.

Pam grabbed dinner from the stove bringing it over to the table.

“Can you get Livvy some food, and make sure Phil eats and starts on that homework, he needs to finish this book before we return from the holiday break,” She was tired, it had been a long day at the museum, so many new pieces had come in and Pam had gotten home late, making something quick and easy for dinner and at that exact moment, Cecelia’s raging hormones and teenage angst weren’t exactly what she’d be hoping she’d be doing this evening. Frankly, she was hoping to watch the newest season of The Great British Bake Off with Jim, and fall asleep after a glass or two of white wine. But it seemed as though this evening, it would be room temperature spaghetti and probably an argument with her eldest.

The barn was Cece’s territory. She kept it immaculate, dedicating her afternoons to feeding, watering, pulling down the hay, mucking the stalls, and then hours of riding. She’d become quite good, and the lessons had paid off. So when Pam walked in, finding Cece sitting inside Oakley’s stall, working on a sketch, she rested her arms across the half door and laid her head on them. She waited for Cece to notice her, and then gave her a half smile

He really wanted this job, you know

Cece sighed. She touched her fingers to her cheek.

“Why does he have to be my teacher? I barely have friends as it is, and Dad’s not deaf and they think that’s weird,” she scrunched her face up in disproof, “and I’m going to have to see him every day,” she rolled her eyes.

Pam opened the stall, and came and sat next to her, glancing at her sketch pad.

“What is that?” She asked.

She put an outward thumb to her forehead. Dad.

Pam sighed. Jim and Cece. While they’re relationship had become tumultuous, as she’d warned him it would. (High school changes daughters), when push came to shove, she always picked Jim. She’d been affected most what had happened that day. The day they didn’t speak of, for so, so long. Many countless hours of therapy as a family, and individually had got them through the tragedy, but there was something always in Cece’s eyes that knew she couldn’t ever get the imagine of her father out of her head.

“It’s beautiful,” she responded, rubbing her fingers along the charcoal edges, she smudged a spot on his forehead.

Cece wrinkled her forehead and looked at her mother.

“His scar,” she reminded her, and taking the charcoal pencil, she filled in the smudge with some lines, and carefully handed it back to Cece.

“You should show him,” she stood up, wiping the hay off her jeans.

“And when you do, talk to him. Tell him how you feel. I promise you, Dad being at school is going to be just fine

Sometimes parents make promises they can’t keep.

Winter

Pam rolled over in bed, feeling Jim spooned close against her back, and wrapped an arm around him; careful not to wake him. She glanced out the window, her eyes squinting from the early morning sunlight and saw a light snow falling onto the lawn. Pam smiled to herself, and pulled the blankets further up her shoulders, she wished for just a few more hours in bed, savoring the morning together. They rarely had a moment alone, the two of them, Olivia kept them both on their toes. She had been so different then their first two. The easiest of newborns. She slept through the night so quickly, ate whatever foods they gave her, but when it came to being a toddler, she had no desire to be away from either of her parents, and sleeping in her own room was still posing to be a challenge. The princess toddler bed they’d spent far too much money on, wasn’t enough of a bribe to get her to sleep on her own just yet.

Jim felt a kick in his rib, and stirred, his hand reaching around to remove a tiny foot from his side, and furrowed his eyebrows, opening his eyes, blinking fiercely and sighed.

“Shhh,” Pam cupped the side of his face, planting a kiss on his lips quietly,

“She’s still asleep,” Olivia’s feet were against Jim’s back, her head resting against his thigh, and her hair wild around her. The battle of putting Olivia back in her own bed multiple times a night was not easily won, and sleeping in their bed was just easier these days.

“If you’re quiet, she might stay asleep a little longer,” Pam mumbled, and reached over to the nightstand to check the time on her phone.

Olivia stirred, and grabbing ahold of the blankets pulled herself up, staring at her parents. She yawned, bringing a hand to her face and planting her finger inside her mouth.
“TV, Mama,” she spoke around her thumb, and pulled a stuffed rabbit out from the blankets, crawling off the bed, belly first and padded along the floor, out the door.
Pam groaned, smacking a hand on her forehead.

“I got it,” Jim kissed her, and got out of bed, “Come here, peanut,” He picked her up, and moved out the room.
Moving down the stairs, Jim watched as Cece headed out the back door to the barn to do her usual morning routine with Oakley, and smiled to himself. He was proud of her diligence and responsibility she’d gained with having a horse. He wasn’t sure at first, if his daughter, who was most definitely not a morning person, would be able to get up early every day to feed and water the horse, and make sure the stall is clean for the day, but she did. She also continued to dance. This time at a new studio with other deaf dancers as well as hearing dancers and she’d grown to become quite good at ballet; her other love. He hoped it would continue that way, horses and ballet, drawing her interest much more than boys, but he knew one day, very soon, that would change.

Cece waved at her Dad with a toothy smile when she saw him watching from the window, and Jim picked up Olivia’s tired hand and waved back, looking at his youngest,

“Say hi to sissy,” he kissed her crusted cheek.

“Sissy,” she mumbled, laying her head on his shoulder, adjusting her head until it was in just the right crook of his shoulder blade.

Jim set her down on the bench and put a sippy cup with water in front of her, as well as an ipad with one of her favorite morning shows, and got to work packing lunches for everyone. His stomach turned nervously thinking about his first day at the school, and felt a mild sense of imposter syndrome. Was he deserving of this position? Would he be able to keep up with the ASL all day, and not get lost? Could he draw these students in to his love of reading and writing as he did with his former students?
“You’re going to do great,” It was as though she read his mind, Pam moved behind him, wrapping arms around his thin waist, and laying her head against his back.

He chuckled, “You sure?” He continued to spread mayonnaise on a sandwich.

“Absolutely. Start off with one of your jokes, and you’ll have them hooked,”

“Pam, they’re fourteen. Nothing I say is going to impress any of them,” he rolled his eyes, turning around, a knife in his hand,

“Easy, killer,” she laughed, pushing his hand away.

“I just hope she’s alright,” he motioned his head to Cece outside, closing the door to the barn,

“Jim, she’s been through far worse than having to listen to you lecture about Of Mice and Men for an hour of her day,” Pam laughed, slapping his behind and moving to the table.

Cece opened the slider and came in, moving toward Olivia, and taking a seat next to her at the table, her usual cereal bowl already laid out.

How’s my Ollie Cece grinned, tickling her sisters side, and smiled when she giggled back.

Good Ollie grabbed a piece of a Mini Wheat out of Cece’s bowl and placed it in her mouth.

“Cee, are you ready for today?” Pam asked, grabbing backpacks from the floor, and putting lunch boxes inside.

“I don’t want that,” she replied, pointing at the lunchbox. Pam tilted her head, and pursed her lips. She didn’t have time for this at 6:45 in the morning.

You can buy lunch tomorrow

Cecelia rolled her eyes, and took a last bite of her breakfast, and got up from the table. As she did, Philip came into the kitchen, his hair awry, and his eyes barely open.

“Eat,” Jim dropped toast in front of his son, and fixed his hair before moving toward the stairs to go get himself ready.

“Cece, we’ll just ride together, okay?” He asked,

“Whatever,”

“Fantastic,” he rolled his eyes, glanced at Pam for a look of support, and she smiled softly at him,

She’s fine she signed privately to him, and he took the stairs two at a time to get ready for his first day of work.

***

Is it weird for you that your Dad’s going to be our new teacher? Cece’s best friend at school Taylor asked as she took her usual seat in the third row, next to Cece in their first period English class. It was freshman English, and although they had just gotten used to their former teacher, she’d had to leave right before the holiday break, and her Dad had been offered the position. Truth be told, she didn’t hate the idea of him being there. It meant that if she wanted a soda from the teachers lounge, she could get one. It also meant rides to school instead of the bus, and of course, an easy A in English; a subject she wasn’t fond of. She’d much rather be in her art classes, and this was at least a way for her to get a good grade for the rest of the year.

She shook her head no, pulling out her copy of the book from her backpack, and a pen.

My Dad’s an easy teacher, it’ll be fine,

Jim walked into the room, a dozen eyes staring back at him as he set his briefcase down on the desk, and pulled the chair out. He glanced at his watch and had a few minutes left to spare before class started. He was terrified. He’d taught English to high school students for the last three years, but none of them had been deaf. He suddenly felt as though he’d forgotten every sign he’d learned, and he swallowed hard. Some of his students were hard of hearing, but most of them deaf, and had very high expectations of their teachers--many of whom were also deaf. He met a few smiles in the front row, mostly from girls, and he was used to that look of pining admiration. He’d been the point of many a girl’s crush the past few years, and it made him laugh thinking back to his high school days, when he would have given anything for girls his age to notice him.

He cleared his throat when the lights flickered, indicating the start of class, and wiggled his fingers to get everyone’s attention to the front. He signed as he spoke,

“So most of you know that I’m taking over for the rest of the year, and I’m really excited to be your new English teacher. I know that you’ve been reading Of Mice and Men which is one of my favorite books, and I’m really excited to continue discussing the book with you. But, before we do that, I’d like you to take out a piece of paper, and for the next forty-five minutes, I want you to free write about what you think makes a book worth reading. What is it that makes a book a classic?” He sat down, watched as there were groans and eye rolls amongst the group, and smiled down at his book, opening it up to the highlighted section.

I thought you said he was easy Taylor glanced at her friend, an irritated look upon her face.
Sorry Cece circled her chest, and pulled her notebook out. A page covered in a flower border she’d drawn in front of her. She continued to move her pen around the outside of the page, adding more flowers into her ‘garden’ until she’d finally reached the center of the page. She smiled to herself watching the peonies intertwine with roses and lilacs across her notebook. It was beautiful.

Jim walked over to her desk, eyeing her paper, and tapped his pen on her shoulder. She looked up at him sheepishly and shrugged. He continued moving up the aisle grabbing papers off desks until he’d reached the front.

“Tonight, I want you to finish up the last three chapters, and tomorrow be prepared to support your defense on whether or not what happened to Lenny was justified,”

The lights flickered indicating a class change, and Cece watched as Taylor packed her bookbag up, her long dark hair, cascading down her back. Cece sighed as she noticed Taylor’s new shoes, and averted her eyes quickly, when Evan, a boy in the second row, caught her stare.

Dyke

She looked toward her father, his eyes down at his own desk, grabbing worksheets for his next class, and felt a sigh of relief come over her when he didn’t see this interaction.

Asshole she retorted.

There were benefits to signing and not speaking. For one, Cece and her peers could get away with swearing without teachers noticing, (most of the time) and they could have conversations during class, especially with clueless teachers, like her Dad.

She scrambled the rest of her belongings into her bag, and beelined it for the door, knowing she had an hour of ceramics to look forward to, and wanted to make it out of the room avoiding a conversation with her Dad.

Her good ear happened to be in his direction, “Cece wait,” he spoke, catching her glance. She watched as the rest of her peers filed out of the classroom.

“I know this book is boring to you, but you have to do the work,” he raised his eyebrows looking for some affirmation she understood.

“Yeah, sure, Dad,” she didn’t meet his eyes. Cece pulled her backpack further up her arm,

“If you need anything today, I’ll be right here, okay,” he leaned in, his eyes smiling.

“Dad, I’m fine,” she was becoming agitated, “I’ve been here without you for three years, and I’ve survived, I don’t need you now,” She moved quickly out the door, leaving him bent over his desk, staring at the wall. He sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead. It was only the beginning of his first day and he already had a headache. He grabbed his cellphone and shot a quick text to Pam,

“Good luck with your showing today, also C hates me, and doodles all day--did we know this?”

She wrote back quickly, “Keep your eye on her, if you don’t she doesn’t pay attention in any of her classes other than art. She’ll be fine. I gotta run, but I love you, have a great day!” She sent him some hearts and he put his phone back into his bag, feeling not any better. He now wondered how much about Cece he didn’t know at all.
It was either his lack of breakfast that morning, or a feeling of guilt that made his stomach turn in that moment. Either way, he was off to find a vending machine snack before his next class.

Christmas Part 1


Philip opened his bedroom door just a crack, an eye peeking into the empty hallway, and grinned. He tiptoed out of his room and made it to the top of the stairs before seeing his mother appear at the bottom. Pam was wearing her favorite festive pajamas, the ones with little snowmen and reindeer on top of a pink bubblegum background, a cup of, very hot, and very dark, coffee in her hand.

“Not yet mister,” she spoke barely just above a whisper, but loud enough he could hear. “You know the rules,” she winked at him, as he hung his head and moved back to his bedroom, intentionally shutting the door louder than necessarily. The Halperts’ took Christmas very seriously, but especially Pam. Every year, the rule was nobody came downstairs to open anything until Pam and Jim called the kids down, and they could open their stockings, then eat breakfast, and then open gifts from the tree once the grandparents arrived at their house. They had been hosting it at their house since moving to Austin, and it was the one time of year when both Jim’s parents, and Pam’s parents came together to see the kids at the same time. The house was filled with noise, and the smell of freshly baked cookies that Cece would spend hours making with both of her grandmothers. The rules of Christmas were quite rigid, and now with Olivia now understanding who Santa Claus was, her excitement had made the holidays feel even more magical.

Jim was in the living room, setting up the last piece of the train track that was circling the tree, and pouring water into a container watching it puff from the top. He lit up, as he watched it move around the tree, and stood up to move to his wife, planting a kiss on her cheek.

“He’s going to love it,” she said softly, and pulled Jim close to her, setting her coffee down on a side table, as she brought his warm chest to hers. She rested her hands underneath his buffalo flannel pajama bottoms and felt his hardness against her. She smirked and raised an eyebrow at him, as Jim moved his hand down on top of her own.

“We could, you know-” he started, eyeing their room just down the hall from the living room.

She laughed, pulling his face in for a quick kiss, “Well, that’s just not fair to the kids,” she giggled, and brought his ear to his lips, “but later, I promise, I’ll make it up to you,”

He grinned wickedly, and held her tightly, glancing around the living room, making sure every last gift had been placed, that the stockings were stuffed, and breakfast ready to be cooked once they finished stockings. Olivia was snoring loudly from their bedroom just a few steps away,

“Dibs,” he chuckled, moving quickly to the bedroom,

“No fair,” she pouted, tailing closely behind him. He extended a hand behind him and grabbed hers, pulling her into their bedroom. He moved his pointer finger to his lips, and quietly stepped over to his side of the bed. They both crouched down next to the bed, and watched as Olivia’s eyes darted under her lids. Her red hair was in her face, a binky she’d found somewhere hidden in the house in her mouth, and her stuffed rabbit, Walter firmly gripped under her arm. She was so still, and looked so small in their King bed, all by herself. Jim smiled at his wife, and reached a hand out to touch her nose.

“Peanut,” he said quietly, she stirred.

“Hey baby girl,” Pam had caught a bit of a southern twang since moving to Tennessee and every time Jim heard it come out, he fell just a little bit more in love with her. He glanced over and smiled, his eyes bright.

“What?” she whispered,

“Nothing,” he shook his head, eyeing the ground and moved his arms to pull Olivia into his arms. He stood up and she quickly opened her eyes, looking at both of them,

“Santa came!” Pam said excitedly, and Olivia began to wiggle out of his grasp, and when he set her to the floor she ran to the living room, barely containing her excitement.

“SANTA!” She screamed, and Pam knew, within seconds Philip would be downstairs. Just as the thought passed her mind she heard her son taking the stairs two at a time until he reached the bottom. She threw a t-shirt at him to put on his topless half, and when he walked toward the couch to take his usual spot in the middle, she fixed his dark disheveled hair, which quickly bounced back awry.

“Where’s Cece?” Pam asked, glancing up the stairs, not seeing her daughter anyway.

“Probably still sleeping,” Philip yawned, his eyes fixated on the wool stocking on the fireplace with his name neatly stitched into the top, his mouth watering for the candy he saw sticking out of the top.

“She’s in the barn,” Jim glanced out the window. It was 6:30 in the morning, and that was the earliest the Halpert children were allowed to get up for Christmas. Too many 4am Christmas mornings with the tree opened by 5:30am and bored children by noon days were in the past. They now had a strict schedule that had made everyone happy in the last few years. “I’ll grab her,” he smiled and moved out the slider. His boots crunched in the muddy snow below his feet as he walked the fifty or so feet to the barn. Cece had the barn doors open, and was grooming Oakley, Jim stepped in, pulling his jacket a little closer around him as the wind whipped through the barn. He flicked the lights once, and Cece immediately looked up. She looked exhausted,

How long have you been up?

About three hours, I couldn’t sleep

Were you looking for Santa? He gave her a wink, she rolled her eyes in response.

“No,” she cleared her throat and moved closer to him, hanging up the bridle on the wall and went to work on cleaning the dirt out of Oakley’s shoes.

“Taylor’s in London for Christmas, and we were just up talking, that’s all,” she finished picking his shoes, and Jim waited silently for her attention.

“You tell her Merry Christmas for me, okay?” Taylor practically lived at Halpert’s house. She was an ‘honorary child,’ Pam had given her that nickname when she began spending almost every day at the house helping with the horse, and giving Cece a true friend after their move to Tennessee. He knew it must be driving Cece crazy that her best friend was so far away for the next few weeks, but some quality time with his family this time of year was one of his favorite things; along with brown copper kettles and warm woolen mittens of course.

“Dad, that’s weird, you’re our teacher now,” she put Oakley back into his stall, handed him over a carrot that he took willingly, and moved toward the doors.

“It’s not weird, Taylor loves me,” he put a hand to his chest, pretending to be offended.

“Whatever,” her new favorite word.

Let’s go, Olivia’s probably losing her mind Cece chuckled and wrapped her arm through the hole between Jim’s elbow and his pocketed hand, and followed him inside.

Merry Christmas, Baby, Pam smiled, and Cece, the same height as Pam now, moved a hand across her mother’s french braids.

Cute she put two fingers across her chin, and pulled her mother in for a hug. She held on just a bit longer than usual.

“Can we start now?” Philip whined from the couch, as he anxiously bounced on his knees.

“Yes, we can start,” Jim laughed, grabbing his Santa hat from the kitchen counter, and moving to his usual spot on the floor, right next to the tree. He sat cross legged, ready to give out gifts.

Olivia moved off the couch and immediately to the rocker and put her hands up. Pam grabbed under her arms and pulled her into her lap, loving how she fit so perfectly in between her legs.

“Me, me, me” she yelled, pointing to her chest. Cece giggled,

“You go first, Ollie,”

“Hey!” Philip smacked his sister,

“You can wait, moron,” she rolled her eyes.

“You’re a moron!” he barked, his eyes furrowing.

“Stop,” Pam narrowed her eyes, and she firmly put her outstretched hand into her other.

Cece and Philip settled back into their seats, crossing arms and looking off.

“Here you go, baby,” Jim handed her Olivia’s stocking and she moved off Pam’s lap to dump all the contents onto the living room floor. Pam and Jim grinned in unison as she gasped finding treasures abundant in her stocking, and slipping chocolate into her mouth every chance she had.

“Easy, peanut, we’re going to have breakfast soon,” she pouted back at him, and he took the candy cane of peanut butter cups out of her hand and set it out of her reach. He placed an unwrapped stocking toy into her hand to distract her, and she immediately went back to unwrapping the tiny items inside. He handed Cece and Philip their stockings and the two of them went to town, pulling gifts out, new toothbrushes, candy, and gift cards. Many “thank you’s!” chorused from the couch, and Pam and Jim exchanged each others stockings and quickly gave small kisses to each other, while Olivia lept and pushed her forehead against their cheeks,

“Ew, ew,” she giggled her little hands on each one of their cheeks.

“Do you like what Santa brought you?” Jim asked, turning to face Olivia.

“Yesh,” she replied, some spittle flying from her teeth.
He jokingly wiped his face, and grabbed her around the middle.

“Who’s ready for french toast?” Pam asked, as they finished up the stockings,

“Me!” the three of them chorused, turning around to face the kitchen, Philip lifting up onto his knees, resting against the back of the couch.

The front door opened without a knock, and Olivia and Philip whipped back around to find their grandparents walking in, carrying more bags than they could each hold.

“Mimi!” Olivia screamed moving toward Betsy and wrapping her arms around her waist, bags falling to the floor.

“Look at how big you are!” Betsy squealed, picking her granddaughter up as Helene moved inside the house, his now-husband Paul standing close behind her.

“Mom,” Jim smiled, moving toward the entryway, pulling her in for a hug, wrapping an arm around her head. He kissed her soft grey hair.

“How was the flight?” he asked quietly, glancing carefully into her eyes.

“It was, okay,” she paused, pursing her lips for a moment. Gerald was absent, and had been for the last month, and it hadn’t been an easy passing for anyone in the family, but she was adjusting to living on her own, despite Larissa’s protests to have her move in with her in Philly.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he pulled Helene close as Pam and the kids all gathered around their grandmothers, and Paul stood quietly behind everyone.

“Honey, I’m so excited that you finally get to meet Paul,” Helene grabbed his arm, and brought him forward. He had sandy brown hair, was shorter, quiet, and subdued, but with a kind smile he shook Pam’s hand,

“I’ve heard a lot about you Pam, it’s great to meet you,” the breath she had been holding in her mouth exhaled involuntarily as she glanced at Jim. He nodded, and moved a hand out as well,
“We’re so excited that you’re here,” he finished, “Come on in, we’re just about to start breakfast,”

“Don’t start without us!” a familiar voice shouted from outside the door, and Jim and Pam both glanced, shocked to see a familiar blonde bob of hair in their front door, accompanied by a toothy grin, and five kids in tow.

“You made it!” Cece exclaimed, running to the door, wrapping her arms around Michael and Holly’s necks. She glanced back at her parents and wickedly grinned.

“She…” Pam was speechless,

“Called Michael,” Jim finished, dropping the spatula onto the counter.

“Surprise!” Cece shouted, and pulled Holly and Michael into the house with haste.