Family Ties

Chapter 13


"Hey, everybody! Merry Christmas Eve!" Aaron laughed as he passed out the gifts.

Nick yawned. "It's nine, shouldn't we all still be in bed?"

"I second that motion," Leslie agreed taking a seat on the couch beside her father.

Mrs.Carter shook her head setting a basket of blueberry muffins on the coffee table. "Oh, come on, you two. It's Christmas, this is not the time to be acting like party-poopers."

"Every party has a pooper that's we invited you!" Angel and BJ sang in unison.

"Bite the bullet..." Nick groaned beneath his breath.

"Nick, come on, son....." Mr.Carter laughed.

Nick stretched his tired muscles. "Sorry, Dad."

Mrs.Carter settled herself along side BJ and Angel. "Everybody ready to start?"

Aaron plopped down on the floor lifting his packages into the air. "Yeah!

Let's go!"

Mr.Carter smiled. "All right, on the count of three. One- two- three!"

The wrapping paper began endlessly tearing and falling to the carpet in tiny shreads. "Awesome!" Aaron beamed as he gazed at the item BJ got him.

"TurboBlaster-3000! Thanks, BJ, this'll be great with my playstation!"

BJ smiled finshing opening her package. "I thought you might like it." She admired her gift. A blue-tinted glass firgurine of a baby dolphin from Angel.

"Aw, Ang, it's precious! Thank you so much!"

"Papa Roach!" Nick grinned wrapping Leslie in a hug. "You have good taste, my sista!"

Leslie pulled away. "Don't rub it in. You're just sucking up for a good birthday gift next month."

Nick shrugged. "True enough."

Angel attacked Nick with a massive hug holding a golden heart-shaped locket tightly in her hand. "Thank you, Nick! It's beautiful!"

"Yeah, and I had your name engraved on the front. And if you'll look inside you'll find a little surprise."

Angel opened the locket laughing as she viewed a baby picture of herself and Aaron. She shook her head. "We were ugly babies..."

"That's a matter of opinion," their mother stated running her hands over her new creme-colored silk blouse. "Aaron, honey, this wonderful!"

"Gald you like it, Mom."

Mr.Carter examined the gift tag of the present. 'To:Bob, Love, Jane' Leslie paled as she observed him fidgeting with the ribbons. Obviously, he still carried some pain form last night's quarrel.

"Open it, Bob," his wife whispered.

His eyes widened as he revealed the gift. "Our old menu and sign from the 'Yankee Rebel'? How did you find it?"

"Very carefully. I thought you might want them to keep. They were from a very important time in our lives."

Bob took her hand maintaining a steady grip as he placed a small package in her free palm. "Open it."

Inside the box lay a beautiful ring sparkling with various colors in the light. Mr.Carter took it into his hands sliding it on his wife finger. "It's the promise ring I could never afford when we had started seeing one another. Each gem represents a birthstone of each child you gave me."

Tears filled the woman's eyes. "Bob, it's ....it's beautiful! Thank you!"

He wrapped his arms around her. "There's a necklace beneath it, too. It has Ginger's birthstone. I know you two are very close, and I figured you would want her to be included."

Jane nodded wiping away her tears. "Of course, I may have not given birth to her, but she was a part of you. And I love every part of you!"

"Is Ginger coming over?" Angel asked in reference to her half-sister from her father's previous marriage.

Her father grinned. "She'll be calling later."

Nick straightened his back. "Well, I think we should stop this sob fest a get to some serious unwrapping!"

"Here! Here!" the twins shouted in agreement.



********


The Carter Clan sat in exhuastion as stared at the heap of gifts and torn paper before them. Mr.Carter took a deep breath. "Ah, that was a good Christmas!"

Aaron and Angel immediately frowned. The younger twin cleared his throat. "You mean, we get nothing tomorrow morning?"

Mrs.Carter playfully winked at her husband. "Well....we'll see, maybe we could arrange something."

BJ sighed. "I hate to think I won't be here...."

Her father kissed her forehead. "Relax, darlin', enjoy the holiday time we have right now."

"I guess, you're right, Daddy."

Angel climbed into her father's lap. "Why don't we watch 'A Christmas Story'?

I love that movie!"

"Fine, by me. Aaron, could you flip on the television?"

Aaron left his stack of trading cards. "Sure."

BJ snickered. "You know the old photos of Christmas, Mom?"

"Yeah. What about them?"

"You remember that one of me and Nick on the couch....."

Mrs.Carter grinned. "Yes, I do, BJ....What are you planning?"

BJ stood making her way to the couch. "Nothing too mean."

As Nick stared blankingly into the tv screen BJ took the opportunity to pounce on his lap. "Whoa!" he groaned. "What was that for?"

"Well, a long time ago at Christmas I came and disturb you the exact same way. I couldn't resist the chance to annoy big brother Nicky!"

Nick grimaced. "Yeah, but you were a lot smaller then."

Aaron exchanged glances between the two. "Call me crazy, Nick, but I think she's a lot smaller than you."

Nick smiled. "You know, you're right, Aaron. And that's why I can do this!"

Nick stood quickly lifting BJ into his arms spinning her around endlessly.

"NICK!" BJ wailed.

"Nick..." Mrs.Carter gasped trying to fight laughter. "Stop that, you're making me dizzy just watching."

Nick gently placed BJ on the ground laughing as she wobbled from side to side. She sunk into the couch. "Nick, are a complete barbarian!"

"Tarzan laugh at silly female!" Nick grunted.

Mr.Carter sat down by Leslie's lying form gently patting her back. "Honey, you okay?"

Aaron tilted his head from his position on the floor. "She's asleep, Dad."

Nick gasped. "That's astounding! I don't know how anyone could sleep through BJ's wailing!" He shut his mouth as he was attacked by pillows from his blonde sister.

Chapter 14