Coffee & Commentary

A Modern McNully Christmas

Christmas 2020

"Good morning, my Christmas Star", Murphy mumbled into the back of my neck as the sunrise crept through our bedroom. I moved closer to him and held the hand he had resting over my heart while we slept. He rested his chin on top of my head and sighed. Even his sigh conveyed his excitement for his favorite holiday.

I rolled over to snuggle even closer to Murphy. My heart filled with warmth at the sight of his smile. I ran my hands through his hair and smiled at the idea of the light grey shade coming in at his temples. I ran the pad of my thumb over the deepening lines near the corners of his eyes. More than thirty years into our romance, I was still honored and amazed that he chose me to love all his life.

"Peppermint or eggnog latte?" I asked as I wrapped my robe around me and stepped into my slippers. "You hate peppermint, don't go to the trouble for making two flavors. I'm good with eggnog", he smiled as he got out of bed and undressed for his shower. I couldn't help but to stare. "Uh... what was I talking about? You can't pull out the biceps like that this early in the morning, love. Oh, right... Gewn will want peppermint and I'm sure Amari will want gingerbread. It's no trouble to make you exactly what you want" I was still breathless and eager to please after all these years.

His smile at the thought of Gwenllian exploded across his face. "Peppermint. Peppermint please. With chocolate. I know she likes chocolate" I melted at his desire to surprise his best friend with her favorite things. I was equally eager to see the look on Amari's face when we welcomed him home with his favorite holiday beverage. It was the first time we would see our darling twins since they started at Hogwarts in September.

I joined Murphy on the couch in front of the fireplace and handed him a hot peppermint latte with extra chocolate. The kids would be home any minute. I took his mug back from his hands and put it on the table next to me and kissed him deeply one last time before we would have to behave ourselves again for two weeks. As I pulled away, I saw them walking up the sidewalk to the door.

Gwen burst through the door and jumped into Murphy's lap. She covered his face with kisses and clung to him in a hug. I hugged her and hung her green scarf near the door before moving to the door to find Amari trudging up the sidewalk, dragging his yellow and black scarf behind him. I smiled at him from the doorway, he didn't look up when he met me at the door but he wrapped me in the tightest hug.

I turned to look through the window at Murphy and Gwen talking quickly with wild animation to their conversation, she looked happier than ever. I could tell from Amari's hug, he was not in the same place as his twin sister. I ran my hair through his blond hair, styled just the way Murphy had always worn his and hugged him as close as I could. I closed the door behind us, leaving us outside in the flurries of snow.

I sat on the stoop in front of the door and motioned for him to join me. "Talk to me, kiddo", I suggested as I held his Hufflepuff scarf off the ground. It looked like he had been dragging it around for a while now. "I am just so happy to be home, mum", he buried his head into my shoulder. I kissed the top of his head and wrapped me in a hug. I rubbed his back and felt he had lost quite a bit of muscle over the past three months since starting school.

"I have a gingerbread latte inside for you, if you are ready to come in and see dad" I offered, looking forward to seeing a smile on the face of my boy who was normally like a ray of sunshine. "Actually, I was hoping you and I could fly around the camp and whack a few bludgers later. This is the longest I've ever gone without playing quidditch and I am really missing it. I hate school, I hate not playing quidditch, and I miss you" he was hugging me tighter than ever.

"You're unhappy at Hogwarts?" I didn't mean to sound so surprised. "It is everything you and dad said it would be, but I got sorted into the wrong house and everything feels wrong". I tried to hide my smile as my sweet boy, argued his place in Hufflepuff was incorrect. "Why do you feel you've been misplaced?" I prodded, believing fully that he was exactly where he should be. He had a smile that lit up a room, he was gentle and kind, he was hardworking, and social. I was in awe of his ability to live up to his placement. Murphy's mother had been sorted into Hufflepuff and was so proud to have made him a Christmas hat full of love and badger pride. My heart sunk as I thought about the gift under the tree. I couldn't imagine a gift from his grandmother going unappreciated. He loved her too much for that.