𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃

꧁ TWENTY SIX ꧂

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As a child, Nessa loved the holiday period. Spending time with her family and buying gifts was her favorite thing to do. Due to the kind of person she is, she prefers to give the gifts than to receive them. Nessa plans which certain gifts she wants to get for everyone months in advance and always hits the nail on the head with them. But gifts and materialistic stuff aside, she just always looked forward to sitting in front of the warm fire with Julian asleep on her lap and her mom neatly styling her hair into a braid while she watches Christmas movies and drinks hot coco with her dad.

This holiday period however, she's struggling to find the Christmas cheer. Although Josh and his family have done their best to try and make her feel included with their own traditions and celebrations- it's just not the same- as grateful as she still is for them and the effort they've put in.

"Merry Christmas Bambi" Josh smiles, pulling her in closer to him. He kisses the her forehead while she nestles into the crook of his neck.

"Merry Christmas" she repeats. Her voice sleepy.

The couple lay together for a few more minutes- enjoying the time that they have to be with each other. With football training and studying and preparing for the arrival of their daughter, the two hardly have any time to be like this anymore. Part of them isn't complaining because the outcome of all those things is for a better future but the other part wishes that it would all slow down a little.

Eventually, Josh and Nessa both make the effort to get out of their warm comfy bed. Nessa starts to fix the sheets and readjust the feather filled pillows while Josh makes his way into the bathroom to have a shower- praying to himself that it'll wake him up.
While her boyfriend does his own thing, Nessa slips on her robe and exits the semi messy room. She starts to gather her hair into a messy ponytail while walking down the hallway and then the stairs.

A mixed aroma of freshly baked ginger bread and powdered french toast floats through the downstairs area. Nessa stops in the middle of the living room and inhales the delicious scent- her stomach growling instantly as a result. She heads into the kitchen, grinning.

"That smells so good" she confesses with a light giggle.

Patty spins around to face her with the cheeriest smile Nessa has ever seen perched on her lips. The older woman holds a wooden spoon- covered in some sort of dessert batter - in her right hand and a Christmas themed oven mit in the other.

"Merry Christmas sweetheart! How are you feeling this morning? Is my grand baby giving you any trouble" She chirps, her sing- song voice consuming the air.

Nessa takes the plate Patty offers her before answering the question. Truthfully, Abigail has been a little over active recently and she's been keeping Nessa up at night sometimes but instead of complaining, Nessa has taken it as a sign that her baby is okay and that's not something she's going to whine about.

"Just the usual. She's been kicking all morning, I'm starting to think she knows that it's Christmas" the brunette jokes. Patty chuckles at this, continuing to stir the batter she has in her bowl.

"Well we're going to sit down for lunch around one this afternoon, just the four of us and then Chris and I have to get going" Patty explains. She takes a seat at the bar, her cheery expression soon fading.