My Best Friend's Brother

Christmas

It was almost Christmas and Aria had finally finished her Christmas shopping. She had to wrap a few presents but she could relax, the Wilkerson brothers however could not. 

According to Malcolm, his mom was holding Christmas hostage after she came home to find them throwing Christmas ornaments at each other, breaking them in the process. Lois told the boys that if they behave then they can have Christmas then they’ll get their presents but if not then they would return everything and get their money back.

It was definitely one way to get the boys to behave but Aria knew that it wouldn’t last. They would band together and rebel or they would slip up and get into trouble, she loved them but it usually ended in one of those two ways. There was the very rare occasion that it actually worked but that was once in a blue moon.

“Morning, Wilkersons.” Aria greeted as she walked through the doors with a wide grin.

It was Christmas Eve and the boys had behaved for almost two days now, one more day and they were home free. 

“Morning, honey, waffles?” Lois gestured to the plate set in the center of the table.

“No, thank you. I actually came by to drop off gifts.” Aria lifted the backpack that carried her presents. The boys all set their eyes on her bag and Aria admittedly found their reactions amusing. “For you and Hal.” Aria clarified.

“Oh, thank you. That’s sweet of you.” Lois smiled, “We can put those in the garage later.”

“Okay.” Aria nodded and set down her bag.

“Please pass the syrup, please.” Malcolm said to Reese as he kept glancing at his mom. “Thank you.”

Reese passed him the syrup glancing at his mom too. “You’re very welcome.”

“More coffee?” Lois asked her husband.

“Please.” Aria ruffled Dewey’s short hair as she sat in the chair next to him, Dewey gave her a deadpanned look and she just chuckled. 

“I’ll get it, Mom.” Malcolm quickly offered.

“It’s okay.” Lois made her way to the coffee pot.

“Well, then. . . I hope you’ll let us wash the dishes.” Malcolm smiled. Dewey and Reese quickly agreed and Lois was more than happy to let the boys do the dishes, Aria just found the whole thing funny.

“Who wants the last waffle?” Hal held up the waffle on his fork.

“I do!” Dewey and Reese exclaimed in usion before they glared at each other. Malcolm and Hal shared panicked looks.

“You know, I would really like that waffle.” Dewey said through clenched teeth.

“Yes, but I am a growing boy. Perhaps, it would be best if I had the waffle.” Reese and Dewey reached for the last waffle, struggling to strain themselves from fighting.

Malcolm and Aria glanced at each other knowing that they were entering the danger zone. It seemed that Hal realized that too because he stuffed the waffle into his mouth to prevent an inevitable fight. 

“Thanks for offering it to me, boys.” His words were muffled by the waffle, Lois turned around in confusion. “They are such good boys.”

~~~

Aria sat in her room wrapping the last present and stretched as she stood up from the floor. She had spent a good hour on the floor wrapping presents and now her muscles and joints were stiff. 

This year Daphne, Scott and Thomas were joining them for Christmas dinner. Aria didn’t mind, she was actually excited, Daphne and Noah had been dating for almost a year and they wanted to spend Christmas together like one big family. Aria and the boys loved the idea, the three had been getting closer since the evacuation, each wanting to introduce their Christmas tradition.