A Storm Is Brewing

Last Minute Gifts

I couldn't possibly have allowed Amanda and Leah to wake up tomorrow morning and watch us open our presents without any of their own. I grabbed my keys and made a dash for the shop; I had just under half an hour to find something.

Returning to my dad's, I slipped upstairs, wrapping the gifts I'd bought for the two strangers, and hiding them in the wardrobe. One for tonight and a few for tomorrow. I headed back downstairs for the beginning of the Christmas Eve party, making excuses about my absence.

As with tradition, Dad lit the fire and placed cosy blankets around the living room. He had rolled down his projector screen, which only made appearances on special occasions, and placed plates of party food, crisps, and sweets around the room.

"Wine, beer, spirits?" He asked the room.
"I'll have whatever Olivia is having; Olivia, are you having wine?" I asked, smirking at her.
"No, beer!" She jumped up and down excitedly.

This interaction had gained a giggle from Amanda and Leah, and I was glad to see them feeling a little bit more comfortable now.

"Beer for me." Not a surprising choice from Rhys.
"Wine for me, please." Amanda said.
"I've got to drive home, so I'll just have juice. Thanks though, Dad." I said.
"Leah?" Dad asked.
"I don't mind; whatever is easiest." Leah mumbled.
"She'll have wine." Amanda spoke for her daughter.

Dad came back through with the drinks, lifting the remote to browse through the TV. This happened every year, but we all knew deep down we would be watching Nativity! for Olivia, and then the adults would watch Love Actually; it was a tradition.

As the fire crackled in the background, I curled up under the blanket and stretched out along the sofa. Olivia's laughter filled the room as the film played; she was dancing along to the songs and putting on a show for our visitors. She was really taken by Leah; I noticed she kept smiling at her. Despite Leah's clearly awkward nature, she seemed to feel anything but awkward around my niece. She danced back, using her shoulders so as not to draw too much attention to herself.

Just before the end of the film, I felt Olivia pull at my blanket. I lifted it up and pulled her little body up to cuddle with me.

"It's nearly our bit." She said.
"I know, do you remember the words?" I whispered.
"Yeah, I know them all now."

As the music began for She's the Brightest Star, Olivia shouted the words.

"One time, c'mon, c'mon!" The youngster shouted, filling my heart with love.
"Peace to the stars!" I shouted back at her as she giggled.

As the chorus began to build, my dad and Rhys joined in with us. Amanda and Leah were laughing affectionately at the four of us singing along.

"Come on, you two, the words are on the screen!" Olivia said, gesturing for them to join in.

Neither of the two could resist the six-year-old's face and began to sing along, reading the lyrics from the screen as Olivia bopped along in the seat beside me.

"Auntie Sophie, it's nearly our rap!" Olivia shouted over the top of the music.

I cannot believe I'm about to rap along to a kid's movie in front of the England captain. I took a deep breath and leaned my face into Olivia's to rap the words alongside her.

"She's my shining star from above! She twinkles, and she sprinkles."

Olivia was proudly rapping all the wrong words. She was moving her mouth but just letting out noises, and of course we all pretended they were right.

"WORD!" We both said it on time at the end.

Dad, Rhys, Amanda, and Leah clapped and cheered at the end, with Olivia taking this as an invitation to stand up and take a bow.

"You're a little superstar, aren't you?" Amanda asked her, causing a large grin to develop across her little cheeks.
"I'm going to be a singer."

Amanda's one sentence was all Olivia needed to place herself in between the two visitors on the sofa. She loved meeting new people and had no reservations about social interactions, unlike myself and clearly Leah.

As the movie finished, Dad refilled the drinks for everyone, and finally, my all-time favourite, Love Actually, began.

"This is Leah's favourite." Amanda said.
"Good choice for a favourite." I said, smiling towards Leah, who had now placed her feet on the footstool in front of her.
"Can't beat it." She laughed.

The adults were so engrossed in the film that no one noticed that Olivia had fallen asleep in between Amanda and Leah. She had her head resting on Leah's lap and her feet across Amanda's. The sight of the two made me smile, and my heart felt warm. Get a grip, Sophie.

"Do you want me to move her?"
"No, let her sleep." Leah mouthed back through a smile.

As the movie played out, we all spoke in time with our favourite lines. It was nice to know that Amanda and Leah were having the best Christmas Eve they could have away from their family.

Rhys took Olivia up to bed; her singing and dancing had completely worn her out, as she didn't even flinch when he picked her up.

"How're you two feeling? Being away from home?" I asked.
"Not the Christmas we planned, but after a performance like that, I feel incredibly lucky." Amanda joked.
"Privileged." Leah laughed.
"She's living proof that as long as you think you know the words, you can't go wrong."

As always, Dad gave us a Christmas gift each at the end of the Christmas Eve party.

"Wow! I don't know what it could be!" Rhys said, breathing through his nose with his laugh.
"The suspense." I added.

Every year, we got Christmas pyjamas; it had become a tradition that Dad always ensured he stuck to. Mine were covered in Santas, and Rhys got some plastered with elves. We both thanked him before I headed upstairs to the wardrobe in Dad's bedroom.

"I didn't want you two to feel left out." I said as I entered the living room again.
"Sophie, you shouldn't have!" Amanda said, taking the wrapped pyjamas from my hand.
"I had to guess the sizes; I figured you probably didn't have Christmas pyjamas with you if you weren't planning on being here for long."
"Thank you, honestly." Leah smiled.

As the two admired their gifts, I announced that I was going to head home. I kissed my dad goodbye and hugged my brother, heading towards the door before I remembered that Amanda and Leah would be stuck on the sofa for the night. I turned and walked back into the living room.

"Do you two want to come and stay in my house tonight instead? I have spare bedrooms; rather than being on the sofa?" I asked.
"Are you sure? I feel like we've taken over your family enough." Amanda said.
"Honestly, the two of you mustn't have had much sleep last night on that thing."
"That would be great; thank you. Leah?" Amanda said, turning towards Leah.
"I could use a bed to be fair." Leah smiled. "If you're sure?" She asked.
"Of course. Let's go."

As we walked along the driveway to my car, the wind almost blew us away. Leah placed herself in the back of the car while Amanda sat in the front, both shivering as I waited for the windows to clear before I could start to drive.

"Is it always this cold here?" Amanda asked, gently laughing.
"Only like 95% of the year. Sometimes, on a random Wednesday, it's sunny." I chuckled.
"God, it really is cold." Leah added.

With that, we headed off. The England captain and her mum in my car on their way to my house.

Christmas is magical and very weird.