Wrapped in love- Bernard x reader

Charlie's best night ever

I hear a commotion and rush downstairs. In the door way is dad hissing at mom? Making my way into the living room I see Charlie staring in wonderment at the colored lights adorning the tree, a giant, color changing star sits on the very top. Ornaments we've made over the years are speckled throughout the tree. Charlie and I's faces are framed and hung near the top. That picture was taken the Christmas before the divorce. I remember how all Charlie asked for that Christmas was for the fighting to stop. It's sad when a 4 year old asks to keep their family together. I wrote a letter as 'Santa' to apologize. I wrote that it was out of my hands and that if they were happier apart that you should be happy for them. I remember the downtrodden look he had after reading the letter. I had started work as a librarian rather than go off to college. I had to keep dad afloat. If I wasn't here I don't know what he would have done.

"Why do they always have to fight?" Charlie urged.

"Dad's just playing. You know how he is." I give him a side hug.

I hear the door shut and dad walks into the room.

"Your mother said that you no longer believe in Santa. Is that true?" Dad asks, hand on Charlie's shoulder.

"Santa's for babies!" Charlie shrugs.

"I believe in Santa, and so does dad. Are we babies?" I ask.

"Well, I guess if you believe, I can too. Since you're so smart you'd know what's real and what's not." Charlie smiles up at us.

"That's better! Now how 'bout I make you two the best Christmas dinner you've ever had?" Dad pulls out a cookbook and thumbs through the first few pages for poultry.

"8 hours! If I turn the heat up high, it will cook faster." Dad whispers to himself.

Charlie gives me a knowing look and I stick out my tongue, making him giggle. He pulls me by my sleeve into the living room.

"Let's watch the muppets Christmas carol!" He says, turning on the roku and putting Disney plus on.

"Oooh, you know me too well buddy!" I plop down beside him.

The credits begin to roll when smoke comes billowing out of the kitchen. Through it dad can be seen using a fire extinguisher on the turkey.

"I think dad needs some help." Charlie nudges me.

"Yeah, let's go help him sport." I say getting up and walking to the archway of the kitchen as Charlie follows me and climbs into a chair.

"Need some help?" I lean into the arch.

"Help?! No! Everything's fine!" Dad whips his head to us, moving to block the sight of the burnt turkey.

" That is exactly why you want a high-quality fire extinguisher right in the kitchen." He waves smoke away.

"Those flames were really big, dad!" Charlie flaps his arms.

"Yeah, turkey's funny like that." Dad excuses his idiocy as flames engulf the turkey.

"Dad!" We shout as I point behind him.

He douses the turkey with foam and wipes the sweat from his brow.

"It's done." I joke.

Dad glares lightly and responds "Let's just go out to eat!"

We pile into the car and begin to drive, dad naming off several restaurants then disappointingly sighing at them being closed. We soon come to Denny's. It's probably the only thing open at this time of night on Christmas Eve.