The Slugger Stole My Heart

Chapter Seventeen

I woke up on Christmas morning at six thirty. I was super excited.

I woke up Josh and told him it was Christmas and we walked downstairs together hand in hand. The tree was still lit up and the presents we put in place last night still looked amazing under there.

"I want to wake up the kids so badly, but I don't want them to be cranky all day long," I whispered to Josh.

He laughed a throaty laugh and we walked out to the kitchen and set up a coffee pot. That was the one thing I missed the most because I was pregnant.

Ryan came down the stairs in his sleepy state and I slid a mug of coffee his way.

"Thanks," he said scratching his head.

Soon Jose's daughter Ava woke up.

"Josh, Lucy, Santa came!" She hollered in excitement.

"Yes he did!" I told the excited little girl.

"He filled my sock up Lucy!"

"He sure did Ava," I said to her.

"Can I open my presents?" She asked, eyes glinting with excitement.

"Not until everyone wakes up," I told her earning a frown. "Do you want a cinnamon bun?"

"Yes!" She squealed running to the kitchen.

I grabbed her a cinnamon bun off the rack, I had made a fresh batch yesterday afternoon.

"Is it yummy?" I asked when she finished half of it.

She nodded her head and Estella Marie walked into the kitchen. Jose and Neisha following behind her.

"Good morning," I said to the sleepy looking adults.

"Mornin'," they mumbled.

"Here have some coffee," Ryan said pouring them each a cup.

"Thanks," they said in unison.

Amanda and Kevin came downstairs careful not to wake Josh and Kathryn and their three kids.

"Merry Christmas guys!" Amanda called out when she stepped into the kitchen.

"Coffee?" Josh asked.

"Absolutely," Kevin said yawning.

Lisa came into the kitchen and opened up the oven where the turkey was. She basted the turkey, put the lid on and shut the oven.

"About seven or eight more hours and we'll have some bird!" She told us.

"Yay!" Josh Thole called from the kitchen door.

"You guys are awake!" Ava called. "Does this mean I can open my presents now Lucy?"

"You can now," Troy called from the stairs with Taz in his arms.

"Yay! Come on Estella! Let's go open our presents!" Ava said chipperly.

"Alright guys let's go," I said ushering all of the kids into the living room. "Do the parents say yes?" I called into the kitchen.

"The parents are coming," Troy said coming out of the kitchen, everyone else in tow.

They all sat down on Lisa's sectional near the tree and the kids started ripping open the gifts that their parents brought from them to open.

It was magical to see their faces light up when they got the toy they really wanted.

It wasn't until seven thirty when all of the kids finished opening their gifts and taking them out of the packages and showing them to everyone.