Luke Jackson: My Story

A Jackson Family Christmas

10 years later...

I awoke to the sound of silence. It was way too quiet for Christmas morning. Lauren and I were spending Christmas with my family in my childhood home. My siblings were arriving later today, Lauren and I were sleeping in my old bedroom. It had changed a little bit from the last time I was here. The walls were still blue, but the posters and messiness of it was gone. Pictures were still everywhere of Lauren and I from when we were young. I turned to my right, Lauren was sound asleep, her chest rising and falling slowly.

The blinds were closed to block out the light. I hoped it was snowing, when we'd arrived two days ago I was bummed to see brown grass. I turned and smiled at Lauren, she was as beautiful as ever. Her brown hair exploded across the pillow, her little body was pressed against mine, her face showed a peaceful expression. I kissed her cheek, she squirmed a little but stayed asleep. I kissed her neck and worked my way up to her lips. She let out a small laugh and moaned, "honey, stop, it tickles." Lauren's eyes fluttered open as I pulled away from her lips.

"Merry Christmas sweetheart." I gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Merry Christmas bird brain," she kissed me back playfully, her eyes widened, "it's too quiet, what time is it?" She asked.

I checked the clock, "7:30, we're in the right house right?" I asked her.

"I think so," Lauren paused, we heard high pitched whispers coming from behind the wooden door to the right.

"Shh, listen." Lauren and I both grew quiet, we watched the door open ever so slightly, little whispers filled the room, I couldn't see the faces to match them but I was thrilled to hear their voices.

On the right side of the bed, two pairs of eyes peeked over, then ducked down, Lauren and I smiled as we heard the voices talking. "Mommy and daddy are up."

The pair of sea green eyes and a pair of forest green and brown eyes could barely see over the side of the bed. "Mommy? Daddy? Are you up?"

"Yes, girls, we're up. Merry Christmas!" I smiled.

I saw the two girls jump up and down, "Merry Christmas mommy! Merry Christmas daddy!" The blonde girl with wavy hair tried to crawl up onto the bed.

"Santa came! Santa came!" The brown haired girl cheered.

"Get up here you two," I leaned over Lauren to pick them up.

"Momma!" A voice cried from behind the bed.

"Merit, come up here," Lauren leaned over to pick up two year old Merit. She was wearing a red onesie. She had blonde hair and Lauren's forest green and brown eyes, her hair curled at the ends, she was very cute. She was the perfect mixture of her mom and I, she was also the most mellow of the three.

"Get up, get up! Santa came!" The brown haired girl with Lauren's eyes jumped up and down on the bed. That was Gabriella, she was four, she was the big ball of crazy energy. She was always smiling, but even though she looked just like Lauren, she was a daddy's girl. My mom says she gets her energy from me when I was her age, I don't doubt it.

"Come on mommy, get up, I wanna see my toys!" The girl with the blonde hair and sea green eyes jumped up and down with Gabriella. That was Diana, our oldest, she was six. Diana had wavy blonde hair and my eyes, but she had her mother's smile. The kind that lights up a room and makes everyone happy.

Diana and Gabriella has been inseparable since Gabriella was born. They always tried to match their outfits, and they both loved the same movies, games and almost all the same activities. We were so glad that they got along so well.