I bleed when I fall down

'Hoping you're someone I used to know'

Wednesday 25th December 2030

'Santa's been.' A voice wakes the pair of them up, Dianne feels a weight jump on the bed, before crawling up the bed. Dianne sits up, bleary eyed as three children appear in the room with their stockings. Joe looks at the clock, 6:42AM. He suppose he can't complain, last year it was 4:30 in the morning. All three children have inherited their parents love of Christmas.

'Has he?' He croaks, his voice groggy. His younger son climbs onto his side of the bed. His song whacks his stocking across his dad's leg. 'Okay, are we going to open stockings?' They nod, as Dianne sits up. The pair film the awe of their children opening the presents. For a moment, they can forget that they aren't normal, that they don't have this huge issue hanging over them. In these moments, they can pretend that everything is okay.

'Are Belle and Kian awake?' They nod, knowing that they have gone in to wake-up their parents. 'Go bother Auntie Zoe and Uncle Alfie, tell them we will meet them downstairs.' They nod, bounding off to go and bother their aunt and uncle.

'Nice ploy there.' Dianne grins, stepping out of the bed and pulling on her dressing gown, and tying her hair in a messy bun. She can feel Joes eyes on the back of her neck. 'How many years have we been together? You still stare at that bloody tattoo.' He grins.

'I am intrigued.'

'You can be intrigued later, you have to get up because we are not going to get any rest until the kids have been able to open their presents.' He pouts. 'Seriously, put some clothes on.' She teases.

'Merry Christmas too you too.' She throws him a t-shirt, opening the door and making her way downstairs, boiling the kettle to make tea and coffee, anticipating what each person is going to want. She's soon met with her sister-in-law, mock glaring at her.

'Five children.' She states, as Dianne grins.

'That wasn't me, that was your brother.'

'What was me?'

'Your offspring disturbing me.'

'Oh yeah, that was me. Charming, aren't they?' A scream echoes throughout the house, as Dianne abandons what she is doing, running upstairs.

'What's happened?' The girls look guiltily between one another. 'Nothing, we were just mucking about.' Dianne sighs.

'Put your dressing gowns on and come downstairs with the boys. We can open presents after that.' They grin, as Dianne walks downstairs, barely recovered from the mini-heart attack she has just endured. 'It was just the girls mucking about.' Zoe nods, as Dianne finishes off the drink.

'Daddy can we PLEASE open our stockings now.' Amelia begs, as the rest of the household comes to join them. He looks at his wife, who starts nodding.

'You have to take your medication first though.' She rolls her eyes, as Dianne passes her the glass of water and popping the pill out of its tinfoil and she swallows it, not making a fuss like she usually does, a common argument before school. She tells Dianne it tastes funny, granted it probably does, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have to take it. Sometimes the pair wonder if it would have been easier for her to deal with this when she was either really young, and wouldn't remember it, or as she got older and she realised what was happening.

'Wait here.' His dad passes him the camera, and he goes and stands in front of the kids, watching their little faces light up and the living room door is opened, and it reveals the magic of Christmas. They run, looking for their presents. It never fails to make the adults smile, the awe and wonder of Christmas. Zoe and Alfie are acutely aware that this is probably the last Christmas that all five children will believe in the magic, Isabelle will be going into secondary school. This time next year, she probably, won't believe in Santa.