Christmas in the Country (A Pocahontas FanFiction)

Packing to Go Home and A Nice Last Day Together

Everyone slept in late the next morning.  By the time it was eleven in the morning, Thomas was slowly starting to wake up.  He lay in bed with his eyes open.  He looked over at the clock and was surprised how long he'd been sleeping, "Gosh," he rubbed his head, "I should've been up by now.  But not even John's awake."

"Oh, I'm fine." John suddenly said causing Thomas to jump, "I was asleep waiting for you to get up, sleepyhead.  But, since we're both awake, let's go ahead and get up.  We've gotta pack and get ready to leave tomorrow."  Thomas leaned back on his arms and slumped over.  John cocked his head to one side, "You okay?"  Thomas sighed, "I really wish we could stay longer."  John got up and patted Thomas' shoulder, "We'll get to come back again.  You know that."  Thomas nodded, "Yea, it's still hard to leave, though."  John rubbed Thomas' shoulder, "I know what you mean, Thomas." He looked at the clock, "Let's go ahead and do our chores and get lunch.  Once we get packed, then we get more free time."  Thomas nodded while John helped him out of bed.

After dressing, brushing teeth, combing hair, and making beds, the boys came downstairs.  Uncle Lon looked up from hauling out charcoal, "Well, look who finally decided to come back from the dead!"  Mrs. Smith laughed from the kitchen where she was making beef into patties, washed her hands, and gave each of her sons a hug, "How'd you boys sleep?"

"Just fine." John told her.  Mrs. Smith smiled, "Well, you boys are in for a treat.  Your Uncle Ben thought that, since this is our last day together before we go home, we'd cook out for lunch."  Thomas' eyes widened, "Sweet!"  Mrs. Smith laughed, "Why don't you boys take these patties out to your Uncle Ben? He's out on the back porch."  She passed Thomas a cooking pan full of patties.  Thomas bobbed his head up and down, "We're on it!"

Thomas carried the cooking pan out to Uncle Ben followed by John.  Uncle Ben seemed glad when he saw them bringing the patties out, "Just in time, boys. Bring 'em on over."  The boys gladly did.  Once Uncle Ben got them on the grill, John decided to time Thomas on how many jumps he could do with a rope in one minute.  He'd gotten so good with it in gym class, some thought he could be the fastest.  John used a stopwatch on his clock app, "Okay...Go!" Thomas started skipping.  John kept an eye on it, "Okay, 30 seconds, keep going." Thomas was panting, but he kept at it.  When the one minute was finally over, "How'd you do?" John asked.  "Thirty-five jumps." Thomas replied.  John smiled and offered his fist for a fist bump, "Nice going."  Uncle Lon came out with the hot dogs, "Boys, why don't you two go help your mom in the kitchen.  It's still pretty cold out."  

The boys hurried in and started setting the table.  Once the BBQ sauce (which was always Famous Dave's) was out, Uncle Ben was just finishing the last of the steaks.  Thomas helped Grandma with a batch of lemonade while John brought stuff in from the grill.  John couldn't believe how much Uncle Ben was cooking, "Gosh," he said aloud, "I hope everyone's hungry." Once Thomas brought the lemonade over, everyone sat down.  Thomas didn't realize how hungry he was until he sunk his teeth into his burger.  Nothing short of delicious.

After lunch and clean-up, Mr. Smith sent the boys upstairs to pack.  The boys went up to start packing.  As Thomas worked, the same melancholic feeling dropped on his shoulders.  They had so much fun and now it was all going to end tomorrow.  Thomas sighed, it was hard that they couldn't stay for just a little longer.  John could see the disappointment on his brother's face.  Gently, he put a hand on Thomas' cheek and gave it a pat, "It'll be okay, this isn't the last time we get to see them."  Thomas sighed and put a hand over John's, "I know, it just feels like the time went by fast."  He started packing his last roll of clothes.  John ruffled Thomas' hair, "Well, at least we made the most of every moment.  Didn't we?"

"Mmmhmm."

After packing was done and their suitcases were by the door, Thomas and John joined their uncles in the living room.  While they played Trouble, Uncle Ben decided to go around the room and everyone would say their favorite part of the weekend.  He started saying that his favorite part was sharing Cinnamon Bear with the boys, Uncle Lon said when they went to Famous Dave's, John said when he and Thomas went caroling, Thomas said the sleigh rides, horseback-riding, and playing in the snow, Mr. Smith said the tree farm, Mrs. Smith said helping Grandma with the cooking, and Grandma said everyone coming to see her when she needed it most of all.  The boys blushed.

The boys kept playing Trouble and Thomas won.  John challenged him to a second round while their uncles went to get wood for a fire.  The boys kept playing and John won that time, so they decided to go for best two out of three.  Thomas won again, so it was decided he was the official winner.  By that time, Uncle Ben and Uncle Lon came in with the wood and John and Thomas put the game away and helped start the fire.  Thomas even grabbed his coat, pulled on some boots and ran outside to get extra wood to put on the hearth if they needed anymore.

The living room was starting to get cozy again.  John and Thomas sat by the fire, Thomas had his book 1984 and John was journaling, Mr. Smith read the newspaper, Uncle Ben leafed through a History Channel magazine, Uncle Lon propped his feet up and stared off into space, and Mrs. Smith and Grandma knitted.  Thomas couldn't help it sometimes, in the most cozy situations, he couldn't help getting sleepy.  John could see it and made sure his lap was ready.  Thomas yawned, his eyelids were getting heavy.  Finally, he set the book on a sidetable and rubbed his eyes.  John held in a laugh and patted his lap.  Thomas gladly accepted the invitation and got comfortable.  Uncle Ben smiled and rolled his eyes and passed John a blanket which he draped over Thomas.  John sighed and set to work stroking Thomas' back.

After a half hour, it was decided they would have cookout leftovers for supper and John had to wake Thomas up.  John couldn't help laughing as Thomas slowly woke up, "You look so cute when you're tired."  A goofy grin appeared on Thomas' face, "Really?  Well," he added jokingly, "I always wanted to look cute in the middle of the day."  Everyone laughed.  While they ate, Thomas tried not to show his downhearted feelings, but Uncle Ben could tell.  Gently, he patted Thomas' back.  After everyone finished, they finished the cake and pie from yesterday.  Everyone was allowed to have both, which the boys were pleased about.

"Alright," Uncle Lon announced when supper was finished, "Since this will be our last day before David, Mary, and the boys go home, why don't we have a movie night?  What'll it be?"  Everyone said A Charlie Brown Christmas, "Alright, A Charlie Brown Christmas, it is! Why don't you boys get your PJs on and we'll set up the movie."  The boys nodded and headed upstairs to get ready. 

Once they were showered, had their pajamas on, and brushed their teeth, they headed back down where the grownups were waiting, "We're ready!" John announced.  

For the boys, there was something wonderfully nostalgic about watching Charlie Brown.  Everyone in the family had watched them as kids, and now John and Thomas watched it with them.  Thomas got closer to Uncle Ben and snuggled next to him.  Uncle Ben smiled and put his arm around him.  John did the same to Uncle Lon.

When they finished the movie and the extra, It's Christmas Time Again, the boys were sent to bed and said goodnight.  As they went upstairs, Thomas still couldn't believe this was their last day with their grandma and uncles.  Just as they'd gotten into bed, Uncle Ben and Uncle Lon came to say goodnight.  As they tucked Thomas in, they noticed Thomas' still forlorn look.  They exchanged knowing glances, "Not excited to go home, Thomas?" Uncle Lon asked.  Thomas nodded, "It just feels like the time went by so fast and we so much fun."  They smiled, "Of course we did, kiddo." Uncle Ben told him.  Uncle Lon nodded, "We'll always get other times to be together.  I know I'll remember this one, your mother took plenty of pictures.  It'll be hard to forget."  Thomas felt a little better, especially as they each gave him a kiss and said goodnight.  Once they did the same for John, they switched off the lights and left the boys to rest.

Thomas, surprisingly, couldn't sleep.  He'd gotten to an exciting part in 1984 and was anxious to see how it ended.  He flipped a reading light on and read on.  John was soon asleep while Thomas was still in the middle of the book.  When he finally came to the end, he closed it, put it on his bedside table, and checked the time, it was five in the morning, "Gosh, never stayed up this long." he whispered to himself.  Saying so, he clicked off his reading light and went to sleep.