Patton jumped down off the couch, his bare feet running as soon as they hit the floor.
David laughed as he stood next to his brother, helping Leah hang an ornament on the tree, thinking of how he had prayed for precisely this little boy for his brother, the one who would be payback for everything Grant had put them through.
“I know why you’re laughing, don’t think I don’t,” Grant rolled his eyes. He knelt down to speak to Patton. “Get an ornament out of the box, and let’s help Grandma and Grandpa finish decorating our tree.”
“I’m getting two,” Patton said, taking one in each hand. “Hold me up high; put me on your shoulders.”
Leah reached out to her Uncle Grant. Grant, with Patton atop his shoulders, squatted down to give Leah a kiss on the forehead.
Patton kicked his leg against his daddy’s chest. “I can’t reach it now!” he complained.
“Uncle Grant,” Leah begged.
David smiled at his little brother. “Want to trade? Take Leah, and I’ll take Patton?”
“Sure,” Grant answered quickly. Then, pausing, he frowned playfully. “Oh, you meant like just for right now?”
David snorted. “Just for now,” he confirmed.
“Alrighty, come here you little angel,” Grant smiled at his niece as he lifted Patton from his shoulders and handed him over to his Uncle David.
David and Patton walked around to the other side of the tree as Patton scoped out the best place to hang the snowman he had in his hand.
Hailey was helping Lily hang plastic candy canes on the tree when she literally bumped into her husband. Smiling, Hailey pointed to the ornament Leah was holding. “What’s this?” she asked lovingly.
Leah held the ornament out to her. “Music!” she said finally.
“That’s right,” Hailey nodded. “Those are carolers singing us Christmas songs! I think it would look pretty right here!” She pointed to a spot on the tree, and Leah carefully hung the ornament on the branch.
“Yay!” Leah clapped for herself.
“I hear Patton; I don’t see him; that is never a good thing,” Hailey raised an eyebrow.
“I pawned him off,” Grant shrugged.
“You did? You traded him in?” Hailey nodded.
“Celia, keep away from the poinsettias, Sweetheart,” Nora said, taking her by the shoulders and steering her attention back toward the tree. “Lucy, don’t run with that candy cane in your mouth!” she gasped as Lucy hurried past, holding a small armful of ornaments. Nora laughed a tired yet blissfully happy laugh before adding, “Patton, put baby Jesus back in the manger where he belongs, please, Sir.”
At that, Hailey wrinkled her nose. “Let me find him,” she gulped.
“I swear I left the blasphemous little delinquent of a baby snatcher in super cop’s capable hands,” Grant scoffed. “Dave, you’re letting me down, Bro!”
“Grant, that is our little boy you’re talking about!” Hailey slapped him.
“I meant it in the most affectionate sense, Honey,” Grant called as Hailey rounded the tree to find their son.
On Christmas Eve, all seven kids sat in front of the fireplace wearing matching plaid, flannel, Christmas pajamas and smiling at Nora’s camera as she snapped the final picture of the evening.
“Alright, kids,” Melissa called, wadding up wrapping paper from the floor and adding it to the trash bag David was holding, “it’s time for bed! Santa is going to pass us right over if you’re all still awake!”
“Mama, can I take my new doll to bed?” Lucy begged.
“Of course,” Melissa nodded. “Finish helping Daddy and Grandpa put the rest of the wrapping paper in the trash bag.”
Jessica and Emily worked busily, helping Nora carry trays of snacks from the coffee table back into the kitchen. Emily giggled as she watched Jessica sneak another peanut butter cookie and eat the chocolate kiss off the top. Jessica cut her eyes toward her best friend. “What?” she giggled. “Diet starts day after Christmas!” She shoved the remainder of the cookie into her mouth and smiled guiltily.
“Grant, do you want to help Patton take his presents into our room?” Hailey instructed, watching their son move from one toy to the next.
“Daddy, look at this!” Patton said, holding an Illustrated Classics version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, courtesy of Aunt Jo and Uncle John. “Will you teach me how to read this?”
Hailey watched her husband lift their son into his arms. Patton slung his arms around Grant’s neck, and Grant’s hand rested so lovingly against the back of their little boy’s flannel pajamas as he squeezed him. Hailey smiled admiringly at her two favorite guys, and, putting her arms around them both, she thanked God for her family.
Rachel and Wally were lying down in their guest room bed, kid-free, waiting for their girls to fall asleep in Zach’s room across the hall before piling out of bed to fill stockings and set up gifts.
“Patton, be still and go to sleep, Buddy!” Grant said as he cuddled with his son in the bed across the room.
“Where’s Mama?” Patton asked.
Grant smiled. “She was helping Grandma and Aunt Mel; she’ll come get in bed with us soon!”
Patton gasped and shot up in bed. “Oh no! Dad, I forgot to leave milk and cookies for Santa!”
“It’s all good,” Grant shook his head dismissively, pulling Patton back onto his pillow. “I think Tori and Celia left Santa some cookies…”
