Big Red Bow by Becca

I shivered as I stepped into the cold December air.

"Watch the steps," my husband said from behind me.  "I shoveled them, but they're still pretty slippery."

I nodded and took a hold of the wrought iron banister before continuing down the steps.  While my husband carried the box of presents to the trunk, I walked around to the passenger side of our 4Runner and climbed inside.

He closed the trunk and climbed into the driver's seat, rubbing his hands together after starting the engine.  "I should have let the car warm up for a few minutes before we came out here," he muttered as he waited for the fog to clear from the windows.

"Your mom isn't expecting us for another forty-five minutes," I reminded him as I rubbed my legs together, trying to get warm.

"I know, but if we get there after my brothers we'll have to park farther up the street," he replied.

"In all fairness, Taylor should get to park right in front of the house," I pointed out.  "He and Natalie are out numbered now."

"Yeah, I know," he nodded.  "Okay, I think we're ready to go."

While he backed out of the driveway, I turned on the radio and tuned it to a radio station playing Christmas music.  Satisfied, I leaned back in my seat and watched the colorfully lit houses pass as we drove.

My gaze shifted to my husband who was singing the "12 Days of Christmas" with the children's choir on the radio.  I smiled when he looked at me, his face lit up from the lights outside.

"Is it warm enough for you?"  He asked.  I nodded and he returned to his singing.

We reached his parents' farmhouse inspired home and he grunted when he saw his brother's minivan parked right in front of the house.

"Be nice, honey," I whispered as he parked the car in front of Taylor's.  We climbed out of the car and he grabbed the presents from the trunk.  I followed up him the front walk and into the cinnamon scented house.

"UNCLE ZAC!!  AUNT GLORIA!!"  Our four-year-old nephew Ezra exclaimed as he ran out from the living room, his father behind him.

"Hey bud," Zac smiled as he handed the box of presents to Taylor.  He scooped Ezra into his arms and tickled him.

My eyes misted over as I watched Zac carry Ezra into the living room and set the little boy down to greet our twenty-month-old niece, Penny, and three-month-old nephew, River.  I unconsciously, placed my hand on my stomach and bit my lower lip to keep from spilling the secret I had kept for a month.

"Gloria?"

I tore my eyes from Zac and the kids and found my sister-in-law Natalie eyeing me suspiciously.

"Uh, hey," I cleared my throat.  "Merry Christmas."

"You too," she replied, looking into the living room and cringing when she saw Ezra pick up a present to shake it.  "Excuse me."  She quickly entered the room to deal with her son.

I took my coat off and hung it in the closet before I wandered into the kitchen, where I found my in-laws.  "Merry Christmas," I greeted.

"I thought I heard Ezra bellowing about something," Zac's mother smiled as she looked up from the dessert she was putting together.  "I'd give you a hug, but as you can see, I'm a little busy."

"Don't worry about it," I smiled as I sat down.

"Can I get you some eggnog?"  Zac's father asked.

"Yes, but the child's version please," I replied.

He raised his eyebrow and got the 7Up from the fridge.

"Mom, have you seen-" Zac stopped when he saw me sitting at the counter.  "There you are."  He walked over and quietly said, "Natalie said you looked a little weird when she saw you in the entry hall, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I replied, smiling.

"You sure?"  He asked his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Positive," I assured him.  "Your dad is making me a glass of eggnog right now, in fact."

"I'll take one of those," Zac told his dad.  "And the grown up version since I'm 21 now."

"Don't remind me," his father laughed.  "It makes me feel old."  He set my drink in front of me and started making Zac's.

Zac sat down next to me as Taylor entered the kitchen with River in his arms.  "Hey Gloria, can you hold him for a few minutes while Natalie and I take the older kids for a walk around the neighborhood to check out the lights?"

"Sure," I replied, setting my drink on the counter and holding my arms out for the baby.  Once he was safely in my arms, I tucked him close to my body and gazed down at him with a smile.   His bright blue eyes gazed back at me and a smile spread across his face.

"I think he likes you," Zac whispered as he looked over my shoulder.  "Which means he has great taste in women, just like his uncle."

I rolled my eyes and watched as River wrapped his small little hand around my pinky.

"Here's your drink, Zac," his dad said, placing it in front of him.

"Thanks," Zac replied.  "Why don't we go into the living room, Glori, you two will be more comfortable there."

I nodded standing up with Zac's help and led him into the living room.  I settled down on the love seat and propped River up so he could see the tree and all the pretty lights.

After setting our drinks on the coffee table, Zac sat down next to me and watched River take in all the sights.  "Makes me want one," he said, so softly I almost didn't hear him.

I nodded and opened my mouth to say something, when the front door opened and Ezra came racing into the living room animatedly talking about the lights they had seen.

Penny ran over to Zac and climbed into his lap.  "Read," she ordered.

"Penelope there are nicer ways of asking," Natalie sighed.

"Why don't you guys go in the kitchen and drink some eggnog," Zac suggested to his brother and Natalie.  "We'll keep an eye on the kids."

"Thanks," Taylor smiled as he took his wife's hand and led her out of the room before she could protest.

"What story should we read?"  Zac asked his niece.

"This one," Ezra said, grabbing a book from the coffee table and climbing onto the couch between Zac and me.

"No! Big Bird!"  Penny cried thrusting her body towards the coffee table, where the well loved copy of "Christmas Eve on Sesame Street" rested.

Zac looked at me for help and I smiled.  "Ezra, we'll read Penny's story right now and we'll make sure somebody reads you the candy cane story later," I told him.

"Fine," he pouted as he leaned his little body against my side.

Twenty minutes later, Zac finished reading and closed the book.

"Yeah Big Bird!"  Penny cheered, a large grin plastered on her face.  "Read again!!"

"Uncle Zac needs a break," he told her.  "Why don't you go ask daddy or grandpa to read it to you."

Penny climbed off his lap with the large book in her hands and ran out of the room calling her dad.

"When's Uncle Isaac gonna get here?"  Ezra pouted as he looked at the presents under the tree.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," I assured him, as the front door open.

"Speak of the devil," Zac said.

"UNCLE ISAAC'S HERE!"  Ezra exclaimed, jumping off the couch and running past Isaac to go into the kitchen.

"Hi to you, too, Ezra," Isaac called after his nephew.

"Where's your prettier half?"  Zac asked as he stood to greet his brother.

"Coming, she told me to come inside and she'd be in shortly since she's talking to her mom on the phone," Isaac replied and as if on cue, his wife Nikki walked in the front door with a box in her arms.

"Here, I'll take that," Zac said.  Nikki handed it over willingly and came over to the couch to see River.

"He's getting so big," she said as she tickled his stomach, making him gurgle.  "Makes me wish Isaac and I hadn't decided to wait a couple years to have kids."

"It's nice to have a honeymoon period," I shrugged.

"Listen to you," Nikki chuckled.  "Talking like you've been married for longer than five months.  That's only three months longer than Isaac and I have been married."

"I know," I looked up and saw Natalie entering the room.  "I guess I'm just used to Natalie trying to give me marital advice."

Natalie rolled her eyes and held out her arms.  "I'm going to change his diaper before dinner," she said as I handed River to her.  "Mom said we'll eat as soon as Jessica and her boyfriend get here."

Thirty minutes later, I sat down next to Zac at his parents' large dining room table.  Once everyone was seated, I took Zac's hand and the hand of his sister Avery and closed my eyes while his father prayed over our meal.

"Heavenly father, we thank you for sending us your son on this day and pray that you will bless the meal before us and keep us all safe during the coming year," he prayed.

"Amen," we chorused.

One by one, each serving dish was passed around the table.  I watched as Zac helped Ezra dish food onto his plate and smiled, fighting the temptation to stand up and tell everyone the good news.   I looked across the table and saw Natalie looking at me with a knowing smile.

Dinner passed quickly and after the dishes were done, the family gathered in the living room.  I sat on the love seat next to Nikki.  Zac sat at my feet with Ezra next to him.  

Zac's father read the Christmas story from the Bible then Zac's sisters passed out the gifts from under the tree.

We took turns unwrapping our gifts and I watched with a smile as Zac let Ezra help him unwrap his presents.  I put my hand on Zac's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around my right leg.

After all the presents were unwrapped and the wrapping paper balls thrown away, Zac's mom pulled Ezra into her lap and read the story of the candy cane aloud to us all. 

As the grandfather clock in the entry hall struck ten o'clock, we said goodnight to his family and Zac carried our presents out to the car.

"You were great with the kids this evening," Zac commented as he started the car.

"So were you," I smiled as I laid my head against his shoulder.

"You want to sit by the fire with me when we get home?"  Zac asked.

"I'd love to," I replied.

When we got home, we changed into our pajamas and Zac left the bedroom to start a fire in the living room.  I looked at myself in the mirror and decided that I couldn't wait until the morning to give Zac his biggest present.   I grabbed the big red bow I had bought for the occasion and headed towards the living room.

With the bow behind my back, I entered the room and told Zac to close his eyes.

"Why?"  He asked.

"Because Santa has an early delivery," I replied.

"Do I get to open it now?"  He asked.

"Yes and no," I replied.  "Just close your eyes."

"Fine." 

I watched as he closed his eyes then I turned to stick the bow on my stomach.

"Open your eyes."

He opened his eyes and raised his eyebrows at the sight of the bow.  "I hate to be rude, but didn't you give me that present when we got married five months ago?"   He asked.

"Zac, that bow would have been lower," I rolled my eyes.  "This bow is on my stomach."

"Why do you have a bow on your sto-" he stopped when it hit him.  "You're – we're having a baby?"

I nodded. 

"Merry Christmas, Zac."

"Merry Christmas, Glori."  He took the bow off my stomach and lifted up the bottom of my shirt.  Getting down on his knees he placed a kiss just below my belly button and whispered, "Merry Christmas little baby."