Christmas Special

Hey, lovely readers, this is a Christmas special chapter, hope you enjoy. A Merry Christmas from me to you . 

“I love the Christmas-tide, and yet, I notice this, each year I live; I always like the gifts I get, but how I love the gifts I give!”

~Carolyn wells

“One second,” I yell before getting up from the bed and going to the door after hearing a knock on it. I open the door, still rubbing my sleepy eyes, and when my eyes finally clear out, I see William standing at the door. He held his black suit over his shoulder with one hand and holding onto his suitcase with another. He looks a bit tired and worn, and I can’t blame him. Three days ago he received a call to be in the UK after the attack on the McQueens company that left many injured took place. Even though our tradition in this family during the holiday was to stay together, he had to leave. He promised to do everything he can on order to return to me in one piece and before Christmas day.

Today is the 24th day of December and after spending the whole day with the twins, fighting, playing, wrapping up the boxes, running and having fun with no news from William, I kinda lost hope, and although he has never been one to break his word, I couldn’t keep the faith for his return. Last we talked was yesterday, and he told me he would be offline the whole day today to focus and be able to wrap up everything to return to us.

Yes, he said he would be back, but when I heard the knock, the last person I had in mind to see was him. I am happy.

“Karen,” he calls out my name like he hasn’t seen me throughout the year and he takes a step towards me.

“William!” I call out, my breath becoming sharp. “You made it,” I say in a surprised tone.

He gives me one of his amazing smile and his grey eyes glitters, “Told you I would. You know I would let the company burn if it means I get to be with you and the twins, especially during the holiday.”

I close the space between us and throw my arms around him, for a small tight, “Thank you, I didn’t want to say it, but I didn’t want to spend the Christmas without you, and every day since you left I prayed for your return.”

He pulls away from me to give me a bright look. “I’m glad you waited.” he leans in and pecks my lips. “The twins, how are they?”

I take his hand and lead him further into the bedroom and towards the bed. “Very well. I put them to sleep not very long ago. They were up till past ten. Most of the workers took their Christmas breaks yesterday and other left today.”

“How many do we have left?” He asks, taking a seat on the bed and gently pulling me down to sit on his lap while he undoes his buttons.

“Only two, Cassandra and Simon. They said they will spend the holiday with us,” I reply while I help him untie his tie and toss it on the bed beside him.

“That’s still something you think?”

“Yeah, but not as last year. We had almost all the workers stay with us for Christmas,” I reply with a sad look.

His hands cup my face and make me look at him, “Well, we may consider our workers as family, but let’s not forget they also have families they want to spend time with outside there and it’s only fair.”

I lean in and kiss him while undoing the last of his buttons, before pulling away, “You’re right, you’re so wise, Christmas isn’t about how many people we have around us, it’s about the little we have and how we choose to look at it, and I’ve got you and the boys so that’s a lot.”

“Yes, my love, how did the gift wrapping go?”

“Great, the only one left is the one who has been touring the UK.” I joke, biting my lips gingerly.

One reason the boys slept late was because they were wrapping up their individual Christmas gifts while I was doing mine.

His eyes light up, but within it, I see the fire that burns. “Oh really? So does Santa’s little helper have her good and naughty list, then?”

“Killian is on the good list for sure, he’s a good boy but Willien takes after his father, he’s a very naughty boy.” the boys are all grown now, at seven they were already a handful with one more troublesome than the other. While they were much younger, Willien was the quiet one. I remember him not making a sound many weeks after delivery. I was so worried we went back to the doctors to complain and the doctors assured us he was normal. But after he turned four, he changed. He became the louder one, and even though he was compassionate, he was a little aggressive and being diagnosed with ADHD it is completely normal.

They both turned seven a few months ago and Willien was a handful, as ever. Killian's reserved and calm and observant. They are both amazing in their way and I will not have them any other way, but one was a naughty boy throughout the year. An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I guess.

His hands wrap around my waist and pull me even closer so that our lips are barely apart. “Oof, in what ways is his father naughty this year? “

This breath vibrates against the skin of my lips, sending goosebumps all over my skin and shivers down my spine and causing weakness to shoot through all of my body.

Damn, how I want this man.

I pull closer, brushing my lips against his and trailing it to his ears, “Not listening to my advice on keeping the old house, firing his secretary and not being as romantic with me as he used to.”

“Oh my,” he says, pulling back and I see the apologetic look in his eyes, “I’m sorry, let me try to get my name off your naughty list then.”

****

The sun is barely up when our door swings open and our room gets barged into by loud noises coming from the voices I know so well.

I growl loudly and bury my head deeper into the pillow.

“Two more minutes, please.” I groan, shutting my eyes. William didn’t let me sleep early last night. He was hell-bent on taking his name off the naughty list.

“Can you give me and your mummy two minutes to get prepared, please guys?” I hear William trying to bargain with his sons, but since he says it into the pillow, his words come out as a long growl.

“Willy, be quiet mom and dad are still sleeping,” Killian calls out in a hushed voice that already sounds remorseful.

“Not anymore, we are not,” William replies and I turn around grumpily in bed to look at my sons, the ones who decided I wouldn’t rest.

“Merry Christmas, mom and dad,” they say in unison with a wide grin on their faces, one that melts my heart even though I am sleep deprived.

“Guys, come on, two minutes.” William tries his skills at negotiating.

“You guys must be out in two minutes or we’ll be opening all gifts in your absence.” Willien sounds his warning before waltzing out of the room.

William craws over to my side, where I am unmoved. “Hey.” he wraps his arms around me and pulls me up to a sitting position.

“You’re sure we can’t give them back?” I ask, contemplating the choices I have. Sure I would miss them but I’ll have less headache.

I frown at William when I hear him chuckling the happiness dies from his face and he clears his throat. “We should call and check after we finish opening the gifts.”

“Were you able to do your?”

He nods and I’m surprised as I stare at my husband. After our romantic adventure last night, I felt too worn to do anything but sleep. William, however, helped me put my nightgown on before leaving for the living room, where we kept the unwrapped gifts. He sorted them out before finally coming to bed, which makes me wonder just how long he even slept last night.

“You’re amazing William, merry Christmas,” I say, leaning in and pecking his lips.

“Merry Christmas to you too darling, our boys are waiting.” he reminds me before carefully requesting as he pulls away, “should I carry you down?”

I pout my lips and nod, and he sweeps me into his arms and takes me out of the room.

The workers and the kids are all presents around the Christmas tree each holding onto the Christmas gifts they are hoping to give out just as we’ve done for years now, underneath the tree are about nineteen wrapped boxes with gifts in them and we always let William do the sharing of gifts.

“Can you stand?” he whispers into my ears and I nod and gently he sets me down on the floor.

He steps forward to stand before us, “This has been a long year, a lot of things didn’t go our way, the companies all over suffered depression this year because of the pandemic that struck the entire world, but one thing we remain grateful for is family. I am glad to have my wife here and our sons and you amazing members of this family. On behalf of the McQueens, we say merry Christmas.” he hands Simon and Cassandra their gifts.

“Thank you, Mr McQueen,” they reply in unison and gave the gifts they had in hand.

William hands his gifts to his sons. “Guys, these are yours.” they run over, collect it from him.

He picks up a purple box. “Karen, you’ve been amazing this year as a wife, a mother, a friend, and manager. This gift isn’t because you’ve been amazing, but this is just a Christmas gift.”

I laugh and collect the gift box from him. Then I open my box and there is a book in it, Mrs Wilson’s Replacement. I’ve always wanted to get this book but have either forgotten or it sold out before my arrival. I had complained to William many times about my bad luck, but never thought he would get it for me. “This is the best Christmas gift,” I say, wiping off the tears that peaks at my eyes.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“It’s my turn,” I tell him before going to the Christmas tree and giving out the gifts I’d wrapped. After handing everyone theirs, I move to the back of the glittering and glowing Christmas tree and bring out a box I had kept hidden since yesterday and hand it over to William.

There is a surprise in his eyes. “Do I deserve one?” His eyes become serious, “I don’t think I pass the good husband test this year.”

I roll my eyes, but urge “Open it,” the smile on my face widening.

He does and pulls out a new Rolex before looking up at me. “Merry Christmas William McQueen, I’ve always got your back, and you were not a good husband this year, you’re the best husband.”

He pulls me closer, and his lips take mine in for a passionate kiss. “Merry Christmas, Karen, I love you. “

“Always.” I smile.

*****

Author’s appreciation: Thank you for reading this bonus chapter and sticking with the book. Please check out my latest book, “The CEO’s Contract With The Thief”. It would mean a lot to me.

Thank you. 

God bless