None of these characters belong to me except for David and Daniel.
Christmas at the Fraynes'
by Bonni
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring… "Boy, I hate that story," she thought. Sure there wasn’t anything stirring because the kids were both in bed and it was December 24th, but it just wasn’t the same anymore. Not since the fateful day last summer when her world fell completely apart. Now it was Christmas and the snow was falling. It was falling as fast and furious as the pieces of her broken heart.
Quickly putting the last of the gifts under the tree, Trixie started on the stockings and wished she didn’t have to go through the farce of Christmas this year. If it weren’t for the boys, I would have even put a tree up, she thought. But I can’t neglect them. They need me now, more than ever.
After finishing with the stockings, Trixie went around the room shutting off the tree lights and picking up the empty cups left by the kids and put them in the kitchen sink. They can wait until tomorrow to be washed up, she thought. Before going upstairs to check on the kids, she made sure all the doors were locked for the night. Once she reached their room, Trixie hurried in and pulled the covers up over David, smiling as she pulled assorted Legos from the blanket. He always trashed the bed. Turning, she faced the other bed that held her second son, Daniel. He was rolled up completely in the blanket like a cocoon. Just like his father. Trixie’s heart saddened just a little bit more. It didn’t take much for her eyes to well with tears these days.
It was hard to live life after the terrible things of the previous summer. If it weren’t for the boys, Trixie knew she’d have no ambition in life to do anything. I’m glad I made those Christmas cookies yesterday to take to Moms house, she thought and grimaced at the performance she knew would be forthcoming on the morrow. I hate the pity I see in their eyes when they look at me.
Going into the bathroom off her bedroom, Trixie quickly cleaned up, taking off her makeup and brushing her teeth before going to the empty bed she still had a hard time laying in. Grabbing an old jersey of Jim’s, she put it on before climbing into bed. She grabbed a pillow and pulled it close, breathing deeply of the scent that was slowly wearing off. Trixie buried her head in it and cried until she didn’t have anything left to cry.
December twenty-fifth greeted all mothers much too early and the Frayne household was no different. "Mom, he came!" Was the cry heard throughout the house. Dragging her head up off the pillow, Trixie turned toward the door as it flew open and the boys bounded in.
"Santa came, Mom, he really did!" David announced as if there had been any doubt.
"Of course he did silly, you knew he would." Daniel was the more somber of the two. Both were identical replicas of the their father, right down to the red hair and green eyes. "Are you going to get up so we can open presents? We don’t want to do it without you." His big eyes told a different story.
Trixie held out her arms to both boys and hugged them tight. "I know how hard it is with Dad gone, but you boys have been troopers and we’ll get through this. If Dad had his way, he’d never have left us and it would be Christmas everyday, guys. So while where at Gran-Moms today, if you’re sad just think of that. He misses us as much as we miss him." Trixie’s eyes filled with tears again, but she quickly blinked them back. Handling Jim’s death and everything that had followed after the car crash had been such a hardship, but she had to be strong for the boys. They needed her now more than ever.
"Dad’s our guardian angel now, Mom, isn’t he?" David asked, uncharacteristically quiet. He pulled on the buttons to his Buzz Lightyear pajamas.
Trixie nodded, swallowing mightily before answering. "I’m sure he is, honey." She gently touched the back of her fingers to David’s cheek and wiped the tears away. "He loved you both so much."
"Mom, can we sing Dad’s favorite song? I think he would like that." Daniel asked a small smile on his face. "We could do it every year and it will be our way of remembering him on Christmas."
Trixie wondered how someone could be so old at ten years old. "I think that would be great, Danny. Do you remember his favorite song?"
Both boys started jumping up and down on the bed and started to sing "….was a jolly happy soul…."
The End