Christmas Special

~Ren~

The colorful sparkling decoration of the Christmas tree we put up earlier is dancing in my husband's and son’s eyes. Devin lifted Griffin by his waist, our son held the star in his hands as he reached up and put it on the top of the Christmas tree.

“Now, Mama,” Griffin said, giving me a convincing nod.

I was holding the plug of the Christmas tree, connecting it with the outlet, the lights came to life and the star above the six-foot tree twinkled with different luminous colors.

Griffin giggled as Devin peppered him with kisses on his cheeks.

“Can I?” our son asked for the twentieth time today. He’s very excited to open the present Devin has for him. It’s not that we don’t celebrate Christmas before, but this is Griffin’s first Christmas with his father.

“Can’t wait after midnight, buddy?” Devin ruffled Griffin’s hair, setting him down on his feet.

Griffin pouted, looking a little thoughtful before he answered. “I can, Papa,” he proudly announced.

“You’re growing up so fast, Griff,” I kneeled and he wrapped his small arms around my neck.

“Thank you, Mama,” my son mumbled.

Pulling away, I asked, “for what?”

Griffin stared at me with pure innocent adoration in his blue as the sky hues. “For giving me Papa,” he whispered and ran to the front door of our home when the doorbell sounded.

Standing up to my feet, I stood beside Devin, my husband stealing a peck on my cheeks. Heat crawled on my face seeing my sister, Cali, smirking at me. They arrived early for the Christmas Eve dinner we planned with Devin’s family.

Cali handed me the platter of baked goodies - apple pie, pumpkin pie, and Griffin's request, blueberry muffins - she brought and Dad handed the wrapped presents to Devin.

Urian, Eve and Jameson arrived with their daughter Jaime next, and to my surprise, uncle Mark and Klaus traveled all the way from Palermo to our new home in Maine. We ate dinner over light conversation about everything under the sun and the happiness I feel with these important people in my life can't be contained.

“How are things with you and Evan?” Klaus questioned Cali when we gathered in the great room after dinner.

Griffin opens his gift one by one as dad and Urian talk about the tasteful wine they have tasted in Italy. They've become buddy-buddy since my marriage to Devin. It's like they found their best friend in each other's company.

“Who?” my sister deadpanned.

Klaus rolled his eyes. “Casanova?”

Cali glared at me, “what?” I shrugged my shoulder, sipping my grape juice pretending not to care in the world about what Klausian had just said.

My sister and I are the only ones who know about Evan’s nickname. Since my wedding, Cali never talked about him again. I knew she had feelings for Devin’s best friend, since her trip to Barbados, he’s all she could ever talk about. Not even our common crush Matt Damon could make her mouth stop blabbering about how kind, sweet, and loving Casanova was. Once she learned about Evan's real identity, she just shut him off completely. Evan might be a playboy but he's a good person just like Devin. I think my sister needs to give him a chance to prove himself though.

“He’s nothing to me,” Cali huffed, patting Griffin's hair when my son said thank you for the gift my sister gave him. It’s not just a gift, but a check with five zeros in it. Griffin handed it to me and we showed it to his father.

“Many zeros, mama,” Griffin mumbled and we all laughed at his innocent declaration.

“What happened to that case you told me about Klaus?” I asked Klaus while Griffin opened his present from his uncle.

“What case?” Devin handed me the refill of my glass as he flopped himself back on the couch beside me.

“Nothing,” Klausian gave me a knowing look.

My brows creased, “the one where he wants to fight for his son's custody.”

The wine on Devin’s mouth burst all to Klaus’s face. Poor Klaus was sitting in front of Devin. “A what?! Custody of who?” my husband asked, whipping his mouth with the back of his hands.

“His son,” I innocently mumbled, handing Klaus my hanky. Cali snorted from the couch adjacent to the L couch we were occupying.

I gave my sister a questioning look and she sighed, shaking her head. “Never believe everything that comes out of Klausian’s mouth, Ren.”

“What do you mean?” I stared at Klaus who wore a blank face as he lifted Griffin on his lap, slumping down on the carpeted floor.

Devin wrapped his arms around my shoulder, “he doesn’t have a son, agápi mou.” (my love)

“What?!” I blurted out, “you said you have a son, the same age as Griffin.”

Klausian raised his forefinger in front of my face, “ah uh, I never said I have a son as same age as Griffin, Mama Ren.”

“You told me, on the pool in Palermo!” my voice rising a few octaves. This man had me believing shit all this time? Ugh, how could he have fooled me?

Klausian shook his head, “I might have made up some details about our conversation that night but look where it got you?” he patted Griffin’s hair, “and Griffin met his papa, right?”

My son giggled as Klaus buried his face on the crook on his neck and tickled him.

When he put it that way, how can I ever get mad at him now? He did make me see all the wrong things I’ve been doing with hiding Griffin from Devin.

“Wait,” my sister chimed in. “How about that time in their room Klausian? The surprise wedding thing... Is it still part of your diabolical plan?” my sister raised her brows questioningly.

Klaus shook his head, taking his lower lip between his teeth which tells me that he also has a hidden agenda for that plan.

“Spill it, Klaus,” I urged him in a comforting voice.

Devin chuckled beside me, “ah, man. Evan would be ecstatic to hear this. He lost five million because you cheated.”

“I didn’t cheat,” Klaus faked hurt. “How dare you accuse me of cheating. It was all Ren’s decision, I just gave her some options and a little push, no?”

I sighed, “I don’t know, Klaus, but I’m not mad at you. I’m thankful for the things you told me, for making me see my mistakes.” I leaned my head on Devin's shoulders. “Now I am married to the man I love.”

Cali snorted once more, “love? That’s so rare. You are very lucky to have each other.”

My sister, Pascalina Reed's, is being a pessimist? The world must be coming to an end because of all the people I have met in my entire life, Cali is the most optimistic. She sees everything good and thinks logically. That’s what draws people to her. In a room full of darkness, she’s going to light it up with her genuine kindness.

Cali turned to Eve and Jameson who were silently mesmerized by their sleeping daughter in Jameson's arms. “You too, James, Eve, you're lucky you found each other.”

Eve agreed, “I invested two years in courting this dummy,” her clear blue eyes gaze at Jameson with mischief, “I'll castrate him if he ever thinks of leaving me.”

“Honey,” Jameson groaned making us giggle, “stop threatening my manhood for a few moments please.”

After the little exchange gift we had, Cali, Dad, Klaus, uncle Mark, Urian, Eve, Jameson, and their daughter Jaime left our house wishing us a merry Christmas.

Griffin was fast asleep in Devin’s arms even before everyone left. Devin volunteered to tuck him to bed while I cleaned up things downstairs. We have a house cleaner that comes in three times a week, but I still want to be hands-on in taking care of Griffin even with the recording studio that I manage. Devin asked me once to stay home and focus on Griffin, but I told him that it would make me happy if I still have my work to go to every now and then.

Natalie was the one who’s managing everything now, but I still write music too. The company is making its way into the industry little by little while Devin’s chains of hotels have expanded all over the world.

I was staring at our wedding picture, taken about six months ago in Barbados where I surprised Devin with the wedding.

How time slows down when you're sad is the exact opposite of how time flies so fast when you're happy. I am happy that we made it this far. Rubbing my hands over my tummy, I smiled at the Christmas gift I have for my husband.

I felt him snaking his arms from behind me. “Reminiscing that day again, my wife?”

Hmm, that endearment that made my heart soar high up in the sky. We are married now, I am his just as he is mine. I could never ask for more but this, to stay with the man I love, spend my life with him, be with him forever.

Leaning my head back on his shoulders, I tilted my face and pecked his cheeks.

“I have a little surprise for you, agápi mou,” he whispered, spinning me around to face him gently. He wounded his arms around my waist as I wounded mine around his neck. My fingers threading on his soft curly locks. He maintained a shoulder-length hair by my request. His locks feel like strands of silk between my fingers.

“Not another surprise,” I gigged, swatting his chest playfully. The last surprise he had given me was a vibrator. A fucking pink vibrator. Who would need that when you're married? I felt my cheeks heating up at remembering that moment seeing that sex toy. I didn't talk to him for three days because of it.

I mean, I feel insulted by it. Do I look like I need a vibrator? That's what I asked myself over and over even after I threw that 'thing' away.

As if reading what’s going through my mind, my husband chuckled and tilted my chin. Giving me no other option but to stare into his ocean blue eyes. The side of his lips lifting up to a sexy smirk that made me fall for him over again.

“It’s nothing like that vibrator, agápi mou,” he leaned down and claimed my lips for a gentle kiss.

“What is it?” I smiled on his lips. Honestly, I would still be excited if it was just a rose in a clay pot or a muffin on a plate. Anything from him is good for me, every small thing becomes special when it’s coming from the man who holds my heart in his hands.

“Come,” Devin twined our hands, kissing the back of mine before guiding me out of our simple house.

Our place had five bedrooms, a theater room, a dining and receiving area, a game room as per Devin and Griffin's request and a swimming pool and that is it. It’s the simplest of all the houses Devin made me choose over before. We don't need a twenty bedroom place if it would result in us never seeing each other for a day.

I gasped as I saw the sparkling lights of the patio Evan made for us. This became my favorite hangout spot since it looks exactly the same as that rooftop garden in Milam, where we apparently had our first kiss.

I thought it was just a dream until Devin confessed that we actually kissed that night.

There was a table for two in the middle of the patio, candle lights inside small glasses scattered beautifully all over the place. Devin handed me the bouquet of roses resting on the table as he pulled the chair for me.

“Thank you,” I mumbled while he started to lift the cover of the food on the table. Italian and Greek food was bountiful serving in front of us. “We just had dinner, my love.”

“Oh,” he pouted his lips. “I never thought of that.” He looked disappointed. “Yeah, I guess another dinner would be-”

“No,” I placed my hand above his, “everything looks delicious. I still have free space on my tummy.”

Devin chuckled, “Nah. Wouldn’t want you getting fat agápi mou. Here,” he handed me the serving of gelato. “Dessert would be nice.”

I hummed, reaching for the sweet treat after putting down the bouquet of roses above the table.

“Thank you for doing this,” I sincerely thanked my husband. They say that marriage sometimes becomes the end of sweet gestures between couples but it never happened with Devin and me. Though it’s still early to say that we haven't changed, I feel like we're still the same people who’re getting to know each other day by day.

“You’re welcome, agápi mou,” he held my free hand that was resting above the table. “I promised before that I’d make up for everything that I did to you right?” I nodded, fighting back the happy tears that are about to stream from my eyes. “This is me keeping my promise to you, my wife.”

Drops of tears escaped from my eyes, Devin reached for me, cupping my face and wiping my cheeks with his thumb. “I hope those are happy tears, or your father would have me beheaded.” I giggled, wiping my face with my hands, “Klausian would be ecstatic to have me killed, you should know this by now.”

That made me laugh loudly, “I know. You guys are crazy.”

“I know,” he sighed, “but I'm stuck with those dimwits.”

After finishing the gelato on my plate, Devin asked me to dance to the tune of our beating hearts. Wrapping my arms around his waist, listening to the thumping beat of his heart while I let him guide my body to sway with his.

“I love you, Ren,” he whispered on the top of my head, “thank you for completing my life this Christmas.”

I know he hasn't celebrated Christmas with his family, mostly he’d stay with Eve but never like this. “I love you, Devin.” I tightened my arms around his waist. “We’re going to have another baby.”

“I know... it was nice to see Grif-” he stopped dancing. He held me by my shoulder and pulled away gently to look into my eyes. “What did you say?”

I nodded, taking the pregnancy kit from my pocket and showed it to him. “Merry Christmas, my love.”

~~

AN

Another book from me is up, Don's Fiancée. Search for my pen name 'Castiel' so you can easily find it. Thank you for reading Ren and Devin's story.

xx