Merry Christmas

He awoke with the sun and dashed downstairs. He rounded the corner, socks sliding across the floor, and saw the tree. Santa had come. Presents lay stacked beneath the branches and all of the stockings were stuffed to bursting. A smile broke out on his face and he raced down the hall. He poked his head in the first door and the second and the third, but all the occupants remained asleep. Slightly crestfallen he scampered back to the tree to await his family's rising.

Mom got up early and crept out the door to avoid waking Dad. He got back late last night, the shipping center had been working until the last minute shipping out presents. She changed in the hall and slipped past the door cracked at the end of the hall. She could hear snoring inside and knew the twins wouldn't be up for a few hours yet. Good. By the time she had the turkey in the oven and the presents under the tree the stars had started to disappear. She left a note on the oven with instructions. Hopefully Dad wouldn't burn it this year. She had agreed to cover only half a shift today, it left her just enough time to be home before the twins awoke.

Dad grinned ear to ear as he turned to the back of the church. The music began and everyone joined in "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing." As they finished the first verse he saw the cross rise and start to march down the center aisle. He knew below it walked his son and smiled again. The cross made its way down the length of the church, past the manger, and came to rest behind the altar. His son's shoes clicked on the marble as he returned to his seat. Their eyes meet and he thought he caught the smallest hint of a grin before his son turned his back again.

She opened the small green present last. Wrapped in gold ribbon it was solid, rectangular. It had to be a book. There was a card inside, but she wouldn't read that in front of her parents. She already knew what it said. The book was a compilation of poetry, typical of him. She flipped through the pages; a card fell on her lap. Turning it over she cracked the faintest smile. He had written her a poem.