Heaving chests slowed and pulses calmed, as they began to relax, nearly melting together. Lauren slowly ran her hand down the smooth skin of Dev's back and tiredly pulled up the comforter, which had somehow ended up half on, half off the bed, around their entwined bodies. She kissed a damp shoulder, eliciting a contented hum from deep in Dev's chest and a murmured ‘I love you'.
Lauren couldn't have been more contented herself as she felt more than heard Dev's breathing even out and her heart slow further as sleep overtook her partner. "I love you, too," she whispered softly. Gray eyes fluttered closed, and she smiled faintly as Dev's arms tightened around her.
Saturday, December 25
th
"Lauren?"
Silence.
"Lauren?" The whispered voices were more insistent now.
"Go ‘way," the writer slurred, pulling the pillow over her head.
Three sets of giggles nudged Lauren closer to wakefulness. "It's time to get up," Aaron insisted. "Santa came!"
Lauren whimpered softly and lifted her bedraggled head from her pillow. She was in Devlyn's bed, but the President was nowhere to be found.
"Santa came; we get to open presents. C'mon!" Christopher grabbed one of Lauren's hands and Ashley grabbed the other as they began literally dragging the writer out of bed.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Lauren laughed. She looked over at the clock. 3:30 A.M.
God, no wonder I'm tired. I only went to bed three hours ago
. "Do you always get up in the middle of the night for Christmas," she asked Aaron as she fumbled for her glasses.
"Uh huh. As soon as Santa comes, we can open presents. That's the deal," he crowed excitedly, tugging at Lauren's T-shirt as the woman stumbled out of bed, yawning.
"Where's your mama?" Lauren's voice was still hoarse with sleep, and she stuck her fingers under her glasses to rub her eyes.
"She's in the living room. C'mon, we'll show you!"
Lauren looked wistfully at the bathroom as she was tugged past it and out into the living room.
"Here she is," Ashley announced, her voice still a whisper. The room was pitch black except for the twinkling of the white Christmas tree lights, which illuminated Dev's sprawled form. She lay on the floor in front of the tree, with Ashley's new bike assembled and waiting, Christopher's half way there, and Aaron's still in the box. A wrench was still clutched in one hand, and the trail of drool leading from her mouth to the carpet was glistening with every blink of the lights.
Lauren bit her lip to muffle a chuckle. It was exactly where she had left Dev several hours ago, with the President promising she'd be coming to bed soon, and that she didn't need any help; that this would only take a few moments.
Good grief, Devlyn. What am I going to do with you?
Christopher stared at his mother curiously. "How come Santa's elves didn't put the bikes together? Isn't that their job?"
Lauren's eyebrows jumped up into her hairline as her mind scrambled to come up with a suitable answer.
Ashley looked at her brother impatiently. "You're so stupid, Chris. The Secret Service probably made the elves leave the packages downstairs. The elves couldn't very well put them together in the North Pole, because ‘put together' bikes would take up too much room in the sleigh."
Gray eyes widened as Lauren listened to Ashley's explanation.
With an imagination like that, we may have another writer in the family.
"So mama had to do it here," Ashley continued in a clear voice.
"Oh." Chris nodded, finding his sister's explanation completely believable. "Of course."
Aaron tugged on Lauren's hand, and she peered down at the small blond boy. "Can we wake her up? It's Christmas!"
Lauren smiled. "Sure, honey. Go ahead and wake her up." The words were still hanging in the air when Chris and Aaron let go of Lauren's hands, and all three children ran over to their mother, happily shaking her awake.
Lauren watched with amusement as Dev sleepily tried to fend them off for a few futile seconds before waking up enough to realize what was going on. The President exclaimed ‘Merry Christmas', pulling all three children into a group hug that went on longer than any of the kids could stand.
"Okay, ya little monsters." Dev released her captives and frowned as she wiped her drool away with the back of her hand. "Have at it. And help Aaron read the names on the packages."
Three shrill cheers rang out, causing Dev to jump back a little. Ashley quickly grabbed Aaron's hand, and they both ran to the stockings with Chris hot on their heels. Each child grabbed his own, and plopped down in front of the cold fireplace to examine the booty it contained.
Dev padded over to Lauren who was still watching quietly with a grin plastered across her face. "Mornin'. Sort of," Dev whispered, placing a soft kiss on Lauren's lips. She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.
"Mornin', darlin'." Lauren squeezed Dev back, sinking deeply into the warm embrace.
"I fell asleep."
Lauren laughed. "I know. I'm sorry. I crashed myself, or I would have come and gotten you."
"Did the kids ask-"
Lauren shook her head and led Dev by the elbow to the couch, where they both dropped down with twin groans. "Ashley blamed your being passed out under the tree like an old drunk on the Secret Service."
Dev laughed, then smacked Lauren's arm playfully. "I was asleep," she whispered loudly. "That is not the same thing as passed out!"
Lauren stuck out her tongue.
"I need coffee," Dev whined.
"Me too. I'll get some coffee for us and some juice or something for the kids."
"You don't have to do that." Dev's protest was half-hearted. "We just sat down. I can wait."
"Please." Lauren rolled her eyes knowingly. "You're the biggest coffee addict I know. And besides, if I don't get some caffeine soon myself, I'll die. And I hear that sort of thing is a real downer on Christmas morning."
"Thank you." Dev wrapped her arm around Lauren's shoulders as they both stood. "I love you."
Lauren bumped hips with Dev. "I love you too."
"It seems strange without Emma around," Dev commented, not quite ready to let Lauren go.
"True," Lauren allowed, smiling at Ashley's squeal of delight when the little girl discovered some brightly colored nail polish in her stocking. "But the woman does deserve a vacation. I can't believe you sent her and her sister on a cruise. That was so sweet. It's all she's talked about the last two weeks."
Dev shrugged and found something interesting about her feet. "She deserved it."
"I know." Lauren smiled indulgently and gave Dev a little shove. "Go on, take some pictures and start passing out presents. I'll be right back with some coffee. Maybe I can bribe a couple of agents into taking Gremlin and Princess for a quick walk, too."
"A couple? Why not just one?"
"They're still not talking to each other."
Dev looked confused. "The agents?"
"No, Grem and Princess."
Dev snorted disgustedly.
Lauren winked at her lover then lifted her hand to gently rake her fingers through dark, disheveled bangs that were sticking out in several directions. "Then we can find out what Santa left for you under the tree."
Dev leered at the blonde, wriggling her eyebrows. Her voice dropped to a purr as she pressed her lips to Lauren's ear. "I thought I got my present last night."
Lauren blushed, then burst into embarrassed laughter. She glanced towards the kids who were lost in their own world of chocolate, toys, books, and clothes.
What could be better?
"Well, I consider that the gift that keeps on giving."
"If I'm lucky."
The biographer smacked Dev on the bottom and turned for the kitchen. "Trust me, Devlyn," she said, smiling over her shoulder. "We're both lucky."
*
*
*
David knocked on Dev's door for the third time. It was nearly 11:00 A.M., and Dev was expecting them. The agent outside the door could only shrug. He'd heard movement in the apartment very early this morning, but since walking Gremlin several hours ago, and taking him back to the President's apartment, he hadn't heard a blessed thing.
"Good Lord, David, just open the door!" Beth moaned. Her arms were full of gifts, and the puppy Dev had given them as a ‘gift' was jumping anxiously at their feet. "The kids will be up; it's not like we'll catch Dev and Lauren naked on the couch or anything."
"Of course not!" David snorted. Then he paused and started to truly consider what his wife had just proposed.
Beth rolled her eyes and pushed passed David. "Keep dreaming, pervert. But it will never happen." She juggled her packages and turned the knob. "Hello?" She stuck her head around the door and peered into the room. "Awwww... we should have brought a camera."
The living room was strewn with bright-colored wrapping paper, and Bing Crosby was softly crooning about a ‘White Christmas'. The lights were off, except for the tree, and the fragrant scents of pine, burning oak, and chocolate filled the air.
David and Beth moved quietly farther into the room, and David bent down to let his puppy off his leash. The little dog immediately toddled towards the Christmas tree, where he carefully navigated his way between the piles of open boxes and paper. He found a large stuffed bear and plopped down next to it, closing his eyes. The puppy had seen Dev and fully intended to bare his teeth in a ferocious growl. He was saving it for after his nap.
The McMillians looked at each other with huge smiles on their faces. Dev was sound asleep on the sofa, wearing a Santa hat and a sweater that still had tags hanging from its arm and neck. Tucked safely in her arms was Lauren, who was snoring softly and clad in a worn T-shirt, pajama bottoms, and new snow boots.
All three children were asleep in various parts of the room. Aaron was half under the tree, and Beth had to duck down to see the little boy's face. He was asleep in a pile of candy wrappers with chocolate staining most of his cheeks and lips.
Christopher was slumped in a chair, a half-completed puzzle in his lap and a racing car at his feet. He wore a crisp Hawaiian print shirt, complete with tags, over his navy blue, footie pajamas.
The small brunette was stretched out on her belly in front of the fire, which had burned down to bright orange coals. Ashley was snoring louder than Lauren and wore a pair of sunglasses and a white baseball hat that proudly proclaimed ‘Tennessee Volunteers' in bright orange letters. She held a Barbie loosely in one hand and a comb in the other. Barbie's blonde mane was standing straight up.
Gremlin was snuggled up against one side of the little girl with Princess snuggled up to the other. Doggy estrangement was an odd thing.
Blue eyes opened wearily, and Dev gave a little wave to her guests, careful not to jostle Lauren. "Merry Christmas," she mouthed silently, tightening her hold on the woman sleeping in her arms before closing her eyes.
Beth and David deposited their packages on the ground in front of the tree. David held a hand out to his wife as they wandered over to an empty loveseat. They sat down quietly and snuggled together, closing their eyes. It had been a solid month of formal parties, visiting dignitaries, tuxedos, banquets, champagne, gowns and speeches. Both David and Beth let out a long, contented sigh. They always did like the Marlowes' idea of a quiet family holiday.