Post by linda on Nov 24, 2006 2:48:26 GMT 10
Here's the next part. Enjoy
--------------------
I watch from a distance
And I see the way you talk to him so close
And I’m not the only one you want to hold
---------
“…so the donkey trudged to the next inn where Joseph,”
“ME!”
“…asked the inn keeper if Mary could have her baby there, but they were too full.”
“Oh dear.”
“So the donkey trudged on and on until finally an inn keeper said they had a stable free to use. Joseph…”
“ME!”
“…said thank you and carefully took Mary to the stable. Ten minutes later and the Baby Jesus was born. The animals stopped eating, the wind stopped blowing and snow stopped falling- they all knew this was no ordinary child.” Abby’s head was dipped next to Joe’s ear as he sat on her lap, the book against their legs. He was snuggled into her embrace, thumb in mouth apart from when he spoke. She softly kissed the side of his head and looked up.
“Let’s finish this at bedtime Joey.”
“Okay but promise.”
“I promise.” He waved a fist at Luka, who slid onto the couch beside them both.
“It’s snowing again.”
“You’re freezing!” Abby drew away from him until he had taken his jacket off then rested her head on his shoulder. “That’s better.”
“D’ya get the stuff?” Joe asked sleepily.
“Sure did. Got you this as well.” He withdrew a bottle from the carrier bags.
“Chocolate milk!” Joe exclaimed, grinning. “Tankies.” He twisted the lid off and gulped some down.
“We’ll start on the paper chains if you want to start up dinner.” Abby murmured, running her thumb along the crease in his trouser leg. He kissed the top of her head and stood up.
“Pasta?” Joe and Abby nodded enthusiastically and got to work on the coloured strips of paper.
Half an hour later Luka appeared.
“Dinner is almost ready. You guys done yet?”
“We made loads!” Joe leapt up and showed his daddy the long chain he’d made.
“Wowzers! What a great chain.” He smiled. “Come and sit down soldier.”
Abby stood up and piled the chains on the couch, then scooped Joe onto his booster seat.
“Want a bib Joe?” he bit his lip, looked down at his shirt and nodded.
“Yeah, I like this shirt.” He said solemnly. Abby tucked the cloth around his neck and handed him his cutlery and a plate piled with cheesey pasta. Sitting down, she slid two more plates onto mats and dug in.
---------
“Joey, please be stop eating them!” Abby moved the cornflake cakes away from the side of the table and caught Joe’s hand. “Play with Cosmo and Henry.” Joe scowled and sat himself down near the trucks. Cosmo honked and pushed a truck onto Joe’s leg but he squealed and ran to Abby’s side. She rolled her eyes at Susan and lay a hand on his head.
“I really don’t know why he won’t play with them.” She said quietly.
“Maybe because they’re older- he’s only just started pre-school. Maybe he’s still getting used to older kids.”
“I hope so.” Susan ruffled Joe’s hair and he smiled shyly. Suddenly the door bell rang and Joe dashed off.
“Hellooo!” Neela appeared with snow in her dark hair. “Ah, it’s warm in here!” She shrugged out of her jacket.
“Neela, that shirt is so nice!” Abby proclaimed.
“It makes your bump look really cute.” Susan added. “How long?”
“6 weeks and counting.” She chuckled. “I just want to meet him or her.” Joe appeared next to her and hugged her knee. “Heya Joe. I’ve left a present for you under the tree to open on Christmas day.” He grinned and jiggled on the spot.
“How many days?”
“9, sweetie.” Abby answered. Ray stuck his head in the kitchen, smiled and disappeared again.
“Ah, you wouldn’t believe how excited he is!”
“Ray?” Susan and Abby exclaimed. Neela laughed and nodded.
“He’s bought another teddy. That kid will choke on furry things before it’s one!! And he bought a mobile, and rocker cushion and a novelty changing mat.” The women rolled their eyes and silently aww-d.
A few hours later and all the kids were asleep on Abby and Luka’s bed. The parents were gathered in the living room, handing out ‘secret santa’ presents.
“To Neela, love Santa.” Abby handed the envelope to her friend who ripped the paper.
“A voucher for a spa day! Thanks!” she beamed around the circle.
The last present sat under the tree and Abby picked it up.
“To Abby and Luka love santa.” They pulled open the wrapping to reveal a beautiful snow globe with a scene of three people by a little house.
“I know I was asked last minute so I thought I’d buy the hosts something.” Carter piped up. “It’s your family.” He moved the baby from one arm to the other and smiled.
“Thank you Carter.” Abby kissed his cheek.
“We’ll we’d better be off.” Neela rose from her seat and grabbed her coat as Ray shook Luka’s hand.
“Thanks for having us.”
Susan and Chuck collected Cosmo and Eva from the bedroom and bid their farewell. Kerry kissed Abby’s cheek and hustled Henry out the door and suddenly the house was empty.
“Good night?” Luka asked sleepily.
“Good night.” Abby replied, wrapping her arms around him in front of the fire.
“Come on, time for bed.” He led her to the bedroom, softly removed a slumbering Joe and pulled the quilt over them both.
“Volim te.” And she wriggled into his arms and fell asleep.
--------------
Girl I'm never gonna walk away
For what we've got together
Cos you need me now more than ever
I can only pray that we will always be together
I'm not walking out
--------------
“Well done Joe!” Abby said.
“Thanks for coming mom, dad.” He said, smiling.
“Anyone want cocoa?”
“Yes please.” They chorused. Luka quickly made three mugs and brought them into the sitting room. Joe and Abby were curled up under the blanket on the couch. He handed them the mugs and settled into the arm chair.
“Good singing tonight.” Luka said. “Who’d have known?”
Joe grinned and sipped his cocoa. He’d just performed lead male vocalist in the school concert. Singing was his new passion.
“I’m beat, I’m off to bed.” He said, a few minutes later. “See you in the morning.” He disappeared down the hall.
“Only three days to go.” Luka said, moving to the couch. “I’m picking my father up from the airport tomorrow at 11am.”
“I’ve got some shopping to do but I’ll make sure I’m home by then.” She said. “I was thinking of making spaghetti tomorrow?”
“Tata loves spaghetti!” she smiled and settled against his chest.
“I love our life Luka.”
“Me too.” He said, laying his cheek against the top of her head. “But I can think of something that would make it better.” He thought.
--------------------
I watch from a distance
And I see the way you talk to him so close
And I’m not the only one you want to hold
---------
“…so the donkey trudged to the next inn where Joseph,”
“ME!”
“…asked the inn keeper if Mary could have her baby there, but they were too full.”
“Oh dear.”
“So the donkey trudged on and on until finally an inn keeper said they had a stable free to use. Joseph…”
“ME!”
“…said thank you and carefully took Mary to the stable. Ten minutes later and the Baby Jesus was born. The animals stopped eating, the wind stopped blowing and snow stopped falling- they all knew this was no ordinary child.” Abby’s head was dipped next to Joe’s ear as he sat on her lap, the book against their legs. He was snuggled into her embrace, thumb in mouth apart from when he spoke. She softly kissed the side of his head and looked up.
“Let’s finish this at bedtime Joey.”
“Okay but promise.”
“I promise.” He waved a fist at Luka, who slid onto the couch beside them both.
“It’s snowing again.”
“You’re freezing!” Abby drew away from him until he had taken his jacket off then rested her head on his shoulder. “That’s better.”
“D’ya get the stuff?” Joe asked sleepily.
“Sure did. Got you this as well.” He withdrew a bottle from the carrier bags.
“Chocolate milk!” Joe exclaimed, grinning. “Tankies.” He twisted the lid off and gulped some down.
“We’ll start on the paper chains if you want to start up dinner.” Abby murmured, running her thumb along the crease in his trouser leg. He kissed the top of her head and stood up.
“Pasta?” Joe and Abby nodded enthusiastically and got to work on the coloured strips of paper.
Half an hour later Luka appeared.
“Dinner is almost ready. You guys done yet?”
“We made loads!” Joe leapt up and showed his daddy the long chain he’d made.
“Wowzers! What a great chain.” He smiled. “Come and sit down soldier.”
Abby stood up and piled the chains on the couch, then scooped Joe onto his booster seat.
“Want a bib Joe?” he bit his lip, looked down at his shirt and nodded.
“Yeah, I like this shirt.” He said solemnly. Abby tucked the cloth around his neck and handed him his cutlery and a plate piled with cheesey pasta. Sitting down, she slid two more plates onto mats and dug in.
---------
“Joey, please be stop eating them!” Abby moved the cornflake cakes away from the side of the table and caught Joe’s hand. “Play with Cosmo and Henry.” Joe scowled and sat himself down near the trucks. Cosmo honked and pushed a truck onto Joe’s leg but he squealed and ran to Abby’s side. She rolled her eyes at Susan and lay a hand on his head.
“I really don’t know why he won’t play with them.” She said quietly.
“Maybe because they’re older- he’s only just started pre-school. Maybe he’s still getting used to older kids.”
“I hope so.” Susan ruffled Joe’s hair and he smiled shyly. Suddenly the door bell rang and Joe dashed off.
“Hellooo!” Neela appeared with snow in her dark hair. “Ah, it’s warm in here!” She shrugged out of her jacket.
“Neela, that shirt is so nice!” Abby proclaimed.
“It makes your bump look really cute.” Susan added. “How long?”
“6 weeks and counting.” She chuckled. “I just want to meet him or her.” Joe appeared next to her and hugged her knee. “Heya Joe. I’ve left a present for you under the tree to open on Christmas day.” He grinned and jiggled on the spot.
“How many days?”
“9, sweetie.” Abby answered. Ray stuck his head in the kitchen, smiled and disappeared again.
“Ah, you wouldn’t believe how excited he is!”
“Ray?” Susan and Abby exclaimed. Neela laughed and nodded.
“He’s bought another teddy. That kid will choke on furry things before it’s one!! And he bought a mobile, and rocker cushion and a novelty changing mat.” The women rolled their eyes and silently aww-d.
A few hours later and all the kids were asleep on Abby and Luka’s bed. The parents were gathered in the living room, handing out ‘secret santa’ presents.
“To Neela, love Santa.” Abby handed the envelope to her friend who ripped the paper.
“A voucher for a spa day! Thanks!” she beamed around the circle.
The last present sat under the tree and Abby picked it up.
“To Abby and Luka love santa.” They pulled open the wrapping to reveal a beautiful snow globe with a scene of three people by a little house.
“I know I was asked last minute so I thought I’d buy the hosts something.” Carter piped up. “It’s your family.” He moved the baby from one arm to the other and smiled.
“Thank you Carter.” Abby kissed his cheek.
“We’ll we’d better be off.” Neela rose from her seat and grabbed her coat as Ray shook Luka’s hand.
“Thanks for having us.”
Susan and Chuck collected Cosmo and Eva from the bedroom and bid their farewell. Kerry kissed Abby’s cheek and hustled Henry out the door and suddenly the house was empty.
“Good night?” Luka asked sleepily.
“Good night.” Abby replied, wrapping her arms around him in front of the fire.
“Come on, time for bed.” He led her to the bedroom, softly removed a slumbering Joe and pulled the quilt over them both.
“Volim te.” And she wriggled into his arms and fell asleep.
--------------
Girl I'm never gonna walk away
For what we've got together
Cos you need me now more than ever
I can only pray that we will always be together
I'm not walking out
--------------
“Well done Joe!” Abby said.
“Thanks for coming mom, dad.” He said, smiling.
“Anyone want cocoa?”
“Yes please.” They chorused. Luka quickly made three mugs and brought them into the sitting room. Joe and Abby were curled up under the blanket on the couch. He handed them the mugs and settled into the arm chair.
“Good singing tonight.” Luka said. “Who’d have known?”
Joe grinned and sipped his cocoa. He’d just performed lead male vocalist in the school concert. Singing was his new passion.
“I’m beat, I’m off to bed.” He said, a few minutes later. “See you in the morning.” He disappeared down the hall.
“Only three days to go.” Luka said, moving to the couch. “I’m picking my father up from the airport tomorrow at 11am.”
“I’ve got some shopping to do but I’ll make sure I’m home by then.” She said. “I was thinking of making spaghetti tomorrow?”
“Tata loves spaghetti!” she smiled and settled against his chest.
“I love our life Luka.”
“Me too.” He said, laying his cheek against the top of her head. “But I can think of something that would make it better.” He thought.