FIRST CHRISTMAS (Chapter 29)

"I’m dreaming of a White Christmas….." Warren was crooning.

"Well quit dreaming, because you got one." Peg laughed, as she pointed out the window at the lightly falling snow. It was Christmas morning, and the Kelleher family was gathered around the tree, opening presents. There were a couple of inches of snow on the ground, and it was still falling. It was a perfect New England Christmas morning.

A car pulled up in front of the house, as Peg was looking out the window. "Here comes your favorite Christmas Present, Warren," she joked. Warren looked out to see Sophia and her mother getting out of the car. Mrs. Kovach grabbed a bag full of presents, and brought it up to the door. Warren greeted her there.

"Hi, Mrs. K. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Warren. Merry Christmas, folks!" she shouted into the room at the rest of the family. "Here." She handed the presents over, and Warren put them under the tree. "I’ve got to go, with all this snow it’s going to take forever to get to my sister’s. The nutcase is all yours," she said with a smile, pointing to the sidewalk, where Sophia was twirling around under the snow like a 4-year-old.

"Soph, what are you doing?" Warren asked, bemused.

"I love snow!" she yelled, giggling. "I especially like it on Christmas."

"Yeah, well, I’m still in my PJs and I’m freezing."

She ran up on the porch. "Spoilsport," she grinned at him. "Later you’ll have to get dressed so we can have a snowball fight." She raced past him into the house, tickling him as she went by. He followed her in.

She had snow in her hair and on her face. She was wearing white earmuffs, and a big poofy white jacket. Her face was flushed from the cold, and she was smiling broadly. "You are gorgeous when you’re cold and snow-covered, you know that?" Warren said.

"Awww. Does that mean you won’t warm me up, Snugglebear?"

"Uh-huh, that’s what the tea and hot chocolate are for," Jim interjected as he walked past them. "Merry Christmas, Sophia."

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Kelleher."

She went in to greet the rest of Warren’s family, as he hung her coat up for her.

Sophia had sat for an hour, cuddled up against Warren, watching the Kellehers open all their presents. She was sipping tea and eating some of Peg’s wonderful Christmas cookies. She was very happy, but a bit envious. She couldn’t ever remember having a family Christmas like this—of course, she had never had a whole family, either.

Suddenly, Peg was handing her a gift. "Merry Christmas, Sophia."

Sophia was surprised. "Oh, Mrs. Kelleher, you didn’t have to get me anything."

Peg just smiled. "I know. But I wanted to. I know you and Warren have gifts for each other, but Jim and I wanted to get you a little something, so you didn’t feel left out."

Sophia tore open the wrapping. Inside the box was a pink angora sweater. "Oh, I love it! Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Kelleher. It’s beautiful."

"I wasn’t sure you’d like it."

"It’s perfect. I don’t own enough sweaters." She looked down at the short-sleeve blouse she was wearing. "And I should have one today. I’m cold! I’m going to go try it on. Hold my place, Snugglebear." She went upstairs to the bathroom, and emerged a couple minutes later, wearing the sweater. She was wearing blue jeans today, and the blue jeans with the pink sweater were a perfect match.

"Fits?" Peg asked

"Perfectly," Sophia confirmed.

"That looks real good on you, Sophie," Warren said admiringly. "Nice pick, Mom."

"Thanks, Warren." Peg said bemusedly. Sophia sighed happily and settled back in next to Warren, and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the present-opening.

"OK, Snugglebear, my turn." Sophia said, as she went into the bag she had brought. "First, I’ve got a couple things for Ryan and Kristin."

"Really?" Warren’s brother and sister said. "Wow, Sophia, thanks," Ryan said as he opened up the video game. "Yeah, this is really cool," Kristin agreed, as she opened up the latest Harry Potter book.

"And this one, Warren, is for your parents." Warren took the envelope and handed it to his mom.

"Sophia, you really didn’t have to do this," Peg said.

"Didn’t I just say the same thing to you?" Sophia giggled. "I really wanted to give you something, for how wonderfully you’ve treated me this year."

"We treat you wonderfully because you’re a delightfully wonderful person, Sophia, don’t forget that." Sophia blushed. Peg opened the envelope. It was a gift certificate to Peg and Jim’s favorite restaurant. "Sophia, this is wonderful. Thank you so much."

"OK, and now for my Snugglebear." She handed over a box. "Warren, I thought about this one for a long time, because this present is not your normal thing. But it just screamed ‘Warren!’ at me, so I took a shot. I hope you like it."

Warren tore off the paper and opened up the large box. He withdrew from inside a leather coat. This wasn’t a biker jacket or anything like that; it was a very sharp black leather coat, a bit longer than a leather jacket. It was very classy looking, but it was still leather.

Warren drew his breath in, sharply. It was perfect. It’s something he never would have thought to buy himself, but he loved it, and coming from Sophia it was perfect.

Warren took it out of the box, and put it on.

"Do you like it?" Sophia asked expectantly.

"I love it! It’s fantastic!"

"I can’t believe how good it looks on you, Warren," Peg said. "It’s very sharp."

"Oh, I’m so relieved. I wasn’t sure you’d like it." Sophia grinned wryly. "Heck, I think it’s the only thing in your whole wardrobe that didn’t come from L. L. Bean." Everyone laughed at that.

"That’s what you’re here for, dear, to broaden my horizons," Warren quipped. Sophie playfully swatted him. "No, my love, it’s perfect." He took the coat off and went into the foyer to hang it up.

"Now, Pookie, your turn." He placed a small pile of presents in front of Sophia. "This one last, though," he said, taking one off the pile.

"All for me?"

"Yeah, but trust me, there’s nothing there as extravagant as that leather coat," Warren smirked.

Sophia opened up the gifts, to find a couple of books she had been wanting, and the two Beatles Anthology CD’s she didn’t yet have. The large box on the bottom contained a beautiful purple miniskirt and matching blouse. "Warren, I’m surprised. You have good taste in girls' clothes. I love this! In fact, I love everything. Thank you so much."

"One more. Sorry, guys, I have to give this one in private." Peg knew what it was, so she just laughed. Warren took Sophia’s hand and led him upstairs to his bedroom. Sophia just looked at him, questioningly. "I couldn’t give you this in front of the family. You’ll know why when you open it."

"Revealing lingerie?" Sophia joked.

"No, but why didn’t I think of that?" Warren laughed. "Here."

Warren handed over the box he had withdrawn in the beginning. Sophia opened it up, to find another box inside. She opened that up to find another box. "Oh, you tricky devil, you," she said, laughing.

Finally, the fourth box opened to reveal a small jewelry box. Sophia withdrew it, opened it up, and gasped.

Inside was a Claddagh ring. Sophia had always wanted a Claddagh ring. This one, however, had an emerald in the middle. "Look on the inside of the band," Warren said. Sophia did, and inscribed on it was "To my Pookie, love, Snugglebear."

Sophia couldn’t speak. She just looked down at the ring, speechless. Warren sat next to her and said quietly, "I was trying to find a way to give you something to show you how I felt. This was perfect." Sophia started crying. "Want me to put it on?" Warren said. Sophia, unable to speak, just nodded, and held out her hand. Warren slipped the ring on her hand, and she looked at it. Then, crying, she wrapped Warren in such a ferocious bear hug she almost knocked the wind out of him. "I love you, Warren Kelleher, forever and always," she said through her tears.

"I love you too, Sophia Daniels, forever and always." He paused and looked at her. "I knew you were going to get all weepy, that’s why I had to do this one in private." Sophia laughed and cried all at once, and then hugged him again.

They stayed in Warren’s room, kissing and cuddling for a bit, until Ryan and Kristin burst in on them. Laughing, they let themselves be led back downstairs.

"I am stuffed," Sophia said to Warren, after dinner, as they sat up in his room on the computer. "Your mother can cook, Snugglebear."

"That she can."

"I’m so happy, Warren. This is the best Christmas ever." She looked at the ring again. "I still can’t believe you got me this."

"Ah, well, Pookie, I just wanted you to know how I felt."

"I already did," she smiled. "This just makes it a bit more tangible." She looked down at it. "Didn’t you put it on me backwards, though?"

"No. Claddagh rings are love/friendship rings. They can also be used as engagement rings, though I wasn’t thinking of that when I bought it." Sophia grinned at him. "Now, I fully intend on marrying you someday, but it’s a little early to make it official, don’t you think?"

Sophia laughed, but then realized what he said. "You do?"

"Yes, I do. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not even a little bit, husband-of-my-dreams." She snuggled closer to him.

"Good," he laughed. "Back to the ring. When claddagh rings are used as love rings, they are worn the way I put it on your finger. See, the point faces up—because it’s pointing to your heart."

"That’s so romantic."

"Isn’t it. And since we’re both Irish, this was a fitting ring to get."

"I always wanted one. It’s just perfect. Warren, this has been the best Christmas ever."

"First of many, if I have any say in it." They just smiled at each other, enjoying each other’s company.

PING!..went the computer. "So much for that moment," Sophia quipped. "Which one of your SkateHarem managed to find you, dear?"

Warren just laughed. "The very lovely and talented Elizabeth Cushman, that’s who." He typed, "Merry Christmas, Liz!"

"Merry Christmas, Warren. How you doin’? Sophia with you? Merry Christmas to her, too, if she’s there."

"Yeah, she is. She says Hi and Merry Christmas back. How’s the stress fracture?"

"Frustrating as all get-out, but I’ve actually started jumping, finally. I did my first couple triple toes today."

"Well, that’s good."

"It’d be better if nationals wasn’t less than a month away. And if Ashley Ferris hadn’t won the damn Grand Prix final in my absence."

"I can’t stand her."

"Ashley? She’s a nice kid, actually. I like her. It’s her mother that has the fangs and claws. I get the distinct impression that Ashley would sometimes like to muzzle her."

"Well, that’s good to know, but actually I was talking about her skating."

"Yeah, well, those triple-triple combinations certainly get the judges’ attention."

"Yeah, cheated triple-triples that get four inches off the ground."

"No comment."

"LOL!"

"Well, I have to be a gracious competitor, don’t I? You got to admit, those tiny jumps sure are consistent and secure. And I’m nowhere near any kind of triple triple at this point."

"It’s OK Liz. You’ll get ‘em."

"Thanks, Warren. You’ll be rooting for me at Nationals, and I’ll feel it through the TV screen <G>."

"Now, now, Liz. We’ve discussed this before. I will be rooting for Stephie Eberhardt, as always."

"Oh, yeah, that’s right. Stephie is your favorite skater—you and every other hormonal heterosexual male in the country."

"LOL. No, I will be rooting for you, dear, to win Nationals. I just want Stephie to shake her booty and land enough shaky triples to eke her way onto the Olympic team."

"I have every confidence in her. She’s been skating great in practice."

"Oh, yeah, that’s right, she trains in the same rink as you do."

"Yes, she does. And it’s always an experience. Don’t get me wrong—since Stephie came here to train, we’ve actually become good friends. I love her. She’s warm, funny, has a great attitude about life. I love hanging out with her. But I could never get away with the goofing off she does in practice."

"She’s not coached by Frank, is she?"

"No. And if I tried to keep up with her ever-rotating roster of boyfriends, I’d give myself a headache."

"LOL!"

"But I do hope she makes the Olympic team. Sincerely. The Olympics won’t be half as fun if Crazy Stephie isn’t along for the ride."

"Hee hee. You just make sure you get yourself healthy and make the team yourself, OK? I want to be able to say that I chat on the internet every day with an Olympian."

"Aye, aye, captain. Got to go. Kisses to you and Sophie."

"Kisses back, Liz. See ya."