Moonstruck

"Matthew!" She hissed at me before motioning to our sons' room. Midnight was still asleep...

"Sorry..." I mumbled, "I was just playing around." Note to self: stressed wife = angry wife.
I followed her down the stairs and to the kitchen where she smiled at her parents.

"So... Zacky has a birthday party tonight...we're supposed to dress up western... do you guys want to go...?"

"...Not really... I was hoping we could just stay in for the night..." her dad said as he yawned.

She bit her lip and frowned at me. I rubbed the back of my neck, "Well...Jill and I have to go...and it's up to you if you want the kids to spend time with you or not..." I finished quickly.

"Well, doesn’t Zack have little ones as well? Why don’t you take the kids...?"

"Er...okay. We were just wondering if you wanted them to spend time with you," I shrugged a little.

"It's okay. You guys do what you need to do; don’t let us get in the way."

I shook my head, "No, it doesn't work like that. You guys are the guests; we do what you would like to do."

"Well, we want you to go out with the kids and have a good time tonight, then we will see you in the morning." Her dad insisted.

"...Okay, if you insist." I gave in.

"So what are your plans for today?"

"Well...since it's western themed, we have to get Jill a costume. Other than that, it's up to you guys. Whatever you would like to do."

"We need a tree too, Matt..." she rested her head on my arm as she sighed again.

"Just relax," I whispered to her. "And, perhaps Dad and I can take the kids out and pick out a tree? Unless Mom and Jill would like to come too."

"Whatever you want to do, baby," She said softly. Something else was wrong... I could tell.

"Jill...what is it...?" I asked, frowning a bit. She shrugged, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry we didn’t ask..." her mom said quietly.

"...It's alright." The last thing I wanted was to say the wrong thing and have my in-laws be pissed at me. "Hell, the kids are more than happy that their grandparents are here, and we're happy too."

"But we could have given more notice...?"

"You didn't know that a snow storm was coming."

"But it isn’t like us to intrude...you're obviously busy..."

"Well, we're not going to kick you out." I chuckled, smiling.

"Mumma, when do we get to open santa's gifts...?!" Matt jr. asked excitedly.

"When Santa brings them, Sweetheart," She sighed.

"But...they're in the living room!"

"They...are...?"

"I wrapped the gifts yesterday...after you went to bed," I whispered in her ear.

"Baby, santa had to drop those off early...they're for grammy and grampy. He has a lot of places to go so he usually starts early."

"But...can Grammy and Grampy open them now?" He looked hopeful

"No, the paper says don’t open until Christmas!"

"...I can't read!" He laughed, knowing full well that we knew he could.

"Don’t be silly, Matthew." Dad said, running over to him and picking him up. "Besides, I want to wait to open them at the same time as you christmas morning!"