Here I Am

“Delia! Delia!” Riley was bouncing on top of me.

“Mmph,” I muttered.

“It’s Christmas!” he shouted.

“It’s morning,” I countered.

“Christmas beats morning,” he told me like it was obvious.

I pulled him down next to me and cuddled him. “Can’t we just lie here cuddling?”

“No! Cause you have to see the house!” he wiggled out of my grasp. “IT LOOKS SO COOL!”

I st up, bleary eyed and looked at the clock. I groaned at the time. “Riles, you’re killing me here! It’s seven in the morning!”

“I waited forever to get you up though!” he whined.

“What time were you up Riles?” I asked.

“Like six thirty!”

“Okay, okay!” I laughed, sitting up. “I will be out in a minute. Go find Corey and bug him for a while.”

He sprinted out and I threw on a bra and a pair of sweats. Knowing the boys, they’d all be here.

I walked out, pulling my hair into a pony tail and was stopped in the hallway. Not because something was in my way, but because the house was no longer a house.

“Holy. . . Baby Jesus,” I gaped at the living room.

“Baby Jesus is right,” John Scott told me, dressed as an elf.

I stared at him. “I literally have no words for this situation right now.”

“Good!” Kaner sauntered in from the kitchen, also dressed as an elf. “There are no words for the awesome idea that I had, but Crow certainly executed it better then I thought he would.”

“Look at Johnny!” Riley shouted, pointing at the captain, dressed as Santa, sitting on the couch.

“You should go cuddle with him Riles. He looks like he needs some Christmas time cheer.”

“You like it?” Corey whispered in my ear.

I turned around to find him dressed as a penguin. “Very attractive,” I said slowly. “Really shows off your head.”

He grinned. “So? You like it guys?”

“I LOVE IT!” Riley jumped up and down.

“Good. Start passing out stockings,” I told him. “And get one of the elves to help you.”

We sat down next to Santa Clause. “Very festive Jonathan Toews,” I said.

“Keep it coming,” he nodded his head. “Just wait until tomorrow. Just you all wait.”

“Well, I thought you drew the best costume,” I turned to him. “If the other choices were elves or penguins.”

“I was perfectly happy in a festive sweater.”

I snorted. “Like the one you wore in that Blackhawks CD promo video?”

“That’s exactly the one,” he said.

“Delia!” Riley ran over and handed me my stocking. “I’ve got one extra!”

I looked at Corey who smiled and shrugged. “Let me see the name buddy,” I said, taking it. “Jordan?”

“I’m here!” the blonde burst through the door. “I made it! Oh yeah! Suck on that traffic! Hi Delia!”

I turned to my boyfriend. “Um. . . .”

He shrugged again. “It’s not like I drove him here or anything.”

“Who is that?” Riley whispered to me.

“Hey little buddy,” Jordan bent down to his level. “I’m Jordan Staal. I’m Delia’s cousin. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I thought you didn’t have cousins?” he asked, confused.

I sighed. “And God said ‘let there be cousins’.”

“I hear you like toys,” Jordan said, pulling presents out of his giant bag. “Well I hope you do, cause I went slightly overboard.”

Riley’s eyes lit up and he tore into them.

“Not so fast, Delia,” Kaner stood over me, his arms filled with presents. “These are for you.”

I smiled. “I told you I didn’t want anything.”

“We must have missed that sentence, right guys?”

There was a chorus of agreements. I rolled my eyes and everyone opened up their stockings and presents.

Hours later, Riley had fallen asleep on the couch and I was in the kitchen with Corey, working on some cookies. “This is perfect,” I told him, kissing him. “You really made this Christmas a great one. Riley’s happy, I’m gld you’re out of the penguin suit, Jordan’s here. Thank you,” I hugged him.

“I love you Delia,” the words flew out of his mouth.

I backed away and saw he looked terrified at the words he just said to me. He stood there, shocked, mouth slightly open.

I smiled. “I love you too Corey.”