Christmas Together

Looking around the house, Phoebe smiled at the decorations that gave the holiday theme in her house. With Olivia fast asleep upstairs, she made her way towards the closet where there were some last minute gifts that were still unwrapped. Letting out a long yawn, she grabbed one bag of gifts before heading upstairs to her bedroom so she could still keep an ear out for when her daughter woke up.

Seeing the toys that were in the bag for Olivia, Phoebe knew that more had been added by her husband after she had already told him that she had enough for Christmas. It annoyed her at times when he would buy extra gifts for her or Olivia.

The holiday season was supposed to be relaxing, but making sure everything was perfect was stressing her out. This was the first time that both her parents and her husband's were going to be in Pittsburgh for the holidays. Five years they had been together and three since they had their daughter, but in all that time it seemed as if her parents didn't want anything to do with the life she had picked for herself. All she wanted this holiday was for everyone to get along with each other and for to have happy memories. Once the gifts were wrapped, Phoebe placed tags and put Olivia's name on them before carefully placing them back into the bag. Cleaning up the mess in the bedroom, Phoebe left the wrapping supplies in the bedroom and headed downstairs with the bag of gifts. As she placed it back in the closet, she heard the front door open.

“Pheebs?”

Shutting the closet door, she made her way to the front of the house where her husband was taking off his shoes. “Hey, did you have a good skate with the boys?” she asked as he leaned down and kissed her softly.

“It was good. Tanger and Chelle are gonna stop by sometime tomorrow,” he told her. “He said that she mentioned that you might need some extra support when your parents get here.”

“I just don't know why after all these years they want to come. Olivia is three years old and they've barely wanted to come out here and see her, but your family loves coming out here and spending the holidays with us.”

“Maybe they are trying to change and they want to get to know their granddaughter?” he said thinking about it.

“I don't think she's ever truly forgiven me for leaving the way I did to be with you and then having to find out we were in engaged through the internet didn't help.”

“She didn't make things easy on us,” he said. “I still think that she's waiting for you to leave me.”

Putting her head into his chest, Phoebe wrapped her arms around his waist. “I'm not going anywhere.”

“That's what I like to hear,” he told her. “And where is the little princess?”

“Sleeping,” Phoebe said as she walked towards the kitchen with him following behind her. “I got that bag of gifts wrapped up. Where did you put the gifts for your family? I need to wrap those and put them under the tree tonight so they are done and out of the way before everyone gets here.”

“How about you relax a little bit and leave that to me?”

“Because I was hoping that once Olivia gets up, you'd watch a movie with her while I wrap,” Phoebe said running a hand through her hair. “She's been clingy since she got sick and I just need time to get everything together. I just want tomorrow to be perfect.”

“Pheebs, you stressing isn't going to help anything.”

“What do you want me to do?” she asked. “This is the first time everyone will be here.”

“And everything will be fine,” he told her. “Trust me.”

“I do trust you,” Phoebe said looking into his eyes. “I wouldn't have married you if I didn't James.”

“That and you just couldn't get rid of me.”

“You shouldn't let that head get too big,” Phoebe grinned. “Afterall what would the fans say if they found out how their beloved James Neal really acts.”

“And you love every moment of it,” he told her. “Why don't you go and take a nap? I'll lay down with you and then I'll watch Christmas movies with the princess.”

“Okay...”

Christmas had started early for the Neal family, because the princess woke up early crying out for her daddy. Instead of doing presents when everyone showed up at the house, Phoebe and James let Olivia open a few early in the morning. By late afternoon, James' parents had shown up and an hour later, Phoebe's parents. Everyone was dressed nicely in holiday colors and for once Phoebe was happy for it since she had just gotten a dress for herself and she had been excited to wear it.

Standing in the kitchen, Phoebe took out the container of juice that her daughter preferred to have before setting it onto the counter. Hearing a heel on the wooden floor, she looked up and saw her mother heading into her direction. Taking in a deep breath, Phoebe moved over to the cabinet and looked for the cup that Olivia had been using all week. Finding it, she grabbed it before walking towards the sink.

“The house looks very festive.”

Looking at her mother, Phoebe gave her a half smile. “Thank you. It took some time, but we love how it turned out.”

“Well you do have the time.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Phoebe asked, unsure how to take what her mother said.

“While James is out playing his little game, you stay here with Olivia,” she stated. “I paid for your college education and you aren't even using it for anything.”

“Mom, why is it every time I see you, you have to bring up the fact that I'm no working? The last time was when Olivia was less than a month old.”

“I just don't want my money to go to waste.”

“I have my degree and before I could apply places, I found out I was pregnant and there is no one that would hire me knowing I would have to take a leave of absence. And for the fact that I haven't gotten a job, who would watch my daughter? I don't just trust anyone with her and James can't be home all the time.”

“Then maybe you married the wrong person.”

“You can't be serious,” Phoebe said as she poured the juice into the cup. “I'm so tired of you telling me that I married the wrong person.”

“I know you don't understand-”

“No you don't understand,” Phoebe said. “I'm a wife and a mother now. I love my husband and I love my child more than anything and I don't understand how you could treat me and my family with so much disrespect, even after we opened our lives and our home.”

“I'm just saying that if you can't put your education to good use, what was the point of it?”

“I'm raising my family,” Phoebe said. “I love what I’m doing right now and I will use my college education when the time is right. But James is making enough to support us and he was there for me when you weren't and I love him. There is no changing that, so just stop trying to get me to leave him. It won't happen.”

“Phoebe...”

“Just don't, please.”

“I'm just looking out-”

“You are looking out for you,” Phoebe said as she put the container of juice back in the fridge. “So don't pretend to care about me or my relationship with my husband or even your granddaughter unless you actually mean it.”

Walking past her mother, Phoebe saw the tears in her daughters eyes as James held her as he sat next to his parents and across from her father. The moment she saw Olivia, she walked over to where James was sitting and took the seat next to him. Opening her arms, Phoebe smiled as she held her daughter on her lap as she gave her the cup of juice she had asked for earlier. Smoothing her daughters hair, Phoebe kissed the side of her head before feeling a hand on her leg.

Looking at James, she just gave him a smile as the doorbell went off.

“That's probably Tanger and Michelle.” James said as he squeezed his wife's leg before getting up and heading towards the door.

“Tanger?” Mark, Phoebe's father asked.

“Kris Letang. Tanger is a nickname he has,” Phoebe explained. “He's on the Penguins.”

Nodding his head, Phoebe smiled as she saw her friend Michelle make her way inside. When Kris had found out that his girlfriend was expecting, neither of them knew what to do, but thankfully for them, Phoebe knew exactly what to say to them. Michelle had come to rely on Phoebe for guidance when she didn't know what was happening to her.

Smiling at her friend, Michelle took the seat next to Phoebe while Kris sat across from them. “You look good. How have you been feeling?”

“Tired,” Michelle said. “I have no energy most days.”

“Just wait until the baby gets here,” James laughed. “Kris, Michelle, these are my parents and this is Phoebe's father.”

Smiling, Michelle looked over at Phoebe and noticed she wasn't exactly in the holiday spirit. “At least I know I'll have support if the boys are on the road when the baby is here or when I go into labor.”

“How was Olivia's morning?” Kris asked. “Was Santa good to her?”

“He was,” James said smiling at his wife. “But that isn't a surprise since she is such a good kid.”

“Must take after her mother,” Kris said grinning. “No way she gets that from you.”

Laughing, Phoebe saw her mother walk back into the room where there wasn't many places left to sit, so she stood up and sat in the chair in front of the Christmas tree. “I'm glad that you both were able to come over today.”

“We are thankful for the invite,” Michelle said. “Did you get the stuff I sent Kris over with earlier?”

“We did,” James said. “That was very nice, but you didn't have to do that.”

“That's what you do when your friends invite you over for the holidays.”

“And what is it that you two do?” Phoebe's mother asked.

“Kris plays on the same team as I do and his girlfriend is a wedding planner.”

“Michelle was actually the wedding planner for our wedding.”

“So is that how the two of you met?”

“It was,” Phoebe laughed remembering. “She was totally obvious to any of his teammates, but Tanger just wouldn't let her go.”

“Best thing I did.”

With their friends over, time seemed to pass by quickly. Everyone was still sitting in the living room chatting away. Olivia was in her mother's arms while sitting in front of the tree. Phoebe was finally relaxed and enjoying how everyone was getting along. The conversation with her mother was no longer plaguing her mind. Having family and friends was what this holiday was supposed to be all about.

“So I know I promised that I wasn't going to get you anything that I thought you didn't need, but when I saw this, I couldn't help but picture you with it,” James said as handed his wife a small box. “I really hope you like it.”

Taking the box out of his hand, she took the lid off the small box. Holding her breath, Phoebe could feel the tears coming to her eyes when she laid her eyes on the necklace that was sitting in the box. It was so beautiful that she was having trouble figuring out why he would get this for her. “James....”

“You've locked my heart away and this shows that to everyone. I don't want it back because you've been keeping it safe and sound,” he told her as he took the necklace out of the box so he could put it on her. “I love you Phoebe. I just wanted to make sure you got something really special this year.”

“I didn't-”

“I got everything I wanted,” James whispered to her. “All I wanted this Christmas was you. What was it that you wanted?”

“Christmas together.”