Claim
Page 131
Tessa suppressed a little shudder when she began to make a mental list of all the things that needed to get done before Christmas. It was only a few days after Thanksgiving, fortunately, but she would need every single day between now and then to accomplish all her tasks.
They had celebrated Thanksgiving up at the beach house as usual, returning home yesterday afternoon just in time for their Christmas tree to be delivered and set up. The evening had been spent decorating the tree, hanging up their stockings, and setting out the myriad of holiday decorations Tessa had accumulated over the years. The entire house looked like something out of Santa’s Wonderland, with Ian joking that there wasn’t room for even one more stuffed bear or wooden soldier anywhere in the place. But the children loved it, even the twins who didn’t really understand what Christmas was as yet. Adam had waved his chubby hands at the gaily decorated tree, while Ashley was fascinated with the array of light-up ceramic Christmas houses and villages that Tessa had started collecting the first year she and Ian had lived together.
She was already halfway through the Christmas shopping, having done the bulk of it in two major outings while Zoe had watched the children. But there was still a considerable amount to get done, along with wrapping all the presents. In addition, she needed to have the holiday cards printed and then address them all; bake Christmas cookies with Gilly and Liam; organize a costume for Gilly, who was taking part with her classmates in the school’s holiday pageant; attend a performance of The Nutcracker, and a pre-ballet tea with Gilly, Julia and Lily, and Lauren and her twin daughters.
Then there was the annual holiday office party, as well as a handful of invitations to other parties and events that she and Ian had agreed to attend.
And after all that they would be heading over to England to spend the holidays with the family. It would be the twins’ first visit to England, though they had met Ian’s brothers and their families during the annual summer vacation in Tuscany. Fortunately Ian had arranged for them to fly to Italy on the corporate jet, which they would be utilizing once again when they traveled to London. She couldn’t even imagine trying to get on a commercial flight - first class or not - with four young children in tow.
But she wasn’t the least bit daunted by all of the tasks and events that required her attention or attendance over the next few weeks. Tessa had grown to love the Christmas season and all of its festivities, so much that Ian teased her about being more excited than the children at this time of year. But it was so much fun, especially with young children in the house, and Tessa took as much pleasure in their joy as she did in her own.
Julia hurried up to her then, looking a bit flustered, judging by her flushed cheeks and slightly mussed hair. She gave Tessa a quick hug before offering a hasty apology. “I’m so sorry we’re late. Serves me right to tell Lauren what time we actually needed to be here. One of these days I’ll learn that my sister is always running late, and that I need to tell her a time twenty minutes earlier. Or call Ben directly and make arrangements with him.”
“It’s okay,” Tessa assured her. “You haven’t missed anything yet. Ian’s planning on lighting the tree in about ten minutes. Along with his two little helpers, that is. Where are Nathan and the kids?”
Julia waved a hand airily. “Somewhere nearby. Hopefully the boys don’t decide to try and pull Santa’s beard or some other prank that will get us kicked out of here. But they’re usually much better behaved when Auntie Lauren is nearby. She’s about the only person who intimidates them. Nathan always tells them that they aren’t alone in that regard.”
Tessa laughed. “Your sister is certainly a force to be reckoned with. But I’m glad she and Ben and the kids were able to join us, considering she just had a baby two months ago.”
Julia made a face. “Are you kidding? Lauren was out surfing ten days after Tate was born. And she’s already dropped all the weight she gained when she was carrying him. But speaking of babies, how’s my precious little girl doing, hmm?”
Ashley smiled as Julia cooed at her, then fussed over the gorgeous little dress she was wearing. The red velvet dress with its tartan plaid sash was actually a hand-me-down from Gilly, who’d only worn the costly garment once. It had been another gift from Joanna, who adored shopping for her granddaughters - a welcome change, she’d told Tessa, after years of buying only boy’s clothes.
Julia was holding out her arms to Ashley, a hopeful look on her face. “Do you think she would come to me, Tessa? I know she’s a clingy one, but she’s so adorable I just want to cuddle her for a minute.”
“Let’s see, shall we?” Tessa pressed a kiss to her baby’s cheek. “Would you let Auntie Julia hold you for a bit, sweetheart? Mummy will be right here, okay?”
Gingerly, Julia lifted Ashley into her arms, holding her breath for a moment or two as she watched for the baby’s reaction. Surprisingly, Ashley didn’t kick up a fuss as she usually did, and seemed content for the moment to have Julia hold her.
Julia lowered her nose to Ashley’s curly blonde head and took a deep, appreciative sniff. “Oh, how I miss that baby scent!” she lamented. “Lily finally lost it, you know, when she turned two back in the spring. And while she still lets me dress her up, she’s getting to be a little too independent for my liking. That’s her brothers’ doing, mark my word.”
Tessa grinned. “You could always try twisting Nathan’s arm into letting you get pregnant again,” she teased.
But Julia evidently took the suggestion seriously, for her green eyes lit up enthusiastically. “I could, right? And - I know! Let me borrow Ashley for a few minutes, okay? I’ll bet if Nathan sees how cute she is, he’ll change his mind about having another baby. Hey, sweetie pie, would you come with Auntie Julia for a minute? Let’s go look at the pretty tree, okay?”
Amazingly, the normally fussy Ashley allowed Julia to carry her away, and Tessa found herself in the very rare circumstance of being without any of her children for a few minutes. Gilly was playing happily with Noah, Justin, and Lauren’s twin daughters Daisy and Summer, while Liam and Lily were observing Santa Claus somewhat warily. Simon and Anna, who’d just arrived, were showing Adam off to some of the hotel employees, while Julia was doing her best to use Ashley as an enticement to get Nathan to consent to having a fourth child.
They had celebrated Thanksgiving up at the beach house as usual, returning home yesterday afternoon just in time for their Christmas tree to be delivered and set up. The evening had been spent decorating the tree, hanging up their stockings, and setting out the myriad of holiday decorations Tessa had accumulated over the years. The entire house looked like something out of Santa’s Wonderland, with Ian joking that there wasn’t room for even one more stuffed bear or wooden soldier anywhere in the place. But the children loved it, even the twins who didn’t really understand what Christmas was as yet. Adam had waved his chubby hands at the gaily decorated tree, while Ashley was fascinated with the array of light-up ceramic Christmas houses and villages that Tessa had started collecting the first year she and Ian had lived together.
She was already halfway through the Christmas shopping, having done the bulk of it in two major outings while Zoe had watched the children. But there was still a considerable amount to get done, along with wrapping all the presents. In addition, she needed to have the holiday cards printed and then address them all; bake Christmas cookies with Gilly and Liam; organize a costume for Gilly, who was taking part with her classmates in the school’s holiday pageant; attend a performance of The Nutcracker, and a pre-ballet tea with Gilly, Julia and Lily, and Lauren and her twin daughters.
Then there was the annual holiday office party, as well as a handful of invitations to other parties and events that she and Ian had agreed to attend.
And after all that they would be heading over to England to spend the holidays with the family. It would be the twins’ first visit to England, though they had met Ian’s brothers and their families during the annual summer vacation in Tuscany. Fortunately Ian had arranged for them to fly to Italy on the corporate jet, which they would be utilizing once again when they traveled to London. She couldn’t even imagine trying to get on a commercial flight - first class or not - with four young children in tow.
But she wasn’t the least bit daunted by all of the tasks and events that required her attention or attendance over the next few weeks. Tessa had grown to love the Christmas season and all of its festivities, so much that Ian teased her about being more excited than the children at this time of year. But it was so much fun, especially with young children in the house, and Tessa took as much pleasure in their joy as she did in her own.
Julia hurried up to her then, looking a bit flustered, judging by her flushed cheeks and slightly mussed hair. She gave Tessa a quick hug before offering a hasty apology. “I’m so sorry we’re late. Serves me right to tell Lauren what time we actually needed to be here. One of these days I’ll learn that my sister is always running late, and that I need to tell her a time twenty minutes earlier. Or call Ben directly and make arrangements with him.”
“It’s okay,” Tessa assured her. “You haven’t missed anything yet. Ian’s planning on lighting the tree in about ten minutes. Along with his two little helpers, that is. Where are Nathan and the kids?”
Julia waved a hand airily. “Somewhere nearby. Hopefully the boys don’t decide to try and pull Santa’s beard or some other prank that will get us kicked out of here. But they’re usually much better behaved when Auntie Lauren is nearby. She’s about the only person who intimidates them. Nathan always tells them that they aren’t alone in that regard.”
Tessa laughed. “Your sister is certainly a force to be reckoned with. But I’m glad she and Ben and the kids were able to join us, considering she just had a baby two months ago.”
Julia made a face. “Are you kidding? Lauren was out surfing ten days after Tate was born. And she’s already dropped all the weight she gained when she was carrying him. But speaking of babies, how’s my precious little girl doing, hmm?”
Ashley smiled as Julia cooed at her, then fussed over the gorgeous little dress she was wearing. The red velvet dress with its tartan plaid sash was actually a hand-me-down from Gilly, who’d only worn the costly garment once. It had been another gift from Joanna, who adored shopping for her granddaughters - a welcome change, she’d told Tessa, after years of buying only boy’s clothes.
Julia was holding out her arms to Ashley, a hopeful look on her face. “Do you think she would come to me, Tessa? I know she’s a clingy one, but she’s so adorable I just want to cuddle her for a minute.”
“Let’s see, shall we?” Tessa pressed a kiss to her baby’s cheek. “Would you let Auntie Julia hold you for a bit, sweetheart? Mummy will be right here, okay?”
Gingerly, Julia lifted Ashley into her arms, holding her breath for a moment or two as she watched for the baby’s reaction. Surprisingly, Ashley didn’t kick up a fuss as she usually did, and seemed content for the moment to have Julia hold her.
Julia lowered her nose to Ashley’s curly blonde head and took a deep, appreciative sniff. “Oh, how I miss that baby scent!” she lamented. “Lily finally lost it, you know, when she turned two back in the spring. And while she still lets me dress her up, she’s getting to be a little too independent for my liking. That’s her brothers’ doing, mark my word.”
Tessa grinned. “You could always try twisting Nathan’s arm into letting you get pregnant again,” she teased.
But Julia evidently took the suggestion seriously, for her green eyes lit up enthusiastically. “I could, right? And - I know! Let me borrow Ashley for a few minutes, okay? I’ll bet if Nathan sees how cute she is, he’ll change his mind about having another baby. Hey, sweetie pie, would you come with Auntie Julia for a minute? Let’s go look at the pretty tree, okay?”
Amazingly, the normally fussy Ashley allowed Julia to carry her away, and Tessa found herself in the very rare circumstance of being without any of her children for a few minutes. Gilly was playing happily with Noah, Justin, and Lauren’s twin daughters Daisy and Summer, while Liam and Lily were observing Santa Claus somewhat warily. Simon and Anna, who’d just arrived, were showing Adam off to some of the hotel employees, while Julia was doing her best to use Ashley as an enticement to get Nathan to consent to having a fourth child.
