The Manning Family Christmas

By

Melanie Walker

 

 

 

 

“You got her what?!” Blair Manning asked in stunned shock as she stared in disbelief at her husband. She couldn’t have heard him right. She was hearing things… that’s all, just hearing things. Because Todd Manning could not have uttered the words that he had.

 

“I got her mice,” Todd Manning shrugged as he glanced down at the box in his hands.

 

“You got our daughter mice?” Blair continued to stare at him with wide eyes. “For our first family Christmas you chose to get our daughter mice?! Why?”

 

“Well they’re not really for Starr,” Todd shrugged as he watched her expression change from the shock it had been to the confusion that was lining her face now.

 

Blair sighed, closing her eyes as she ran her fingers through her hair. He was going to drive her mad. She’d known that when she’d agreed to remarry him again. But she loved him, he loved her. They had children to think about and the sex was mind blowing.

 

For just a moment before she let her hand fall to her side she smiled at the wedding ring adorning her finger now.  “I thought you said that you got the mice for Starr… if they’re not for her who are they for?”

 

“Well they’re actually for her snake.”

 

He grinned as Blair’s expression changed from confusion back to shock, her mouth opening and closing as she searched for suitable words.

 

“Her snake?” Blair asked dumbly. She knew she sounded like an idiot. But really… when did Starr get a snake? And why did she not know about it so she could stop it?

 

“You remember Mr. Squiggles… don’t you?” Todd asked with a bemused expression, he glanced down at the box, the mice were energetic as all hell. He’d actually planned on getting the frozen ones but Starr had told him confidentially before he’d went out to do a little Christmas shopping that Mr. Squiggles didn’t like the frozen ones… he preferred his dinner with a little energy. And really how could you blame the poor thing.

 

He glanced at her again. Blair had that pale drawn expression on her face that she got right before she either threw up or threw something. He almost hoped she was getting ready to throw up… he’d been trying his damnedest to get her pregnant again.

 

Even though Blair thought that he was satisfied with their two little angels. One more baby. He wanted one more kid so he could actually watch Blair get fat, get the weird cravings and deliver and not believe that she was having another mans child. He promised to not travel or leave her anytime before the birth.

 

“Mr. Squiggles?” Blair stuttered. “Who the hell is Mr. Squiggles?!”

 

“You remember him,” Todd smiled leadingly. “He’s the snake that Starr sent to Max…”

 

“You mean the one that Max threw on my bed? I thought you got rid of that thing!”

 

“Why would I get rid of him?” Todd scowled. “Starr spent good money of Max’s on him. Besides it’s not like it came out of one our pockets… and she wanted a pet in the worst way. She takes really good care of him… we’re thinking about getting him a mate after the New Year. Everyone deserves to have someone,” he leered at her as he set the box on the desk and moved to put his hands on her hips. To draw her to him.

 

Blair danced away, shuddering as she realized that those hands, however beautiful and sensuous had been holding those mice and even possibly that snake. And then another thought occurred to her causing her to pale even more if that were possible.

 

“You mean the snake is here?” she asked with a small measure of alarm shivering as she wrapped her arms around herself. The baby was in the house. Little T.C.

 

“Well of course he’s here. Where else would he be? He’s in Starr’s room… Relax Blair she’s very responsible, she doesn’t normally take him out of the cage.”

 

“Doesn’t normally? That means she has in the past?” Blair started backing towards the stairs. She would just go check on the kids. She couldn’t believe that Todd hadn’t told her. A snake… In the house. God what was the matter with him? Didn’t he know that snakes were dangerous?

 

“What’s your problem?” Todd asked with narrowed eyes.

 

“My problem? My problem? I hate snakes Todd, we can’t have that thing here,” she muttered running her hands down her skin. She felt like she had something crawling on her. She hated snakes. Despised them with her entire being. They weren’t natural… moving with no arms or legs, no they were just not natural.

 

“Blair relax,” Todd ordered gently as he wrapped his hands around her arms.

 

“Relax? Relax?! Are you nuts?! What if he gets out? What if he gets out when Starr’s got little T.C. playing in her room, he’s just a baby Todd he can’t move that fast.”

 

“Blair T.C. is quicker than you think besides the snake is not going to eat our son,” Todd laughed.

 

“So,” Blair took a deep breath, casting a glance at the stairs. Maybe she should just go up and check on them? They’d been quiet for a while now. “You got Starr mice to give to her snake…”

 

“Mr. Squiggles,” Todd supplied helpfully.

 

“Mr. Squiggles,” Blair nodded frowning at him. “I shudder to think what you’ve gotten the rest of us.”

 

“Are you worried I’m going to get you mice for Christmas Blair?” Todd grinned down at her as he pulled her against him

 

“Your shopping thus far has not impressed me,” Blair muttered as he laughed at her.

 

“You’re going to love what I got you babe… you just wait.”

 

“I’m all aquiver with anticipation.”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Blair glanced around the living room. All around her lay the mounds of presents that Todd had purchased for their small family.

 

To say that he had gone an overboard would have been a gross understatement.

 

She wouldn’t have been surprised to open the door and find a boat sitting out in the pool.

 

Starr had, in passing, mentioned that she wanted a boat. Susie’s family took vacations on one during the summer. And it seemed that everything that had been on Starr’s Christmas list had somehow ended up in their living room.

 

Well except for the second snake that she’d wanted.

 

Blair had gotten a good look at the Christmas list that Starr had given to Todd and was overjoyed that the mate for Mr. Squiggle’s that had been on the list had not shown up in their living room.

 

She would have had to leave. As much as she loved Todd and Starr she would seriously have had to go. They could stay in the mansion… with the snake… she and T.C. would move back to the snake free penthouse.

 

She shuddered just thinking about it, tightening her grip around T.C. who was sitting in the circle of her legs on the floor. He was perfectly happy playing with a piece of wrapping paper that she’d given him about an hour ago. He had crumpled into about ten different balls.

 

“Hey,” Todd whispered in her ear as he sat on the floor behind her. Resting his hands on her thighs she relaxed against his chest as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

 

“Where’d you go?” she asked softly smiling down at T.C. when he held up wrapping paper design number eleven.

 

“Started the car,” he said simply exchanging a mysterious smile with Starr.

 

“You started the car?” she twisted her head to look up at him. “Why? Are we going someplace? Cause I don’t think I’m really dressed to go out in public.”

 

“You look great… besides only Starr, T.C. and I are going to see you,” he winked at her. “Besides I kind of like what you’ve got on under that robe,” he leered at her as his hand dipped inside the robe to stroke the little satin nightie that he’d bought her. He nibbled on her neck as she arched it tilting her head slightly so he could kiss her properly. Kissing him happily, tongues dueling one hand reaching up to cup the side of his face. The giggle that Starr emitted reminded her that they weren’t alone and she drew back breathless. Glancing over at their daughter who was now watching them with wide-eyed smirking curiosity she elbowed him in the stomach. Later big boy… when we don’t have our impressionable young children watching us.

 

“Oooff,” he muttered. “What the hell…?” he glared down at her. Christ if she wasn’t in the mood she could have just said so, he rubbed his stomach as he followed the direction of her cocked head and saw Starr grinning at them with wide eyes. “Ohhh… oh yeah,” he sighed. That’s right they still had watchful eyes. Couldn’t really seduce his kids’ mother when their kids were in the room with them.

 

“Later,” he whispered in her ear, nipping at it he was immensely gratified by her responding shudder before he patted T.C. on the head and stood. “So are we ready?”

 

“Ready for what?” Blair asked suspiciously staring up at him with narrowed eyes.

 

“Ready for your last Christmas present?” he asked with twinkling eyes. Starr jumped to her feet, clapping her hands she ran to her fathers’ side.

 

“I know what it is…” she said excitedly. “I helped daddy with some of it.”

 

“Well good… why don’t you tell mommy what it is so she knows if it’s a good present or a bad present,” Blair murmured looking between them.

 

“Uh-uh,” Starr shook her head. “You’re gonna love this present… I promise.”

 

“Todd?” Blair looked up at him trying to read his smiling face. It was of course unreadable. He could be carting her off to jail or the loony bin and she still wouldn’t be able to tell by the expression on his face.

 

“Trust me Blair,” he said softly. Kneeling he scooped T.C. out of his mother’s lap. Holding him close he held out his hand to help her up.

 

“I hate surprises,” she muttered as he pulled her to her feet.

 

“I know, I know,” he commiserated. “I promise this is the last one for at least a day.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat in the backseat fingers tapping blindfolded. She had been relegated to the backseat because Starr insisted that she needed to navigate for her father. To which Blair had responded that if Todd didn’t know where he was going then maybe they should rethink the taking the entire family out of the house on Christmas day in their pajamas story.

 

“Are we there yet?” she muttered. Reaching out one hand she laid it on T.C.’s stomach rubbing it gently as she waited for someone to answer her. It wasn’t fair.

 

T.C. was happily gurgling away. Starr and Todd were entirely too pleased with themselves. It seemed the only person that was not happy was her… and if they would just let her in on the little surprise maybe she would be happy to.

 

But until then she was intent on making them as miserable or annoyed as possible.

 

“Not yet,” Todd stated from the front seat. Damn he didn’t sound upset in the least. “Starr check your mothers blindfold,” he ordered gently.

 

“The blindfold’s fine,” she muttered even as she felt Starr’s little hands on her face checking the knot. “Starr put your seatbelt back on.”

 

“We’re almost there mommy,” Starr smiled as she turned back around in her seat. Blair relaxing when she heard the click that signaled that the seatbelt had been securely fastened.

 

“Why are we turning?”

 

“Relax Blair… I wouldn’t go through all of this just to take you out and murder you,” Todd laughed. “At least not while I have the kids with us.”

 

“Do I hear gravel?” Blair asked stilling suddenly, frowning as she heard Todd mutter something indecipherable under his breath before he turned the radio up.

 

Which really didn’t matter in the long run because he stopped the car just moments later. “Todd?” she queried even as he turned the car off and heard the car doors open. She didn’t move as she heard him open first T.C.’s side and remove his car seat.

 

“Todd?” she asked again when she heard her door opened and turned her head towards the sound.

 

“Relax,” he whispered as he released her belt and took her hands to help her out of the car. Positioning her in front of him he wrapped his arms around her waist keeping her tight against.

 

“Can I take it off now?” she asked referring to the blindfold.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Blair frowned when she realized that he wanted her to take it off herself. With the whole element of surprise she would have thought he would have wanted to remove it himself.

 

“Oh,” she whispered breathlessly as she removed the blindfold. It fell to the ground from her useless hands. Her hands came up to her face as she stared at what had to be her Christmas present.

 

“Merry Christmas Mrs. Manning,” Todd whispered into her ear kissing her neck lightly.

 

“You… you… what have you done?” she asked wide-eyed as her smile grew. “What have you done?”

 

“It’s in our both our names, it’s for both of us. A house for our family.”

 

“Todd,” she whispered turning in his arms to stare up at him. “Todd this is to much,” she hugged him tightly.

 

“I love you,” he said simply. “I wanted us to have a place for T.C. and Starr to grow up without any bad memories. Someplace that’s just ours… that will always be just ours.”

 

“Oh… I love you,” she threw her arms around his neck kissing him with all she had to let him know how much she loved her Christmas present. “I love you Mr. Manning.”

 

“Hey mommy,” Starr tugged on her coat to get her attention.

 

“What Starr?” she asked with a smile.

 

“Daddy had them build a house on back for my snakes.”

 

“That’s grea….” Blair looked between the two of them. The satisfied happy look on Starr’s face, the sheepish look on Todd’s. “Snakes…? Never mind,” she shook her head. “Never mind… I don’t want to know. If I don’t know about them,” she shook her head as Starr and Todd began laughing.

 

“Merry Christmas babe,” he captured her in his arms again.

 

“Merry Christmas.”