Chapter Twenty-Four: Christmas Eve

Gad-Shen closed at noon on Christmas Eve as Spock wanted to give the staff a chance to be able to do what they wished for the holiday. It was to be closed all day for Christmas.

Spock planned to adopt the kitten for Lily and hide it until Christmas morning. This was a bit of a challenge because you couldn’t exactly wrap a kitten or expect it to be quiet while you held it in another room.

Since Spock wanted to have Christmas Eve dinner with Jim and Lily, he kept the kitten and all the stuff that went with her at his apartment over the restaurant. It would mean having to return there to fetch everything after Lily went to bed, but Jim and Spock didn’t see any other way.

So after they closed Gad-Shen, Jim went to get Lily.

Jim and Lily had decided on fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn bread for their dinner. He’d make a vegetarian past with Kreyla for Spock.

He gave Maggie a box of both her favorite cookies and candies and then brought Lily home.

She was bouncing with frenetic excitement. Jim wondered if he would ever get her to sleep. He dreaded the idea of her deciding she would stay up to catch a glimpse of Santa.

Still, Jim was going to treasure this.

With being accepted to the Academy for next fall, they’d be leaving Riverside. He’d probably have to sell this place. Either way, they wouldn’t have Christmas here again. Not for a long time. If ever. And not when Lily still believed in Santa Clause.

They had dinner when Spock arrived and then the three of them sat in the living room by the tree and the fire. Jim had some spiked eggnog, Lily hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles, and Spock Christmas spiced tea.

Jim had Lily and him singing traditional Christmas tunes, but Spock abstained from that, though Jim thought it would have been amusing to hear Spock singing Deck the Halls.

When Lily finally began to yawn and then doze off, Jim scooped her up to take her to bed. He heard Spock make his temporary exit while he did so.

After dressing his angel in her favorite Christmas pajamas, Jim kissed her forehead, and turned off her light to go downstairs and do his Santa duties.

He filled her stocking, stopping to be amused how Lily had filled his and Spock’s. His had a candy cane sticking up from it too.

Then he put out her Santa wrapped presents, including the bike and kitchen.

Lily had made cookies for Santa so Jim ate those and drank the milk too. He saved a couple for Spock too.

When Spock returned, Jim saw that he had wrapped all the kitten’s accessories from Santa too.  

It was too cute and earned him a big kiss from Jim.

“God, you’re just perfect.”

Spock quirked a brow.

“Perfect for me anyway.”

“I will definitely accept that,” Spock replied. “I am certain at some point you and I will have a disagreement and you will decide I am not perfect at all.”

Jim laughed.

“Right now we are…as they say…in the honeymoon phase.”

“Yep, you’re right. I’m just as sure you’ll figure out I’m an incredibly illogical being.”

Spock’s eyes were warm. “I have already discovered that.”

Jim laughed again and kissed him. “Okay, well, I’m almost as anxious for morning as Lily no doubt is. This has turned out to be such a great time.”

“And you didn’t think it would be.”

“This has been a bad year,” Jim admitted. “Mom losing her battle with cancer. Me losing my job. I’ve always tried to keep a positive attitude. I don’t believe in no win scenarios, you know? But lately? That’s been challenged. Seeing your help wanted sign? That’s when everything changed. For the better.”

“For me as well. I believe we were drawn to each other, like I said. As we are T’hy’la. And some day, when we are both ready, I would like us to formally bond.”

Jim smiled and kissed him. “You’re definitely the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten.”