Done Adulting Vol. 1 Ch. 126

Jamie was seated on Amanda’s hip when Becky went to open the door. It was a precaution he’d learned to take sometimes. If someone didn’t already have him, whoever came through the door would often pick him up without asking, and depending on who it was and his mood, he minded. Becky showed Stacy in, and Ella was seated on her hip like Jamie was on Amanda’s.

“Nice antlers,” Ella giggled.

“O, I’m so glad you like them,” Becky responded, struggling as bigs often do to understand sarcasm from littles. “I got you a pair too,” she said as she retrieved them from the table and placed them gently on Ella’s head.

“Ha!” Jamie honked.

“Um, thank you,” Ella said with a chuckle.

“Thanks so much for inviting us,” Stacy said, “We normally just spend Christmas Eve alone together.”

“We’re glad to have you. Jamie was so excited you could come.”

“That’s a very pretty dress you have on, Ella,” Amanda said. She gave Jamie a pat on the butt by way of reminder.

“O, uh, yeah, it’s very becoming,” Jamie said.

“Can we go play,” Ella asked.

“Sure. Just don’t go too far,” Stacy replied as she set Ella on her feet. Amanda let Jamie down as the doorbell rang again as Jamie and Ella headed to his room.

“Really, though, you do look good tonight,” Jamie said, holding out his hand for her to take.

“I had to talk Stacy out of something a little more toddlerish.”

“I had to avoid the itchiest Christmas sweater.”

“Excited for tomorrow?”

“For presents? Yeah. I’ve never really had a full-fledged Christmas.”

“What are you hoping for?”

“Anything. I just wanna be surprised.”

“You’re gonna get spoiled like a total brat. You know that, right?”

“I doubt it. I didn’t ask for much.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, knowing full well Becky and Amanda – but especially Becky – wouldn’t not go all out for his first Christmas as a little. “Who else is coming tonight?”

“Mom’s brother and his wife, Lauren, Mom’s friend Jane and her little, Rosie – you’ll like her – and Mel.”

“Ooo, the one you have a crush on?”

Jamie blushed. “Yeah.”

“Maybe you can find some mistletoe, and get a kiss from her,” Ella teased.

“I like you more,” Jamie said.

“Why is that,” Ella said as she put her arms around his neck.

“Because I just do,” he said before he leaned in and kissed her.

“It’s too bad we can’t get a little alone time tonight.” She ran her hand down his side, stopping when she reached his hip and pulling him closer for another kiss.

“You’re incorrigible,” Jamie said when he broke away.

“I just know what I want for Christmas,” she said as she kissed him again. “O, hey there,” she said as she let him go and opened her eyes. “You must be Rosie.”

Jamie turned around and saw Rosie with her eyes wide and biting her lip. “Um, okay,” Rosie said. “I think I’ll go play with Amanda.”

“No,” Jamie said, “You can stay. I want you to meet Ella.” Rosie bashfully walked through the doorway.

“Hi,” Rosie said, “I’m Rosie. My big is Jane.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Rosie,” Ella said. “How are you at keeping secrets,” she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

“She’s great at it,” Jamie said. “Merry Christmas, Rosie.”

“Do you guys want to play something,” Rosie asked. Jamie had a feeling she was going to be fairly little tonight. “Jamie has lots of cool toys.”

“O yeah? Show me,” Ella said. Rosie went straight for Jamie’s tub of blocks. “What are we gonna build?”

“Santa’s workshop,” Rosie replied.

“I should go greet people,” Jamie said.

“O, no, you don’t,” Ella said, catching his hand. “You’re the foreman, and besides, we’re littles. They’ll come find us.” The squeals from the hallway could only mean Lauren and Daniel had arrived.

“Becky, merry Christmas!”

“You, too, Laurie. You’re looking a little …”

“Glowy? You can say glowy,” Danny explained, “She gets mad when you use other words.”

“Still getting those pregnancy hormones under control, huh,” Jane said.

“Mine or his,” Laurie asked.

“Touché!”

“Where’s my little nephew,” Lauren asked.

“In the nursery,” Becky said. “I’d like you to meet Stacy. Stacy’s little is Jamie’s friend, Ella.” Everyone shook hands. Stacy caught Becky’s eye with a meaningful look, and Becky nodded back.

“Daniel, can I ask you a favor,” Stacy said.

“Sure.”

“Ella doesn’t do so well around big men. Until she gets comfortable tonight, could you hang back a little?”

“I can do that,” Danny said with a sympathetic smile.

“Thanks.”

“Of course. I’ll go find my niece instead,” Danny said as she went into the kitchen and found Amanda stirring a pot.

“What’s that?”

“Mulled wine,” Amanda said as she brought the spoon up to Danny’s lips for a taste.

“Mmmm.”

“You give any to Jamie, and I am so telling Lauren on you this time,” Amanda sunnily warned him.

“Even on Christmas?”

“Mom bottled some milk for later if he wants to get a little buzzed.”

“Why bottled?”

“Because she can’t make hot chocolate come out of them.”

“O,” he mused, “That’d be pretty cool if she could.”

“You’re hopeless, Uncle Danny.” She put the spoon down and hugged him. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. You excited about Santa tonight?”

“So excited!”

“You tell Jamie yet?”

“He’s gonna stay up with me.”

“That’ll be fun.”

“And all the more reason to keep him sober.” From the hall they heard Mel greeting Becky and introducing herself to Stacy. Amanda and Danny went out to greet her. Becky helped her off with her coat.

“O my god,” Amanda squealed with her hands covering her mouth. “I thought you were joking!” Everyone was getting a good chuckle at Mel’s outfit.

“What? I was serious,” Mel said laughing along with them. “I told you I was gonna get an elf costume for tonight.”

“Why,” Jane asked.

“It’s his first Christmas! We’re not pulling any punches. Where is he?” She certainly hadn’t dressed in a green dress with candy cane stockings and a pointy hat for their benefit.

“The shoes really seal it,” Lauren said. Mel lifted her left foot and rang the bell on her toes.

“He’s in his nursery,” Amanda said. “C’mon.” The two walked down the hall to the nursery trying to keep the jingling to a minimum. Amanda knocked on the doorframe and put her head around the corner. “Hey, kiddos. I got a surprise for you?”

“What,” Rosie excitedly asked.

“It’s a friend of mine all the way from the North Pole!” Mel jumped into the doorway.

“A elf!” Rosie screamed. “A elf! A elf! A Elf!” She was on her feet and scurrying over, her face red and her smile wide and her eyes bright. Mel scooped her up.

“That’s right! Are you being a good girl?”

“I am!”

“Promise?”

“Yes!”

“Good! I’ll text Santa and let him know.” Ella and Jamie smiled up at the two of them, and Amanda did the same from her vantage.

“Can I play with you guys,” Mel asked. They made room on the floor for Mel and Amanda.

“What are we building,” Amanda asked.

“Santa’s workshop,” Ella answered.

“O, that’s where I work,” Mel said. She put Rosie down, and she went back to building. Mel picked Jamie up. “I took the night off to come see you.” She rubbed her nose on his. “That’s how we kiss at the North Pole.” Jamie’s face flushed, and Mel pulled him into a very warm hug. “Merry Christmas, Jamie Bear,” she whispered.

“Merry Christmas, Mel.” He gave her real kiss on the cheek.

“And who is this?”

“Ella,” Ella answered for herself.

“And have you been naughty or nice?”

“To whom,” Ella retorted. Amanda let out a big laugh.

“Ella isn’t regressed,” Amanda said.

“She’s been very nice,” Jamie said for her.

“Good. I’d hate to give a bad report to Santa,” Mel winked at Ella. The five of them arranged and re-arranged Santa’s workshop together. When the workshop was finished, they decided it was time to make merry in the living room with the others.

“There’s the young’uns,” Jane said as they came in. “We were worried you’d decided to go hang out with cool people instead of us.”

“We did, but they were too cool for us,” Mel said.

“It was going okay until they saw your outfit,” Amanda quipped.

“Wadduya think, Rosie? Does she go on the naughty list for that?”

“No. I like her. She’s my friend.”

“For you, then.” She picked Rosie up and sat on the couch with her. Ella saw Danny, and though she knew he’d be there she just wasn’t comfortable, even though she knew he was harmless. She took Jamie’s hand and tugged him toward Stacy on the other side of the room. Ella wordlessly let Jamie’s hand go and held her arms up. Stacy lifted her up, then picked up Jamie and set him down next to her.

Stacy leaned over and whispered, “You’re alright, Ell Bell. You’re safe.” Stacy put her hand reassuringly on her shoulder.

“I know,” she whispered back. She always knew. It helped to be close to Stacy, though.

For his part, Jamie looked at Rosie and would have been intensely jealous of her sitting on Mel’s lap and laughing, but he had Ella instead.

When everything was done, Jamie was buried under a pile of wrapping paper along with Ella and Rosie. All the bigs agreed it would make an adorable picture. Rosie was struggling to stay awake and disappeared into the nursery with Jane and her diaper bag, emerging a few minutes later asleep in her pajamas. “Straight into bed with her,” Jane said.

“Merry Christmas, Jane,” Jamie said.

“Merry Christmas to you, too, Jamie.” She bent down to give him a Christmas kiss goodnight.

Lauren and Daniel were next to depart. “It was nice meeting you, Ella,” Lauren said. Daniel kept a respectful distance. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t need to know. He just smiled and tried to look innocuous.

“It was nice meeting you, too. And you, too, Daniel.” Ella wanted to be more gracious, but she just couldn’t, not yet. She’d have to be around Daniel more before she felt okay with him.

“Just us then,” Stacy said after Lauren and Danny had left. “You ready to head home, Ella?”

“After I say goodnight to Jamie.” She and Jamie went into the kitchen. “Merry Christmas, Jamie Bear,” she said before they embraced.

“Merry Christmas. Maybe let’s talk tomorrow?”

“Sure. You guys doing anything in the afternoon?”

“I don’t think so. Just the three of us tomorrow. Maybe a playdate the day after?”

“I’d like that. Thanks for the present.”

“You, too. I like them.”

“I wasn’t sure you would.”

“Like I can ever have too many sleepers.”

“I thought it might be too little.”

“You haven’t seen my teddy bear one yet. Got a tail and everything.”

“And ears,” she smiled.

“And ears.”

“I’d like to see that,” she giggled.

“Maybe on our playdate,” he said. They kissed one another and hugged tightly before walking hand in hand back to the living room. Becky put her hand over her heart and awwwed.

Once Stacy and Ella had left, it was down to just the three of them and Mel. Jamie napped on the sofa while the three of them cleaned up.

“Can I stay, too,” Mel asked.

“Fine by me,” Becky said.

“You can borrow some of my PJs,” Amanda said.

“I’ve never gotten to see Santa,” Mel said.

“Then this is your chance. You can go get Jamie changed into some pajamas if you want.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” Mel said as she wiped her hands on a dish towel. Rosie was adorable, but she wasn’t her Jamie Bear. Jamie had stuck so close to Ella that he and Mel hadn’t gotten to snuggle or anything. She lifted the sleeping little boy from the couch and carried him to his nursery, laying him on the changing table. She started to get him undressed, musing at how she wished she could sleep like he did. He stirred when she began to change his diaper.

“Did you leave this present in your diapee just for me?”

He smiled without opening his eyes, stretching his arms above his head. “Muh-huh. Mel.”

“’Mel’ what?”

“Just ‘Mel.’ Thank you for coming tonight. And for dressing up.”

“And I’m gonna stay up for Santa with you.” Jamie still wasn’t sure if they were joking or not or what the deal was. He’d already explained Santa wasn’t god. Did he also need to explain Santa wasn’t real? What did they think the mall Santa was?

“There’s a bear with a dry bum,” she said as she pulled a clean diaper up between his legs and taped it snugly.

“Thank you.” She went to his dresser and picked out the teddy bear sleeper Amanda had bought while they were on their vacation together.

“Who’s a handsome Baby Bear?”

“I am,” Jamie giggled.

“And how big is that bear?”

“Sooooo big,” they both sang in unison.

“Ready to go wait for Santa?”

“Can I bring my bear?”

“Your bear? My bear has his own bear,” Mel squeaked while she fished around the blankets of his crib until she found it. “This bear?”

“Yeah.” She put its feet on the changing table and walked it step by step to Jamie.

“Merry Christmas, Jamie,” she made the bear say.

“I didn’t know you could talk!”

“Only on Christmas Eve.”

“Isn’t my Aunt Mel especially pretty tonight, bear?”

“Awww,” Mel said in her own voice.

“And isn’t she one of our favorite people? It’s so much better having Christmas with her.”

“Awwwwwww.” Mel lifted Jamie up, and they hugged one another.

“I love you, Mel.”

“I love you, too, Jamie … Let’s go find Manda.”

After Becky had kissed everyone goodnight and made Amanda promise not to keep Jamie up too late, Amanda, Jamie, and Mel settled on the couch under a blanket with the fire on and a Christmas movie playing quietly on TV, munching on cookies.

“So what time is Santa coming,” Mel asked.

“I don’t know. That’s part of the fun.”

“Um, guys,” Jamie ventured. “You, uh … you know Santa isn’t real, right?” Amanda and Mel looked at one another and then at Jamie. He couldn’t tell what their looks meant. Amanda started fake crying first.

“How could you say that,” Mel pretended to bawl. “I’ll never trust anyone ever again!”

“I rue the day we took our picture with that fraud!”

“A curse on his elves!”

“Those were just children.”

“A curse on his children!”

“And their elves!”

“Those are children, too.”

“A curse on his elves’ children!”

“Okay,” Jamie said, “hardy-har-har. Jokes on me. So if we’re not waiting for Santa, what are we waiting for?”

“Fake Santa.”

“Huh?” There was a knock at the door.

“See?” Amanda picked him up, and they walked to the front door. Amanda held Jamie up so he could look out the peephole.

“There’s a guy in a Santa suit out there,” Jamie said. Mel opened the door.

“Ho ho ho,” the stranger said, “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Santa,” Amanda and Mel replied in unison.

“And who is this little boy? Or is he a bear?”

Jamie pulled down the hood of his sleeper. “Boy.”

“You’ve stayed up awfully late.”

“I took a nap.”

“That’s good. You wouldn’t wanna be grumpy tomorrow. You know what tomorrow is, don’t you?”

“Christmas!”

“It’s Christmas! Ho ho ho! And I brought you something.” The man in the Santa suit opened his red bag and pulled out a small package for each of them.

“What do you say, Jamie?”

“Thank you, Santa!”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be back with the rest of your presents later.”

“There’s more?”

“You’ve been a very good boy! Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!” The man turned to leave, and the three of them waved until he reached the end of their sidewalk and then closed the door.

“I told, you, Jamie. See? Santa.”

“Who was that?”

“Some guy who works for a Santa company. They go door to door to deliver cookies to littles on Christmas Eve. But don’t tell any of your regressed friends.”

“I liked that. Is he available on other holidays,” Mel asked.

“Thank you,” Jamie smiled.

“Thank Mom. And why don’t we save these cookies for later, and go to bed?”

“Can we all fit in your bed?”

“Let me guess – you want the middle?”