The Xmas Gift

Seasons Greetings!!! Khal here, wishing each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! In the spirit of the season, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all new and old Patrons. Without all your support, none of this would be possible! As a show of thanks, please enjoy this little bonus Xmas chapter we cooked up, simply titled.... 

The Xmas Gift

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Chad sat within the confines of his new prison, drumming his fingers along the necklace in front of him. It was Christmas Eve in the McCallum house, and while everyone else was enjoying a night of merriment and yuletide spirits, he was stuck in a box beside his wife's present. "This is officially the last time I go shopping at this size," he grumbled to himself.

The day had started chaotic, but it hadn't been a bad day for him or anyone in the household. After everything that had happened over the last month, everyone seemed to be in better spirits. Christmas was always a special time to him, Pam and the kids, and despite the epidemic both he and Pam agreed that it was important to try to make an attempt to enjoy the season. Pam and Victoria had been in charge of wrapping gifts for everyone. He typically handled the wrapping, but that task was next to impossible given his reduced size. He made one attempt to try to help, but once he got stuck in a bow, he'd given up that notion. Finally, Victoria had been the one to spot him after a half-hour of simply laying in the tangled and sticky mess.

Then there was the cookie debacle. He and Bram had both wanted to participate in the festivities, so they jumped at the opportunity to help in any way they could. Rose had been staying with them for months off and on, and she opted to make Christmas cookies. Anna, not one to miss an opportunity to bond with the older woman, had asked to help and looking back, both boys were glad that she had been there. Rose had mixed the batter, with Anna's help, and had made two batches. One for gingerbread and one for chocolate chip. Chad and Bram had been put in charge of helping to mix in the chips. A simple task that had ended up a literal mess for the two of them.

A single chocolate chip took everything they had to carry, and Rose, being her absent-minded self, had forgotten the boys were helping after fifteen minutes. The problem arose when Rose grabbed the bag to speed up the process while he and Bram were both retrieving their next load. The pair found themselves tumbling backward while being bombarded and pelted by milk chocolate. They'd barely had a second to register what had happened before Rose tipped the bag forward to dump the chips into the mixing bowl. What followed was a harrowing experience of getting mixed and mashed alongside the batter and chips. Drowning in cookie dough was by far the last threat that either of them had anticipated when they shrunk.

Chad still wasn't sure what was worse; being submerged in the gooey dough or being kneaded and unknowingly pummeled by his grandmother. When the scoop came in to free him and Bram from the bowl, both of them felt a panic begin to overtake their tiny minds. Scooped and placed on the wax paper atop the cookie sheet, the two of them thought they were designed to meet their end in the oven. Trapped within the confines of their molds, all they could do was writhe and squirm amidst the goopy substance. Before they could accept their morbid fates, Anna had spotted their movements in the molds. She'd stopped Rose from putting them into the oven, scooped the two of them off of the sheet with a spatula, and proceeded to lecture them both on being more careful. Rose had laughed it off, but Chad knew his mother well enough to know she had been genuinely concerned.

After that, both Chad and Bram had been barred from the kitchen unless they were with Anna. It hadn't been their decision, or anyone else's for that matter, but Anna maintained that it was too dangerous for either of them. Her mischievous side was still present with Chad, but she'd slowly become protective of the two little guys. Still, getting scolded by his stepdaughter was more than a little demeaning, but he'd take it over being cooked and eaten any day. Just when it seemed that neither would be able to participate in any of the holiday festivities, Pam had come up with a brilliant solution: gingerbread houses. That had been a fun day for everyone, and it had been the one activity that had not presented any significant dangers to their health.

It had been more like carpentry work for Chad and Bram, but it had been an overall pleasant experience. Working together, side by side, the two boys had bonded unexpectedly while the women watched. Granted, they couldn't operate the piping bag, but they could work together to get the walls in place with a little outside help from their family. Either Pam, Victoria, Anna, or Rose would take turns laying the adhesive icing or helping them to get the walls lifted. If Chad had had some tools, it would have felt almost like a regular job, overlooking the materials they were using, of course. But, overall, it was a fun team-building excursion for everyone. Then, once the foundation had been set, the fun of decorating was ready to begin.

Many candies were larger than the boys but luckily they weren't obscenely heavy. They were awkward to carry, but they managed well enough on their own at the start. To both them and the rest of the family, it quickly became apparent that the job was a bit too much for them, though. After creating a walkway out of gumdrops, Chad and Bram were promoted to their little construction project supervisors. They took to the role of supervising quite nicely. It was less strenuous on them, but Anna had gotten fed up with being told what to do after only a short while. She picked up Chad and Bram alongside a few pieces of candy and proceeded to stick them to the house's walls beside a peppermint and a gumdrop. She acted innocent and oblivious once the rest of the family realized that they'd disappeared.

It wasn't the worst thing that had happened to either of them, and by comparison to many of their endeavors, it was harmless. Victoria had found the two of them stuck to the wall, but she hadn't been angry with Anna about it. They were coated in a sticky layer of food, and both boys were taken to be washed after construction was completed. They'd taken it in stride, and Bram had even joked about possibly moving into the home. He said it was almost an upgrade with the bonus of a sweet smell and edible arrangements. It felt good to laugh again, and it almost made things feel normal for a change. Normalcy was something that the entire family desperately needed after the months of change they'd been facing.

The morning of Christmas Eve had finally arrived, and everyone seemed to be in a constant state of motion. The hustle and bustle should have been a sign of things to come, but Chad had chosen to ignore it. Instead, he'd selected a gift for Pam earlier in the month with the help of Victoria and Rose. A necklace that he had been eying since before the epidemic began. Victoria had placed the order for it, and he and the other girls were all going to pick it up. It felt unnecessary, but Anna wanted to see just what he'd picked out. He knew her well enough now to know that she most likely didn't think it would be good enough for her mother. The order was in Victoria's name, but Pam had wanted Rose to tag along for some additional supervision. It also gave her some much-needed time to bond with Bram.

The trip to the small outlet malls had gone about as smoothly as it could. Anna and Victoria argued over who would hold him for the ride, and Rose was virtually no help in the debate. Eventually, both girls agreed that Rose should be the one to hold onto him. Rose kept him close in her lap while Victoria drove the four of them to the storefront. The trip went well enough until Victoria bit a bump and bounced him out of Rose's hands. His hopes of being spotted and caught were quickly denied when he plummeted down into Rose's shirt. Once again, he found himself riding in the valley of one of his family's cleavages. Even after all this time, it was still something he hadn't gotten used to.

Every turn, bump, and stop knocked him off balance and jostled him around. Whether it be colliding face-first into a breast or getting smacked by the fabric of her bra, it didn't matter how many times he found himself in this position; it was still hot, humiliating, and overall miserable for him. When the car finally stopped, he felt Rose stand and begin walking towards the store. Again, a simple act that sent tremors all around him, and worse, it confirmed that she'd yet again forgotten about his presence. Bouncing around within the confines of his mother's cleavage certainly wasn't his ideal way to travel, but he had, admittedly, been in worse places. Little did he know that this shopping trip would be an eventful and claustrophobic one for the record books.

They arrived at the jeweler's, and Victoria had asked where he'd disappeared to. After a ten-minute walk and some rather thorough searching, Rose found him lodged and stuck to her right breast. Between his body heat and hers, he'd developed a layer of sweat that practically grafted him to her skin. When she peeled him off, he hadn't been angry, but he had been more than a little embarrassed. He caught Anna trying to hide a smirk at his predicament. He wondered if she had seen him flying through the air or not. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was free for the time being. They walked over to the counter and set him down on the glass case while Victoria spoke to the sales associates.

The girls working the counter were you and well dressed. Silk blouses, sweaters, and blazers moved by in flashes while they bustled around the store to cater to the customers that came and went. One young girl wearing a magenta blouse waited on Victoria and the others. She was friendly, albeit clearly in a rush, as she listened to their order. Rose and Anna remained close by, but they found themselves examining the contents of the cases. Chad stood on the glass countertop, looking at the displays below with awe, while Victoria waited for the girl to bring out their order. Truthfully, Chad had never really been much in the way of jewelry, but seeing them from this perspective, he could see the appeal. While he had no idea what the different cuts were, they were undoubtedly mesmerizing to look at.

When the girl brought out the box containing Pam's gift, he walked over to examine it. A simple gold chain with the infinity symbol attached to it. He selected a small piece to symbolize the level of love that he felt towards her. Throughout everything they'd been through, she had remained by his side and faithful. However, he'd been too preoccupied examining the necklace to hear Victoria ask if the girl would wrap it for them. In a flash, he was scooped, stuffed, and confined to the darkness of the box. He was tossed around like a rag doll as the girl made short work of sealing and wrapping the box. Disoriented and dizzy, he laid with his back against the cold metal of the necklace.

He didn't have long before he found himself tumbling around the box yet again as it changed hands. He guessed it was Victoria taking the small box and stowing it away. By the time he got some semblance of his bearings, it was too late. Victoria had placed the box in her purse, and he was treated to tremors and sudden shakes from her moving. He fought to climb to the walls and pound against them, but it did nothing to help his plight. He was trapped yet again. He cried out in hopes that Victoria or someone would hear his voice. Unfortunately, it was masked by the hustle and bustle of the stores, and it wasn't long before he was back to fighting for footing.

So it went for the remainder of the day. Unbeknownst to him, his family had been worried about him and searched for him. His sudden disappearance at the jewelry store had sent the three women into a panic. The shakes he felt were Victoria frantically searching for him, and even Anna had joined in earnest searching. They were forced to return home empty-handed and disheartened. The mood that Christmas Eve was soured from the moment they pulled up and informed everyone of the news. Worry and fear for the worst tainted the otherwise special day, but Chad sat safely tucked away right under their noses. Finally, after hours of searching, Victoria unknowingly placed her father down under the Christmas tree.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, say for one man tucked away in a box. Chad laid against the soft fabric of the box, his body away from the cold metal, reciting Christmas carols and stories to himself. While he tried to keep sane within the darkness, his family tossed and turned while worrying about their patriarch. Throughout the house, nobody slept soundly as their minds were fraught with fears and terrible scenarios. Pam fought to keep from crying while Victoria and Bram stayed awake, trying to remain hopeful that their father would turn up. Even Anna sat awake worrying about her mother's well-being down the hall. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but she too was afraid for her shrunken step-father. Rose, too sat alone in her room fretting over her son.

"Guess I've been in worse places," Chad sighed as he looked around, "At least I should be out of here in the morning."

The air was heavy within his tiny coffin but not unbearable. It was hot, yes, but he'd endured much worse over the last several months. Things could have been worse, though. As annoying as his position was, at least he knew he was at home. Whether or not anyone knew wherehe was, was another story, but sooner or later, he would be freed from this prison. He chuckled to himself as he thought of Pam's expression when she opened the box to see him alongside the necklace. Would she laugh? Would she be angry? He hated the thought of his family worrying, but he knew there was nothing he could do. However, knowing Pam as he did, he bet she would laugh out her relief. He finally gave in to the exhaustion he'd been feeling, and he drifted off to sleep with the thought of her smiling face staring down at him.

They drug themselves out of bed early the following day. Long faces, tired eyes, and heavy hearts were evident with everyone that morning. The Christmas tree had gifts stacked around it, but everyone's concerns sullied the typical joy that came with this morning. They gathered around the tree in the living room. The kids on the floor, Pam on the couch, and Rose sitting in the chair across from her. "This really isn't the same without dad," Victoria sighed as she sorted through and handed out the gifts, "I should have paid more attention while we were at the store."

"He's easy to overlook," Anna said quietly, "The whole reason I went wasn't to see what he got mom, it was to make sure his dumbass didn't get lost. Sorry, I'm just frustrated. I can't believe he's actually gone."

"Maybe he's not," Bram said, trying to remain hopeful, "Maybe he got a ride with one of the salesladies, and Maybe they're trying to bring him home."

"You've seen the news reports," Anna said, "For all we know, one of those women could be using him."

"Don't talk like that," Rose said, "I refuse to believe that my son has been taken as an object for another woman. He's got to be here somewhere."

"Let's just...try to enjoy this time together," Pam said, a faraway look in her eyes, "Your father would have wanted us to enjoy this morning."

"We could always go back and check for him," Anna said, "I'd never say it to his face, but he's a tough little guy. So he might still be waiting there for us to come back."

"Why didn't you say something yesterday?" Victoria asked her hurt shifting to anger, "I hadn't considered that, and I would have driven back in a heartbeat."

"No fighting!" Rose exclaimed, "Chad wouldn't want you two, or any of us, fighting each other. Pam is right. As difficult as it is, he'd want us to try to have a good morning. Christmas was always one of his favorite holidays."

Bram smiled as he recalled a memory from when he was young, "That's true. Victoria, do you remember when I was six, and dad insisted that we get a real tree for Christmas?"

Victoria grinned and laughed, "Yeah, we drove for five hours to that farm in the middle of nowhere. Dad was so excited the whole way there, and then all they had was a tree that was shorter than you. Dad said it was our own little Charlie Brown Christmas tree."

Bram joined in her laughter, "Remember, one of the branches snapped when we put the ornaments on it!"

"Yeah, but dad didn't care," Victoria said, "He still stacked up the presents around it so that we could see the tree. One strand of lights on it, but he still said it was special because it was our tree. He said it was because we all went together to pick it out."

"God, he's such a dork," Anna laughed, "I can see him saying something cheesy like that."

"When he was little, he and I used to always talk about getting a real tree," Rose said, "All we had was an artificial one, but your father loves the smell of pine. So one year, he hung air fresheners on it alongside our ornaments to make it smell real. He told me that was his present to me because he knew we couldn't afford a real tree."

"That's Chad," Pam said with a brilliant smile, "Always thinking about someone else, trying to make others happy no matter the cost. It's one of the many things I love about him."

They were silent for a moment before Anna sighed, "Alright, let's open our gifts and go find the little guy. It's what he'd want us to do. I can hear him now, 'You all didn't open your gifts?! I was fine. I knew you all wouldn't forget me!'"

Everyone laughed as she tried to imitate his tone. So, they handed out their presents and reminisced while they opened them. One by one, they went through their gifts. Bram had gotten a new campaign book and a set of dice, as well as a few games Pam had purchased before the pandemic. Victoria and Anna got new articles of clothing, some sports equipment, and a couple of books they'd had their eyes on. Rose was given a pair of new sneakers, workout gear, and an upgraded membership to LIFT. The kids and Rose had chipped in to get Pam some additional gifts. A new pair of earbuds, two outfits, a bracelet, and a first edition Avengers comic that Anna had found. While it wasn't the same without Chad, they did their best to smile and laugh while they spent their time together.

Finally, there was only one gift left. Victoria eyed the small box with sadness in her eyes, but she handed it to Pam without a word. The card on the box was simple, yet it said more with those few words than many could say with thousands:

To: Pam,

The love of my life, my soul mate; I give this to you in hopes that you'll never forget how much I'll love you. Forever and always yours,

Chad.

Chad was beginning to wonder if his family had decided to forgo opening gifts. Time was seemingly endless and untraceable in his box, but he knew it had to be sometime in the morning. He'd heard the chatter outside of those walls, muffled as it was, but he still had yet to see the light. When his prison shifted yet again, his hopes were restored. When everything settled, he did his best to wall over to the necklace. He hoped that he wasn't wasting his time as he climbed in between the loops of the infinity symbol. He waited for the lid to open and again felt the fresh air. Time seemed to stand still in that moment, but he was revealed to the outside world in a flash of blinding light.

Pam had taken the final gift and stared at it before unwrapping it. Then, with tears in her eyes, she opened it to see the small necklace and an unexpected surprise. There in the box stood her husband and the one they'd spent the entire morning talking about. Her face lit up, and she couldn't stop herself from laughing upon seeing him. "What are you doing in there?" she asked.

Everyone froze and stared at Pam before scrambling to their feet. Bram nearly wound up on the floor and underfoot, but thankfully Victoria managed to catch him. In a second, Chad found himself staring up at his entire family. The concern and confusion in their eyes were touching, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling, "I figured you might want a little extra surprise with your gift, so...surprise?"

"Dad!" Victoria exclaimed, "We've been worried sick about you!"

"You mean to tell me your dumbass has been in there the whole time?" Anna asked, and he nodded before sighing, "How many times do I have to tell you to be careful?!"

"I'm fine, really," he said, "I knew that I'd get out eventually. I mean, it was a little hot, but at least it was roomy."

Anna grinned as she sighed, "Idiot."

"Don't be so hard on him, Anna," Victoria chided.

"It's fine, Victoria," Chad said, "She was worried, and she's right."

"Don't flatter yourself, bug-boy," Anna said.

"Chad," Rose said, taking a seat beside Pam, "I am so sorry that we got you stuck in there."

"Mom, it's fine," he said, "I knew that I was going to be okay. It could have been a lot worse."

Pam sat the box down in her lap and held out her hand for him to climb on, "We thought something awful had happened to you. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're okay."

"I've survived worse than this," he said, glancing at Anna, "I'm just glad that you all still tried to have a normal Christmas."

"Told you that's what his dumbass would be worried about," Anna said with a smirk, her tone soft as she added, "I'm glad you're alright, little man."

"Now that's a Christmas miracle," he joked, "Anna showing concern for her step-father."

"Yeah, yeah," Anna replied, "Guess you're starting to grow on me. Not like you're doing much in that department anyway."

It was rare that they could all laugh together these days, but it made moments like these all the more worthwhile. They spent the rest of the morning laughing and enjoying the yuletide season. For the first time in a long time, there was peace in the McCallum household. Chad stayed close to Pam, Bram close to his sisters, and Rose's attention remained on her family. That night, the entire family sat together and watched Christmas movies into the wee hours of dark. They were exhausted, spent, but together, all the same. They enjoyed each other's company.

There's no telling what next year's future may hold. Pandemics, cures, or other developments may come, but in unity, there is comfort. Such was the case for this family, which is the case for us all. So enjoy the merriment and take the bad with the good when it comes. When it's all said and done, all one has are the memories made with loved ones. This was the case with Chad and his family, but it's also the case for every one of us. And with that, dear reader, we leave you with a simple phrase: Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.