Letters For Christmas | Five
Secret Santa Posts
Surprise! Here’s another post from your secret santa @akb723!
23rd December 1957
Sassenach,
You look beautiful tonight, laying across my lap, the fire glow warm against your skin, and our three children cuddled up next to or on you asleep. The four of you are so peaceful and perfect, I never want to move (despite the fact that my leg has fallen asleep.)
Willie did not last long once I started reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and his small snores make me smile like a fool. I am surprised with how quickly Faith and Bree fell asleep. Was it my voice? Or just the comfort of love and safety that lulled them to a peaceful slumber cuddled against you? You should see their faces, in sleep I can see you in them as the eleven year old girl I first had a sleepover with in the broch. I remember your wild, curly hair tangled up on the pillow and across your face. You were beautiful to me then, although I did not know how to tell you.
As you slept I told you stories, and you later said you had nightmares of faeries stealing you away the entire time and you never wished to sleep in the rusty old broch again. I am afraid that was my fault. I told you the stories because, at the time, I thought you were a faerie come to steal me away. I know now that you were simply sent to me from God instead. He gave me my soulmate early in life, so that I could grow to love and cherish her in every stage of life. I could learn how to please you and how to live with you. I have never once gotten bored being married, engaged, dating, or while friends with you.
Did you know the next time you slept over?
I was eleven, as were you. It was just before your twelfth birthday. You and Jenny were playing a game while Ian, Willie, and I grumbled that we wanted the table. Both of you turned and gave us a look, you still give me the same look when you are annoyed with me. You said ‘You told me just the past December that you were going to marry me, and I said in return you had to listen to what I said.’ I remember nodding dumbly at you and you smiled deviously. ‘Well then, I want the table to play games with Jenny. You three can either join us, or get out!’
I can look back at that and laugh. You had me so wrapped around your finger even then. That night do you remember drinking tea on the dooryard steps? I brought you a blanket and you pulled me to your side. I asked you to marry me again and you laughed and said, ‘we’re too young Jamie. Ask me again in eight years, then we’ll be old enough.’
Eight years, two months and nine days later, I asked you to marry me under the mistletoe by the tree we picked out. You smiled and launched yourself into my arms screaming yes! You made me feel like I was on top of the world. Just as you make me feel that way now.
Your trust in me has only grown over the years and now as you lay in my lap asleep cradling our son to your breast, and our daughter against your sides, I’m reminded how much I love this life I have been given.
You are perfect to me.
Your Enamored Husband,
Jamie
Jamie set his pen and paper down, and rolled his neck loosening the tension that was there. Claire still slept peacefully on his lap. Smiling down at his family Jamie began to play with Claire’s hair just to watch her smile in her sleep. She had told him that he did that in his sleep, and all of the children did as well, getting that trait from him. He didn’t believe her, insisting that they got it from her.
Faith stirred and blinked blearily at him. “Da?”
Jamie whispered back, “Yes mo nighean donn?”
“I love you. Will you read the Twas Night Before Christmas tomorrow? I like it when you read.”
“Of course I will, mo chridhe. Do ye want to go up to your bed to sleep?”
She shook her head and cuddled up more on her mother, laying her head so that the top touched Jamie’s thigh. “No, I want to stay with you and Mamma.”
Jamie reached out and stroked a second set of dark curls tenderly. “As you wish. Go back to sleep then, we’re no going anywhere.”
He watched as Faith smiled and drifted back to sleep.
