When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) (33 page)

“Yeah, I would like to see it. Thank you.” Chloe was holding the disk tightly.

“Okay, before you three get started again, let’s do the picture, and then go get changed. My patience is getting thin.” Their mother advised in a sighing tone.

Chloe sat back out of the way, but Nick grabbed her and pulled her back in. “Oh, no, you’re part of this now, whether you like it or not. You have to do everything we do,” he said and pulled her into the shots.

She laughed and then posed with them for a few pictures.

Upstairs, the craziness continued while the guys threw wrapping paper everywhere and wrestled each other in the hallway, as Chloe made her way to her room.

 
Nick stopped her. He took her into his arms and held her for a few minutes. “I tried to warn you.”

“I love every minute of it. Your mom rocks. I can’t believe she found this and had it made for me.” Chloe smiled as she looked at the disk again.

“I’m glad you’re happy. And I’m really glad you’re here. I think I would really miss you if you had to go with your dad,” he confessed. He’d wished they could have had some time alone, but for now, this would have to do.

“Yeah, well, it would have been nothing like this. I think it’s going to be a pretty good first Christmas.”

“The best one yet. I have to go get changed before she starts yelling for me. I’ll see you downstairs.” He pulled her close and kissed her again, this time not wanting to pull away.

Chloe was the one to pull away she smiled and put her finger to his lips.

They went to change into their Christmas pj’s and when they got to the den, Max ran in and begged their parents if he could sleep in with the older boys. It was their father who looked at the three older boys with a puzzled glance.

“Dude, where are you going to sleep?” Kevin asked.

“With Nick,” Max answered and rushed over to Nick, grabbing his leg.

“Wait, why me?” Nick asked. “Mark has a bigger bed.”

“Because, I want to sleep in your bed,” Max answered.

Nick rolled his eyes. “Fine, but if you start kicking, you’re out.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Max replied happily and followed him to the floor where he plopped himself onto Nick’s lap.

Chloe came into the den and smiled at Nick.

“Wow, you look pretty.” Nick exclaimed, grabbing her hand and pulling her down next to him. She’d pulled her hair to the side with a few loose strands here and there. She had put on a light-blue cami under her pj top, so that you couldn’t see through it.

“Chloe, that looks so cute. I was afraid I had gotten it too big,” Gina complimented her.

“No, it is just the right size. I love it.” Max climbed into her lap and she hugged him. “Wow, little Guy, you are really cuddly tonight,” she teased him.

“You smell good.” Max smiled and looked over at Nick.

“Are you trying to hone in on my girl? That’ll get you kicked out of my bed.” Nick couldn’t believe the bold move of his little brother.

“Don’t be a jerk.” Chloe scolded. “Max, if he kicks you out, you can come sleep with me.” She hugged him.

“Chloe, Nick kicked me out! Can I sleep with you, too?” Kevin chimed in.

“You stay out of it!” Nick yelled at him.

“He’s so mean to me, Chloe. Maybe I
should
come and sleep with you.” Max giggled and hugged her.

“You little monster.” Nick grabbed him and tickled him.

“Enough, everyone is sleeping in their own beds. Except for Max, who is sleeping in with Nick. Can we please get this started?” Their mother got up and walked over to the TV. She then loaded in Chloe’s DVD and they waited for it to start.

 
It opened to a view of a door and then Chloe heard the voice she had missed so much. “Chloe girl, where are you?”

Chloe put her hand to her mouth and caught her breath.

 
As the door opened, there was a little girl with blond hair in cascading ringlets, dancing around in a tutu and a pink nightgown.

“Oh, I can see that Mommy, made a big mistake taking you to see The Nutcracker!” Her mother laughed, seeing that Chloe had tried to put on makeup.

“Nice tutu. Glad to see you learned to put on makeup,” Kevin remarked in a hushed tone.

 
She threw a pillow at him.

The next thing was Chloe in the tub, singing and making a “Snow mam” as she called it, out of bubbles.

“Wow, Nick, I just saw your girlfriend naked. Worse than that, Kevin just saw her naked,” Mark commented as he tossed the popcorn at Kevin.

“She was three, and the bubbles hid everything. You two need to have your heads examined,” Nick replied and put his arm around her.

“Stop with the comments. Let’s just watch,” their mother ordered.

Then the camera was sitting on a table, watching Chloe in bed. Someone walked in front of it and sat down next to her. It was the first time Nick had seen her mother other than the picture on the headstone.

 
“You look a lot like her,” Mrs. Allen whispered.

Nick could tell Chloe was getting choked up. He took her hand and she smiled a little.

As her mother ended the story, little Chloe was starting to fall asleep. “Mommy, is daddy coming home soon?”Little Chloe asked.

Her mother took a deep breath. “He had to work late. That’s why Mommy made this tape for him. Santa is coming soon.” Her mother tucked the blanket in around her.

“Okay, Night, Mommy. I love you,” little Chloe said softly and fell asleep.

Chloe watched the tape with glistening eyes.

 
Her mother smoothed her hair down and kissed her lightly. “Good night, my Chloe girl. Merry Christmas. I love you so much,” her mother cooed, and then turned off the camera.

They were all silent. Nick could tell that Chloe was going to start crying. He took her hand and pulled her up. “We’ll be back,” he told them and took Chloe out into the living room. Once there, he held her tightly.

She rested her head on his shoulder and, silently, the tears fell. “I’d forgotten the sound of her voice,” Chloe cried softly.

“Now you have it whenever you need it,” Nick replied as he rubbed her back.

“It was Christmas Eve and he had to work late. You can hear it in her voice how she was lying to me. I wonder who it was then. Shelly was still in school, so it couldn’t have been her. Okay, I’m not going to dwell on it.” She pulled away from him and wiped her eyes. She forced a smile. “She was so pretty. And she didn’t kill me when I got into her makeup.”

“Yeah, you really did. You can tell in the video how much she loved you.” Nick sat back on the arm of the chair and pulled her to him.

 
“The only downside: your brothers saw me naked,” she said and laughed, embarrassed that even though she was three, they still saw her.

“Yeah, not really sure what to think about that. Kev is really going to let me have it now that he saw you,” Nick replied as he rolled his eyes.

“As long as he hasn’t seen me now, I guess it’s okay,” she suggested thinking about how awkward that could be. She’d been very careful about being dressed when she was there. Even now, she was wearing a bra because it felt strange to be around his family in her pajamas.

“Actually, I was thinking about how I wanted to see you naked. I keep thinking about the snowstorm and it is killing me because I want to be with you again.” He laughed.

Chloe seemed shocked and pushed him back a little.

He smiled and pulled closer. “You okay?” he asked, gently touching her face where her tears were now drying.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s a good memory to have.” She let out a breath and sat on his lap.

Nick put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “We should go back, although I really just want to stay here with you.”

She wiped her eyes, took his hand, and they went back.

They spent the rest of the night watching family movies and joking around about old times.

 
Chloe got to see them all at different stages of their lives. It just proved how tightly knit they all were. With Max fast asleep and their parents wanting to get things under the tree, they all went up to bed.

Nick and Chloe stood outside her door and waited for everyone to go in their room.

 
Nick put his arms around her waist. “So,” he said and smiled playfully, looking her in the eyes.

“So, what?” she asked with an innocent grin.

Nick leaned in and kissed her lightly.

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back. “Oh God, don’t do this to me.” She was breathless as their tongues touched and their kisses grew more intense.

Suddenly, they were hit with a pillow. “Hey, stop making out with her and get to bed. Mom and Dad will be up here any minute,” Mark whispered to them.

“Christ, I’m coming,” Nick whispered back, his tone sounding annoyed

“Night, Chlo,” Mark said and snickered.

“Good night, Mark,” she answered back, and then waited for him to close the door again. “You better go to bed.” She pouted as she gazed up at Nick.

“I really wish you could come with me.” He pressed her hips against his and she blushed.

“Maybe someday. I love you, Nicholas Allen,” she said as she kissed him lightly and nibbled at his bottom lip.

“I love you too, Chloe Gardner. I’ll see you in the morning. Be prepared. Max likes to get up really early,” he warned her.

She laughed at that. “He is a little kid, so of course he does.”

*
   
*
   
*
   
*

“Nick? Nick, are you awake?” Max shook him.

“Dude, stop!” Nick yelled, pushing him off. He rolled over and put the pillow over his head, hoping this would ward him off.

“Santa came! I think it’s time to get up,” Max whispered loudly.

“Max, its 7 A.M. go back to bed,” Mark called from his bed.

“Come on, I want to see what he brought!” Max demanded, hopping up and down on the bed as his voice became a little louder.

“Max, shut up! Go back to sleep!” Kevin yelled from the top bunk.

“Nick! Tell them.” Max shook him.

“Christ, Max, five more minutes,” Nick replied and rolled over.

“But, Nicky, we have to wake Mommy and Daddy!” Max kept complaining and shaking him.

“Fine.” Nick waited for Max to climb out. “Go wake Mom and Dad and then come back and get us,” he suggested.

Max seemed to like that idea and ran out of the room.

“Quick, lock the door,” Kevin mumbled.

“He will kick it in. Remember last year?” Mark sat up and looked at his clock.

“I thought that was because Kevin pushed him into the door head first.” Nick tried to remember. He got back into bed and threw the covers over his head.