“Well? What do you think?” Christina asked Howie as he came into the living room.
“So much better, thank you” he said kissing her cheek.
“No problem, always happy to help” Christina said picking up a stack of gifts.
“See? Now isn’t this much better?” Brian asked Nick.
“Sure, now that I started everything for you” Nick said.
“Oh sweetie…you tried” Christina said to him “Just…stick to singing” she said patting his shoulder.
“I hope our parents like the gift we have planned” Kyle said sitting on the coffee table next to Adam with a tray of cookies.
“Relax Kyle, it’s a picture, not gold bars wrapped in diamonds and hundred-dollar bills” Adam said to him.
“Who cares, I’m seeing dead people and fictional holiday characters…” Bradley said sullenly as he stuck a candy cane back in his mouth “And I’m really getting sick of these things” he said throwing the candy cane into the fire behind him.
“Bradley, for the last time, Nat’s dad was not here” Kyle said to him.
“Yes he was! He was right here in this room! I talked to him!” Bradley said.
“Maybe it was Ed’s assistant” Kyle said to him.
“Ed doesn’t have an assistant…and even if he did why did Ed show up like 5 minutes later to fix the lights himself?” Bradley asked.
“It’s Christmas time he probably got mixed up or something…how hard were you thrown back during the explosion anyways?” Kyle asked.
“Not like it makes a difference” Adam said biting into a Christmas cookie.
“Bradley, if you say you saw Nat’s dad, then I believe you saw him” Harry said patting his shoulder.
“Oh, well, thanks Harry” Bradley said.
“He’s losing it” Harry mouthed to Kyle and Adam once Bradley turned away, the both subtly nodded.
Bradley’s head snapped around to look back at Harry who smiled at him “Oh to hell with you guys!” Bradley said getting up from his seat.
“Why go to hell when I can just go to Adam’s room, it’s basically the same thing” Harry said taking Bradley’s seat.
Adam chuckled “Oh I get it…because I’m Satan” he said laughing lightly “Get some new material” he said irritated as he got up.
The front door opened and Sasha stepped in, she gasped “Oh my god, Chris, this place looks amazing” she said.
“Thank you” Christina said taking a small bow.
“Wait a second, what makes you think I didn’t do this?” Nick asked.
“Because it actually looks good” she said looking around.
“From their mothers” Brian muttered to himself as he and Vicki hung stockings on the fireplace.
Vicki looked at him suspiciously “Excuse me?” she asked.
"Hmm? What?" he asked smiling sweetly at her.
“Sorry I wasn’t able to help this year” Sasha said to Christina.
“Oh don’t worry about it I know you were swamped with work, besides Adam was nice enough to help me” Christina said to her.
Adam looked up fearfully, everyone turned to look at him in surprise. Looks of amusement crossed the faces of Bradley, Kyle, and Harry “Oh alright fine” he said “I like to decorate and wrap presents…don’t judge me!” he said storming out of the room.
“I really wish Neilson was able to hear that” Bradley said “I’m gonna text him” Bradley said pulling out his phone.
“So how’d the second store work out?” Christina asked.
“Perfectly…but to show I’m not a total scrooge as some would think…” she said looking towards Nick.
“When did I say anything?” Nick asked.
“I’m donating some of the profits to charity” Sasha said.
“Well that’s nice of you” Christina said.
“Well thank you” Sasha said to her.
“Didn’t you say you were bringing someone?” Christina asked her.
“Well I was planning on inviting Janitor Bob, as a thank you for filling in last minute but as I was leaving the mall I heard Ms. Beaumont on the phone telling the mall manager that he just up and quit his job and I can’t seem to get ahold him” Sasha said.
“Really” Bradley said.
“Maybe he had somewhere else to be” Christina said to her.
“Yeah…maybe he did” Bradley said to himself, holding a Santa Claus ornament in his hand before hanging it from the tree.
“Hey look who I brought” Neilson said coming inside.
“Merry Christmas!” Natalie said.
“Oh…and here I was hoping it was someone good” Adam said sitting down on the couch.
“Wow this place looks great” Natalie said as Neilson helped her with her coat “Adam, I didn’t know you had such great taste” she said.
“Yeah, I hear you’re a regular Martha Stewart” Neilson said as Adam sat up horrified and irritated and looked at Bradley who was quietly snickering to himself “You son of a bitch!” he said angrily.
“Hey!” Bradley said “Leave my dad out of this!” he said laughing.
Brian's face fell and he turned to look at Bradley angrily.
“Hey everyone!” Kellie said standing in the doorway.
“Hey, Merry Christmas!” Christina said to her.
“Merry Christmas” Kellie said to her “I hope it’s okay that I brought a special guest” she said as the door opened.
“Ho ho ho” Kevin said coming inside.
“Hey!” they said happily, greeting him.
“You said you weren’t coming home!” AJ said greeting him.
“Yep, the perfect cover” Kevin said.
“Dad!” Kyle said coming in from the kitchen.
“Hey, Merry Christmas” Kevin said hugging him.
“What are you doing here? You said you were staying in New York” Kyle said.
“Well what kind of surprise would it be if I told you I was coming home?” Kevin asked him.
“Well I’m actually glad you’re here because, we have an awesome surprise for you guys” Kyle said “Guys?” he asked.
“Really? We have to make a big deal out of this?” Adam asked.
“Just get up and give them the presents!” Kyle said,
Adam rolled his eyes.
“I know, son, believe me…I know” Kevin said putting his arm around Kyle and patting his arm.
They handed everyone a package each.
“Alright, ready?” Kyle asked.
“Yes! Can we open them?” Sasha asked excitedly.
“Go head” Kyle said as they each tore the paper off.
“Oh my god!”
“This is so sweet!” Sasha and Christina cooed as they each held a picture of the boys together at the mall’s Santa’s Workshop.
“This is perfect!” Vicki said.
“Told you they’d like ‘em” Kyle said to Adam.
“Yep, you sure showed me” Adam said.
Brian took a seat on the coffee table “Merry Christmas” he said handing Vicki a present.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Open it and see” he said as she tore the paper off and opened up a velvet oblong box.
She gasped “My bracelet, where’d you find it?” she asked happily.
“When we were helping your mom move over the summer, I found it in an old jewelry box, the chain was worn and broken so I sent it away and had it fixed” he said “This is so amazing, I loved this thing” she said.
“I also took the liberty of adding a few more charms to it” he said.
“I see, thank you so much” she said as they kissed.
“Ugh, alright, enough with that” Bradley said disgusted.
“Bradley for most of your life you have wanted us to get back together” Brian said “And now that we are, you have a problem with it?” he asked.
“Doesn’t mean I want to see you guys making out every ten seconds” Bradley said to him.
“Merry Christmas” Neilson said presenting Natalie her gift.
“Oh my god, thank you…you didn’t have to get me anything” she said.
He looked around in bewilderment “…no I wanted to” he said to her.
She tore the paper off and opened the velvet box “Oh my god” she said looking at it.
“Check the back” he said.
She flipped it over to see the engravement “Oh my…this is…how did you get this?” she asked shocked and confused.
“Let’s just say I had some help” he said.
"More like divine intervention" Bradley said behind him, Neilson turned and slapped his arm.
“Thank you so much” she said tearfully, hugging him tightly.
The wind blew hard outside a small secluded bar, the temperature was bone chilling, flurries flying past the window. The door opened, bells jingling above the door. Bob stood there in the doorway, dusting the snow off of himself.
“Cold out there huh?” someone asked him.
“And getting colder by the minute” Bob said “Well hey there Joey” he said approaching the bar.
“How’s it going Nick?” Joe asked as Bob took a seat next to him “Or are you still going by Bob?” he asked amused.
“Safe to say, I’m through with that gig” Bob said to him.
“Yeah, you like being a janitor?” Joe asked.
“Was a change of pace for sure” Bob said “You get that necklace back to your daughter?” he asked Joe.
“Yep, back where it belongs” he said.
“So…did you ever think in a million years that your daughter would be hanging out with the sons of the Backstreet Boys?” Bob asked chuckling heartily.
“Got to say that thought still blows my mind” Joe said laughing along with him. “I’ll tell you the truth, the thought of Natalie hanging out with a group of boys all day every day used to scare the hell out of me but…these kids…they seem like good guys” Joe said.
“I can honestly say, you got nothing to worry about with these guys” Bob said.
“Glad to hear it” Joe said to him.
“Alright, got to get back on the road” he said standing up from the bar.
“Hey Merry Christmas” Joe said as Bob went to the door.
“Yeah, you tell the big guy I said Happy Birthday” Bob said leaving.
“Merry Christmas sweetheart” he said appearing behind Natalie as she sat on the foyer steps, he gently placed his hands on her arms and kissed the top of her head.
Natalie looked up confused and felt the top of her head, she looked behind her and looked around.
“You okay?” Neilson asked sitting on the steps next to her.
“Yeah…I just…never mind” she said shaking her head.
“Merry Christmas” Neilson said smiling.
“Merry Christmas” she said as they kissed.
