It's not about the turkey for me, or the stuffing, or even the roast potatoes. Don't get me wrong, I love all that stuff and holidays wouldn't be the same without it. But a holiday that's all about getting the family together, being thankful for all that we have; each other, our home and the food we eat. Being able to sit around the table, all of us together and thank God, that's just magic to me. It's a holiday when we just kick back and celebrate how wonderful our ordinary lives are.

We're all around the huge mahogany table that took up most of the vast space in the dining room, left without a table cloth showing the bare perfectly varnished wood with two tall silver candelabras commanded attention from the center of the table, holding smooth white candle whose wax never dripped.

After the prayer that was lead by Aunt Nicole we all started greeting each other Merry Christmas, then we all started coming over to where Tito Roy is to give him a kiss on the cheek and greet him a happy birthday. At my age, I still believe in the power of Christmas. That it waves a magic wand over the world and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. And Christmas is just like Tito Roy, he was as if born to give this whole family peace and better understanding with everything.

Before we settled back to our seats, mom called our attention. Holding a champagne flute in her hand, she looked at me and smiled.

"Months ago, the news cracked about my daughter's pregnancy." She shrugged her shoulders and I felt a little uneasy when almost everyone averted their gaze on me. "Alright, I get it. I am soon to be a grandmother, but who cares? I'm doozie!"

Doon naman nagkatawanan ang lahat, maging si Aidan na nakatayo saking tabi ay nakangiting napailing. Mom will always be mom.

"And now, I'm breaking another news. Listen everyone, my daughter, Paris Amanda is already married to the man sitting next to her." Everyone gasped and was a little shocked, I turned to Aidan and he was looking at me with that beautiful smile on his face. He held my hand and entwined our fingers, a gesture that confirms what mom has said. "So, Kurtney, Lance and all of you who'd been repeatedly bombarded with questions regarding your cousin's pregnancy and stuff, you're all free to confirm rumors. This ain't fake news."

"Congratulations!" Romee said, holding her glass up in the air calling for a toast. "Welcome to the family, Aidan. I really felt bad when mom told me that you two were married, I've already told you how bad I wanted to design your wedding gown, but then mom said that you two are gonna retake your vows in church and I'm not gonna miss it for the world, that's for sure."

I smiled at Romee and turned to mom, I mouthed thank you to her. Everyone started congratulating us, ilang sandali pa ay nag-simula na ang aming salu-salo. They were talking about several things, Aidan is sitting beside me but he's busy talking with Oxygen who's beside him.

"Hey, pregnant."

I turned to Lance when she occupied the vacant space beside me. She gave me a not so friendly smile that I used on seeing. Lance was never friendly anyway. She's kind of sarcastic and really very unpredictable. Everyone thinks that's she's the rudest person you'd cross the road with but stating judgments isn't my thing.

"How's pregnancy going?"

"Pretty fine."

"Good," she said as she started putting a steak on her plate.

Lance moves with so much finesse. I looked at her hair a few inch longer from her shoulder in soft blonde shade. Her skin is fair and flawless, only with few counts of freckles dusted on her jaw down to the side of her neck that you wouldn't be able to see in distance.

"It's rude to stare, Paris." She said without looking at me. "Oh, I almost forgot! I've got something for your little one."

She wiped the side of her lips with the napkin and raised her slender arm to wave her hand. Agad naman lumapit saming kinauupuan ang isa sa mga unipormadong kasambahay nina Tito Roy. And Zach was quick to come in the picture.

"What is it that you need from her, Lance?" He asked.

"Come on, Zach. It's not as if I'm gonna kill a maid. Move on, you moron." Lance rolled her eyes. "I will just ask her to tell Mang Macario to bring in my gifts for everyone. It's on the trunk of my car."

"Ako na kukuha." Zach then turned to me and smiled. "Congratulations, Paris."

"Thank you."

He excused himself and walked out to follow Lance's order. Si Lance naman ay bumalik na sa pagkain nito, I felt Aidan's hand squeezed my thigh so I turned my head on him.

"Hey, do you still wanna eat something?" He asked.

I shook my head, I'm already fine with what's on my plate.

"You sure?"

I nodded my head. He leaned forward and kissed the side of my head, that earns a teasing wow from Oxygen.

"Hanep, Christmas palang feeling Valentines na." Komento pa nito na tinawanan lamang ng mga nakarinig.

"Ikaw din kasi Ox, mag-asawa ka na kung naiinggit ka." It was Zach who just get back, carrying Lance's gifts. Lance just get one medium size rectangular box wrapped in a silver coat with gold ribbon and asked Zach to just put those aside.

"Kung may papatol madali lang naman sana eno, Ox?" Bumungisngis si Thalia na nakaupo sa tabi ni Romee.

"Di mo lang alam, Taling. Mas mahaba pa sa buhok mo listahan ng mga patay na patay na sakin." Mayabang na sagot ni Oxygen.

"Sabi mama mo?" Pang-aasar parin ni Taling.

"Wala akong sinasabi ha." Si Tita Moana iyon na naging sanhi ng mas malakas na tawanan. "Ngayon palang naaawa na ko sa pag-papasahan ko ng sakit ng ulo."

"Mabait naman yan si Ox eh, kayo talaga." Romee said.

"Diyos ko, Romromi. Mag hunos dili ka!"

Mas umusbong pa ang pang-aasar nila kay Oxygen, nawala doon ang aking atensyon ng iabot sakin ni Lance ang hawak nitong regalo. I smiled at her before I looked down at the little card that says her greetings in a very fine and readable handwriting.

"Thank you, Lance." Medyo nahiya pa ko, dahil wala naman akong regalo para sakanya. Maybe I can prepare one for New Year's Eve nalang.

"No big deal." She said.

After the simple celebration, the night ended. Aidan and I went home and rejected Tito Roy's offer of staying. While we're on the road, I opened Lance's gift. It's a cute designer labeled baby white hat and mitten set. It's probably still too early to shop for my baby's first things, but maybe in a later time I'd ask Aidan if we can do that. It will just excite me more to see our little one.

"Wow, that's cute." Nakangiting komento ni Aidan nang malingunan akong inilalagay muli sa box ang mittens.

"Lance's gift." I said.

I turned to Aidan, he's looking straight at the road. How about him? What is his gift for me? Does he have one? Or am I just expecting? But it's Christmas, I am his wife, husbands give gifts to their wives, that's a must.

I stayed quiet, silently clouding my mind about a gift that I should received from him. Not that I'm being a little too over but that's how it should be. Normally, at least.

When we reached home, I went straight to our room and took a shower. A little longer than the usual, all because I couldn't stop thinking about Aidan, and the gift, the gift that I didn't know if it ever exist.

I put in my comfy teddy and went out of the bathroom, I saw Aidan sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a white sando and a sweatpants, looks like so prepared to sleep that he even yawned.

"Tulog na tayo..." he said.

I just nod my head and stepped towards the wooden cabinet on the side of our room and took my gift for Aidan, beautifully wrapped in a printed holiday wrapper. Without a word, I handed it to him. I didn't bother to wait for his reaction, I slipped on the cover of the bed and closed my eyes.

Okay, I'm done.

"Baby..." I heard him call me, but I didn't open my eyes. "Babe?"

Naramdaman kong lumapit ito sakin, his hand is on my arm now, gently caressing it.

"Paris, I know you're awake. Are you mad at me?" He whispered.

Am I mad at him? Was it even a question?

"Thank you." He said. "Are you really sleepy? Can I still ask you to get up? I'm gonna show you something..."

After hearing that, I opened my eyes. He's looking at me with a mischievous smile in his face. I gave him a frown and wrinkled my nose. "I hate you."

"Nagtatampo ka ba? Wag ka ng magtampo." He chuckled softly and bent down to kiss my lips briefly. "Thank you, baby. Halika na, let's open this gift and I'll show you mine."

He helped me up and guided me into his art room. When he opened the lights of the room I turned to him with knotted forehead.

"Ang kalat kalat dito, Aidan." I said, referring to the stains of paint almost everywhere.

He chuckled. "Sorry, baby. Mabaho ba?"

I can inhale the scent of paint but it's tolerable. "It's fine."

He nodded and kissed my temple. "Sandali lang tayo."

"My gift for you will be really useful here." I said rolling my eyes.

Tumatawang inalalayan ako ni Aidan sa couch na nasa isang gilid ng silid bago ito naupo saking tabi. He then started opening my gift, I stared at him and waited for his reaction. A slow smile curved his lips when the gift was revealed.

"Does it make me less gorgeous with stains of paint?" He chuckled. "But thank you, baby. These are really useful. They'll serve a purpose here."

That I know. I gave him a desk box easel, because Aidan tends to get messy with his art materials. Paintbrushes after painting were scattered to the north, south, east and west of his studio. Charcoal and graphite smudges makes everything turned into a Dalmatian. So, there. And the other one is an artist apron, again, because he's messy.

Aidan stood up and placed the box on the wooden table, the he came back to guide me up and took me in one corner of the room, in front of a medium wall art painting covered with grey silk cloth.

"My turn..." he said.

"Pull the cover off, Aidan. I wanna see it." I said in a little excited manner.

My heart beats with anticipation on what's inside. An I swear it skipped a beat when Aidan finally freed it from the cover. My jaw literally dropped on the wonderful most beautiful art I had ever seen in my entire life.

"I created it a couple of weeks ago, medyo nahirapan akong humanap ng oras kasi hindi ko alam paano ko gagawin yan ng hindi mo malalaman." He said. "But I think, I somehow copied it right-"

"Are you kidding me, Aidan? This is beautiful!" I took a step near the painting and have my fingers run through it.

I can feel my heart went out from my chest and jumps over to the magic in front of me. A sonogram art of the ultra sound from my last checkup. It was entitled as "The Joy inside my Happiness"

"Merry Christmas, wife..."

I turned to him with tears on my eyes, I hugged him tightly. "Aidan Zeus..."

"Hey, stop crying..." he hugged me back.

Who wouldn't fall for Aidan Zeus?

•••
Obnoxious Oxygen is already posted!