Her eyes are sparkling 'cause of tears.

"Nah, just my memories." She's wiping her tears yet with a smile.

I'll hug you nanny-ma.

"You know what? I mostly won't take all the advice from your great-grandpa" she winked at me after wiping.

"How do you get to know which one to take or not?"

"For that, you need to try it all."

Uff Nanny-ma only playing with me. Sad to say that.

"I too don't know which ones to take. But, if you try everything, you'll surely get the idea."

"Nanny-ma who gave you this idea?" It is very difficult.

"My grandmother told me about her grandpa's life with his parents."
What? Who?
Which grandmother? Grandfather? My mouth opens in utter confusion.

"Yes, laugh nanny-ma."
Everyone loves to laugh at me.
I turned with folded arms. Nanny-ma stops then stares at the sky.

After an hour full of chattering on my parents. "Time to sleep", Nanny ma gestures me to join her by hand. I accept it.

We walked to her room in silence. But I won't lie, I've imagined a bloody conversation with my favorite anime character. 'What if they're real?'

"Tomorrow, I'll bring you to our old mansion. Get ready." Sure nanny-ma--I nodded.

After a hug. I turned to my room... NO, that Van will be there.

"Our seniors will teach us their wrong deeds as a lesson." My Grandma said.

I turned to see only the door. What's that?

After a deep breath, my room's door opened by me.

"Why are you always listening to grandma's stories?" She invites me with a teddy bear directly hitting my face. Ahh, why?

"Van, What are you..." Is she crying? "Van, you okay?"
"Van..."

"Why? You are everyone's favorite?" What? I can't stop my laugh.
"Did you ask my parents? About their favorite?"

"No, all parents love their kids."
Wow, my sweet cousin, you don't have an idea. "My parents love me more than Liam" I winked. But I'm not their favorite.

Van throw another small pillow-- dodged. Thank God.

"Look. Everyone likes you even if you do wrong.
My mom comparing my manners with you".
Isn't it? Interesting. Aunt Jessica is my secret fan. But this girl won't leave me to sleep. I guess.

"Van, I'm so tired. How about we discuss this tomorrow at our parlour." "Go away" another pillow-- this time I lost. "See. I'm only losing at you. you are a winner."

"Sleep." Van declares.
What? You were the one-- started. This damn girl.

━═━═━═━═━═━═━═━═━

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲

Everyone except Pops, mom, Van, and her parents are laughing at my joke.

"What did you say?" I can't avoid Van's skepticism.

"In my fantasy land, the Caspian Sea was bigger than pacific. What if?" I explained my dream's theme. "What?" Van vanishes into her bowl of cereals.

Believe me, that's not my dream. That's why nanny-ma and I are laughing---not everyone.

"Merry Christmas everyone". Mrs. Alexandria Wood announces her arrival. "Zandy nanna" I jumped out of my place but Van was too fast ended up spilling the hot tea on her papa. I can see Uncle Todd's fire glazing eyes. Serves right you, my Van. My gut is full of laughter.

"Okay, my over-enthusiastic grandchild -- have this." Zandy hands over our gifts. "My curious Cassy this is for you".
"Then this is for Liam, my Prince."
"Gu-du, Gu-du." My brother introduced himself with his signature smile.

"My cutie prince". Zandy cooed him. "Zander", I was about to ask-- why my gift is the empty box?

"Call me--Alexandria nanna"
"That's so big"
"Then no gift indeed." She simply winks at me. She is an older version of Van.

"Sister, shall we go?"

"You just came!" Both grandmas are busy
speaking.

"How was your trip, Zander."
My momma appeared with my favorite Christmas breakfast then joined them.
"Very bad. Like You; like your daughter". Father told this in the car, right?

"Merry Christmas to the late Wood on holiday" Mom states the facts.

"Aunt..." Pops stopped by Zandy's glare. What happened?
"Call me Alexandria." "That's what I hoped to". Pops hugged her. "Am sorry, son"

She's clumsy.
"My dear sister, please go and take a rest. Let's catch up later."

"Poor Zander... Err, Alexandria Nanna".
I laughed harder after her departure. "Shh." Pops dismissed himself from us with mom.

"Why Uncle Todd is not speaking with Zander-nanna?"

Does nanny-ma sigh?
"That's a story for another day. Now, eat fast." Yes, we're going to my other favorite place.

The Wood Palace. We reached there in twenty minutes. Palace is not the right word for it.

White marbles and black stones could do a magnificent and magnetic building like this?

"I'll be back in 10 minutes. You don't get lost." I gonna lost for sure.

Nanny-ma passed a butler. "Have an eye on her" I can hear your whispers.

Several many '10 minutes' passed. "Let's go for a walk," I told myself.

I went to south block."Why this door is different from others?" There's a nameplate. It says The Late Wood. Interesting. Mom told this name at breakfast.

"Let me see your old room, Zander-nanna," I announced my arrival at her room but it's so old than expected. Okay first let's peek at the pictures.

A Brown haired woman standing with two toddlers. They're Nanny-ma and Nanna...I have seen their old pictures. So cute they're.

But Who's this?