Chapter 4

I wake up the next morning to the sound of the bedroom door squeaking open. Hesitantly, I open one eye and notice Tobias and Ivory poke their head around the door. I stifle a laughter, still half asleep as I notice the Santa hats on their heads that are currently flashing red and yellow. Beside me, Jake stirs in his sleep, oblivious to the Christmas cheer he's about to receive from his cousins. "Merry Christmas!" Tobias and Ivory both scream loudly, jumping up and down. I laugh, reaching up to rub at my tired eyes. Jake almost jumps straight out of his skin, bolting upright in a protective pose. "What the — " He yells, his blue eyes wide in surprise. Upon noticing his cousins, he groans and drops down onto the bed with his hand over his eyes. "You're both adults!" Jake protests. Ivory and Tobias look at one another before shrugging. "It's Christmas Day." Ivory responds, walking towards Jake before nudging him with her foot. Jake opens one eye, his face the definition of grumpy. "What time is it?" Jake asks. Ivory glances down at her watch and grimaces, knowing he won't like the answer. Behind her, Tobias' smile fades and he removes his Santa hat. "Come on man, we've had a rough few months. Let's enjoy Christmas together and be grateful for the family we have." Tobias says quietly, his eyes falling to the floor. My thoughts turn back towards the events of the last few months and I nod my head in agreement. A silence falls upon us before Jake clears his throat, standing from the bed. I watch as he walks towards Tobias, embracing him. "Merry Christmas T," Jake says firmly before walking back and hugging Ivory. I lean over to grab my dressing gown before wrapping it around me. When I step out of bed, all three of the Melvin family turn towards me with their arms outstretched. "Come and join us." Jake smiles, his blue eyes searching mine. I feel a warmth spread through my chest as my eyes fall on each one of them. For different reasons, they've all become my family and I love them deeply. "Merry Christmas everyone," I smile, walking towards them to embrace them tightly. Despite the Christmas joy in the morning, I can't help but think back to yesterday's news. My eyes briefly drop down to my stomach and I feel a lump lodge itself in my throat. "Hey. . . Are you okay?" Tobias murmurs quietly under his breath as Jake and Ivory talk amongst themselves. I nod my head gingerly, giving him a reassuring smile. "Yes, let's just enjoy Christmas Day." ***** "Emily? Are you almost ready?" Jake asks from outside the bedroom door. I finish putting in my earring, smoothing my dress down in the mirror. "Almost!" I respond back. His bedroom door opens and he saunters in, fiddling with his shirt buttons. His blue eyes flicker up for a second and when they land on me, he pauses completely — "What is it? Do I look okay?" I ask nervously, thrown off by his reaction. I settled on a simple form fitting baby blue dress. My hair is curled and falling in soft waves on my shoulders. I'd applied natural makeup with a nude lip, wanting to make an effort for the famous Melvin Christmas Dinner. Jake's eyes roam over my appearance and he blinks, snapping himself out of the trance he's in. "You look. . . beautiful." He breathes out. My shoulders sink in relief and I smile at him. He's wearing black suit pants with a tight fitting white shirt that highlights the structure and definition of his shoulders. His dark hair is combed backwards and he looks as handsome as ever. "Thank you . . . You look divine in a suit." I tell him, throwing him a sultry smile. Jake grins, blue eyes shining in my direction as he takes slow steps towards me. His eyes roam down my body and back up again before flashing with approval. As he slides a hand around my waist, he leans down and whispers in my ear — "Merry Christmas to me. . . " I giggle and hold onto him, leaning my head back to look up into his eyes. Despite the light in them, I know something is troubling him deep down and it's bothering me too. It's difficult to pretend everything is okay when the future is so uncertain. . . "Should we talk?" I whisper, searching his eyes for an answer. He remains silent for a few moments, thinking hard about his response. Before he makes a decision, a knock on the bedroom door interrupts us. "Yes?" Jake says, turning his head to face the door. It's pushed open and Tobias appears in the doorway, his dark eyes falling on us. "Dinner is almost ready. Mum wanted me to let you know so you're not late." "We won't be late." Jake responds firmly. Tobias nods and ducks out of the door, disappearing. I breathe sharply, closing my eyes for a moment. "My Pops is coming to the dinner, right?" I state, biting down on my lower lip. Jake nods slowly before sighing heavily — "He's going to kill me when he finds out." Grandad is fiercely protective and I know the news of the pregnancy will be a massive shock to him. I'm unsure on how he'll take it and begin to worry about him being angry or disappointed... I couldn't handle disappointing my Pops. "He doesn't need to find out. . . Not yet. We don't have to tell anybody else until we figure it out for ourselves." I tell him. Jake leans forward, placing his hand on the back of my head before slowly inching forward and placing a kiss on my forehead. "It's going to be okay Muffin." "You don't sound so certain." I mumble into his shirt. I feel his body tense next to mine before he responds, his words quiet — "I'll make sure of it."