A Corr Family Christmas

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Caroline Corr was curled up on the sofa in the living room at her family home, watching Eastenders and sipping on a hot cup of tea. “Silly duffers,” she said, shaking her head at the TV.
She was still in her pajamas, which consisted of a blue spaghetti strap top and Christmas boxers with Rudolph on them. Her hair was pulled back haphazardly into a ponytail. Checking her watch, she groaned. “What is it with these people?”
Sharon came out then, dressing in long satin pajamas, looking bleary eyed and still half asleep. She started when she saw Caroline sitting there, bright eyed and bushy tailed.
“You are clearly insane,” Sharon informed her simply and headed for the coffee pot.
“I learnt from the best, sister dear,” Caroline answered, eyeing the coffee pot suspiciously. “Do you know what that stuff does to you?”
“Yeah, wakes me up,” Sharon answered. She poured herself a cup of coffee and then headed back into her bedroom.
“Where are you going?” Caroline asked, amazed. “There’s a perfectly good Eastenders rerun on!”
“Now you’re scaring me,” Sharon replied disappearing from view.
Caroline shrugged and decided it was time to get Andrea up.
*******************************************************
Andrea Corr was blissfully dreaming away, her thumb firmly implanted in her mouth. Caroline walked in and sniggered. She moved over to the bed and gently removed the thumb. Andrea sighed in her sleep and put it back in. Caroline giggled and did it again, just because she found it amusing.
“Sod off,” came the grumpy reply.
“Aha. So you are awake,” Caroline said sitting on the bed.
“No,” Andrea answered.
“Then why are you talking to me?” Caroline asked her.
“I’m talking in my sleep,” Andrea replied, pulling the covers over her head.
Caroline promptly pulled them back down. “Come on, get up. There’s hot tea and coffee if you like the way Sharon makes it, and Eastenders is on.”
Andrea rolled over, cracking an eye half open. “First of all, Eastenders is not going to entice me to wake up. Second, what time is it?”
Caroline checked her watch. “Eight o’clock.”
“Goodbye,” Andrea told her, pulling the covers back.
Caroline sighed and headed down the hall. Judging by the snores, she knew that Jim was still asleep and decided it would be safer not to enter that room. Gavin had left a little earlier for work and Frank had gone a bit after him.
Ten minutes later, after she had resumed watching Eastenders, she felt a thump on her head. Picking the pillow up Caroline turned around to glare at her attacker.
“And what was that for?” she inquired, throwing the pillow back.
“You woke me up,” Andrea growled.
“Did not,” Caroline answered, watching Andrea move to the coffee pot. “I wouldn’t touch that. Sharon put about ten spoonfuls in that this morning.”
Andrea wrinkled her nose. “She disturbs me.” Andrea poured herself a cup of tea and sat down beside Caroline. “So, what’s happening on Eastenders?”
Caroline grinned. “Well…” and she launched off into a big plot.
Andrea shook her head, attempting to remove all cobwebs. “Too much too early.”
“Morning girls,” Gerry said, walking into the room.
“Morning Daddy,” the girls chorused.
“Everyone else still asleep?”
“Well, I would be too if it wasn’t for this big oaf here,” Andrea answered, taking a cushion and whacking Caroline with it.
Before a full-blown cushion fight could begin, Gerry carefully removed all cushions and placed them on his chair. “You kids have only been home one night and already this house is going to be in ruins.”
“Yet you love us anyway,” Caroline said sweetly.
“Well…me and Jim anyway,” Sharon answered, coming into the room and filling up her coffee mug again. “Actually, no. Just me.”
“And people expect you to be ego centric. How wrong they are,” Andrea smiled.
“Cute,” Sharon told her and sat down on her father’s chair. “Daddy, why are there so many cushions on this chair?”
Before Gerry could explain, Jim shuffled into the room, scratching his head.
“It’s alive!” Caroline cried, and hid behind Andrea, who was giggling.
Jim grunted and then kept walking toward the kitchen. Andrea planted her hand on Caroline’s mouth before she could tell Jim about Sharon’s hideous coffee.
“SHARON!!!!” came the indignant cry from the kitchen.
The three girls collapsed into a fit of giggles and Gerry went to try and rescue his son.
******************************************************
Caroline came out into the lounge room. She had just gotten ready for the day and had on black jeans and an Elvis Presley t-shirt. Her face however, had a distinctly unpleasant look on her face. “Someone is going to die,” she announced to the rest of her family.
“Why?” Sharon asked, a confused look on her face.
“Pengy is gone,” she said crossly.
Andrea giggled.
“Did you take him?” Caroline asked.
“No,” Andrea replied, her face immediately sombering. “What’s the matter anyway? It’s just an old toy.”
Caroline did not look impressed. “He is not just an old toy. I’ve had that penguin since I was born and someone has taken him.”
“Well, why would anyone want to take that ratty old thing?” Jim questioned her, wolfing down his breakfast.
“He is not a ratty old thing,” Caroline said, whacking her brother on the head with the rolled up newspaper.
“You are violent,” Jim said, pointing an accusing finger at her.
Just then, Frank came in. “Woah. More family violence.” He walked over and gave Caroline a kiss. “Just had to pick up something.”
“Caroline’s lost Pengy,” Andrea told Frank.
“I didn’t take him,” Frank answered. “I know that I would be out on my backside if I ever did anything to that chicken.”
“Penguin,” Caroline said gruffly.
“It does look like a chicken,” Sharon admitted.
“It’s a penguin,” Caroline growled.
“Actually, it’s a chicken,” Gerry said, coming in. “He’s in the wash, Caroline. He’ll be clean and dry by tonight.”
The others chuckled, except Frank, who reacted quickly to a glare from his girlfriend.
“Well, better be heading back to work.” He kissed Caroline on the cheek. “See you tonight.”
“What shall we do today?” Andrea asked.
“Go to the pub?” Jim offered.
“Shopping,” Sharon said firmly.
“We’re not in New York anymore Fran Fine,” Caroline informed her.
“My voice is not nasal, thankyou very much,” Sharon said haughtily.
Jim snorted with laughter and resumed eating his breakfast.
“I was just suggesting,” Sharon said, sending a glare Jim’s way, “that we drive into Dublin and go shopping there.”
Caroline looked at Andrea and Andrea looked at Caroline.
“Nah,” they said in unison.
“Well, what are your suggestions?” Sharon asked them.
“Notting Hill,” Caroline said, looking at Andrea.
“The Muppet Christmas Carol,” Andrea answered.
“Hot chocolate,” Caroline suggested.
“You get the marshmallows,” Andrea informed her as the two disappeared from view.
Sharon looked down at her empty coffee cup then at the door to the living room. “Wait for me!”
**************************************************************
The girls had spent a very enjoyable day watching videos and lounging around and soon it was almost time for the rest of the family to come home for the day. Frank was first through the door and greeted everyone, giving Caroline a kiss.
“No mistletoe,” she pointed out.
“Who the hell needs mistletoe?” he grinned, pushing her out of the chair and taking her place.
Caroline frowned and sat in his lap. “You’re juvenile.”
“And that, my dear, is why you love me,” Frank replied, smiling.
Caroline rolled her eyes and Andrea made gagging noises in the background. Gerry walked in.
“Evening Frank. You better brace yourself. The girls offered to cook dinner.”
Frank feigned horror. “No!”
Caroline whacked him on the shoulder and Andrea looked cross.
“We are very good cooks, thankyou very much,” Andrea pouted.
“Of course you are,” Gerry smiled. “It’s just the kitchen looks like a cyclone hit it after you’re done.”
Jim came in with his girlfriend Nea. “Did I just hear something about a cyclone? In Ireland?”
“The girls’ cooking,” Frank explained, earning him another punch from Caroline. “Ow! He asked! Hit him, not me!”
“I wish Gavin was here. I need some sanity,” Sharon sighed.
Jim snorted and sat down.
“Good to see you again, Nea,” Gerry smiled. “Might I suggest that you stay out here while the kids cook? It might be safer.”
“Duly noted,” Nea nodded.
Gavin came in then. He placed a kiss on the cheek of Caroline and Andrea and then he came to Jim.
“Spare me,” Jim told him.
Gavin grinned and kissed his wife.
As Andrea, Caroline and Sharon went into the kitchen, Jim turned to Frank, Gavin and Nea.
“Promise you’ll protect me.”
Gavin raised an eyebrow. “What did you do this time?”
Jim touched his finger to his nose. “Wait and see.”
About ten minutes later a group of squeals and a loud growl of “JIM!” came from the kitchen. Then three flour covered females raced into the lounge room and jumped on their brother.
“Here we go,” Gerry said, moving from his seat next to Jim over to sit next to Frank on the couch.
The force of the FlourPuff girls was so great that the lounge chair that Jim was sitting in tipped over amid squeals and yells.
“Dinner always is interesting at this house,” Nea commented.
“But you’ve got to admit it’s fun,” Frank pointed out.
“Alright, break it up,” Gerry told his kids. “What did he do this time?”
“Jim put one of those exploding party poppers in the flour,” Caroline growled.
“And it exploded,” Andrea finished.
Gavin and Frank started laughing. Both quickly finished with stern looks from Caroline and Sharon.
“Hello?” Giles called out.
“Oh God. I look a mess. Stall him,” Andrea said, pushing Caroline and Sharon towards the door.
“Hasn’t he seen you early in the morning?” Jim asked.
“You are still in very big trouble,” Andrea informed him, pointing a powdery finger.
“Okay, okay. Frank, Gavin, go bring Giles in. Caroline, Andrea, Sharon, go get cleaned up. Jim, you can start cleaning up in here and Nea, if you would, perhaps we can salvage the dinner?”
***********************************************
Finally, all of them were sitting down to dinner.
“Pass the potatoes please,” Sharon said to her husband.
“Caroline,” Gerry warned.
Frank turned to face his girlfriend and chuckled.
“What?” Caroline asked innocently.
“Do not throw those peas at your brother. You are not a child anymore.”
Jim stuck his tongue out at his sister and Nea smacked his hand.
“Neither are you James Steven Ignatious Corr,” she reprimanded him.
As Gerry was reprimanding Jim and Caroline, Andrea launched some peas at Jim.
“Hey!” her brother cried. “Dad!”
Caroline scoffed. “And you were afraid of me.”
Andrea looked sweetly at her father. “He deserved it.”
“I thought you were behaving nicely for…OW!!” Jim reacted quickly to a kick under the table from his youngest sister, who glared at him.
“I think that translates to shut up, Jim,” Sharon smiled.
Gerry sighed. “Children, please. Let’s just have a nice, orderly dinner.”
“In this house? I’d like to see that,” Gavin grinned, before concentrating on his dinner after a glare from Sharon.
“Are we going to look for a tree this year, Dad?” Jim asked his father.
Gerry nodded. “Of course.”
“This time, could you please bring Frank back without any injuries?” Caroline asked.
The previous year, Gerry, Jim, Gavin and Frank had gone to pick a Christmas tree and somehow, Frank had gotten a rather large bump on the head. Nobody really knew what happened except the four men, and none of them were venturing forward to tell a pissed off Caroline what had really happened.
“It was an accident last year, Caro,” Frank smiled at her. “I’ll be fine.” He glared at Jim and Gavin. “Won’t I guys?”
The two men were quick to assure Caroline of Frank’s safety and she frowned.
“Giles, would you like to come with us?” Gerry asked. “Keep an extra eye on Frank,” he added, winking at Caroline.
“I’d love to, Gerry.”
Gerry smiled. “Good. I suppose you girls will be endeavouring to find those decorations again this year.”
“Don’t stay up in the attic all day like you did last time,” Jim said, before badly crooning out the words to “Memory,” amid groans from around the table.
“It wasn’t all day,” Sharon corrected.
“Please, by the time we came back, you lot were still sifting through old trunks with the ornaments in a pile behind you,” Gavin said.
“Can we make popcorn strings again?” Andrea asked.
“As long as Jim doesn’t put anything in the kitchen that explodes or is booby-trapped,” Gerry frowned. “I don’t think I can handle another flour covered kitchen.”
“It wouldn’t be flour,” Jim smiled, finishing his dinner.
*****************************************************
It was late at night at the Corr home. Sharon and Gavin had retreated to their room and Jim had gone to his. Frank and Giles were sharing one of the spare bedrooms and had bade their girlfriends goodnight. Nea was in the other spare bedroom, sound asleep after a long goodnight kiss from Jim. Caroline and Andrea were asleep in their room…supposedly.
Caroline groaned as she felt a weight hopping into her bed and her baby sister curled her arm around her.
“What’s the matter, Andy?” she asked, turning around to face her, giving her a hug.
“I had a nightmare,” Andrea said, hugging her sister closer.
Caroline smiled slightly and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Nightmares aren’t real Andy, you know that.” She rolled over and looked up at the ceiling, still hugging her sister. “And you know, that if anything bad happens to you, you have two big sisters and a big brother all here to look after you.”
Andrea smiled back. “I’m glad.” She went to hop out of the bed but pulled the covers back quickly.
“What’s the matter now?” Caroline asked, her eyes drooping.
“It’s too cold to hop out. Can I stay here?”
But Caroline was asleep. Andrea smiled to herself and pulling the covers up around her, fell asleep too.
**************************************************
The next morning, as usual, Caroline woke up first. This time however, she didn’t wake up of her own accord. In fact, she woke up because she was cold. She soon realised that this was because her blankets had been stolen by her younger sister, who was practically wrapped up in them on the other side of the bed, sucking her thumb and sleeping contentedly. Caroline frowned and wrenched the covers back, causing Andrea to start in her sleep.
“Hey!” Andrea cried.
“You stole my blankets,” Caroline grumbled, pulling her covers on herself.
“You let me share your bed,” Andrea said.
“That’s because I fell asleep before you asked that question,” Caroline answered. She looked sternly at Andrea. “Your own bed has its own covers.”
“But it’s cold now,” Andrea whined. “I’m telling Daddy that you’re mean.”
“Not if I get there first,” Caroline grinned, wrapping the covers around herself and hotfooting it out of the room.
By now, the early morning argument had woken most of the house. Sharon and Gavin stood at their doorway, shaking their heads at the two girls racing down the hall. Frank and Giles were chuckling, as was Nea, who had also come out of her room. Jim however, slept on.
“Daddy!” Caroline said bursting into the room. “Andrea’s being a pain.”
“She started it,” Andrea answered, following her sister.
Gerry calmly put on his glasses and stared at the clock beside him. “Girls, it’s five thirty. How about you go back to bed, and we discuss this at a more humane hour.”
“But that’s the problem in the first place!” Andrea said. “My bed is cold now and Caroline won’t let me share hers.”
“That’s because you stole all the blankets,” Caroline retorted.
Gerry sighed. “Andrea, take the covers off your bed and share Caroline’s bed. Now, back to bed!”
**********************************************
Caroline frowned. She could sense someone moving around in the bedroom she shared with Andrea. She knew it wasn’t Andrea because she was sound asleep at her side. Caroline cracked her eye open a little and came face to face with Frank smiling at her.
“What is it?” she asked, yawning slightly.
Frank grinned. “Snow.”
Caroline’s eyes lit up. “Really? White snow? Not slush?”
“There is flakage,” he informed his girlfriend. “And it’s so quiet outside.”
“Magical,” Caroline murmured.
“I’m ready to go take a walk in it if you want,” he said, gesturing to his big coat.
Caroline kissed him on the cheek. “Give me ten minutes.”
Frank nodded and went out to wait for her in the living room.
Andrea rolled over. “What did he want?”
“Snow, Andrea. Flakage.”
Andrea rolled back over. “Never will understand why you get so excited about snow this early in the morning.”
“There’s magic in the air,” Caroline grinned, running out of the room, with one boot on.
*********************************************************
Jim was snoring softly as Nea crept into his room. She had Caroline’s same delight for snow and she prodded him.
“What?” he grumbled.
“Snow, Jim. Come on, you know you want to go out and play in it.”
Jim rolled over and looked at his girlfriend. “I do?”
Nea put her hands on her hips. “Yes, you do.”
Jim nodded, sleepily. “Right, I do.”
**************************************************
Andrea looked up at the ceiling, hearing Caroline’s squeals of delight as Frank pelted her with snow. She then heard Jim grumbling as he and Nea went outside.
“Oh sod it,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
**************************************************
“Don’t do it Jim,” Andrea warned her big brother, as he came at her with a snowball.
“Or what?” Jim asked, a sly grin on his face.
The next moment, Caroline jumped onto her brother’s back and stuffed a snowball down his jacket. Jim let out a cry of surprise and shook her off. Caroline fell straight on top of Frank, who had come up to make sure she didn’t hurt herself.
“Oof,” Frank said, hitting the ground with a soft thud.
Andrea and Nea ran over, pulling them both up.
Gavin twirled Sharon around in his arms and let her fall to the ground. Jim decided to play innocent and began to help his father build a snowman. As he felt someone approach behind him, he threw a snowball, catching Gavin right in the stomach.
“Oops,” Jim lamented as he hid behind a snowbank to avoid being pelted with more snowballs.
*****************************************
Cheeks flushed and noses red, everyone headed back inside to warm up.
“Don’t see why you lot are warming up,” Andrea said to the fellows. “You’ve got to go back out and pick a tree.”
Gavin groaned. “Give us a break, Andy. You girls nearly killed us in that snowball fight.”
“It’s not our fault you guys make pathetic snowballs,” Caroline answered, peeling off her gloves.
“I resent that,” Jim said. “I also resent that snowball down my jacket trick…that was done twice.”
“I only did it because you shook Caroline off and let her land on me,” Frank reasoned.
“If he comes back with any bumps on his head this time, I’ll know who’s done it,” Caroline told her brother, warningly.
“There will be no injuries,” Gerry assured her. “To anyone.”
“I need coffee,” Sharon said, heading for the kitchen.
Frank turned to his girlfriend. “Tea?”
Caroline nodded and grabbed a throw rug from the sofa, covering herself with it.
“Tea for me too,” Andrea said, joining Caroline under the throw rug.
“And me,” Gavin said, sitting down.
Frank threw a look at him.
“Right, I’ll give you a hand,” Gavin said quickly.
Andrea and Caroline glared at Jim, who immediately got up to help. Gerry sent them a strange look, and then realising what was about to happen, sat in the chair furtherest away from his youngest girls.
“CAROLINE!!!! ANDREA!!!!” came Jim’s yell.
The girls gave each other high fives, before Jim raced out, covered in flour. The girls squealed and ran in opposite directions. Caroline climbed over the sofa and ran for the safety of her father while Andrea became stuck on the other side. Jim picked her up and shook himself, letting the flour go all over her.
“It was a taste of your own medicine,” Caroline informed him, sitting on the floor beside her father.
“Easy for you to say,” Andrea told her. “You didn’t get harmed.”
“Nice one girls,” Frank grinned as he and Gavin brought out the tea.
*********************************************
“It’s cold,” Jim grumbled, as the guys went walking through the snow.
“You could have stayed and helped the girls find the decorations,” Gavin suggested.
Jim made a face.
“I thought so,” Gavin smiled.
“Now, let’s get a tree we can actually take home,” Gerry said, when Frank pointed to one.
“We’d need a tow truck for that,” Giles commented.
Frank shrugged. “The girls like big trees.”
*****************************************
“Aww, look at this,” Andrea said, holding up a tiny romper suit. “This used to be Caroline’s. Hard to believe she ever fit in that.”
“Hey!” Caroline cried. “What about this?” she said, holding up a diaper. “This was yours.”
Sharon wrinkled her nose. “Still smells funny too.”
Andrea scowled. “It’s mothballs Sharon.”
Caroline started in another box and grinned. “Score!”
“What did you find?” Andrea asked.
“Sharon’s diary,” Caroline answered.
“Hey, give me that!” Sharon said, trying to get it.
Caroline and Sharon struggled for a few minutes before Andrea emerged, triumphant with the diary.
“Ha!”
Sharon crept over and grabbed it back. “Not so fast. You two keep your hands off of it.”
“But its such an interesting narrative,” Andrea told her.
Sharon stuck her tongue out and hid the book behind her, away from Caroline and Andrea’s reach.
“I’m hungry,” Caroline said, sneezing from the dust.
“You’re always hungry,” Sharon smiled.
“Well, can we make the popcorn strings now?” Caroline inquired.
“No. Because if you’re hungry there won’t be any popcorn on the string,” Andrea informed her.
“I resent that,” Caroline frowned.
“It’s true,” Sharon assured her.
There came a bang from downstairs and the girls smiled.
“Sounds like the boys are back,” Andrea said, as the girls gathered up the decorations.
************************************
“Where’s the tree?” Andrea asked excitedly.
“It’s coming,” Gerry said, taking his gloves off.
The beginnings of the tree made its way through the door. The girls looked at it strangely.
“There are boys attached to the other end of that, aren’t there Daddy?” Sharon asked.
“We’re coming,” Gavin said, as the end of the tree emerged.
“Will this one do?” Jim asked, as Caroline went to inspect Frank for injuries.
“He’s fine, I promise that no one hurt him,” Giles assured her.
“Good.”
“Did you guys find all the decorations?” Frank asked.
“Among other things,” Andrea answered.
“We found Sharon’s diary,” Caroline grinned. “But she wouldn’t let us peek at it.”
Sharon folded her arms in defiance. “Well, it’s private.”
“Let’s just get the tree up,” Gerry suggested. “Have you girls made popcorn strings?”
“They wouldn’t let me,” Caroline pouted.
“Was she hungry?” Frank questioned Andrea and Sharon, who smiled and nodded.
“Hey!” Caroline cried. “They’re just as bad as I am. One year Andrea ate all the popcorn off the strings before Christmas morning and when we woke up there was just string hanging around the tree!”
“Oh please,” Andrea sighed. “I was seven years old.”
“That’s not the point,” Caroline frowned.
“Well, how about Sharon and Andrea start the popcorn and you can help us decorate the tree?” Gavin suggested. “Or not,” he said, reacting quickly to Caroline’s glare.
Gerry looked sternly at his three daughters. “I will make the popcorn and some cocoa. You can all start the tree.”
************************************
“I really don’t get this movie,” Frank said, as they watched Moulin Rouge. “I mean sure, I go for the whole attraction thing and the whole thing with Satine and Christian but killing her? Don’t you think that was a little over the top?”
He was sitting behind Caroline, who was comfortable sitting with her back up against him. Gerry was snoozing in his chair. Andrea and Giles were sharing the lounge seat and Gavin and Sharon were similarly snuggled in another chair. He saw the looks being give to him by Sharon and Andrea.
“Okay, so I’m feeling very unpopular right about now.”
Gavin chuckled. “You keep forgetting who you’re watching this movie with.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Sharon asked, placing her hands on her hips.
It was Frank’s turn to chuckle. Caroline gave him a tap on the knee. “Behave yourself,” she hissed.
Frank feigned innocence and returned to watching the movie.
*****************************************************
“Out,” Sharon ordered Gavin, when he tried to walk into the living room.
“What?” he asked, bemused.
“Out,” she said again.
Andrea and Caroline who had hastily hidden parcels behind them, chuckled.
“I was just coming in to…” Gavin began.
“No,” Sharon told him firmly.
“What is this? Haiku?”
Sharon held up the scissors she had been cutting paper with. “If you know what is good for you, you will obey your wife. Understood?”
Gavin took a deep breath, and taking in the menacing look on Sharon’s face, decided it would be better to retreat.
After he left, the three girls pulled their parcels back out and continued wrapping. Andrea felt in a teasing mood so she gave Caroline a funny look. Caroline, who was busy twirling the ribbon on Frank’s present (you’ll find out what it is on Christmas morning just like everyone else in the story!), gave her an odd look back.
“What?” Caroline asked.
“I know what Frank got you for Christmas,” Andrea told her in a sing songy voice.
“Andrea,” Sharon hissed. “You’re not supposed to…”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “I’m not a kid anymore, Sharon. I wasn’t going to tell her.” She turned to Caroline and repeated her earlier phrase.
Caroline, who knew better than to take her younger sister’s bait, simply continued wrapping presents. “Really? Congratulations.”
Sharon smiled to herself and took some more tape to wrap Gavin’s present.
Andrea felt deflated. “Aren’t you going to ask what it is?”
“Are you going to tell me?” Caroline inquired, looking at her.
Andrea frowned.
“I didn’t think so,” Caroline answered.
“It’s a good present,” Andrea assured her.
Caroline smiled. “They usually are.”
Sharon chuckled. “I remember that year that he got you a miniature Furby as one of your birthday presents. He taught it to say two things before he gave it to you. ‘Caroline is the best drummer in the world’ and ‘Frank always gets first dibs on the remote control.’ And then you drowned it in the bathtub.”
Caroline blushed. “You forget he also taught it to say something quite unmentionable and I didn’t drown it on purpose. I was running a bath and Frank started a pillow fight and we all fell in.”
Sharon and Andrea both tried, albeit unsuccessfully, not to laugh.
“It’s not funny,” Caroline frowned, placing her hands on her hips.
There was a timid knock on the door and once again, the girls hid their parcels under the lounge sofa.
“Who is it?” Andrea asked grumpily.
Frank peeked around the door. “Please don’t attack me with a pair of scissors. I come in peace.”
Sharon looked at him expectantly.
“I offer food?” he suggested.
“What kind of food?” Caroline inquired, her eyes narrowing.
“If it has anything to do with flour, I am not moving from this position,” Andrea said, crossing her arms. “I’ve been doused enough.”
“Well, Caroline’s the food expert. How does hot chocolate with marshmallow’s sound?”
“I’m there,” Caroline said, jumping up.
Andrea looked at her position and cried, “Wait for me!”
***************************************************
As they sat around the table drinking hot chocolate, and between the occasional marshmallow fights between Andrea and Jim, and Caroline trying to catch them in her mouth when Frank threw them at her, Gerry broached a new subject.
“Someone has to go get Great Aunt Thelma from the plane tomorrow.”
They were withering looks all around the room.
“I did my duty last year,” Sharon informed them all. Gavin and I got her last year.”
“Please don’t make me do it,” Frank said. “She always pinches my cheek and asks me if I’ve gotten married to one of her “lovely grandnieces” yet, when she knows perfectly well that I love Caroline.”
Andrea crossed her arms. “I’m not doing it.”
“Well just because I’m the oldest doesn’t mean I’ll do it,” Jim said. “She keeps asking me when I’m going to find myself a nice girl and settle down.”
Giles looked around at them. “I’ll do it.”
There was an eerie silence.
“Are you sure?” Caroline inquired. “Cause if you really want to, no one is going to argue with you.”
“Sure. I mean, how bad can an elderly woman be?” Giles smiled.
The Corr children exchanged looks.
“She’s very nice,” Gerry put forward. “Just a little…”
“Irritating,” Jim finished.
“I wonder if she’s still cranky with you,” Nea asked.
“What did he do?” Giles questioned.
“Left her standing in the airport for three hours two years ago,” Andrea explained.
“Look I thought Frank and Caroline were getting her!” Jim defended himself.
“Why would we get her when we were already here?” Caroline said.
Before a sibling fight could break out, Giles stepped in.
“I’ll go and get her.”
“Andrea, you better go with him so that he’ll know what she looks like,” Gerry suggested.
“Ha!” Sharon said, pointing a finger at her little sister.
“Put that finger away,” Andrea told her, grumpily.
“Don’t be feel too bad Andrea,” Caroline told her little sister. “This means you don’t have to do it next year.”
Andrea frowned and sipped on her hot chocolate.
Sharon noted that she had finished her marshmallows and carefully picked one out of Andrea’s drink. “Ow!” she cried, as her fingers burned.
“Serves you right,” Andrea told her.
Sharon made a face at her little sister as she sucked hard on her fingers. Frank was flipping through the TV Guide, and, snatching the remote from Gavin, switched it onto a different channel.
“Oompa Loompas!” came Andrea and Caroline’s delighted cries.
“I will never understand their fascination with Willy Wonka and Oompa Loompas,” Giles said, shaking his head.
“They’re cute,” Andrea reasoned.
“And they work hard and make sweets,” Caroline added.
Jim craned his neck to look at them better. “They remind me of midget butlers.”
“Jim!” Nea said, shaking her head. “They are cute.”
“I never looked at them as midget butlers,” Gavin offered. “But now that you mention it…”
“It is so important to your health that you don’t finish that sentence,” Caroline warned him.
“I like it when they sing,” Andrea smiled, as the Oompa Loompas broke into their song about Veruca Salt.
“I wish I had an Oompa Loompa,” Caroline said.
“What do you need one of them for?” Jim asked her. “You’ve got Frank to be your servant.”
“I resent that,” Frank glared at him.
“I think in a way we are all servants to these women,” Gavin sighed, then regretted his comment when Sharon looked at him crossly. “But we love our job,” he ad libbed.
“And now we know why he’s a barrister,” Gerry smiled.
“That was one great save,” Giles acknowledged.
“Shhh!” Caroline and Andrea said, settling down to watch the Oompa Loompas.
****************************************************
Andrea and Giles stood at the airport terminal waiting for Great Aunt Thelma to disembark the plane. Andrea was tapping her foot and looking at her watch. Giles watched her with an odd look.
“Andrea, are you alright?” he asked.
“Just dreading the moment when that woman steps off the plane,” Andrea smiled sweetly at him.
“She cannot possibly be that bad,” Giles told her.
“All will finally be revealed,” Andrea said, pointing to an elderly woman coming towards them. “Hello Aunt Thelma,” she smiled.
“Hello, Andrea Jane.” She looked up and down at Giles. “Who are you?”
“Um, Aunt Thelma, this is Giles Baxendale. Giles, this is my great aunt.”
“Pleased to meet you ma’am,” Giles smiled.
Thelma hmphed. “What is your current employment?”
“I am a manager of a singer.”
“Who? One of those disgustingly underdressed ones like that…Belinda Spikes?”
“Britney Spears, aunt Thelma,” Andrea clarified, taking a bag.
Giles took the other ones. “Charlotte Church.”
“Who?”
“Charlotte Church.”
“She’s a very beautiful opera style singer, Aunt Thelma,” Andrea told her.
“Is she respectable?”
“Very,” Andrea said.
*************************************
Sharon peeked out the window. She, Gavin, Frank, Caroline and Gerry were playing Monopoly.
“They’re here.”
“And we’re gone,” Frank said, grabbing Caroline’s hand and they hot-footed it upstairs.
“Immature,” Sharon growled.
Andrea opened the door finally, extremely glad to be home. Great Aunt Thelma had no stopped talking the entire time, mainly asking questions about Giles and what his prospects were.
“Aunt Thelma,” Gerry smiled, hugging the woman. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
Andrea coughed.
“Yes, yes. Sharon, dear. How are you? How is married life treating you? Did you read my letter that I sent you about your honeymoon?”
Sharon blushed. “Yes, Thankyou. Married life is wonderful. Um, you remember Gavin?”
Gavin paled slightly as he shook the ladies hand. “Nice to see you again.”
“Hello Gavin. Still a lawyer?”
“Uh, yes. A barrister.”
“It’s the same thing. Ah, James. Are you still unmarried? You really need to settle down and find yourself a nice girl, have some children. You’re not getting any younger.”
“Hello, Aunt Thelma,” Jim said, forcing a smile. “Um, this is Nea.”
Thelma looked Nea up and down with a scrutinise eye. “Are you of good breeding?”
“As far as I know,” Nea smiled.
Thelma hmphed. “You need a wife, James. Now where is Caroline?”
“Um, we’re not sure actually,” Gerry admitted.
“Honestly, you let that child run positively wild! The same with Andrea Jane. I’m surprised that this one remember to pick me up today.”
“Aunt Thelma…would you like a drink?” Sharon asked, showing her the way to the kitchen. “Find Caroline and kill her,” she hissed in Andrea’s ear.
“I know the way Sharon,” Thelma growled.
*******************************************
Andrea peeked in the room she shared with Caroline and found Frank and Caroline sitting on the bed with a deck of cards between them.
“Four,” Caroline told her boyfriend.
Frank duly doled out four cards.
“Great Aunt Thelma’s here,” Andrea told her sister.
“That’s why we’re up here,” Caroline answered. “Another four.”
“I can’t give you another four! Those are the four you were dealt,” Frank told her.
“She specifically asked for you,” Andrea mentioned.
“Once again, that’s why we’re up here. I don’t care Frank, give me another four.”
“Caroline Georgina Corr if you don’t get your butt into gear and downstairs, Sharon is going to come up here and kill you and I will tell Aunt Thelma that you are up here, in your bedroom, sitting on your bed with your boyfriend gambling.”
Caroline’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t…”
“Try me,” Andrea said, frowning. “I’ve had that woman haranguing my boyfriend for over an hour. Now it’s your turn.”
Caroline got up and took Frank’s hand. “Come on.”
“Hey, why me? Andrea said she asked for you?” Frank questioned her.
“If I have to endure her, so do you,” Caroline told him.
******************************************************
“There you are,” Thelma said, seeing Caroline. “My, haven’t you grown?”
Frank chuckled behind his hand, trying to disguise it as a cough and Caroline stepped hard on his foot.
“OW!” he cried.
“What’s the matter dear?” Thelma asked, looking concerned.
“Nothing,” Frank muttered.
Thelma shook her head. “You always were a strange one, Frank. Have you proposed yet?”
“No,” Frank said, fidgeting.
“How was your trip, Aunt Thelma?” Caroline asked.
“Uncomfortable.” She turned back to Frank. “Why haven’t you?”
“Well…”
“Tea’s ready!” Sharon called out, carrying some cups in.
“God bless you Sharon Corr,” Frank mumbled to himself.
**************************************************
“I sincerely do not like that woman,” Frank said, after Aunt Thelma had gone to bed.
“I now truly understand why no one wanted to pick her up,” Giles sighed. “I should have left her at the airport.”
“Yeah, why didn’t you do that?” Gavin asked.
“She was already in the car when I realised how irritating she is,” Giles answered.
“Well, think of it this way, we have to put up with her every year!” Jim groaned.
“Maybe Giles eventually will have to also,” Sharon whispered to Andrea, and got a subtle elbow for her comment. “Ow!”
Andrea blushed. “So, Nea, what do you think of her?”
“Truthfully?”
“Go ahead,” Caroline assured her. “We all sincerely dislike her.”
“Well, I liken her to a cold. Once you get it, it’s hard to shake it and when you do, you feel more drained than if you’d run a two hundred kilometre track.”
“So, we’re all agreed on the intense dislike,” Jim said.
Andrea yawned. “I’m going to bed. It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow!”
“Yeah, and thank God we’re cooking our own Christmas dinner and just have to go to a supper with the whole family. I am not singing carols this Christmas,” Sharon said, swinging her legs over the side of the couch. She took Gavin’s hand. “C’mon. To bed with you. Otherwise I shall never get you up in the morning.”
Frank grinned. “Hey, at least your partner wouldn’t sleep through a brass band in her bedroom.”
Caroline scowled. “I don’t sleep that heavily.”
“Oh yes you do,” Andrea assured her.
Gerry came into the room. “Are you kids still up? Get on with you. It’s been a long day and I don’t want a group of tired and cranky Corr children attacking Aunt Thelma tomorrow.”
“I never thought of attacking her…but now that you mention it….” Jim began.
“To bed!” Gerry ordered them all.
**********************************
The next morning a squeal from the bathroom arose the Corr children that were not already awake. Jim, looking grumpy, emerged from his room. Gavin and Sharon stood in the doorway to their room. Caroline, Frank, Nea, Andrea and Giles came up from downstairs and Gerry followed closely behind.
“Who squealed?” Andrea asked, short of breath after running upstairs.
“I thought it was one of you girls,” Jim said, his voice husky from sleep.
“We were downstairs watching TV,” Caroline told him.
“It did NOT come from our room,” Sharon blushed, seeing the looks sent her by her younger sisters, their boyfriends and her brother.
“Er…what about Aunt Thelma?” Nea asked.
“Last I saw of her, she went into the bathroom,” Gerry said.
“There is no way that I am going in there,” Caroline and Andrea said almost at the same time.
“I can’t go in, I’m a male,” Jim said.
“Ditto,” came from Frank.
“Me three,” Giles told them.
“I’m going back to bed,” Gavin sighed.
“I can’t go in there, I barely know the woman!” Nea said, as all eyes turned to her.
“I’m going back to bed too,” Sharon mentioned quickly, dragging Gavin into their room and shutting the door.
Gerry sighed and knocked on the bathroom door. The other family members gathered around, ready to run at any moment if necessary.
“Uh, Aunt Thelma?” Gerry inquired. “Are you alright?”
“No it is not,” the indignant voice came from the other side of the door. “There is no hot water!” The door was flung open and the children barely had time to scatter into the various rooms before Aunt Thelma appeared, in her clothes with a very angry look on her face. She narrowed her eyes. “What were those children doing?”
Gerry sighed. “Nothing, Thelma.”
Thelma hmphed. “Who is taking me to your brother’s today?”
Frank poked his girlfriend.
“Hey! What was that for?”
“You didn’t tell me she was leaving so quickly.”
Caroline smirked. “It’s our Uncle’s family’s turn to have her this year. Thank God.”
“Yeah, thank God,” Frank sighed.
Andrea and Sharon shared knowing looks.
************************************
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, one red Ferrari,” Gavin sang off key.
“Absolutely in your dreams,” Sharon sang back to him.
Caroline, Andrea, Giles, Jim, Nea and Frank laughed.
“I know you Gavin Bonnar. You’ll drive around like a maniac and get yourself killed,” Sharon told him.
“I would never!” Gavin said in a shocked voice.
“Sure Gavin, we believe you,” Andrea smiled.
“Ooh, oooh, look what’s on TV,” Caroline grinned, turning the volume up.
“A Muppet Christmas Carol? Geez Caroline, how old are you?” Jim asked.
“Shush you. Frank and I watch it every year.”
Jim, Gavin and Giles looked at Frank, who was turning a distinct shade of red.
“Really?” Gavin asked.
“She likes it,” Frank gestured helplessly.
“Jim likes it too,” Nea offered.
“Hah!” Caroline said, pointing a finger at her brother.
Andrea joined her sister lying on the floor, elbows propped up by pillows, watching the movie. Sharon settled on the couch next to Gavin. Nea sat comfortably on Jim in the lounge chair and Giles occupied the other one. Frank sat behind Caroline on the floor.
“No flour?” Gerry asked, seating himself in his favourite chair.
“How did it go with Aunt Thelma?” Sharon asked.
Gerry rolled his eyes. “Finally got rid of her. She said she was upset that she wasn’t going to hear any of you sing on Christmas Eve at midnight mass.”
“Shh, Daddy. The Muppet Christmas Carol,” Andrea told him.
Gerry smiled.
“Not that I want to get on the wrong side of your family,” Nea said, “but that woman is insane. And she better not be upsetting Jim anytime soon.”
The girls all giggled while Jim blushed.
“I’m glad she’s not staying with us anymore. I swear, that woman has a grudge against me,” Frank grumbled.
“That’s because she thought you were Andrea’s boyfriend and then she caught you kissing Caroline under the mistletoe looking rather…involved,” Jim explained.
Frank groaned. “Andrea slipped! I helped her up. How does that make me her boyfriend?”
Caroline looked at her little sister. “You can’t have him.”
Andrea grinned back. “No offence, Caro, but I don’t want him.”
“This conversation is getting a little weird,” Gavin mentioned.
“Here, here. Let’s watch the movie,” Sharon suggested.
*************************************************
It was ten to midnight and the Corr family shuffled into two pews. Giles sat down next to Gerry, Andrea then Caroline, then Frank. The next row consisted of Sharon, Gavin, Jim and Nea.
“It’s nice to see you young ones home,” an elderly woman smiled. “I remember watching you two little ones riding your brand new bikes a Christmas a long time ago.”
“It’s nice to see you too, Mrs Morey,” Sharon smiled.
“It’ll be nice to hear those beautiful voices in mass tonight,” Mrs Morey told them, shuffling her way down the aisle.
“They are admired wherever they go,” Frank mocked, and Caroline was tempted to hit him, but they were in church.
He flashed her a big grin. “You know I’m only teasing. The Corrs are my favourite band. I even have the t-shirt to prove it!”
Andrea reached around Caroline and put her fingers to her lips. “Shhh!” she hissed at him.
*****************************************
As the family walked out from mass, Sharon hid behind Gavin.
“What on earth are you doing you crazy person?” Andrea asked her, eyes narrowing.
“Looks normal to me,” Frank replied and yelped as Caroline elbowed him.
“It’s Luke,” Sharon said mysteriously.
“I’m going home,” Gerry said.
“I think I’ll join you,” Jim replied, dragging Nea along. “Believe me, you don’t want to know.”
“Who’s Luke?” Giles asked.
Caroline rolled her eyes. “He’s a guy that has always wanted one of us, he just can’t make up his mind which one.”
“Sharon! Andrea! Caroline!” Luke cried, his eyes lighting up.
“He looks about fifteen!” Giles whispered to Andrea.
“Close. He’s twenty-five,” she answered.
“All the beautiful Corr sisters are home again. Great to see, great to see.”
“Hello, Luke,” Sharon said politely.
“Luke, I heard that you were getting serious with that Matthews girl,” Frank said, trying to divert the conversation.
“Couldn’t live up to my expectations,” Luke answered, focussing his eyes on each of the girls in turn.
Caroline groaned inwardly and glanced at Gavin and Giles, who were looking annoyed. She pulled Frank a bit closer and whispered in his ear. “Get them out of here.”
Frank seemingly understood what she meant, taking Gavin by the elbow. “Come on, Gavin. There’s something you have to help me with.” They walked a few steps before Frank turned around again. “Come on Giles, you too.”
Giles glanced at Andrea and followed the other two.
“So, it’s nice to see you guys back home,” Luke said, staring at Sharon.
“Yes, we generally like to come home for Christmas,” Andrea said, a sarcastic tone in her voice.
Luke turned to Andrea. “I see you brought someone home for Christmas.”
Andrea nodded. “Mhm.”
“Not serious I hope?” Luke grinned.
Caroline hugged her jacket around her. “Oh geez. We’re missing out on hot chocolate and Christmas cake and it’s damn cold out here. Can we go now?”
Luke looked fondly at Caroline. “You always were a bit of a feisty one.”
Sharon looked anxiously at Andrea. Both were worried that Caroline was going to knock Luke out.
“Santa won’t come if you punch him,” Andrea whispered in her sister’s ear.
“That doesn’t help,” Caroline added. She turned to Sharon, as Andrea engaged Luke in conversation. “Make him go away,” she whined.
“Looks like we have help,” Sharon said, nodding towards a tiny elderly lady, coming towards Luke.
“Luke Steven Jackson how many times have I told you to leave those poor girls alone!”
“Ma…” Luke groaned.
The woman took Luke by his ear and began to pull him off. She looked at the girls apologetically. “Sorry about him. Come on you misbehaving lad! You’re not too old for me to put across my knee!”
“It’s always great to see you, Mrs Jackson!” Andrea called out after the woman.
“God I love that woman,” Caroline said, as the three girls linked arms and walked home.
**********************************************************
“Right, to bed with the lot of you,” Gerry ordered. “It’s Christmas day tomorrow and I know you all like to get up early.”
“Santa Claus is coming!” Andrea cried in delight, sticking her Christmas stocking up beside Caroline’s.
Jim rolled his eyes as he stuck his Christmas stocking up next to Nea’s. “How old are you again, Andrea?”
“Don’t listen to him Andrea,” Nea assured her. “I remember this fellow asking just this year how long it was till the Easter Bunny was coming.”
Andrea smirked and the rest of the group chuckled as Jim went a distinct shade of red.
“I’ll kill you for that later,” Jim whispered to Nea, who poked her tongue out back at him.
“Alright, alright,” Gerry said. “Now remember, it must be at least six am before anyway wakes anyone up. Understand?”
“Yes daddy,” the children chorused.
“Be a good girl or Santa won’t come,” Frank winked at his girlfriend.
Caroline rolled her eyes and grabbed Andrea. “Let’s go before we’re totally embarrassed.”
“Night,” Giles waved as the two younger girls disappeared.
Sharon and Gavin turned to Frank.
“Is it all ready?” Sharon asked mysteriously.
Frank nodded. “It’s ready, but I’m nervous. What if she doesn’t like it?”
“I guarantee she’ll like it,” Gavin smiled.
***************************************************
Caroline cracked an eye open and saw Andrea bouncing on her bed saying “Santa’s been, Santa’s been.” In one swift movement, she hooked her arms under Andrea’s legs and let her fall on the bed.
“Meanie,” Andrea growled.
“How many times do you have to be told not to bounce on my bed? You’ll break it.”
“Meanie,” Andrea repeated.
Caroline sighed and stared at the clock. “You have five minutes before we can wake Daddy. What do you want to do?”
Andrea thought for a moment. “Wake up everyone else?”
Caroline nodded. “Sounds good. But I recommend not barging into rooms singing carols like last year. It might not go down well.”
Andrea nodded thoughtfully. “Quite right you are sister dear. Shall we wake up Giles and Frank first?”
“They are probably the safest,” Caroline agreed.
Putting on dressing gowns, the padded down to the boy’s room. Andrea opened the door and Caroline was all ready to creep in when Andrea yelled out “Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!”
Caroline sighed and putting her head in her hands, decided she’d have to teach her younger sister the meaning of calmness.
“It’s okay,” Frank said to Giles, who had almost fallen out of bed with Andrea’s greeting. “It’s only Andrea and Caroline.”
“Merry Christmas,” said Andrea, bouncing over to them. She gave Frank a kiss on the cheek and then went to greet Giles.
“How did you get woken up?” Frank asked, as Caroline sat on the side of his bed.
“The usual,” Caroline yawned.
“Jumping up and down on your bed.”
“That’s it.”
Andrea checked the clock beside Giles’ bed. “Let’s go wake Daddy!”
Frank flopped his head back down on the bed and groaned.
**************************************************
After much groaning, yelling at Andrea for her way of waking people up, losing presents and then finding presents, all the Corrs were assembled downstairs.
“I’m going first!” Andrea cried, presenting Sharon with a package.
“Now I’m worried,” Sharon said, looking at the brightly wrapped parcel. She opened it and discovered a gorgeous mirror, with gold gilding. “It’s lovely!” She held it up to her face and it started laughing.
“Andrea found a new gag gift shop,” Jim groaned.
“Be afraid, be very afraid,” Caroline told him from the sofa.
“I’m trembling,” Jim replied.
Sharon hugged her baby sister and handed Gavin a parcel. “Merry Christmas,” she smiled.
Gavin smiled back and opened it to reveal a remote controlled Ferrari. “I got my Ferrari!” he chuckled, hugging his wife.
Jim rummaged around under the tree and found a present for Andrea. “Here you go, you little menace.”
“Thankyou, brother dearest,” Andrea smiled at him sweetly. She eagerly unwrapped it and grinned at the package inside. “Eeyore!”
Giles peered over at the stuffed toy. “Now you have a complete collection of the Winnie The Pooh stuffed animals.”
Andrea turned at him and smiled a winning smile. “Only the 13cm ones.”
Gavin chuckled as Giles went pale. “Never mind, Giles. All the girls have their quirks.”
“And Jim is certainly not perfect,” Nea assured him.
“Amen to that,” Caroline said.
“Now it’s Caroline’s turn,” Frank said, as the rest of the group gave each other knowing looks.
“It better not be another Furby,” Caroline warned him.
“You drowned it,” Frank pointed out.
“Only because you taught it to say…” Caroline paused, glanced at her father, then back at Frank. “That Frank gets first dibs on the remote control.” She peered at her boyfriend strangely. “You look nervous! I don’t bite you know.” She put her hands on her hips. “You did get me a Furby didn’t you?”
“Caroline, shut up,” Andrea informed her.
Caroline looked at her oddly. “Okay, okay, I’m quiet.”
“Finally,” Frank said. “Right, well, I figured this would be the best place to give you your present because everyone you love is here.”
“You’re giving me euthanasia?” Caroline asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Caroline!” Gerry said. “Let the poor man speak.”
“And well, you know I love you and I asked your dad so…”
“Oh my God,” Caroline said, her eyes widening as Frank got down on one knee in front of her.
Andrea and Sharon hugged each other and Jim grinned.
“Caroline, will you marry me?”
For probably the first time in her entire life, Caroline Corr was speechless. Frank grinned.
“Uh, Caroline, my knee is kind of sore here, so…”
“Stop making a scene,” Caroline said, hugging him tight. “Of course I’ll marry you.”
There were congratulations all round.
“You knew,” Caroline said, pointing an accusing finger at Andrea, who was grinning happily.
“Of course we knew,” Andrea replied. “Frank asked Daddy first and then he figured he should probably ask Jim too. Then for gender equality, he asked me and Sharon.”
“I’m glad you said yes,” Caroline replied, as she snuggled up to Frank admiring the ring. It was a simple gold band with a diamond in the centre.
“I get to be maid of honour!” Andrea cried.
Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yes, because you had a turn last time.”
“What are you going to do when you get married?” Jim asked his little sister.
“Ask you to be my maid of honour?” Andrea said, hopefully.
“Jim in stilettos,” Sharon said, shuddering.
“I think we should open more presents,” Nea suggested, handing one to Jim. “This one says its from Sharon and Caroline.”
“Words enough to instil fear into any man,” Jim said, opened the package. It was three loose guitar picks.
“Remember the ones we stole from you when we were little?” Sharon asked. “That’s them. I was cleaning out the house the other day when I found them in a box.”
“Thanks, I think,” Jim said, looking dubiously at the picks.
Andrea handed Giles his parcel shyly. “Merry Christmas.”
He smiled and took a pager out of the box. “Wow.”
“I’ve got a speed dial of that number on my phone so…”
“Run now,” Frank suggested.
“Here’s your present,” Caroline smiled at him mischeviously.
“I’m going to regret opening this, aren’t I?” Frank said, carefully unwrapping the gift.
Inside was a Furby. Frank chuckled and took it out from the box, tapping it gently. The Furby opened its eyes slowly and blinked at Frank.
“Caroline gets first dibs on the remote control.”