Page 60 of Saving Little Clark

Oliver chuckled, scooping his fretful boy up and cuddling him close. "No, sweet pea. Santa's not going to put you on the naughty list for having a bit too much fun. That's what Christmas is all about, after all. Joy and laughter and letting yourself be a little wild. Even if it means a few spills along the way."

Elijah subsided with a relieved sigh, burrowing into Oliver's chest. "Oh, good. I would've been so sad if we didn't get any presents, just 'cause the tea set got too excited."

Uncle Lance reached over to tap him gently on the nose, eyes sparkling. "Actually, that reminds me. I do believe a certain group of Daddies may have mentioned something about a big Christmas Eve surprise for three very special little boys. If they can manage to get their silly wiggles under control for a minute, that is."

Well, that certainly got our attention.

Alex nearly fell over himself scrambling upright, latching onto his Daddy’s arm with breathless enthusiasm. "Really, Daddy? Is Uncle Lance telling the truth? A surprise? For us? What is it? Is it a trip to the North Pole? Is it a pony? Wait no, is it a rocket ship?"

Uncle Will snorted, ruffling his boy’s hair. "Slow your roll, buddy. You'll find out soon enough, if you can muster up some patience. Think that's something you can handle, orshould we put this on hold until you can act like a civilized little gremlin again?"

Alex's cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, clearly warring with the urge to sass back.

"I can be patient, Daddy. I promise. I'll be so good, the best boy. Just pretty please with sugar on top, tell us what the surprise is."

Daddy and Uncle Will exchanged a look of gleeful anticipation, letting the suspense draw out. Finally, Uncle Lance took pity on us.

"Alright, you little monkeys. Let's see if you can follow directions, hmm? Go wash up and meet us in the family room in five minutes. Daddies are going to need all their little helpers on their best behavior if we're going to get this show on the road."

With an earsplitting cheer, we were off like a shot. I barely remembered to grab Bananas on my way out the door, I was in such a tizzy. Alex, of course, was the first one ready. He bounced from foot to foot as Elijah and I scrambled to wash our sticky hands and faces, nearly knocking us over in his impatience.

"C'mon! The surprise is waiting, we've gotta hurry!"

I rolled my eyes, flicking water at him. "Cool your jets, Sonic. It's not going anywhere, the Daddies said so."

Alex just stuck his tongue out, grabbing my hand and towing me along. "Don't care. Wanna see what it is, and I wanna see now. Let’s go!"

Realizing resistance was futile, I let myself be dragged. Elijah trotted along behind us, giggling madly at our antics.

When we burst into the family room, it was to find it completely transformed. Twinkling fairy lights were strung upeverywhere, bathing the space in a soft, ethereal glow. And in the center of it all, a towering Christmas tree, decked out in shimmering garlands and glittering ornaments.

Daddy came up behind me, slipping his arms around my waist and propping his chin on my shoulder. "You like it, baby boy?" he murmured, smile evident in his voice. "We wanted to make tonight extra special. Give you a little Christmas Eve magic to carry you through to the big day."

I could only nod. Daddy squeezed me gently. Pressed a smacking kiss to my lips before guiding me further into the room.

With an excited squeal, Alex and Elijah darted forward, making a beeline for the pile of presents tucked beneath the tree. I followed at a more sedate pace, Daddy a reassuring presence at my back.

"They match our Daddies," Elijah crowed, snatching up a gift decked out in shiny crimson, Uncle Oliver's signature color.

Sure enough, when I peeked at the tag, it read "To Elijah, my precious Christmas elf. Love, your Daddies."

Instantly, my gaze went to the other boxes, searching for a familiar shade of cornflower blue. Daddy's blue. I eagerly tore into the wrapping paper. What I found beneath made me gasp aloud, eyes going wide in shocked delight. It was an art set. A deluxe, top of the line kit, complete with every medium and tool a budding artist could dream of. Pencils and charcoals, pastels and paints. An array of high-quality sketchbooks, each one emblazoned with a cheeky doodle. Silly caricatures of me and Daddy, rendered in his scratchy yet endearing style.

I flew into Daddy's arms. Buried my face in his chest and clung.

"Thank you," I managed, words muffled against his sweater. "I love it, I love you. So much."

Daddy squeezed me tight, rocking us gently.

A piercing squeal rang out. Alex, it seemed, had discovered his own special present. I peeked over Daddy's shoulder to see him clutching a massive box. When he finally managed to tear it open, out spilled books. Dozens and dozens of books, all the latest titles from his favorite fantasy and sci-fi authors. The ones he'd been lusting after for months, bemoaning the long wait between installments.

For a moment, he could only gape. Then, with another earsplitting whoop, he tackle-hugged his Daddy, sending them both crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs and laughter.

"Best present ever!" Alex crowed, peppering Uncle Will's face with kisses.

Will just gathered his boy close and held on tight.

"Only the best for my clever little bookworm. Can't have you getting bored over winter break, now can we?"

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