R.E.M

thirty

ARIANA'S POV

It was fairly late in the morning so everyone was up and about for the exception of Greyson, Liam, and Frankie, who ran to the store for cookie ingredients since Nathan left them back home and there was no way any of us intended to get through the holiday without any. Speaking of him, the two of us were in the kitchen putting up the last of the Christmas decorations inside. While mom, Vanessa, and Nonna were showing Jordan, Izaak, Jack, and Bella where to put the outdoor decorations.

Old Christmas music played throughout the house and our parents were eager to take this year's Christmas card pictures later on tonight, with the matching sweaters they bought. It seemed as if our parents had just clicked and things went better than we imagined between our parents. I figured it would be a little awkward at first, but everyone seemed to love spending time together and Greyson and I were more than happy to see our parents bonding over the smallest things.

I mean, the three were happier than usual together, especially with Liam and Greyson creeping around, Logan and I had no idea what they were planning. I wanted to believe that this was about Liam proposing to Logan, but Greyson was a little too happy for it to just be about the couple. So maybe it was something with the Christmas gifts since this was her favorite holiday.

"Four more days until Christmas!" Jordan sang, his arm wrapped around Izaak as the two wore matching pajamas.

Izaak only smiled brightly, grabbing the reef after Mom had just marked where to place it. "That's the spirit!"

"You know, Christmas shopping was actually a lot easier this year than it was last," Nathan pointed out, adjusting the lights he planned to hang over the sink.

"Dad, we went shopping for you," Jack pointed out, shaking her head playfully.

Vanessa chuckled, smiling at the two, "And I was wondering why my gifts were so good. Everyone knows he's horrible at gifts,"

"In my defense, you never tell me what you want. I'd love for you to be like, 'Babe, there's this necklace I'd love' instead you're just like, 'I just want my family to be happy'," Nathan smiled at his wife playfully, earning laughs from Jack.

"I swear all moms are like that, mine never says it either," Frankie added, nudging mom.

"Because it's true!" Mom defended, as Vanessa agreed, both of the women throwing their hands up in defense.

Jordan only smiled harder, laughing as well.
"That's what my mom says too,"

"Frankie's right," Jack pointed out with a shrug. "But honestly, Dad's right, Christmas shopping is hard."

"Yeah, not for G and Ari, they started in like October," Izaak mumbled, as I rolled my eyes playfully, a smile spreading across my face.

"Okay, maybe that's true, but whenever I'm in a store, I don't just grab things for me, I get things that remind me of her and like, little things I know she would love," I said, everyone letting out small laughs.

"I can't believe someone's actually in love with my sister," Jack chuckled, only pretending to be in shock while Vanessa and Nathan rolled their eyes playfully at her.

"No, she has a point though, I can't even lie. It's no secret Greyson gives out the best gifts," Jordan added, to which most of the room agreed. "What did she get you for your birthday again, Ari?"

"What?" I asked, trying to hide my smile as I thought about what happened in the elevator then. "Oh, um, a necklace."

"I had no idea she was so good at gift-giving," Mom said, the four sharing an amused look as Nathan just laughed.