Family Secrets

Chapter 27 - Christmas

Maddie POV:
I woke up to my annoying brother, Kade jumping on my bed.

"Ahhhh, Kade its 6am, what do you want?!" I said groggy, not wanting to be awake.

He plopped down beside me on the bed and whisper yelled in my ear "It's Christmas!"

"What are you, Five?" I replied angrily that he would wake me up.

"Get out of bed, grinch, and come on." He grabbed my arm and started pulling me out of bed.

"No....Kade....let me go back to sleep." I said already asleep again. I was so tired I didn't even realize Kade had picked me up, thrown me over his shoulder, and taken my downstairs, by the time I realized where I was it was already too late. Kade had thrown me into the freezing cold water of our pool.

I decided I was going to get him back, so I floated up the surface and pretended to be unconscious.

"Haha Maddie very fun stop messing around." I heard him tell me. "Maddie seriously I'm not falling for it, come on. Maddie? Mads? OH MY GOD MADDIE!" He yelled as he dove into the pool, he swam over to me and pulled me out of the pool. I knew this was going a little far but in my mind he deserved it. He flipped me on my back and put his fingers to my neck. It was at this time in spit all the water I had in my mouth in his face. I started laughing uncontrollably. "ARE YOU KIDDING MADDIE I THOUGHT YOU ACTUALLY DROWNED!" I was still laughing. "MADDIE YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME! You really think this is funny?" He picked me up and threw me in the pool again and walked away.

I got out of the cold water, still happy about my payback. I walked in the house and saw Maddox in the kitchen making a smoothie. "You know you shouldn't joke about drowning Mads" he reminded me.

"I know, but you and I both know Kade deserved payback." I replied.

"Go upstairs and change, were opening presents in a bit." Maddox instructed.

I went back upstairs and took a warm shower then put on some pajamas. I decided on red plaid because it was Christmasy and I knew we would be taking photos, so might as well dress festive.

^^^Maddie's PJ's

I walked downstairs and saw almost all my brothers, except Colton, who was still upstairs.

"Well don't you look festive." Noah teased. I stuck my tongue out at him as I tried to walk past, instead he pulled me into a hug and wouldn't let go. "Alex mind giving me a hand?" I tried to get away, for I knew what was coming. Alex came over and the both of them started tickling me.

I was kicking and screaming "Boys stop torturing your sister please." My father finally said, coming from the kitchen. By this time everyone was downstairs. "Okay, present time."

We started to open presents from oldest to youngest, for it was tradition. Maddox unwrapped his to reveal a pair of boxing gloves among other things. Noah got new watch, Alex got some new books. Elias got a new  fuel valve for his motorcycle, Sam got a new hoodie, Kade got something football related, I'm not really sure what it is but it looks like padding, and Colton got a new skateboard (among a lot of other things my brothers got.)

Finally it was time for me to open my presents. Each of my brothers got me something. I opened a present first that was from Kade, he got me a poetry book. Maddox got me a new sketchbook, Sam got me a pride flag, Elias got me a carhartt beanie, Alex got me a sketchbook, Noah got me a really cool shirt, and Colton got me a Pura Vita bracelet. I said thank you too all of them and I thought I was done until Mirabella handed me a large box.

I opened it and in it was the paint set, from the window at the mall. "I saw you eyeing it at the mall, I hope you like it." Mirabella told me.

"I do, thank you." I walked over and gave her a hug.

"Hey why didn't we get hugs?" Elias complained.

"Because you smell bad." I replied sarcastically. Elias rolled his eyes.

"One last thing Maddie." My father told me before handing me a small box. I opened it to reveal a familiar locket.

^^^The Locket

I smiled trying to say the words. "This looks like the locket my mother used to wear."

My father held my hand. "It is, the nurses at the hospital lost it, I sent some of my men there to find it."

Tears of joy brimmed my eyes. "Thank you" I came over and gave him a big hug, which soon enough turned into a group hug with all my brothers and Mirabella.

"You're welcome Principessa," my father whispered in my ear. "Turn around and I'll put it on you." I turned and my dad attaches the locket around my neck. I opened it up and it had a picture of my mother and I in it. I smiled.

After all the presents were open Mirabella said "Let's take a picture!"

She set up the tripod and told everyone to smile. We took a bunch of photos in front of the tree, so I guess one of them had to be good.