December 25th (a year later) - Alison

Keira ran into the room and jumped on the bed. "It's Christmas!"

"Keira!" Alison moaned she was not ready to get out of her warm bed.

"Come on, B get up!" she exclaimed as she nudged Bryan's shoulder.

Alison looked at the clock and Curtis would be at the door in any minute. "Keira, go downstairs and let your dad in when he knocks."

She quickly ran out of the room and Bryan pulled Alison into his arms. "Do we have to get up?"

"Afraid so. I'll get the coffee on. You wake the boys."

Alison smiled. What a difference a year had made. Technically eleven months because it was January twenty-fifth when she opened her door to find Bryan and Sam. In her driveway was Bryan's truck with all their possessions. She was confused until Sam got down on one knee. "Will you marry us?" When she looked up at Bryan, her tears blurred her view.

Once downstairs, Curtis looked at her pajamas and robe. "Did I wake you?"

"No, Keira did a great job of it when she jumped on the bed. Bryan's getting the boys."

Bryan strolled in the kitchen also in his pajamas and casually greeted Curtis. "Hey Merry Christmas!" He walked over and slipped his hands around her waist.

Curtis announced. "I'll wait for my coffee in the other room."

Bryan was distracting her from making coffee, so she spun around. "You finish the coffee. I'll put out the pastries."

Sam stood at the door. "Alison, Cole's peeking at his presents."

She sighed and smiled and patted Sam's shoulder, as she walked by him. The boys acted like siblings and by that she meant siblings who fought all the time. She and Bryan typically handled their disagreements by telling them to get the football or the frisbee and to go throw it on the beach. Most of The Point thought they were playing together when they were usually being punished. She accepted they were different personalities and would never be best friends.

"Cole, leave the presents alone. We'll open them as soon as the adults get their coffee. Are you packed to go with your dad?"

"Yeah."

Curtis asked, "What are you doing for Christmas? Is Bryan working?"

"Later, but Sam and I have plans for tonight, right Sam?"

He smiled at her. He looked so much like Bryan when he smiled. Keira asked, "What are you and Sammy doing?" Only Keira and Bryan got away with calling him, Sammy.

"We're going to take photos of Christmas lights."

Sam said, "And you're going to let me drive, right?" Alison groaned. She hated taking Sam driving and Cole was already talking about when he turned fifteen next month.

"He needs to get his driving hours in, but at least Curtis can help with Cole. Maybe you can stop by the station. Hopefully, I'll be bored, because no one wants an emergency on Christmas." Bryan carried two cups of coffee and handing one to Curtis. "Just a sugar, right?"

Alison smiled. Bryan remembered how Curtis took his coffee, but Curtis had struggled to remember how she took hers when they had been married. Bryan was the perfect husband.

December 25th - Bryan

Bryan sat with his arm around his wife, as the kids tore into their presents. He looked at their Christmas tree, which they had cut themselves at the tree farm. His eye gravitated towards Sam's first Christmas ornament and others from Sammy's childhood mingled amongst those belonging to Alison. Some aspects of their lives were more easily blended than others.

Sam was smiling. He had really attempted to adjust after the move. Bryan would never forget what Sam said to him on New Year's day when he came home to find him wearing the Maine shirt.

"Dad, I've been thinking and decided that we shouldn't both be unhappy." Bryan was about to lie to him and tell him he wasn't unhappy when he was truly miserable. Instead, Sam said, "I feel awful because it's my fault you're so sad. I can tell Alison makes you happy... Keira too."

"They do, but Sam, you're my son."

"I didn't expect Alison to be so nice and care so much about me."

"Sammy, she loves you." Sam asked why. "Because you're part of me."

"I want to stay home when you work and I could there, but I might never like Cole."

"Never's a long time."

He had been in shock and loved Sam so much his heart ached. It was Sam's idea to surprise Alison, so he accepted the position to start on February first, gave his notice, and put their house up for sale. There was no turning back. He had told Alison he was coming for a visit, but they arrived on her doorstep before she thought she needed to be meeting his flight. Less than a week later, Alison became his wife in a civil ceremony with only their children present.

When Keira opened her present from him and Alison, she hugged him. "I love it B!"

Bryan returned her hug no longer concerned Curtis was in the room. "I'm glad because I love you, K." Alison smiled at him and he whispered. "I love you, A." Alison's left hand was adorned with the ring she wouldn't open the last Christmas. She had been wearing it since Sam proposed. She told him the sapphires reminded her of his eyes.

Their second Christmas was so much better than their first. On Christmas Eve, they had gone to Alison's parents, and her mother had pinched him on the behind. Alison laughed. "She loves you. Andrea gets her boldness from my mother and I'm my father's daughter."

"That's why I like your father so much."

If doing the same thing two years in a row made it a tradition, then they had a new Christmas Eve tradition. It was just for the two of them late at night in Al's studio. Bryan was jarred out of his pleasant thoughts when Sam and Cole started annoying each other over something.

Alison said, "Boys, stop now, or you'll be on the beach before Cole leaves and it's cold out."

Whatever it was, must not have been important and Bryan squeezed Alison's hand.

Curtis asked, "Did you two get any presents?"

Bryan said, "We exchanged our presents last night."

There was nothing they needed to buy for each other because they both had what they wanted - the blending of their lives into one not so perfect family.

See more of Alison and Bryan in Resolutions. A list of my stories is on my profile.