Christmas morning was never quiet in the Nomikos house, every mouse was stirring, every damn one, and they were loud and Greek and extremely intense.

Think home alone, the moment everyone rushes out of the house for the plane, absolute chaos.

"Welcome to Christmas with the Nomikos" I whisper to Harper as she rolls over and sits up, taking in the noise coming from outside our bedroom door.

We had all slept at Mommas last night, luckily there were five bedrooms and we all managed to squeeze into every inch of them. Willa and Allie stayed with Mary and Erica and would be over shortly.

"Merry Christmas" she whispers lying back beside me, her head nestled into my chest.

"Merry Christmas" I return and then I smile as fair, spiked, disheveled hair peeks over the crib side.

Wrens smile widens as she spots us. "Mama" she calls excitedly.

Harper follows my gaze as she sits up "Merry Christmas Wren" she says lovingly and she scooches down the bed and lifts her onto it.

Wren crawls at speed across my body collapsing onto my chest laughing. I run my hand down her soft hair and lift her up into the air above me as she giggles.

"Shall we go see if Santa brought Wren a stocking" I ask.

Harper stands and grabs her robe "I don't know about Wren but I sure do" she says quickly rounding the bed and picking her up onto her hip. "Let's go" she urges and I sit up and chuck the covers aside.

"Before you open that door Harps, just be prepared for what you are about to see" I say.

She frowns a little "now I'm afraid" she whispers.

I stand and place my hand on the door knob as I slowly twist it open "you should be" I state with a smile.

"Think hunger games ... but it's a fight to the death for presents"

***
The Nomikos house looks like a bomb went off in a wrapping factory and every surface was covered in multicoloured wrap.

Demitra and Thea were with their husbands down by the tree as Alexi unwrapped his presents.

"You don't wait and do it together" Harper asks surprised and turning back to me.

"Well we tried once... it didn't go well. My momma and baba just let us at it eventually... try keeping four daughters tied down until everyone is present and correct"

"Well I'm just letting you know, that if our dates go well, our Christmas's in our own home will not go down as a free for all, everyone has to be sat, and it's one present at a time" Harper says as we eye up the mess.

I nod "you got it... boss" I return playfully and she smiles.

"I can't wait for your first day of work" she says with a wink before placing Wren down to crawl happily through the mess.

"Me neither" I return with a smirk and as I look to the chaos ahead of us I can't help the heavy weight that settles on my chest as I think of my father, the way he would come in and admire the mess his daughters had created. Every last present was saved for and lovingly wrapped by his and mommas hand, he was proud of his life here in the states and for providing for his girls, and he loved Christmas chaos, unlike my mother, he encouraged it if anything. My fathers cheeky smile was one I had myself, because Christos Nomikos was the original, from which I was kind of copy and pasted. My father was quiet as he got older, unlike when my momma met him, but when he spoke it mattered, and what he said would always make you smile.

"Mou leípeis baba" I whisper "kalá Christoúgenna"

Harper looks to me "what did you say" she asks.

I lean my head against hers "I said i miss you, and merry Christmas"

Harper wraps her arm around my waist. "He will be here observing with a smile" she says softly and I nod.

"Kalimera"  Demitra calls as she looks up to us.

She comes over with arms spread embracing us both and squeezing my cheeks affectionately, her green eyes sparkling.

"Kalimera Demitra... kalá Christoúgenna" i say kissing her cheek.

Her husband, Chris, appears behind her, kissing her neck and pulling her backward into his arms in a cute embrace "Merry Christmas Theodora and Harper" he greets.

We all turn as the same time to look at Thea who has just stood up, assisted by her husband Harry. She is wearing every item of clothing she has unwrapped and looks three sizes larger, and kind of like a starfish.

Every year our father made her do this because Thea only ever wanted clothes and make up, she had to then put on everything she asked for, and it had become a tradition, my parents adding clothing items she didn't ask for just to make it more entertaining. One year she got a chicken suit, it seemed this year as we observed her, momma had slipped in a cow onesie, two sizes too small, and that was saying something since Thea was the shortest and smallest of us all.

My hand flew up over my mouth as I let out a laugh. Demitras laugh is loud and unforgiving and Theas eyes widen as Momma enters with her coffee in hand and an amused smile sat on her lips.

"ageláda" she muses.

Wren rockets on over to Theas feet and pulls herself up using Theas legs and we all look to her as she lifts up her little fingers and points up to Thea "Ow" she says.

I look to Harper "cow" I translate.

"That's a new one" Harper says trying to hold in the laugh threatening to burst from her lips.

"Yes aunty Thea can sometimes be a right cow" I say walking over and lifting Wren into my arms.

Thea swats me "don't teach my niece to be sassy with me..." she says and then she reaches out and hugs me "I love you Theodora"

I squeeze her back "and you Thea" I return.

"Where is Calliope" momma asks from the couch.

We all look to each other coyly, Demi, Thea, Harper and I.

"No idea Momma" Demitra says backing out into the hallway where she flexes her index finger at us to come with her.

I bump Wren up on my hip as I pick her up a little present, to look at in my arms "for Wren" I say and she smiles. Her chubby hands looking over the red and green striped wrapping.

"Girls" Demi urges and we quickly move out of ear shot of Momma into the hall, well Thea tries but she is shuffling along with the tightness of her onesie.

"Thea take that thing off" Demi demands as she pulls her stumbling the last few inches toward us.

"I can't, it's tradition to wear it all morning" she returns.

"Until you need a wee" Harper adds and we all nod.

"True it won't last all morning Thea" I say and she gives in and unzips it, taking a relieved breath as it falls away.

Demitra leans forward "so has anyone heard from Callie" she asks and we all shake our heads "are you telling me she disappeared with Luke five days ago and nobody knows if she's like... alive" she asks.

We all kind of let that sink in "shit" I worry.

"Well that's not true, because Willa said she had a message from her yesterday" Harper interjects.

We all look to her and take a relieved breath.

"Thank fuck" Demi whispers "I thought for a minute there we may have set Callie up with a psycho"

"Whose a psycho" Willa asks coming through the front door, with Allie, Mary and Erica in tow.

"Merry Christmas" Harper greets, wrapping her arms around her mama who kisses Wrens forehead, and we all have a quick hug and kiss to the cheek.

"Merry Christmas" everyone says joyfully.

"Demi, whose a psycho" Willa asks again as she removes her red scarf like a snake from around her neck.

"Shh" Demi whispers, finger to her lips, and checking in that momma wasn't listening "Callie has not been seen since she went off with Luke five days ago Willa. Did you hear from her" she asks.

Willa nods "she just called me she's on the way over"

Thea and Demitra do the sign of the cross.

"Thank goodness I was having visions of having to do a special on GMA about my missing sister and her date with death that we set her up on" Demi says.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you girls to be careful on the dating scene, it's literally littered by psychos, stalkers, catfish and con men" Mary states.

Erica shakes her head, beside her "says Mary who hasn't been on the dating scene since the nineties" she guffaws.

"Hey" Mary see says poking her "I watch cable... I know this stuff"

"What did she say" Thea asks excitedly.

Willa smiles "she wouldn't tell me but suffice to say our little Calliope finally, and I mean fi...na...ly ... got herself a little loving" she says with a wink.

Everyone begins to do a little dance, Demitra is so thrilled it looks like she may implode and Thea is doing some kind of twerk.

Harper looks to Wren and shakes her head "your family are nuts" she says as we both step back into the family room to help her open her gifts.

Alexander has already opened his presents and is running around with a dinosaur pretending to eat everyone. Matthias is sitting under the tree playing with a shape sorter as Harry helps him place shapes inside the correct holes. Momma is observing the babies with great love, and she is happy to see the family and friends all begin to file in from the hallway.

"Yassou" she says arms spread " kalá Christoúgenna"

"Merry Christmas" Allie says hugging her "we bought food" she says with a smile "and lots of it" she promises.

Momma looks like she may cry "thank you Allie... thanks to all of you" she says voice cracking with emotion. "You know I always make a feast. I just couldn't get myself to do it yesterday... I feel too lost without Christos" she reveals and we all feel that tug as she says it, knowing how pained she is without him.

The front door opens, and I kid you not, every Nomikos sibling shot to that door in two seconds flat. Our children were all left in our wake as we grabbed Calliope by the arm and marched her straight back out onto the porch, Willa racing up behind us and shutting the door.

"Calliope" Demi says with a large smile.

Callie looks incredible, her skin is glowing, her lips are pinked, her cheeks are rosy, her dark unruly curls are beautiful and glossy.

"Is it me sisters, or does our Calliope have a glow about her" Demi observes.

We all walk around her slowly like she's an exotic animal, and admire the glow.

"Callie" I ask softly "did you and Luke... reconnect" I ask.

Thea holds up her finger and pushes it through the hole she has created with her other hand, moving it in and out with a wink.

I frown and push her hand down "vulgar Thea" I comment and she rolls her eyes at me.

Callie's lips lift into a smile I have not seen in a long time. "Luke and I" she begins and Willa is on tender hooks beside her.

"yes" Demi asks.

She sighs "we are together" she confesses.

The entire porch explodes into a chorus of Greek expletives, loud and unapologetic applause and if we could have thrown Calliope a parade, we would have done.

I grab Callies cheeks and kiss them "I'm so happy for you Cal"

She hugs me "thanks menace" she whispers back "and hey kalá Christoúgenna" she says as we all surround her with a group hug.

"To five and Calliope" Demi calls out.

Willa points at her "Demi it's Luke... let's practice that before his Nomikos baptism by fire"

Demi nods "okay Luke" she says playfully.

Momma opens the front door "Calliope, finally, where have you been" she asks bringing her into her arms "and what was that eruption?"

"Which eruption do you mean momma" Thea asks "there's been quite a few I should think recently" she says looking to Callie mischievously.

I grab Thea and roll my eyes pushing her back into the house as she begins to sing sexual healing by Marvin Gaye. "Baaaby I'm hot just like an oven"

I place my hand over her mouth ending the serenade prematurely "Let's go gang" I say "I haven't opened a single thing yet" I realise with horror and we filter back inside for the traditional Nomikos chaos.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]