Operation Christmas

                                    

                                          
Once Louis had fallen asleep Katie and I had dinner together. we quietly talked to each other in the lounge after we had washed and dried our dishes, careful not to wake up Louis. "You know, we really should put up the decorations. Nobody would know it was Christmas if they came over." Katie eyed the couple of boxes that stood neatly at the side of the room, to be unpacked. 
"Yeah we totally should, can you believe it's Christmas Eve tomorrow? I feel like December has flown by, in the blink of an eye." I agreed. "Hasn't it just? To be honest though, this whole year has flown by. It didn't start out the best for me, but I'm so happy with the end." Katie admitted. "Yeah? Why's that then?" I questioned, somewhat knowingly. "Oh, come on. Love you're smarter than that." Katie raises her eyebrows in mock indignation, I smirk. "Oh I think I know... I just wanna hear it, straight from the horses mouth." Katie licks her lips, taking a momentary pause before speaking again. "Well, at the start of the year, we hated each other. Now you're all mine and that is the best part of my whole year in 2024." Katie's tone was sincere and it was earnest. 
The juxtaposition between the person Katie is at home and the person Katie is to the rest of the world, is as clear as the day. The world knows Katie only as an Arsenal or Ireland player. They don't see the kind, selfless person who puts herself last to those she loves and cares about. The Katie I fell in love with, her true authentic self. 
"You know what, you're so damn perfect. Do you know that? At the start of the year I would never have imagined that you and I would even be on speaking terms, let alone moved in together and in love." I cuddle close to Katie, keeping my eyes on hers as I speak. "You amaze me everyday, you care so deeply, you've literally go out of your way to help me when the chips are down, especially with Louis. I couldn't be more grateful for everything you do. I'm so happy to have you in my life, I never want this to end. This journey, this life, this inherent, beautiful thing we've got.  I want it for as long as possible." I blink, taking in a breath. Katie smiles widely. "And I'd do it for the rest of my life, I'd be right here by your side. Loving you just as hard as I do now. Together, we're unstoppable. I couldn't be more in love with you, Lili Burns." Katie closed the small gap between us, her kiss light yet full of love. 
"Shall we head up to bed? Who knows what time the little fella will have us up." I nod. "I suppose it'll be sometime around the time the sun comes up." We get up from our cozy snuggled up places off the sofa and make our way to bed. Before heading to our room, we checked in on Louis, he looked so angelic as he slept. His brows a little furrowed, blanket still clutched in his hand though now sleeping in a totally different position than we had left him in. Katie and I share a look between us, neither of us daring to make a sound. A minute longer, adoring the sight of the seemingly resting baby boy Katie and I got into bed in our room. 
I was glad that we'd shred the idea of leaving our bedroom door open ajar, like we had with Louis's door. Katie and I had only been asleep for about an hour and a half before the screaming that came from Louis made us both sit bolt upright in bed. 
"Wha-." I rubbed my eyes tiredly before remembering Louis was here. "Louis." Lili and I said in unison, the panic coming to us as quickly as the confusion had. We both went into autopilot and headed to Louis. I watch as Lili gently lifts Louis out of the cot and tries to comfort him. "Katie his dummy, can you see it?" Lili asked as she gently bobs up and down on the spot with Louis, who's still distressed. "I can't see it. Wait let me put the lamp on." I put on the lamp and find the dummy. "I've got it." I grin tiredly, passing it straight to Louis. 
Louis sucks the dummy frantically, Lili rubs his back shushing him sweetly, he eventually drifts back off to sleep in her arms. "Poor boy." I frown. He's so little, delicate and innocent. Lili lays Louis down, she gently tucks his blanket back beside him and the other one over him, to keep him warm. We head back to bed in silence, even more tired than we were before we originally fell asleep. Of course this wasn't the only time we ended up getting up with Louis tonight, and that's ok. We both just wanted him to feel safe and comfortable. 
I was first to wake up - well, besides Louis anyway. Lili was snoring lightly, making me grin. Many times we'd debated over whether Lili snored or not, Lili would always firmly disagree with me when I said she did snore and it was cute. I mean, I get it all really. She talks in her sleep too, we often converse while Lili's asleep and the joy of it is she remembers none of it by morning. Sometimes we talk about the stupidest stuff, but I don't care. It's a comfort to me when I can't sleep, sometimes she has that tone of voice that gently lulls me to sleep. 
I gently get out of bed and put the covers back up so the cold can't get to Lili. I take a moment to take in her beauty, then gently make my way to Louis's room. "Good morning." I singsong in a whispered tone. Louis is sat in the cot his blanket corner rubbing on his nose with his little hand, in a way of self comfort. When he heard me, he looked up and blinked. For the first time his little eyes had a sparkle to them. Perhaps he was happy to see me, or maybe not me. Maybe he was just happy to know someone was there and he actually wasn't left all on his own. 
"It's a big day for us, baby boy. First though, I think we need some food. Toast and narna, cup of tea... we need the energy." I lift him out the cot and cuddle him briefly before balancing him on my hip.  "Oh don't worry little man, I know you're a bit little for tea... warm milk for the best boy, it is." Once I'd made my way to the kitchen with Louis, I sat him in the highchair and flicked the kettle on to make my tea. "One slice of toast, coming up." I smile, Louis sits quietly watching my every move. "And some narna to start." I finish up chopping the banana and place it on his highchair tray, Louis reaches for a piece and hums contentedly as he eats it. "That's it, eat up so you can grow big and strong." 
I finished making my tea and butter the toast for Louis, adding an ample amount of jam. I sit beside Louis at the table, nursing my mug of tea, eating a slice of toast for myself and Louis ate his. After Louis and I had finished, it was a nappy change and then time to introduce him to Christmas... well the decorations anyway. 
I pull down one of the boxes that were stacked and opened it up. I pulled out the little singing dog and the light up snowman, I'd purchased a year or so ago. My nice had particularly enjoyed watching the warm colours change on the snowman and loved the way the dog sang lots of different Christmas songs. Its little Christmas hat swaying as its head moved and she spent hours turning it back on. Come to think of it, I think Ella was quite taken with it too. I remember that Christmas I had to replace the batteries in it twice or was it thrice? Either way, loads of batteries were used.  
I put the batteries inside the snowman and then the dog and turned them on for Louis to see. Louis eyes went big he looked at me and then reached out for the snowman, he watched as the colours changed and kicked out his little feet. I swear I felt my heart melt. While Louis seemed happy enough with his newfound toys for the next hour I made a start on decorating, putting tinsel and Christmas door wreathes and ornaments around the places I normally display them.  I smile to myself every time I look over to Louis, I knew the musical dog and the snowman would be a hit with him. 
Lili didn't come down till around 10:30am, although thankful for a lie in she made it known that I should have got her up too.  Of course I never would've, I know she'd let me nap later in return. "It's fine. Just return the favour later when I fancy a nap yeah?" I kiss her lips. "Besides, he's loving the Christmas musical, light up stuff." I grin. "He does. I think this is the most animated he's been since he arrived, I mean minus the scream fest multiple times last night." Lili agreed leaning into my embrace. 
"Right then, I'm gonna make you coffee and some toast. Then you can join operation Christmas with me and Lou." I say. "Lou?" Lili raised a brow. "Yeah, you know... little baby boy, living with us in our house. Barely cries, but the earth ends if that blanket of his is out of sight." I explained pointing over at Louis. "You're such an idiot, I know who he is. I just didn't expect you to have already given him a nickname." She shrugged. "Well I'm sure he won't mind... anyway, coffee and breakfast. You're not getting out of helping with the rest of the stuff." I wink going to the kitchen leaving Lili and Louis to play together. "Like I would." I hear her call after me. I laugh gently preparing her mug and slotting the bread into the toaster. 
Our first Christmas together... with a baby, who technically isn't ours, but in a sense is. God could you imagine the Christmases we'll have as a little family. I'd so love that, Lili would be such a good Mum. This year though, this year's focus is solely on Louis. It's probably his first proper experience of Christmas where he's mobile and able to explore all the different parts of Christmas. I'm so excited. 
A/n- IM SO DAMN LATE IM SORRY. 
THE NEXT CHAPTER IS STILL COMING, I AIM TO HAVE IT UP BY 9:30pm (UK TIME).