Mimi's Merry Christmas!
Hi, everyone!
It's Christmas morning! And as promised, here is the Hermione's ABCs Christmas Spectacular interlude, "Mimi's Merry Christmas"! Enjoy, and expect Chapter 40 at...some point...>_>
Merry Christmas!
"Oh, Simon, can you believe it's Christmas Eve?!" Mimi asked excitedly as snow fell past their window. Bluewater Village was having a lovely white Christmas this year, which made Mimi all the more excited.
"The year went by so fast," Simon remarked.
"But I'm so glad it's Christmas!" Mimi said, refusing to let anything damper her holiday spirit.
"I mean, I love the season and all, but this Christmas is going to be extra-special!" Mimi said, smiling. "I made a great dinner, and Knoxie's coming home from La Fiesta, and everything's going to be perfect!"
"I just hope Knox has been behaving himself." Simon sighed. "I worry about him. He's a lot like you, and while that's all fine and dandy, he could really get himself in trouble if he doesn't stay in line."
Simon wasn't exactly approving of his son's choice of aspiration. Knox was a Romance Sim, and to Simon the gap between his own aspiration of Pleasure and his son's was far wider than should be expected.
"You worry too much," Mimi said wisely. "He's got a good head on his shoulders, he's my little smarticle!"
"You spoil him," Simon laughed, shaking his head.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
Knox's cab from La Fiesta Tech pulled away into the frosty air. Knox was just as excited as his mother. He'd grown up with snowy winters and a good amount of white Christmases. One of the reasons he'd come home instead of stayed with his cousins was that he missed the snow of Bluewater.
Mimi rushed to open the door for her only child.
"Knoxie! Merry Christmas, sweetie!" she said, immediately engulfing him in a hug.
"Hey, Mom. Merry Christmas!" Knox said, hugging his mother. Being home again was nice. Living with his cousins at college was fun, but there was nothing like home sweet home.
"Welcome home, Knox! You've been good, right?" Simon asked, greeting his son.
"Yes, Dad," Knox said exasperatedly, rolling his eyes. "I have not yet caused the destruction of the universe, I promise."
"He got the snark from you," Mimi giggled. They all laughed and Simon hugged Knox as well.
"It's a parent's job to worry," he said, a tad defensively.
"So Mom's not a parent anymore?" Knox grinned.
"She is so, and she's made a fine meal for us tonight." Simon said.
With that, the little family hurried to their Christmas Eve feast.
Mimi carried in the turkey to her husband and son, smiling. It had come out great. It was a shame she didn't work in the culinary field anymore, she wished she could share this.
"So, Knoxie, what have you been up to?" Mimi asked. "How's everyone?"
"We're doing good." Knox smiled. "I've been studying hard. I picked Philosophy as my major, like you."
"Ooh, that's great! I remember I used to make Harry do all my papers." Mimi laughed.
"Don't give him any ideas," Simon said worriedly.
"Dad, cut it out," Knox groaned. Simon had a tendency to talk about Knox when he was still in the room, and it was rather irking.
Skillfully changing the subject, Mimi asked, "Have you met anyone nice, Knoxie?"
"Me and Ignotus have been getting along really well, actually." Knox said. He'd become best friends with all his cousins at college, but he and Ig had really clicked.
"Any girlfriends?" Simon asked bluntly.
"Uhh..."
"Simon..." Mimi said softly. This wasn't what she wanted them to talk about over Christmas dinner.
"Look, Knoxie, if you have or haven't, I think you're old enough to know how to handle yourself." Mimi said kindly. To Simon she added, "He'll tell us when he's ready, okay?"
Simon nodded apologetically.
To tell the truth, Knox did have a girlfriend, he supposed. The occupants of MiniHouse were quite well off because there were so many of them, and they'd hired a maid. Her name was Kaylynn, and Knox had gone out with her a few times. Knox wasn't much of a Romance Sim, she was the only girl he'd been with since going to college.
But Kaylynn was a Family Sim. Wouldn't she want him to change? He just didn't know if they would work out.
Knox was fairly certain he wouldn't mind getting married; he was terrified of being alone. But what if he did marry Kaylynn, and then he met someone who he liked more? He didn't want to be tied down like that. It was all so confusing. He had to be sure. But he didn't know how to know he was sure.
Dinner ended without any further awkwardness.
"C'mon, Knoxie, we have to hurry to get to sleep! If we don't, Santa won't come!" Mimi said, her eyes alight.
Knox gave her an odd look. "Mom, you do realize I'm grown up now? You don't have to do the whole Santa thing anymore."
"What Santa thing?" Mimi asked, puzzled.
Knox laughed. "Okay, okay, I'll play along."
"Play along?" Mimi asked. She was severely confused now.
"I know Santa's not real, Mom."
"Who told you that?" Mimi wondered.
Knox rolled his eyes. "Never mind, Mom. Let's just get some sleep."
Mimi brightened. "Okay! Your room's still up there. I made the bed."
"Really?" Knox said.
The family changed into their pajamas and Mimi kissed Knox good night.
"Sleep tight, or else Santa won't come," she told him, smiling.
Knox ignored this and said, "I can't believe you left my room after all this time."
"Well, what else was I going to do with it?" Mimi laughed. "Good night, sweetie pie."
The family slept as the snow fell gently over Bluewater Village, forming a sparkling blanket of pure white on the ground.
Slowly the sun rose over the little town on Christmas morning, sending streaks of scarlet across the snow.
And early on Christmas morning, Mimi awoke like a little girl, excited beyond all belief.
Mimi flung open the door to Knox's room, yelling and carrying on.
"Knox! Knox! KNOX! Wake up, wake up, it's Christmas!" she yelled happily.
"Mom, it's too early," Knox groaned, woken up quite crudely.
"Mom, what time is it?" Knox mumbled.
"I waited as long as I could!" Mimi said defensively.
Knox glanced over at the clock. "Mom, it's six in the morning!"
"But it's Christmas! Santa came!" Mimi said happily.
"Mom! Geez, quit it with the Santa thing!" Knox cried. He was far from a morning person.
"I still don't know what you mean by 'Santa thing.' He comes to our house on Christmas Eve and leaves presents! Aren't you excited? I can't go look until everyone's awake!" Mimi said.
"Santa is not real!" Knox shouted. "I'm not a little kid! You don't have to pretend!"
"I'm not pretending!" Mimi insisted.
Simon came in and said, "What's with all the yelling?"
"Dad! Back me up here. Santa's not real, right?" Knox said, relieved.
"Of course Santa's real. Don't yell at your mother." Simon said.
"What?!" Knox yelled.
Simon turned to Mimi. "Mimi, dear, why don't you go ahead and see the presents?"
"Okay!" Mimi said brightly, dashing off downstairs.
"Dad, why is Mom pretending like this?" Knox asked.
"Look, Knox, don't spoil the mood. It's Christmas, it's her favorite holiday. Cheer up." Simon said, not addressing Knox's question.
Suddenly there was a great cheer from downstairs. Apparently Mimi was having a successful Christmas.
Simon went downstairs himself, leaving Knox bleary-eyed and mad.
"Hmph. Santa," Knox scoffed. He wondered why no one had ever told his mother Santa wasn't real. He just wanted to go back to sleep. But, with a resigned sigh, he went downstairs himself to find something unexpected.
In the dead of night, presents had appeared under the tree!
"What the--" Knox cried as his parents celebrated their Christmas haul.
"Lookie! So much great stuff! Hot chocolate maker, toy box, yay!" Mimi said excitedly.
"I don't get it, Mom." Knox said. "Santa isn't real. Where'd all these come from?"
"Oh, Knox." Mimi said sympathetically.
"Christmas is the most magical season of all. Not only because of the presents, no matter how nice they are. The magic comes from all of us being together. We're a family, Knoxie, and all I wanted for Christmas was for all of us to be happy together, celebrating the season."
"Christmas is more than wrappings and packages and boxes and bags. Even without all the nice things we have, it'd still be Christmas." Mimi said sweetly.
"You're right, Mom. But where'd the presents come from?" Knox asked.
"Well, sometimes magic just can't be explained." Mimi said, a twinkle in her eyes.
"Hey, wanna have a snowball fight?" Knox asked, choosing not to dwell on this any longer.
"Only if you wanna get a snowball in the face!" Mimi said, accepting the challenge readily.
"Hey, Mom, look! A reindeer!" Knox said.
"Oh no! Reindeer don't belong here!" Mimi said, falling for her son's ruse.
They had quite a fun time, with both mother and son having their seperate victories.
After the snowball fight, they decided to make snow angels.
Mimi licked up snowflakes as she lay there, legs and arms swooping back and forth, making the wings of her angel.
Knox remembered many Christmases before, playing in the snow and making snow angels. He used to be quite bad at it, but now he was skilled in the art of snow angel creation.
After the snow angels, Mimi and Knox decided to make a snowman as Simon shoveled the walk. He wasn't such a big fan of snow.
As they sculpted the snowman, Mimi said, "You know, it's okay if you don't want to get married."
Knox gave a start. "Are you trying to make this awkward?" he muttered.
"I'm just telling you. I didn't think I was going to get married until I met your dad. It's all about meeting the right person." she said, gathering more snow.
"But how do you know when you meet the right person?" Knox asked softly, sculpting as he spoke.
"You can feel it in your heart." Mimi said simply.
They finished their snowman.
"He looks mean." Mimi said.
"I like it." Knox said, grinning.
With that, Knox picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. He had to wish a certain someone merry Christmas.
"Hi, Kay." Knox said softly, as they both sat on a snowy bench. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Knox," she smiled. "Are you visiting with someone?"
"Yeah, my parents. I grew up here." Knox said.
"I didn't know it snowed out here. It's nice." Kaylynn said.
"It makes Christmas more...magical." Knox said, thinking of what Mimi had said.
"It really does. I'd love to live out here someday." Kaylynn said, looking around at the snow-covered landscape.
"Well, that can be arranged," Knox said after a minute, pulling her close.
She smiled at him, eyes alight with hope. "Really?" she asked.
He nodded with a grin.
It was a very merry Christmas indeed.
Merry Christmas to my readers, their families, and everyone. I really couldn't do all this and keep it up without your boundless support and your friendship. I love you guys, and I hope you find health and happiness this holiday and in the new year. :)
~June