100 The greatest gift of all
Word Soap: As The World Keeps Turning
Author: SYLnl
Title: #100 The greatest gift of all
Rating: PG
Summary: “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.” - Linda Creed
Big Thanks To: ltklo, for brushing up my grammar
Author's Note: As you can see, this is my 100th chapter. Quite a milestone! To celebrate, I would love as many comments as possible today. I will gather them and give them a spot on the soap's website (www.sylicious.com).
And if this soap touches you, please share this link as much as possible. Just today. Because it’s an anniversary! Thanks!!!!
Previously on As The World Keeps Turning:
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20
#21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 #36 #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43 #44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50 #51 #52 #53 #54 #55 #56 #57 #58 #59 #60 #61 #62 #63 #64 #65 #66 #67 #68 #69 #70 #71 #72 #73 #74 #75 #76 #77 #78 #79 #80 #81 #82 #83 #84 #85 #86 #87 #88 #89 #90 #91 #92 #93 #94 #95 #96 #97 #98
#99
So this is Christmas.
While his fingers were enjoying the feel of Luke’s locks, Reid allowed himself to be flooded with memories. Good memories. He smiled. Very good memories.
Luke muttered something in his sleep and Reid gave him a soft kiss on the temple. How he loved this man. His man. His strong, loving, responsible and wise man who had turned into a twelve year old on Christmas morning.
Reid almost chuckled out loud, thinking about it.
After their very successful and enjoyable Eve party, Luke had opened a closet and several presents had found their way under the tree. Reid’s focus had been especially on the long round case with his name on it. Literally. He had been harassing Luke over the possible content.
Golf clubs, so he could play with other kind of balls for a change?
Bow and arrow, to shoot down hysterical nurses?
A week’s supply of condoms?
Luke had had a fit of laughter that had made the blond cry. He had not been talkative though, at least not about the content. He had told Reid how much he loved him, how grateful he was for their life together and how he had been looking forward to a four this whole evening. So Reid had made the best of a bad bargain and had shelved the whole present discussion while Luke had pulled him into the bedroom.
He had returned to the subject when they were both enjoying the afterglow, however.
“A really big candle, because I’m the light of your life?”
“What?” Luke’s eyes had still looked dazed and Reid had grinned. Wickedly.
“My present.”
“Shut up,” Luke had slapped him on the chest, “or I will get up, remove your present and store it for next year.”
“Pfff,” Reid had snorted. “You’re not able to get up...”
When Luke had moved to the edge of the bed, Reid had pulled him back. Laughing out loud.
“Okay okay. I’ll shut up about it. But I’m not telling you about my gift either.”
Luke had sat on this knees next to him. All shiny.
“You got me another gift?”
“Yeah. I know this four was pretty awesome, but…”
Luke had slapped him again.
“You already surprised me with the lights,” Luke explained and Reid had smiled.
“Oh that… yeah, you’re right. You already got my gift. I’ll store this one for next year, then,” Reid had teased and Luke had laughed that beautiful, light, carefree laugh.
“No you won’t,” he had been pretty sure about that. “But I haven’t seen you put anything under the tree…”
“That’s because I haven’t put anything under the tree yet,” Reid had confirmed and Luke had pillowed his head on Reid’s chest, letting his hand stroll over the muscles in Reid’s arm.
“Is it that big?” He had asked on a soft and very seductive way.
“Nope.”
“Is it that heavy?”
“Nope.”
“Reid…”
“What?”
“One hint?”
“Okay.” Reid had taken a deep breath and Luke had smiled at him. “It’s great. There. I’ve said it.”
Luke had chuckled, accepting defeat. “I’ll find out tomorrow morning.”
“If you’re lucky,” Reid had grinned and after one last, long, lazy kiss Luke had fallen asleep.
The next morning had started with Luke’s teachings and their son as an eager student.
“There’s only one right way to wake up your parents on Christmas morning,” Reid had heard Luke explain outside their bedroom. The whispering had made him suspicious and not without reason. Before he’d realized what happened, Luke and Danny had climbed onto the bed and had been jumping around, yelling “It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas!”
Reid had laughed out loud, shaking his head.
“So?” He’d asked as grumpy as possible - totally implausible after his earlier peals of laughter - “What’s that to me? I don’t do Christmas. Humbug!”
But Danny had been trained by a pro. Still jumping up and down on the bed, he had shouted: “Then you don’t get a present!”
But Reid had. Right then and there. On an impulse he had grabbed Danny’s leg and made him fall on the bed, starting a tickle match. Totally forgetting about the boy’s issues and past. When he had heard Luke holding his breath, he had realized the risk he was taking, but then Danny had roared with laughter. This time the “no no no no” sounded playful and when Reid had picked him up and held him above his head, he had only seen pure fun. Best gift ever.
After a quick breakfast they had gathered around the tree and Luke’s eyes had gleamed when he had noticed a golden envelope concealed between a few branches. His curiosity had been visible, but he had managed to focus on Danny’s fun. The-boy-without-a-wish-list got a lot of stuff he didn’t know he’d wanted until he had it. With his arms around a huge stuffed pony surrounded by a big pile of toys he had looked absolutely blissful.
“Thank you so much…” after some hesitation he had walked over to the fathers on the couch and had shyly given each of them a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re welcome,” they both had whispered, moved and grateful.
To lighten the mood, Luke had clapped his hands.
“Can I get my present now?”
Reid had laughed. Willingly. “Sure. But there’s a story attached to it.”
“Of course there is,” Luke had smiled, returning to the couch with the envelope. He knew by now Reid didn’t care for presents without a thought behind it.
“Do you want to share that story first?”
“Nope, you open it up and I will explain.”
Luke had pulled out a card. At first glance it looked like a Valentine’s card.
“I’d love to spend my life with you,” Luke had read out loud and continued after opening the card, “if I could only find the time…”
Luke had frowned and had then started reading Reid’s scribble. “We’re in this together, Looker.” Luke had smiled. He loved that pet name. “So I’m delegating too. And I’ll be home till January 10th.”
“What?” Luke’s whisper had reached Reid’s heart and he had cleared his throat.
“Well, that’s the story attached to it. After Danny walked into our lives,” Reid had smiled at the boy, “you’re the one making all the adjustments and that didn’t sit right with me. As I wrote on the card, we’re in this together. So I started thinking about ways to lessen my workload. And a few days ago Doogie Hughes stepped into my office.”
Luke had been hanging on every word. “What did he want?”
“He wanted to speak to me about starting part time and for some reason we actually talked. He told me about Matt’s mother and the things he had been discovering about himself and I told him about Danny…and there was actually some sort of…I don’t know… connection?”
Luke had looked as surprised as Reid had felt during that conversation.
“And before I knew it, I told him about my wish to diminish my responsibilities and he asked me what part I wanted to drop the most and that was a no-brainer.”
“The board meetings,” Luke had guessed.
“The board meetings,” Reid had confirmed. “And then Doogie admitted to me he liked that stuff. Apparently he’d had a trial run, a few years ago, and he had actually enjoyed that part of it. He told me he realized he lacked the vision and the leadership to steer Memorial to new heights and he basically told me I was a much better man for that job. But he was more than willing to help out with the board stuff.”
“I can’t believe this,” Luke had chuckled. “Are you seriously telling me that you’re gonna share this job with Chris?”
“Nooooo,” Reid had pulled a face. “There’s one captain and that’s me. I will set the course and Doogie can go and sell it to the board…”
“I’d never thought I would say this, but it sounds like a good deal.”
“Exactly. That’s what I felt. And after we came to an understanding, I notified Gwen and asked her to clear my schedule until January 10th, so I can spend some time with my family. And it will give you some space to do your own thing.”
Luke had been all over him and after a intense kiss - that had made Danny giggle - he had made his way to the tree again and had picked up the - now - lonely case. He had handed it to Reid and he had cleared the coffee table. That had been a major hint, somehow, and Reid had slowly nodded when he unwrapped the contraption and opened it up. As he had suspected a ground plan came out and it had shown their property.
“Okay, Looker…” Reid had rubbed his hands together, “what am I looking at?”
“First let me tell you… if there is anything on here you don’t like…it can be altered.” Luke’s hand had strolled over the paper, but he had waited with his explanation until Danny had found a place on Reid’s lap so he could watch it too.
“This is our house. I didn’t make any plans for that. This…” Luke had pointed at the area on the edge of their grounds, “is as far from the main building as we can get, so I was planning a little present for myself over there…”
“The barn,” Reid had nodded and Luke had smiled.
“Still okay with that?”
“Totally.”
“Great. Over here…” Luke’s finger had moved to the right, “…are currently two outbuildings. One is very solid, the other isn’t. Plans are to turn the solid one into a guesthouse and to demolish the current shed and replace it with another guesthouse.”
Reid had looked up and Luke had shrugged. “I do have a large family and your selected family is growing too…can’t hurt to have space to put them up.”
“Makes sense to me,” Reid had agreed.
“And here…” Luke’s finger tapped on the left of the paper, near the house, “I’ve planned our pool house.”
“Pool house?” Reid had first made a swimming motion, followed by a billiards movement and Luke had grinned, mirroring the swimming.
“Ah, that’s a great idea,” Reid had nodded.
“It will also house a sauna, a fitness area, a small movie theater and a bar.”
“Wow,” Reid had been genuinely impressed. “Now I understand the need for two guesthouses… nobody will ever leave!”
They had all laughed and Reid had kissed Luke firmly. “I love it. When do they start?”
“The minute I tell them to,” Luke had grinned. “All permits are in. Putting up a barn isn’t that big of a deal, even when it’s freezing, and they can start with that first guesthouse whenever they want. That’s all indoors.”
“Do we get horses?” Danny had asked, his eyes on the drawing.
“That’s the plan,” Luke had nodded and the boy had bounced on Reid’s lap.
“Can you teach me how to ride?”
Luke had noticed Reid’s contemplative look, so he hadn’t made any promises.
“We’ll see about that. First step is to feel comfortable around the horses.”
Danny had nodded. Reid’s look hadn’t gone unnoticed by the boy either and he had nestled himself against Reid’s chest. He had smiled when he had felt Reid’s kiss on his hair.
Then the boy obviously realized something that made him sad. Almost in tears, even.
“Hey buddy, what’s up?” Luke had shaken the small leg to get his attention, but Danny had lowered his head.
“I don’t have any presents for you.”
“Are you kidding me?” Luke had tilted the boy’s head, making Danny look at him.
“You’re the greatest gift of all!”
“I am?” Danny’s sadness had disappeared like snow in summer as he had looked at both nodding men. His face had been pure sunshine and it had made Luke grab his phone again.
“Yep,” Reid confirmed after looking at the picture Luke just made, “No competition. Greatest gift of all.”
