Wait, Christmas… Today was Christmas!!!
She could do whatever she wanted!
"Merry Christmas!" Miranda screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping for at least a reaction, but the house stayed quiet around her.
Oh no, it could only mean that everyone was fast asleep.
Didn't they know it was Christmas?!
Miranda scrambled out of bed and yelped when her feet touched the cold floor. She quickly rolled on her stockings and raced out of her room.
The twins’ room was directly across from hers, so she went there first. She wasn't exactly subtle — there was no need for that — the two logs in bed barely stirred at the slam of the door, not even moving even though she was clapping her hands loudly in their faces.
She made a quick decision and jumped into bed, on top of the both. The shrieks that greeted her action was completely satisfying.
"Whaaaat!" the two of them shrieked, jolting awake.
"Wake up, it’s Christmas!" she shouted at her thirteen year old sisters with their mop of strangled hair as they glared at her from sleepy eyes.
Impressive...not.
"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” the twins chorused as they jumped out of bed and headed straight for the kitchen.
Of course, they would be hungry — both of the twins thought about nothing except food and maybe how to torture their little brother.
Speaking of her little brother, Miranda walked to his room, opened the door and automatically awed at the image.
His bed was wide, but all his toys took the bulk of the space while he just perched on the edge wrapped like a sausage with his brown curls tangled all over the bed.
He looked so adorable and for one second peaceful. It was a lie. The twins gave him hell, but he gave as good as he got right back, sometimes even worse.
“Wake up, Dylan, it's Christmas," she called cheerily at her ten year old sibling.
"Go away," the sausage bundle said and snuggled his blanket closer.
Miranda scooped him off the bed and shook him awake until he was staring at her, knuckling his bleary eyes.
"It's Christmas, Dee Dee," she teased.
"Sleeping!" he replied.
"You want the twins to get your presents?"
That woke him right up.
"No!" he exclaimed as he disentangled himself from the blanket and her hold. He snatched up his favorite action figure from the pile on the bed and raced out of the room in hot pursuit of the twins.
Miranda smiled and headed for the nursery. This time she was quiet as she tiptoed to the bassinet. Miranda glanced at the empty bassinet and knew her parents must have had baby Kayla with them.
She turned out of the room and headed for theirs, hesitating at the door.
She knocked loudly before shouting, "I'm coming in!”
She remembered the last time she had barged in — the image in her head burned into her retina, scarring her for life. She would never go in before knocking and announcing herself.
The laughter that erupted as she opened the door told her that it was a close save this time too.
"Seriously? I hope you know the baby can see you!"
