The Greatest Christmas Gift

“Good morning.” Abrielle’s boyfriend’s face was inches away from hers.

“Morning,” Abrielle yawned. “You’re too close, Niall.”

“Oops. Sorry.” Niall backed away as Abrielle sat up. “I was just too excited.”

“Oh, right. It’s Christmas Eve.” Abrielle loved this time of year, mainly because Niall loved this time of year. 

“I got this for you.” He handed her a small silver box tied with a wide periwinkle blue ribbon and bow.

“Are we doing presents this early?” 

“Yes. And spoiler alert, there’s going to be more presents for you to open throughout the day.”

“But I only got you one present.” Abrielle’s spirits fell.

“That’s okay. This year is special.” Abrielle saw sparkles in his brown eyes. “I want to give you lots of presents, but I’m saving the best for last.” 

“O...kay.” Abrielle opened the box. It was a silver watch with diamonds along the edges of the face. “Wow, Niall! I wasn’t expecting this!”

“What do you mean? I saw you eying this exact watch on almost every webpage you visit!” Niall laughed.

“Damn Internet cookies. But I was planning on getting this myself. It’s… it’s too much.”

“Nonsense. Nothing is too much for you, Abrielle.” He smiled at her. “Brunch starts in a few hours. I’ll get the waffles ready. We’ll leave as soon as I’m done.”

“Yes. Your family’s Christmas Eve brunch. I always look forward to your sister’s chocolate chip muffins. She makes them so soft and moist. I could never get mine to be like hers.”

“She’s fiercely secretive about it. Maybe one day, you’ll crack her.” 

~ ~ ~

“Niall! Abrielle!” Niall’s mother greeted them at the front door. “On time as always!” 

“I’m not Jamie. She’s always the late one.” Niall gave his mother a hug.

“Well, she has four kids. It’s tough wrangling them all. It was a handful with just the two of you! I couldn’t imagine doing everything with double the workload I had.”

“I know, I was just kidding. I love Jamie and her family.” 

“Hello, Merry Christmas.” Abrielle gave Niall’s mother a hug.

“Merry Christmas, Abrielle.” Abrielle and Niall followed his mother into the kitchen where most of the food was already set up. An hour and a half later, Niall’s sister’s family showed up.

“Uncle Niall, Uncle Niall!” Jamie’s two young boys tackled him to the ground.

“Hello, boys! Good to see you too!” Niall laughed. 

“It was amazing we’re not that late,” Jamie said. “The kids just didn’t want to change out of their pajamas.”

“It’s all fine, Jamie.” Abrielle gave her a hug. “We wouldn’t start brunch without you or your family.”

They all gathered in the dining room and had their traditional Christmas Eve brunch. Abrielle loved being a part of Niall’s family, who were all so warm and welcoming. She couldn’t imagine spending a day with better people. Except maybe her own family, of course.

“I have something for you,” Niall whispered into Abrielle’s ear. Brunch was over and the family dispersed around the house, letting their food settle in their bellies.

“What could it possibly be?” Abrielle asked playfully.

“Open it and find out.” He handed her a red envelope with her name on it and a box wrapped in purple metallic wrapping paper.

Inside the envelope was a card, featuring a snowman and a Christmas tree on the front . She opened the card and saw a voucher for a three-day yoga retreat during the second week of January for the pair of them at a tropical location.

“This is so sweet!” Abrielle looked up at him.

“I know you’re feeling a bit stressed lately because of work. After the holidays, we’ll take a relaxing vacation.”

“You are the sweetest man on earth!” 

“While we won’t be using the yoga voucher anytime soon, I believe the next item we would be using immediately.”

“What is it?” Abrielle opened the purple gift revealing a new pair of soft red mittens with her initials embroidered on them. “I needed these!”

“I know. Your other pair was getting a bit old. These will definitely keep you warm when we go ice skating later.”

“How thoughtful. And timely.” Abrielle gave Niall a hug. “Best Christmas ever.”

“The day is still young dear Abrielle,” Niall laughed. 

Abrielle and Niall spent the rest of the day with Niall’s family. They went to the skating rink, where Abrielle danced and skated with Niall’s nieces. 

“You’re the best, Auntie Abri!” Saige, one of Niall’s nieces, said.

“No, you’re the best!” Abrielle insisted. They drank hot chocolate and enjoyed an outing at the local park. Abrielle and Niall helped his nieces and nephews build a gigantic snowman with a carrot for a nose.

After a quick and simple dinner back at Niall’s parents’ house, it was time to leave. Abrielle and Niall said goodbye to their family, promising to stop by tomorrow.

“Today was good,” Abrielle said. “I love your family.”

“I’m glad. Because I think they love you too. Almost as much as I do.”

“I told my mom we would be at her house at five for Christmas dinner. Is that okay?”

“Absolutely. I already got the casserole ready for Christmas dinner with your family. We’ll just heat it up before we leave.”

“Sounds good.” Abrielle and Niall sang along to the Christmas songs on the radio as they drove home.

Back at their apartment, they settled in for their annual tradition of watching their favorite Christmas-themed horror movie, Elves of Evil. They went to see it on their first date and always watched it on Christmas Eve. It was their special time together. 

“I got the popcorn, why don’t you set up the movie?” Niall told Abrielle.

“Okay. You know I love lots of butter on my popcorn,” Abrielle said.

“Yes, of course. It will be ready in a few minutes.”

In a few minutes, the both of them were settled on their couch with big buckets of buttered popcorn and candy surrounding them. Abrielle snuggled next to Niall.

“Ready?” She asked him, her finger hovering over the play button.

“I have something to give you first.” Niall gave her a red box with a silver bow on top.

“More presents?” Abrielle asked.

“Yep.” Abrielle opened the box and a glittering crystal mouse stared back at her.

“It’s beautiful!” Abrielle carefully took out the mouse. Even in the dim lighting, it sparkled like a star.

“I think it will fit in nicely with your collection,” Niall said.

“It’s perfect.” Abrielle set the mouse down on the coffee table. She hit play and they watched Elves of Evil.

They laughed and they cried. They mostly cried due to laughing so much. It was nearly midnight when the movie was over.

“Alright. Time for bed.” Abrielle yawned. “Big day tomorrow.”

“I have one last thing for you,” Niall said a bit nervously.

“Niall, what is it?”

“It’s something that I’ve been thinking about giving you for awhile now,” he said. “We’ve talked about it and I think it’s time.”

“Niall…”

“Can you remind me what presents you received today?” Abrielle thought it was an odd question, but she answered it.

“Watch. Yoga retreat. Mittens. Mouse.”

“W, Y, M, M. Hmm, I wonder what those letters could stand for.”

“WYMM?” Abrielle racked her brain. “I don’t think those letters stand for anything.”

“Oh, they do stand for something. In fact, they stand for the greatest thing in the world.” Niall took out a small black velvet box from his pocket.

“Niall!” Abrielle said in shock.

“You see, Abrielle, W.Y.M.M. stands for Will You Marry Me?” Niall opened the box with a diamond ring inside.

“Niall!” Abrielle couldn’t stop staring at his face. It was a beautiful face paired with an even more beautiful heart. She couldn’t imagine not being with such a beautiful person.

“Abrielle?” 

“Did you know that Y stands for something else?”

“What?”

“Yes, I will marry you!” Niall put the ring on her finger. She could barely look at it without crying.

“I love you, so much.” Niall kissed her.

“I love you too.” There was no other place Abrielle wanted to be at that moment, than with Niall. For the rest of her life, she would never be anywhere else.

“Do you want to open your present, now?” Abrielle asked him. “It’s technically Christmas.”

“I already have my present.” Niall pulled her in close. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever received.”