[Shout out to Arka B, Herson B, Toros S, Chris A, Mariano R, Bast Z, Roberto Morse D, Lochemage, Kenura P, JSC, Britanna, Sulaik Ullah, Shadow, Gold Demon and Mandy G!]
I yawned after a short nap. The Christmas Eve party was exhausting, it ended around 3 am. We obviously didn't get enough sleep.
Sophia and Roman didn't even make it to midnight to greet Christmas. They fell asleep quickly after eating a delicious meal. Unlike them, Penelope and I stayed up all night to join the party. Of course, we didn't want to be called party poopers, so my wife made sure I didn't touch any alcohol.
Penelope knew the consequences if I got drunk.
I weakly stretched my body after a soft moan. I tell you, there's something good about stretching in the morning. I feel like every fiber in my body is invigorated.
As I expected, everyone was still asleep except me. Penelope had her head on my shoulder and her arm on my chest like I was a pillow.
Luckily, my right hand was free and I easily grabbed my phone. I checked the time and noticed that it was already 8 am... So we basically slept for five hours, I guess.
I was still yawning and I felt like I didn't have the will to get up. So I closed my eyes again and hugged my wife.
She mumbled in her sleep as I put my arms around her. She smells good and her body is soft. How can a person be so fragile and soft?
We stayed for a few minutes when a sound came from outside.
"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle all the way~"
"Oh, what fun it is to ride"
"In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!"
The neighborhood children began to sing Christmas carols outside the house.
Penelope started to wake up from the noise. She looked at me and smiled weakly.
We greeted each other. Her face was so close to mine that she licked her lips and then... pushed me away.
"Looks like the children are singing."
She got up and looked out the window. She saw children in their brand new clothes. Clanging homemade musical instruments.
"Merry Christmas, kids!"
We heard the door open and Corazon greeted the children. It seemed that she had given the children Christmas gifts because they thanked her excitedly.
"Thank you, Grandma Corazon! Merry Christmas!"
"Come on, let's go to the next house!"
The children in this village knew each other. There were only about 50 houses in the village, and each one was some distance from the next.
Corazon laughed heartily and decided to open the door. A few minutes later, I heard movement in the house.
Because of the Christmas carols, the other families realized that it was already morning.
"Mom... I want to eat cake."
I almost laughed when I heard his answer. It seemed that Roman had fallen in love with Black Forest cake last night.
"Oh sweetie, we will buy it when we get back to town. Don't worry, we'll stay until the new year and you'll have time to eat it again."
She approached her son and wiped the dirt from his eyes. By the way, what do you call the accumulated fluid around the eyes after a good night's sleep, is it eye goo or sleepy dust?
Roman was easily reconciled.
"I promised Billy and the others that I will go with them today. We will sing Christmas carols to each house to earn money."
Here in the Philippines, children are given money every Christmas. They can casually sing in front of a stranger's house and receive money.
Christmas was an important part of their lives because they will receive a lot of money to buy toys.
I remember when I was a child, I asked my uncle for a Christmas present and he gave me a remote control car... Now that I think about it, it's kind of cheap considering that Uncle owns a tire company and repair shops.
I should have asked for a remote control helicopter toy.
Hell, if I asked, maybe he would give me a real car.
I was the youngest child in the family, and both my grandparents loved me. Maybe that is why I grew up as an arrogant, spoiled person.
I understood it very well.
Roman wiped off his sweat, changed his clothes, and excitedly ate the rest of the food.
"Roman, make sure you stay with your cousins. They know this place better than you do. And don't go into the field, sometimes there are snakes there."
Snakes? I'm afraid of snakes!
Roman nodded seriously. He knew that his mother would be angry if she found out that Roman didn't follow her orders. Especially going into the fields... I don't like snakes at all.
I can deal with rats and insects, but snakes are different. Let's hope this isn't a foreshadowing, because damn it.
Roman's cousins knocked on the door asking for Roman. Our son greeted them with a Merry Christmas and followed them out of the house.
"Roman, remember what I told you. Stay with your cousins."
He waved his hand and walked off with his cousins.
"Do you want some coffee, honey? I'll come down and make you some coffee if you want."
"Thanks honey, I like it black," I replied.
"I don't know how you can like something so bitter." She frowned.
"Hey, who drank coffee rice last time? I think it's more bitter and tasteless." I chuckled.
"I'll get you some bread too. I think there's some leftover bread in the kitchen."
"It's in the closet."
It was Christmas, and the children were having the best day of their lives. As for us adults, this was our day of rest. Especially after a night of partying.
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