Advent Day 2
Title: Saving the Surprise
Prompt: Knitting needles
Fandom: Original
Rating: G
Length: ~900 words
"Everybody for marshmallows?"
"Extra marshmallows!" Eloise announced excitedly. Grandpop winked before climbing the short set of stairs to the kitchen.
Nan resumed her knitting as Eloise rolled over a couple of times until she was a safe distance away from the blazing fire. She adjusted her colour book and crayons accordingly and returned to her colouring, the gentle snick of knitting needles a soothing background noise. A few minutes passed in relative silence until Eloise looked up, a questioning look on her face.
"When are mom and dad coming home?" she asked abruptly.
Brendan looked up, eyes moving from his sister to Nan, waiting for the answer expectantly.
"A couple more nights and they'll be home," Nan replied, never stilling her needles.
"Why did they have to go away at all?" Brendan asked. It was the first thing he'd said all evening.
"Because sometimes mommy's and daddy's need some time to themselves, and also because they were going to a conference and couldn't take you with them."
"But it's Christmas!" Eloise protested.
"I know dear."
Just in time, Grandpop came down the stairs with a tray in hand, four mugs and what appeared to be a plate of Nan's famous shortbread. "What's all the commotion down here?" he asked, placing the tray on the coffee table next to his newspaper.
"Just wondering when their parents are coming home. Obviously Nan and Grandpop aren't good enough company for these two."
"Nan!" Eloise said, horrified. She rose from her seat on the floor and gave Nan a tight squeeze around the neck. "Don't say things like that."
"Yeah, Nan," Brendan chimed in. "Ellie and me love staying with you and Grandpop."
"I know, dear. I'm just teasing. Come. Drink your hot chocolate and have some cookies and then it's time for bed."
"Can we watch a movie?" Eloise asked, taking a seat next to Grandpop on the dusty pink chesterfield with the yellow lilies. She snuggled in under his arm, spilling short bread crumbs across his knee as she sipped awkwardly at her drink.
"Oh, not tonight. It's too late for a movie. We'll plan better tomorrow night. How does that sound?"
Mugs empty and eyes beginning to droop, Nan and Grandpop marched tired feet upstairs to bed. Eloise snuffled quietly against her pillow as Nan pressed a kiss to her temple, tucking the blankets in tight beneath her chin. "Goodnight, sweetie." Down the hall, Grandpop did the same for Brendan. Brendan sighed, contented.
"Should we have said something?" Grandpop asked as he and Nan crept quietly down the stairs.
"Why ruin the surprise?" Nan said, picking up her knitting, Grandpop resuming his crossword puzzle.
In the morning, Eloise and Brendan stumbled blearily down the stairs. The kitchen was filled with the smell of cinnamon and sugar, fresh baked bread, and the fatty, salty smell of bacon on the griddle. Brendan's stomach growled and Eloise giggled. Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they hurried into the kitchen, only to stop short at the sight they found. Nan sat at the kitchen, knittle needles moving unceasingly in front of her, cup of coffee steaming on the table. Sat next to and across from her was mom and dad, looking tired but no more worse for wear.
"Mommy?"
"Good morning, baby," she said, opening her arms. Eloise rushed across the kitchen, falling into her mother's lap. Overcome with sudden emotion she began to cry.
"Nan said you wouldn't be home for two more days!"
"I know."
"Nan!"
Nan smiled enigmatically. "I didn't want to ruin the surprise."
Fat tears continued to roll down Eloise's cheeks in contrast to her smile.
"Don't I get a hug?" dad said.
Both Eloise and Brendan launched themselves into their father's arms. He hugged them tight before shamelessly wiggling his fingers into their sides. Even though Eloise was still sobbing slightly, she broke into a screeching laugh.
"Okay, okay," Grandpop broke in, characteristically serious. "Who's ready for breakfast?"
Plates piled high with bacon and pancakes and gooey sweet cinnamon buns, Eloise and Brendan ate voraciously, telling their parents all about the things they'd been doing with Nan and Grandpop. And all the while, Nan sat with her knitting, needles clicking together in their rhythmic snick-snick.
Prompt: Knitting needles
Fandom: Original
Rating: G
Length: ~900 words
"Everybody for marshmallows?"
"Extra marshmallows!" Eloise announced excitedly. Grandpop winked before climbing the short set of stairs to the kitchen.
Nan resumed her knitting as Eloise rolled over a couple of times until she was a safe distance away from the blazing fire. She adjusted her colour book and crayons accordingly and returned to her colouring, the gentle snick of knitting needles a soothing background noise. A few minutes passed in relative silence until Eloise looked up, a questioning look on her face.
"When are mom and dad coming home?" she asked abruptly.
Brendan looked up, eyes moving from his sister to Nan, waiting for the answer expectantly.
"A couple more nights and they'll be home," Nan replied, never stilling her needles.
"Why did they have to go away at all?" Brendan asked. It was the first thing he'd said all evening.
"Because sometimes mommy's and daddy's need some time to themselves, and also because they were going to a conference and couldn't take you with them."
"But it's Christmas!" Eloise protested.
"I know dear."
Just in time, Grandpop came down the stairs with a tray in hand, four mugs and what appeared to be a plate of Nan's famous shortbread. "What's all the commotion down here?" he asked, placing the tray on the coffee table next to his newspaper.
"Just wondering when their parents are coming home. Obviously Nan and Grandpop aren't good enough company for these two."
"Nan!" Eloise said, horrified. She rose from her seat on the floor and gave Nan a tight squeeze around the neck. "Don't say things like that."
"Yeah, Nan," Brendan chimed in. "Ellie and me love staying with you and Grandpop."
"I know, dear. I'm just teasing. Come. Drink your hot chocolate and have some cookies and then it's time for bed."
"Can we watch a movie?" Eloise asked, taking a seat next to Grandpop on the dusty pink chesterfield with the yellow lilies. She snuggled in under his arm, spilling short bread crumbs across his knee as she sipped awkwardly at her drink.
"Oh, not tonight. It's too late for a movie. We'll plan better tomorrow night. How does that sound?"
Mugs empty and eyes beginning to droop, Nan and Grandpop marched tired feet upstairs to bed. Eloise snuffled quietly against her pillow as Nan pressed a kiss to her temple, tucking the blankets in tight beneath her chin. "Goodnight, sweetie." Down the hall, Grandpop did the same for Brendan. Brendan sighed, contented.
"Should we have said something?" Grandpop asked as he and Nan crept quietly down the stairs.
"Why ruin the surprise?" Nan said, picking up her knitting, Grandpop resuming his crossword puzzle.
In the morning, Eloise and Brendan stumbled blearily down the stairs. The kitchen was filled with the smell of cinnamon and sugar, fresh baked bread, and the fatty, salty smell of bacon on the griddle. Brendan's stomach growled and Eloise giggled. Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they hurried into the kitchen, only to stop short at the sight they found. Nan sat at the kitchen, knittle needles moving unceasingly in front of her, cup of coffee steaming on the table. Sat next to and across from her was mom and dad, looking tired but no more worse for wear.
"Mommy?"
"Good morning, baby," she said, opening her arms. Eloise rushed across the kitchen, falling into her mother's lap. Overcome with sudden emotion she began to cry.
"Nan said you wouldn't be home for two more days!"
"I know."
"Nan!"
Nan smiled enigmatically. "I didn't want to ruin the surprise."
Fat tears continued to roll down Eloise's cheeks in contrast to her smile.
"Don't I get a hug?" dad said.
Both Eloise and Brendan launched themselves into their father's arms. He hugged them tight before shamelessly wiggling his fingers into their sides. Even though Eloise was still sobbing slightly, she broke into a screeching laugh.
"Okay, okay," Grandpop broke in, characteristically serious. "Who's ready for breakfast?"
Plates piled high with bacon and pancakes and gooey sweet cinnamon buns, Eloise and Brendan ate voraciously, telling their parents all about the things they'd been doing with Nan and Grandpop. And all the while, Nan sat with her knitting, needles clicking together in their rhythmic snick-snick.