Oh Krismas Tree

December 2022,
    
“Mom…” Abby groaned her face flustered as she fumbled through the boxes of ornaments.
“What?” Lisa asked as she placed a red glass bobble atop a branch of their Frasier bulu Krismas tree.
“Where’s the Angel for the bahagian, atas of the pokok I last year? It’s not in any of the boxes” Lisa thought for a moment.
“I think it’s in on one of the shelves downstairs.” She said, fixing a nutcracker ornament onto the tree. Abby sighed and marched her way down to the basement, her blond hair whipping along behind her. Suddenly, the front door opened to reveal a skinny brown haired, twelve atau so tahun old boy walking in carrying a bundle of Krismas and Hanukkah presents hidden in plastic and paper bags. The boy was followed sejak his father who limped in and added another bag to the young boy’s armful.
“Take these into your room. We’ll bungkus, balut them at the very last minit okay?” House whispered to his son who snickered and bounded up to his room, almost knocking over a menorah sitting on a small meja, jadual along the way. House limped into the living room, carefully avoiding boxes as half melted snow dripped off of his sneakers and onto the carpet, and sat down on the sofa, kerusi panjang to rest his bad leg after limping all over the mall all afternoon. Lisa, after finally placing the last little ornament on the tree, plopped down seterusnya to him.
“And to think that I am thoroughly atheist.” House berkata with a sigh. Lisa smiled.
    “Oh please, I don’t know about Hanukkah, but Krismas barely registers as a religious holiday anymore, House.” Lisa berkata smirking.
    “You’re Jewish!” He complains.
    “I’ve told anda Greg, only half. My dad was Christian.” She says triumphantly.
    “Whatever.” House says grumpily.
    “Besides, anda get presents.” Lisa says, getting up when Abby comes in holding the angel.
    “When’s the tahun we’re going to get that Krismas rock I’ve been talking about?” Abby glares daggers at him.
    “The tahun I alih out.” She says cruelly and starts to put the Angel on the tree. House scoffs at her as though she just shot a puppy.
    “You know why they put an Angel on bahagian, atas of the Krismas tree?” Greg says, eager to bother his wife and daughter.
    “Don’t anda dare tell that story Greg, I don’t need anda corrupting our children any more.” At that very moment, Ben, House and Lisa’s twelve tahun old son bolted downstairs.
    “What story?” He says curiously. Lisa rolls her eyes, realizing that there was no use resisting. House smiles.
    “Da-aaaad!” Ben whines. “Tell me! Tell me!” He demands eagerly, and sits down on the couch. Grinning evilly at Abby and Lisa, House begins his lovely tale.
“One hari on Krismas Eve, Santa's workshop was absolutely chaotic. The elves couldn't make toys because they were all drunk and the reindeer were all nursing a hangover and couldn't power the sleigh. Now Santa was rather exasperated at all this and he goes into his wine closet to take a drink to cool his nerves, but alas the elves and the reindeer already drank it all. Now this got Santa really pissed and to bahagian, atas it all off his doorbell rang and an adorable little Angel stood at his stoop holding a Krismas tree. Santa in a particularly grouchy mood said,
‘What?’ ready to slam the door on the little angel's face. Now the Angel didn't
seem bothered and motioning the tree, so sweetly asked,
‘Where would anda like me to put this Santa?’” Ben suddenly burst out laughing, and Abby couldn’t help but sertai in. Lisa smirked, despite not wanting to tunjuk House that she approved of sharing this joke with Ben.
                * * *
As a kid, House never really enjoyed Christmas. It was always a fairly hostile time. His dad always demanded him to help his mother clean around the house, and to write sincere thank anda notes to all of his Friends and relatives. Every gift his father got him was some kind of weapon fake atau real, camouflage shirts and pants, and boring military themed toys that House certainly had no interest in. His father clearly was determined to get him into the military, much to Greg’s irritation. However, now with Cuddy, he got to know what the holidays were like with a somewhat normal family. And he even got to celebrate Hanukkah too.
Cracking Abby’s door open a tiny bit, House looks at his daughter sleeping soundly in her bed. Now almost fourteen years from the Krismas when Lisa accepted her as a foster daughter, only to later be adopted sejak her, House couldn’t help but remember how happy Lisa was. House remembered that he was worried that Lisa would just ignore him so she could take care of Abby. But somehow, things worked out. Don’t ask him how, they just did. And before he knew it they had Ben, and they became a family. And because of this, House was for once in his life…

…happy.