Christmas Eve was a simple affair, much like the year before, except it was held at the Hales' home, and Keeley and Aaron were married. They still caroled, watched movies, and drank eggnog. Robert spent the night in a guest room, after they thoroughly cleaned it to remove all the cat hair.

Keeley sleepily prepared stockings for her father and Aaron before going to bed; everything else had been wrapped and placed under the tree days earlier.

Christmas morning found Aaron clinging to her like a starfish on a fish tank. She smiled; he was so cute when he slept like that.

She kissed his cheek and tried to free herself. "Aaron. Wake up."

"Mm?"

"You need to let go so I can make cinnamon rolls for breakfast."

"Don't wanna," he mumbled, tightening his hold.

She sighed. "Come on, I'm hungry, and they'll take at least forty minutes to bake. If you won't let go, come with me."

His eyes snapped open, and he followed her. He walked behind her like a shadow, his arms still wrapped around her. What a dork, she thought.

Keeley pulled the ready-made cinnamon rolls from the freezer. All she needed to do was bake them and frost them. She preheated the oven, unwrapped the rolls, and set them on the counter.

"You should check your stocking while you wait," Aaron whispered.

So he had made her one. She shouldn't have been surprised; it was her main request. A glance into the living room revealed it on the couch. Inside were purple, red, and green Skittles (just like he'd given her in high school), a rainbow of nail polishes, a high-end at-home facial mask, chocolates from that shop on Madison Avenue, and—most surprisingly—fuzzy socks. He'd noticed how often she wore them in cold weather and gotten them without prompting. Her heart swelled.

"Thanks, Aaron! This is great!"

He smiled as he opened his own stocking. She'd filled it with candy and toiletries—Aaron was difficult to shop for; he didn't like typical stocking stuffers.

Robert came downstairs, saw them surrounded by their gifts, and reminded Keeley to put the cinnamon rolls in the oven before emptying his own stocking onto the floor. She quickly did so.

They chatted until breakfast was ready. Keeley prepared hot chocolate in Christmas mugs, and they all enjoyed the cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate—a wonderful combination.

Robert had gotten the twins matching newborn outfits and books for new parents. Keeley appreciated this; she felt clueless. Plus, she was excited to dress her babies in adorable outfits.

In return, she'd gotten him movies, new work shirts, and Yankees season tickets—the last being his favorite gift. He could rarely afford more than one or two games a year, and the seats were always poor.

Aaron had gotten him front-row seats so he could see the players' faces. He knew how much his father-in-law loved baseball. Keeley shouldn't have been surprised by Aaron's thoughtfulness, but she was.

Her dad hugged them both, clearly emotional. Keeley felt emotional too.

She opened her gifts from Aaron next: a KitchenAid mixer (she was thrilled!), a cheap but funny pair of earrings, a luxuriously soft blanket, and some CDs she'd requested. They were perfectly normal gifts; the most expensive was the mixer, and it was only a few hundred dollars. Aaron had changed since their marriage and respected her preferences.

She thanked him, gesturing for him to open his gifts. He liked the tie and watch. Her dad's expression showed he recognized the watch—the same one she'd given him for their first married Christmas in their "last life."

When he opened the photo collage she'd made, he hugged it, gazing at her with a soft expression.

"I love it."

"Let me see, son," Robert said, turning it over. "That's very nice. Every house needs family photos."

Aaron nodded vigorously. "I couldn't agree more. We'll find the perfect spot."

He hugged her tightly, conveying his emotions. She understood: he loved it as much as she'd hoped.

The photo collage had been the perfect sentimental gift. It made them seem like a normal couple, which is what Aaron wanted. She was glad it was well-received.

After opening presents, they relaxed and watched movies. Keeley curled up under her new blanket between her family members, perfectly content. The promotional text for NovelFire.net has been removed as requested.