my gift for my Castle Secret Santa @supernerd127! Merry Christmas Lauren!
Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers Castle - 1969
The tree is tiny, the apartment sparsely decorated, and there are only a few gifts under the tree. There’s no elaborate feast being prepared in the kitchen.
But Richard is happy, so Martha is happy.
Only eight months old, and her boy loves Christmas. He’s fascinated by everything; snow, decorations, sparkling lights, carolers, even Santa Claus. She has a delightful picture of her son sitting on Santa’s lap at the mall, laughing as he pulls the poor man’s beard off his face.
It’s early, and Richard is sleeping peacefully, so she keeps the radio low, sips a cup of hot chocolate. She never expected to be here; a single mother, celebrating Christmas alone with her son. But it’s a good Christmas, it really is.
Katherine Houghton Beckett - 1979
They spend Christmas in the hospital because Jim has pneumonia.
Katie’s barely a month old, so the doctors are hesitant to let Johanna stay with her husband. But she’s adamant about not leaving his side, so they give in, even bring a bassinet from the Maternity Ward for Katie.
It’s not at all how they pictured their little girl’s first Christmas. Not that she would remember it, good or bad, but still. It’s the principle of the thing.
Jim and Katie are both asleep for now, though she’s sure her daughter will wake soon enough. But in the peace of the moment, even surrounded by the chaos of the hospital, it feels like Christmas.
Alexis Harper Castle - 1993
Rick goes out of his way to make Alexis’ first Christmas a memorable one. And perhaps he’s gone a tad overboard, but it’s hard not to when you’re a new father who just so happens to be a best-selling author.
He’s up early on Christmas day, the way his mother always used to be, making sure that everything is perfect. Mother will be here later for dinner, and he checks to make sure there’s enough wine for her to be able to at least tolerate Meredith.
Speaking of. His wife is dead to the world, and will probably be nursing a hangover for most of the morning. There was a reason she insisted on not breastfeeding Alexis, which she’d demonstrated at their Christmas party the night before.
Alexis is awake though. She babbles quietly as he changes her diaper, and her only sign of distress is a plaintive whimper that quiets when she gets her bottle. She drifts back to sleep after he burps her, and he can’t help but hold his baby girl and stare at her in awe.
Charlotte Johanna Castle - 2017
It’s four in the morning, and Charlie’s awake, so Kate’s awake. She’s changed and fed, but she won’t settle, fusses every time Kate tries to put her down.
She thinks that maybe her girl just doesn’t want to be left out. The lights are twinkling, snow is falling softly outside, and the house smells of cinnamon and chocolate.
She tries singing a carol or two, which normally would put Charlie right to sleep, but tonight she’s not having it. So Kate settles down on the couch, regales her baby with stories of Christmases past.
That’s where Castle finds her when he wakes nearly an hour later. He takes Charlie from her, picks up her story when she cuts herself off with a yawn. Both mother and daughter fall asleep to the calming lull of Castle’s voice.
