The Shifters: Katrina
Special Chapter: Christmas with the Roberts

"Katrina! Katrina!"

Groggy nine-year-old me turned over in bed, spotting my open door and the hallway light on. Beside my bed, my alarm clock flashed with the numbers 7:34.

"Felix..?"

My eight year-old brother, with his hair dyed bright pink at the ends, shook my shoulder.

"It's Christmas! We have to wake up everyone!"

A smile lit up my face. Christmas meant a break from school and the people who looked at me like I was a little monster. Christmas meant playing with my siblings and mothers, opening presents, and relaxing. There was no fights or punishments during the holiday season.

I hopped out of bed, dressed in reindeer pajamas, and grabbed my rabbit slippers. Felix was dressed similarly, with Santa Clause pajamas and wolf slippers. We both had serious bedhead and morning breath, but none of that mattered during Christmas.

As it turns out, Mia was already awake. My younger sister was downstairs shaking her presents, dressed in a Minnie Mouse Christmas-themed nightgown and matching slippers. Her hair was actually brushed properly and pulled back into twin pigtails, and we coaxed her into helping us. The three of us ran upstairs, sneaking into Raymond's room. The oldest Roberts child, who was only ten, was sound asleep.

Hence why we took the opportunity to make puppy pile.

Raymond groaned as we jumped on top of him, Felix and Mia both ending up on top of us older kids. I laughed loudly as my brother grumbled, waking up in the best way possible.

Due to our noisy laughs and Raymond chastising us, our moms woke up not long after. Mom and Mum stumbled into the room with matching pajamas and fluffy socks. They both wore green pjs, with Mom's saying, "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch," on the front, and Mum's saying, "Mr. Grinch," on it with an arrow pointing to her face.

I had picked them out last year.

"You guys are so noisy!" Mum scolded playfully, Mom still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. I snickered, wiggling out of the puppy pile. My siblings followed as I flew at our parents, hugging their legs since I was a relatively short child. Raymond was a victim of Christmas pajamas as well -- he wore an elf onesie with matching shoes.

Christmas was a big deal for this family.

"Alright, gremlins," Mom muttered, "to the tree we go!"

"Yes!" I cheered, leading the way. I slid down the stair banister while my siblings ran down them normally, the four of us parking our butts right in front of the tree. Our moms followed, much slower, and snorted at our eager expressions.

"Go ahead."

Like little animals, we unearthed our presents. Each of us got three, varying in sizes, and we started the process of tearing into them. Mia was patient enough to take the time to hand our moms their presents as well, and the adults created way less of a mess.

Once the gifts were open, Christmas breakfast was on its way. Green and red pancakes, egg nog, cookies -- everything was perfect.

The six of us laughed loudly over breakfast, talking about our presents and how happy we were to be a part of the family.

I had gotten a mini punching bag, a violent video game that would keep me entertained instead of getting into fights, and a set of new dresses since I'd ruined my last ones. Mia got art supplies, several books, and a new doll. Raymond got Lego, new shoes, and a new console controller. Felix had hair dye, a beginner's sewing kit, and a new stuffed animal.

We were happy.

After breakfast, we helped clean up, and each of us kissed our moms' cheeks. The two of them laughed at our antics, pulling us in for a group hug.

Raymond and I spent the rest of the day trying to beat my video game, and Mia and Felix sat in the living room with us, planning an outfit for Mia's doll. Felix agreed to practice sewing by making a custom wardrobe for her toy, which made my sister ecstatic. Ray and I encouraged him to make a badass outfit for her too, since no doll of Mia's could be weak.

The fact that we were so heavily invested had the two youngest laughing while us older two rolled our eyes, beating one of the hardest levels in the game.

And that was the way the Roberts did Christmas.

Happy holidays!

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