Work Text
Date/Timeline: December 2009
“Merry Christmas!” Zoe cried happily, the sentiment echoed by her dearest family members, as three glasses of champagne and one of orange juice clinked together above the beautifully decorated table.“Well, come on now, everybody. Dig right in,” Earl said next, gesturing at all the wonderful food he had a hand in preparing, even though Harley was head chef.Zoe felt a little bad that she hadn’t done much herself, but the Kinsella boys had ably assisted her dad, leaving her available for any Christmas morning medical emergencies. Thankfully, there were none and instead she stuck to decorations. It was safer than her trying to cook, they all agreed on that.“This all looks amazing,” she said happily piling her plate high with turkey and trimmings. “I think it might be even better than when we tried real Thanksgiving.”“Well, I certainly hope we don’t have the drama of that day all over again, Zoe honey,” said Harley, shaking his head. “First the Abernathy twins bein’ born early and then Tom Long’s incident with the ponies.”“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “I really hope we get to have a quiet Christmas. No accidents, no emergencies, no drama.”“Amen to that,” Wade agreed, picking up her left hand and kissing it right where her wedding band lived.“Can’t hardly believe you two have been married a year already,” said Earl, clearly noticing the gesture. “Never thought I’d see a more beautiful bride than my Jackie, but you come awful close that day, little lady,” he told Zoe with a fond smile.“Thank you, Earl,” she told him, sure she was blushing red as the stones in the earrings she always wore on these special occasions, the very ones that had belonged to Wade’s momma herself so many years ago. “Honestly, I have a little trouble believing it’s been a year already myself. A whole year! It’s gone by so fast.”“Can’t argue with that.” Wade shook his head. “But I’ll tell you right now, I have enjoyed every second of it and then some,” he told her, smiling widely at his wife.“Me too,” Zoe agreed easily, grinning back at him.“I hope you bought your pretty bride somethin’ nice for Christmas and your anniversary, son,” said Earl then with a pointed look. “You don’t get away with just one gift on account o’ the two occasions coming along together.”“You think I don’t know that?” Wade countered with a look of his own. “I got her two gifts. One you can see and, well, one that ain’t any business o’ yours,” he said, clearing his throat right after, especially when Harley looked amused.Zoe felt her cheeks grow hotter by the second and ducked her head. “Okay, subject change! So, Lavon invited us to meet up with him and Lemon for New Years. I have a feeling he might have an announcement of his own to make, you know, the kind that comes with a diamond ring? I know the Rammer Jammer will be crazy, but you think you can get it covered so we can be there?” she asked Wade hopefully.“For Lavon and Lemon? For you?” he checked with a look. “You know it,” he told her, easily. “Anything at all for my Alabama Girl,” he said, reaching over to squeeze her hand before going right back to his lunch.Zoe meant to continue eating herself, but first, she couldn’t help but take a moment to look around the table. Her father, her father-in-law, and her husband - three of the people who had shaped her into the woman and the doctor she was today, and she couldn’t love them more. She also couldn’t imagine a more perfect family Christmas.