Aja went to the Palazzo with a truck load of presents for the twins, Rico accompanied her on the trip. She pulled into the Palazzo driveway, the lights lining it twinkled, an inviting sight for guests. The entire manor had been done up in a tasteful light display for the holiday.

"You know of course, that Anya may kill you for spoiling the boys like this." He said from behind the armload of presents.

"Nonsense!" Aja grinned with her own armload. "Holidays are all about da kids." He could hear that smile, Aja was incorrigible at the holidays when it came to heaping presents upon children. The children at Arcadia Orphanage had a magical holiday, and those that looked after the children were spoiled with a new addition of a bigger well appointed kitchen and living quarters for themselves.

Rico knew that's what she intended to do, how she managed to get it done in that week was still a mystery to him.

Aja managed to ring the doorbell even with her arms full. Inside the Palazzo kitchen, Rosalie heard the bell and moved to answer the door.

Back on the front porch..... "And besides," Aja continued talking to Rico. "She loves us. She can never stay mad fer long." This made him chuckle. He knew that was a valid point. Anya did seem to have the patience of a saint when it came to Aja and her antics.

Rosalie opened the door. "Signora Aja, Signore Rico, it is a pleasure to see the two of you. Buon Natale!" The buxom gray haired ruler of the Palazzo's kitchen gifted each of them with kisses to their cheeks and a warm hug.

"Rosalie! Ya beautiful creature!" Aja called out merrily. "Merry Christmas!"

"Come in, come in! You must be half frozen from traveling! There is hot apple cider with rum, and some cookies to tide you over until the meal that you will of course stay for!"

"We're gonna move in if you keep us well fed with tasty treats, Rosa," Rico said as he leaned over to kiss the woman's cheek.

"And if you do, what happiness you will bring to the bambinos and to the Padrona. And maybe you can teach that grandson of mine some manners when it comes to squiring about a young lady," Rosalie teased fondly.

Aja chuckled and noticed Rico look a touch confused. "Ernie's got himself a girlfriend, Ricks."

"Oh." Rico smiled. "Well, that's good for him."

"Like someone else I coul..." Aja started to say and received a subtle kick from Rico to shush.

"Come come, right this way." Rosalie shepherded the pair through the wondrously decorated with pine branches and bayberry candles in ornate lanterns main hall and eventually to the well-appointed kitchen. A small army of servants bustled about singing cheerful carols while they prepared the feast under the watchful eye of the mistress of the kitchen.

Aja put the presents on an empty spot of the counter, then wandered over to give Rosalie an appropriate hug. "You can't get away with that previous greeting while mah arms are full of presents, silly, silly lady," she said warmly and kissed her cheek.

Rosalie chuckled softly. "You are a wonder, Signora Aja."

Aja chuckled then moved to acquire the aforementioned apple cider while Rico also gave Rosalie a proper hug hello. She got one for him and looked around the kitchen. This time of year, both Rosalie and Maria's kitchen practically mirrored the other's. Plates of holiday treats, pitchers of drinks made up and ready for any guests that may just stop in. She shook her head amused and then looked to Rosalie as she started speaking.

"It is good that the two of you are here. It is a time for family, no' And you two have always been part of this family." Rosalie bustled to make sure that the two of them got settled in with cider and cookies before she wiped her slightly sweaty face with the corner of the towel tucked in her apron.

"Aye, that it is," Aja said taking the chair Rosalie hustled her to. She always found it best never to argue with Rosalie or Maria when either woman was in caretaker mode. Her hat came off out of respect for the woman's space and was placed on the table. This time of year, Aja often wore her best Captain's hat while visiting.

"Oh, you should have seen the bambinos this morning! Like Botticelli's angels, the two of them. They were all wide eyed with wonder when the platter for the reindeer's carrots was clean, and the cookies for Babbo Natale all nibbled."

"I'm sure they were very thrilled to think of Santa being in their house." Aja smiled. "My own children are no longer fooled about Santa." Aja chuckled. "They still leave cookies fer 'im though."

"Of course, of course. And the two of you will be around for their parties tomorrow and the day after, s?" There will be cakes and cookies and a grand dinner for each."

"As wonderous as that all sounds, Rosalie, sadly I must say no. Ajay is insisting on a family dinner tomorrow. If I wanna keep mah head, I have to attend." Aja grinned at Rosalie.

"Oh, well, they will understand, it is family after all." Rosalie smiled with understanding.

Aja nodded then started to look around, brow perked in amusement. Rico looked where she was, and then he heard it, the tiniest hint of a giggle coming from behind the counter. "Ya know," Aja started with a grin. "If da wee ones can't be found, we may have ta give dere presents away." She winked at Rico.

"Yes, and wouldn't that be a very sad thing for them." Rico added teasing the twins, smiling broadly himself.

"Oh, such a shame, and the bambinos have been so good this year, too," Rosalie played along with the teasing.

"No! Prezzies!" Two small voices shouted in unison.

"Presents!" Who said we brought you presents?" Aja slid from the chair to her knees, arms wide open to intercept one of the twins who was now barreling towards them.

From the other side of the marble topped counter came the other twin boy, on a direct collision course with them.

"You said prezzies!" Ayden crowed as he planted a sloppy smooch on Aja. "Prezzies!" Andrew agreed, hugging Rico around the knees.

Aja laughed and gave Ayden lots of kisses as she swooped him up in squishy hugs and retook her chair. Settling him in her lap, she grinned at him. "Of course we brought ya presents, ya tiny menace." An Eskimo kiss to the nose then. "Where'd ya hide yer mama?"

"That's where my hooligans got to," Maranya declared as she dashed into the kitchen. "Aja! Rico! It's good to see both of you! Merry Christmas!"

"There she is." Rico smiled adjusting Andrew in his lap to be able to give Anya a hug as she got close enough. "Merry Christmas, Maranya."

"Spasibo, Rikki Tikki Tavi." She returned the hug and added in a cheek kiss to Rico before she did the same to Aja. "I'd just settled these two down with their picture books, and when I turned round, they scooted off. I didn't want them getting underfoot in the kitchen."

"We've been busted, Sis." Aja grinned as she hugged Anya. "Da wee ones know we brought them presents."

"Oh you did, did you?" Maranya smiled warmly. "And I see you've gotten some of the holiday cookies, too. Maybe I can get one too," she winked at Rosalie, who produced a plate of the assorted holiday cookies and a mug of the rum laced apple cider for the Padrona. "Spasibo, Rosalie."

"It does seem to be Rosalie's mission in life to make us gain ten pounds upon arrival." Rico said with a warm smile to the woman who was the topic of conversation for the moment. "Keep us spoiled and happy. I think she wants to adopt us."

"Rubbish, you deserve spoiling. And who can adopt those who are already family, neh?"

"Aye." Aja smiled warmly. "Well, I don't think we should make the tiny mateys wait fer da presents. They may jump right out of their skin." She laughed as she saw Ayden staring towards the stacks on the counter and wiggling in her lap.

About to scold the twins, Maranya relented due to the holiday season. "Go on, you two," she urged, and smiled while settling into a chair at the large table used for informal family meals in the kitchen.

"Prezzie!" Ayden squealed happily at a volume that made Aja rub at her ear as she released him to go running across the kitchen floor towards the presents.

"Yep. Dey be mah nephews alright," she chuckled as Andrew joined the race towards the presents. "Shiny objects." Aja picked up her mug and gave it a sip and exhaled happily at the sweetness of the apple cider. It was perfect as always.

"Exactly so, sestra moya." Maranya laughed softly. "They were practically hypnotized by the great tree in the parlor, with all its tinsel and twinkling lights. It was all we could do to get them to open their presents from Father Christmas. Even then, they played with the wrappings."

Aja laughed, watching the twins tug packages to the floor with them. Rosalie making sure each boy had the appropriate packages. "I recall those days when the kids were little."

"Trevor used to fold the wrapping paper." Rico added in also watching the children.

"Yes, my little neat freak." Aja grinned watching Andrew making a piece of wrapping paper into a hat of sorts.

"I did much the same myself, Rikki Tikki Tavi. Still do, if the paper is especially pretty."

"He just didn't like it laying all over the floor." Rico smiled back to Maranya. "He'd scold Mara for making a mess."

"Bozhe moi, it looked like a snowfall in the main parlor once the boys got into their packages," Maranya laughed. Aja laughed along with them while watching the boys marvel at their new bath toys of ships, duckies with pirate hats and soap crayons. Those got snatched by Rosalie before either boy could take them out of the package and decorate the floor with them. She gave Aja the smallest of scolding looks who merely beamed back a wide, cheeky smile.

"Now I won't be able to get them out of the bathtub!" Maranya declared.

"Duckies!" Ayden squealed. "Pirate duckies!" Andrew chimed in.

"Yer welcome!" Aja grinned at Anya before laughing.

"What do you say when you get gifts, Ayden and Andrew?" Maranya gently prodded.

"Fank you!" they beamed with big smiles.

"Yer welcome,"

"You're welcome," both Rico and Aja said in unison to the twins.

"You two are spoiled rotten."

"It's the fun of being a kid, Anya." Aja beamed a smile as she leaned back, glancing back once in a while at the twins who had their new duckies riding the "ocean' on the kitchen floor.

"Exactly so." She sipped her cooling cider.

Rico went to play in the floor with the twins, staging an imaginary battle between the boys" ships. Aja just chuckled and tilted her head towards the trio with a grin. "Hard to tell which one is the kid." She laughed and shifted to look at Anya. "So. Pleasant holiday so far?"

"Da, we had breakfast once the presents were opened. "Tonio is resting, he's had a lot of meetings lately, but he managed to square away some time and....it's been lovely. Tomorrow and the next day will be lively with their birthday parties. After that, it's the year end party. And maybe we'll hibernate after that until spring."

Aja nodded hearing the on goings of the Palazzo with a smile. The Ergin-Falconne household never suffered moments of extended silence. Something Aja could relate to. "Ajay is having holiday dinner tomorrow. Attendance is pretty much mandatory." She grinned a bit thinking of the invitation her brother had issued. "I just hope JiJi doesn't bring priss boy." There was a cheeky smile at that. "Or he may regret having us all at da dinner table together."

Maranya shook her head and fondly smiled. "Don't you dare throw biscuits at the table, Aja. Or anything else," she added in quickly.

"Can't I boot his chair over?" She grinned.

"Nyet, you can't and you know better. Behave, for Ajay's sake,? Anya scolded. Aja mock pouted before breaking into laughter.

The family talked and laughed for hours, the magic of the holidays allowing a brief moment of peace for extended catch up sessions.



Happy Holidays, RhyDin!