Disclaimer: Characters belong to Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Gary Tomlin, NBC, et al and are used here strictly for non-profit entertainment purposes.

Rating: T

Genre: Drama

Spoilers: Everything through Episode 134, then it drifts into AU

Summary: Her mother had suggested the tradition, gifting them the walnut box with their first Christmas card already inside.

A/N: This story is a holiday-themed prequel to "Whisper & Hush" and is part of the Evelyn series.

December 17, 2016

Gregory stood in the bathroom doorway, running the towel through his hair. "Why is the door open?" he asked as he took a step into the bedroom. His wife was laying on the chaise, thumbing through the contents of a wooden box. "Liv? The door?"

"I wanted to hear Nicola playing," Olivia murmured, looking down at a greeting card.

He glanced back at the open door, indeed hearing the strains of their granddaughter playing a Christmas carol on the piano. "Why didn't any of the children play an instrument?" he asked, draping the small towel around his neck. He tightened the robe's belt as he wandered over to her.

She looked up with a chuckle, her reading glasses slipping down to the tip of her nose. "Because they would've rather gouged their eyeballs out," she replied as he lifted her legs, sat at the end of the chair, and dropped her feet into his lap. "Though, you're forgetting Sean's brief stint as a rapper."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, his hands covering her feet. "Forgetting intentionally," he muttered as she turned back to the box. "Does this trip down memory lane mean we aren't going to Bette's Christmas party tonight?"

"You wish." Olivia nudged his thigh with her right heel and he sighed, figuring it was worth a shot. "Oh, darling, look." She held out a large card, the cover embossed with a watercolor of a Christmas tree. He opened the card, the corners sticking together. A 4x6 fell out, landing on Olivia's ankles. "Christmas 1997."

He felt the small smile come to his face as he realized the significance and picked up the glossy picture. "Evy's first Christmas." The family photo included with that year's card was something of a rush, taken on Caitlin's brief return from Paris to meet her new sister. Evy was only three days old when the photo was taken.

"Not our best photo," she sniffed, turning the photo to her. "My God, just look at my hair." Her hand slipped within his as she continued, "But, even that makes up for the five years of depressing Christmas cards that came before it."

He squeezed her hand as he glanced back at the pile of cards. One for each year of their married life. Her mother had suggested the tradition, gifting them the walnut box with their first holiday card already inside for their first Christmas as husband and wife. Every year since, an extra card made its way into the walnut Christmas box for posterity. He doubted this regret was what Barbara had in mind for the tradition though. He leaned forward, pressing a long kiss to her forehead. "All the years since then more than make up for a few bad years," he whispered against her skin.

She nodded and looked up, blinking her eyes behind the dark frames of her glasses. "Yes," she said softly as she sniffed and took the card back.

He bit back a smile, watching as she reorganized the pile by date and gently placed the cards back into the walnut box. Nicola's jaunty and festive piano playing swirled around them like a memory. He reached out, taking this year's card from beneath her thigh, and held it to her. "Like this one," he pointed out.

With a genuine smile, Olivia sat up and swung her legs off his lap. "We couldn't even fit everyone's name on the card."

He wrapped his arm around her as she leaned in, pointing out the simple signature beneath the holiday greeting on the inside of the card. The Richards Family, printed in an elegant gold script against the red card stock. On the cover, a pair of trumpeting angels in the same embossed gold framed the most recent family photo. The picture of their entire family was taken at Olivia's birthday dinner last month. It was only supposed to be the two of them, Casey, Harrison, and Nicola for the dinner at Grenadine's. "I knew, you know," she whispered, snuggling into his embrace. "When Hans led us to the private room instead of our usual table, I knew."

He rested his chin on her head, feigning a sigh, as she placed the card at the top of the pile. "But, you didn't know everyone else would be there until that moment. So, the surprise was a success."

She nodded and looked up. "Yes," she murmured as she pressed a long kiss to his lips. "Well done, darling."

He arched his eyebrow, eyeing the alarm clock on the night table behind her. "If we don't start getting dressed now," he explained against her mouth, "we'll be late for Bette's."

He felt her lips curl into a smile as her arms went around his neck. "Ha," she said softly. "Bette doesn't care what time we arrive. She just wants us there." He rolled his eyes as she hugged him close, her mouth against his left ear. "We don't have to stay long."

Olivia felt Gregory's arms tighten around her waist as they embraced on the overstuffed chaise. A moment later, her eyes closed as her fingers combed through his damp hair. "Of course," she sighed as she inhaled a trace of his aftershave, "I say that, but the moment you and Henry light cigars, it'll be another two hours we're there." The way he chuckled and squeezed her closer was his only reply. "And," she continued as she opened her eyes, leaning back slightly to comb his hair with her fingers, "you need to be up early to get Evy from the airport."

"You're really making the case for why we should just stay home tonight," he teased, kissing her quickly before he stood. He gently closed the lid of the Christmas box and moved it off her lap.

She took off her glasses and set them on her mother's walnut box as he held out his hand, waiting patiently. "And, do what? Watch Home Alone – again – with Harrison and Nicola and eat all of the Christmas cookies they made this afternoon with Casey?"

He cocked his head as she stood, their chests pressed together. Her fingers curled against the plush fabric of his robe as he suggested, "It's more tolerable than A Christmas Story."

She shook her head slowly as she clicked her tongue. "You should be glad none of the children heard you say that."

With a chuckle, he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. "They already know I detest it," he whispered and she chuckled. He had never been one to hide his distaste for anything, certainly not a Christmas movie beloved by all four children.

"Be that as it may," she replied, relaxing deeper into his embrace, "they'd still give you hell if they heard it." His only reply was to roll his eyes. With a reluctant sigh, she pressed her palms into his chest and sighed, "Bette's party."

"I'll say no when Henry offers a cigar."

She smirked as he turned away, pulling the towel from around his neck. With a happy sigh, she looked back at the closed box. Mummy would've been happy to see she managed to keep up the Christmas card tradition for all these years. Even the bad years. She lifted the box into her arms and called out, "Darling, next year, Caity's new baby will be on the card." Christmas 2017, she thought with a happy shiver of anticipation. "Maybe we can take the photo in Italy."

He wandered back to the bathroom's doorway, running a fine-tooth comb through his hair. "Your optimism is charming," he said with a wink. "But, regrettably, not contagious."

She laughed softly in reply as she walked into her closet. With a sigh, she slid the box back onto the shelf next to Mummy's hatbox. She placed a palm on each box, thinking with a pang of her deceased parents. They never even knew Evy. A deeper and sadder sigh escaped her lips and she cleared her throat, chasing away the sorrow. Her mother's voice echoed in her mind as clearly as if she was standing beside her. Enough, Olivia. Stop moping and go enjoy the holiday with Gregory and your family. She pressed her palms to her cheeks and took a deep breath. "Thank you, Mummy," she murmured beneath her breath before she reached for her red dress on the hanger.

The End.