Best Defense

Chrismast Eve's

Once a Christmas event at the Atmaja family home turned into a torturous event. My mother and father had been upset with each other all morning and when Christmas Eve was served, the atmosphere between them degenerated into an accusatory debate.

My mom explained how fine this year's evening was almost a disaster because my dad was 'playing with the new oven organizer on Christmas Eve'.

"Of all the time to experiment, I didn't expect your father to choose a sacred night as I prepared the roasted lamb leg. We had to open the kitchen window overnight to get rid of the smell of charred meat. And this happened after all the butchers had closed for the Christmas holiday, so there was no possibility of changing the lamb's legs before Christmas." my mother grumbled along the railroad tracks.

My father put his shoulders down. "I never said I liked that cold meat. After all, we've got enough cold turkey by February. You cooked it over 12 hours before we ate it, Sweetheart. Who will enjoy the meat?" reply my father quipped.

I turned to my grandmother who had obviously turned off her hearing aid and was chuckling at a Christmas movie on television, happily unaware of the Third World War raging around her. If only I had a transparent plastic earlobe commonly used for band exercises and such.

My brother and sister also survived that contentious night because they were celebrating Christmas at my mother's family's grandmother's house. So, I was the only one who had to watch their drama.

But it happened a long time ago, when my late father and grandmother were still alive.

I look at the people around me in a happy way. Their faces looked as happy as I was, except for Mia. The child will not be able to show the slightest sweet look. She loves her way too much and knows no rules.

After dinner supported by food from my mother and Sora's hands.I'm sorry, I mean my sister-in-law's candidate, we gathered in the living room, by the Christmas tree we decorated last night just after Ben went to bed.

Glasses of wine and pastries lined up on a round table, while Christmas carols alternately echoed through loudspeakers hanging in the upper corner of the wall. This is the most fun Christmas in my version.

Sean stood up and banged the fork against his glass, calling all of us to our attention. "Alright, as we know, it's Christmas Day. And Christmas is always synonymous with gifts." He cleared his voice. "For that, Franda and I have prepared a small present for all of you,"

Instantly the room turned boisterous by applause and happy cheers from the people in the room. Especially Mia and Ben who were shouting the loudest. For the surprise affair, Mia was very reliable.

I laughed at their happy look, even Miss Darla and Daisy cheered. Sean continued on again. "We don't know what gifts you're expecting, so we're just giving you what we think you need. And all those gifts were written in envelopes hanging from the Christmas tree. Please take the envelopes with your respective names. Except mom," Sean turned his eyes to my mom. "Gift's in your room, mom."

Impatiently they immediately shrouded the Christmas tree in the corner of the room.

"Odyssey The Alexios!" Ben who first opened the envelope immediately sprinted towards me and Sean. "I can't believe this! Thank you, guys." she said cheerfully as she kissed Sean and I took turns.

"A key?" Cetus Mia with a confused look looked at us. I reached out to grab a car key I had tucked in the corner of the sofa since noon and threw the key at Mia. "Porsche? What's this..."

"Yes, it's yours now." I said explaining. And the reaction was exactly like Ben earlier, the difference was that he just jumped at me and kissed my face so hard that my head stuck to the arm of the sofa.

"Panda, you are the best brother on earth."

"Just be good."

"Absolutely!"

Miss Darla, Daisy, and other household assistants who are in Jakarta get the same prize, which is a sum of money that has been taken care of by Sean. I don't know how many there are, but if I look at their faces when checking their bank accounts via cell phone, I guess the number is not small.

Meanwhile, my sister got five percent of Warner Enterprise as a Christmas present and a gift for Sora's pregnancy. I don't know about the gift, Sean took care of everything. He said the stock would help my brother at any time if the company ran into trouble. Just in case.

And for my mom, I returned my dad's Chevy to her, of course, with Sean's approval. The car that Sean gave me a year ago as my birthday present. It was more precious to my mother, and she deserved it more because there were so many memories between her and my father in that car. And she also gets a necklace from Sean in addition.

And what about Lily? He was already sleeping and the gift he needed the most was a bottle of milk. Well, he got the gift without even bothering to wait for Christmas.

This year Sean and I decided to give something rather special to those closest to us as a form of gratitude for the goodness of God, considering this the toughest year of our marriage. Starting from the case of Dave, the tragedy of 'Agent 007' that I experienced, and the drama of the death of my parents that was only revealed some time ago.

We chatted for several hours until almost midnight before finally dispersing ourselves and returning to their respective rooms. Sean and I headed straight for the hidden cabin past the wine cellar after changing clothes.

"Tomorrow Samantha and the others will come" Sean said as soon as we entered the cabin.

"really?" I talked while putting up the pillows on the bed, then I threw myself down and pulled the blanket.

Sean nodded, lying next to me. "Yes, Sam said Maggie, Matt, and Jason would come first, while he and Taylor followed after Taylor got home from work."

"She works in a restaurant, and the restaurant knows no holidays. Especially at Christmas. They can reap more profits in annual events like this. Job risk." she explained.

The quiet silence felt for a few moments. I was busy thinking about how to give Sean the gift I had prepared. I want to give it to you right now, but I'm too nervous. Not sure about my own gift.

I looked up at him, he had not slept but his eyes were closed while his fingers were down my fingers that were stuck in his stomach. "First,"

"Hm."

"There's something I want to give you."

Sean opened his eyes, looking at me with a curious look. Makes me more nervous. I groaned inwardly, thinking of retracting my words. But soon I brushed that thought away. I tried to do what I could and did it with all my heart. So, it's a fool that he doesn't like it.

"It's nothing big, but I hope you don't bully me." I shifted sideways, reached out to grab a small black velvet box from under the bed and handed it to Sean.

I observed the change in his expression as he looked at the box. A feeling of anxiety began to strike as his brows furrowed. "Franda, I don't need jewelry. What are you for..."

"You haven't seen him yet, Warner" I said, cutting off his words with one hand closing his mouth. Not yet she already objected. "I wrote a song for you."

"Songs for me?" surprise mixed with curiosity. His tone was impressed as if he had never expected something like this to happen. Well, I did too.

I mean I never thought about making a song for someone, let alone the music world I've left behind for a long time.

I cleared my throat to get rid of nervous feelings. "When we split up and I was living in an apartment, suddenly this idea flashed through my head. The music will probably sound a little strange to you," I murmured miserably. "I'm not sure you like it. It's gonna sound a little old because since I was a kid I just sang with my dad, and his old taste is practically contagious to me." I didn't mean to sound pathetic, but Sean's gaze made me feel that way.

"What's title?" tanyanya gently.

"A Song for You,"

"Like Leon Russell? 1970?"

I gasp. "You listening to him too?" I said excited with a voice louder than I thought.

Sean laughed softly and nodded his head. Sean Warner also loves old songs.

"When I wrote it I thought it was for you, and then I made the melody into the soul version." I grabbed the headset from the small table on the side of the headboard and handed it to Sean.

He looked at me for a few seconds. "You want to share with me?" His blue eyes looked at me expectantly. "Come here." she said calmly as she pushed my body closer until she could hug me.

Sean took the headset out of my hand, hooked it up to the music player in the form of a tie clip and put each headseat in our ears. Then he started playing his music.

"It's good, Franda" he commented.

Without being able to prevent my face immediately beamed to hear his praise. I don't know how Sean feels, but every second I go through when we listen to a song I make especially for him, gives me a new sensation I've never felt before. I'm sure my face must be red right now.

When I looked up, I saw Sean closing his eyes while leaning on the headbed. I watched his face closely. His sturdy jaw was perfectly sculpted framing his beautiful face.

"Close your eyes, Franda. That's the best way to get you to soak up the music." I almost jumped when I heard his words, I hurriedly turned my face and closed my eyes while trying to ease my breathing.

But instead of listening to music, my heart sounds louder than anything around us right now. And instead of being lulled into the song, I was drunk by the scent of his manly body.

When the music stopped completely, Sean hugged me tighter and kissed my head. "Thank you, Franda. It's really beautiful. Your voice is so beautiful." the snoring is soft on my head.

I smiled with satisfaction. "I love you, Sean."

"I love you, Franda."