Christmas Time December 2031

A slight smile formed on Aiden's lips, it was slightly amusing to him that they made Christmas such a formal event.. there was hardly very much Christmas spirit in the room..

" Thank you Bob" he said to the house elf. " Marry Christmas to you"

With an even broader grin, the house elf conjured the dinner, in this case a typical Sunday lunch in preparation for Christmas dinner the next day.

"That will be all Bob." Reginald clapped his hands once and the house elf disappeared.

Aiden waited for the others at the table to do whatever the did at Christmas dinner first weather it eat, say a speech, or whatever. Aiden couldn't help but wonder when Ana would tell them about the baby.

In the mean time he sat quietly, looking bored at the meal in front of him..

"I think we'd best save the speeches for tomorrow." Reginald's smile was dry. "Feel free to tuck in."

He and Isabella began to eat in silence, and Ana smiled across at Aiden before doing the same.

Hm...I might tell them our little secret tomorrow...make the holiday occasion memorable...what do you think? She thought across, hiding the amusement that threatened to play across her face.

Aiden sent a mental nod over to Ana, "It will make it memorable alright... I swear they better take it better then the news of us being married... " Though he doubted they would react as badly, he was still concerned they would be mad it was kept form them longer then was necessary ..

But started to eat, not letting his nerves show on his face..

I doubt they'll be mad, I think Dad'll be over the moon. Ana glanced critically at her parents, eating in silence.

"What lively conversationalists we all are." Reginald commented without looking up from his plate.

"That is a relief to hear.. I hope you are right my dear" he thought over.

He then blinked over at Reg, ah so he noticed the lack of conversation... out loud anyway..

" Ah so we are... What news do you have then?" he asked, hoping he would not regret starting conversation.

Reginald sighed. "None. I was hoping you two had something to report."

Ana hid a smirk. He has no idea...

"Father, you can't be completely devoid of news. Surely something must have happened over the year?" She raised an eyebrow.

Reginald glanced at his wife, who turned her gaze from her meal to her daughter. "You seem very interested in our lives for someone who hardly visits."

"Mother, it's Christmas Eve. Must we fight?" Ana rested her head on her hand.

"Very well." Reginald interjected. "How is your work Aiden? What is it you do again?"

Aiden resisted the urge to roll his eyes and bang his head on the table...

"Yeah.. how shale we tell them tomorrow anyway? just blurt it out or what?"

Aiden sighed, once again explained what he did for a living...

"I am a lawyer sir, I work with my sister at the ministry" he said, to him it was hardly something he thought the Vaights would disapprove of.

And as for why they didn't visit.. well they would need to be invited first now wouldn't they... He wasn't about to invite them selves over all the time... and really A christmas dinner was hard enough as it was...

Hm...I don't know. Although the element of surprise might be rather amusing... Ana hid a devious smirk.

Reginald nodded. "Perfectly respectable. And you enjoy it?"

Aiden mentally laughed, his lovely bride was having way to much fun with this...

"Well try not to have to much fun Love"

He nodded at Reg, "It has its moments, but yes I enjoy it" plus it helped a great deal he was quite good at it.

...I'll try. Ana replied, still echoing amusement.

"Good. Long hours?" Reginald continued to interrogate, pausing only to eat.

Aiden still mentally laughed over to her..

"I love you"

Aiden raised his eye at his father in law...

"Sometimes yes sometimes no... depends on the case I am working on."

"I also have a lot of Vacation time Saved for when the baby comes" he added via thought to Ana.

"And which case are you working on at the moment?" Isabella interjected.

Ana smiled apparently without reason. I love you too...and I think we will be needing that vacation time to escape my parents...

Aiden had to hide a smile at Ana's comment as he answered Mrs. Vaight's question.
"You'll get no argument from me..."

"I can't go in to much detail... but I am on the Merkeron Case.. its Who stool the money and why type of thing... I am in court for it after the new year." he said.

Ana hid a smile and interrupted the not-so-Spanish inquisition with a question of her own. "So Dad, have you heard anything from Darien?"

Reginald sighed in phoney dismay. "Nothing...as per usual. I did invite him to join us but he said they were busy."

Maybe we should have said the same...Ana thought across, irked by her attempts at conversation repeatedly failing.

Isabella made a great effort to be vaguely conversational. "And how is your sister, Aiden?"

Aiden almost found them asking about his sister funny.. considering she married Nick Casillas and had a child with him.. his niece Aurora.

"Yes I think we should have.." he thought over mentally bashing his head on a wall.

"She is well... Married with a Daughter of her own. And as I said she works in the same department as me in the ministry...." he said leaving who her husband was out of it.

Reginald's eyes grew cold. "So I heard."

"So, Mother...How's everyone?" Ana blurted out in an attempt to divert the conversation.

Isabella sighed. "Well, Pamela's got scarlet fever again, I told her to see a Healer about it but of course she won't. I swear that woman wouldn't go to St Mungo's if her life depended on it-"

"Yes, well, I'm sure Aiden doesn't want to sit through hours of women's gossip." Reginald cut the monologue short, the tone of his voice clearly implying he didn't want to sit through it either.

Ana lay her cutlery down on her clean plate and Reginald flicked his wrist to summon Bob. "Bring us some wine, would you Bob?"

A few seconds later, Bob returned with a bottle which Reginald accepted.

"Wine, Aiden?"

Aiden hesitated a moment at offer of Wine... Ana obviously couldn't drink any because of there happy new addition... and he wasn't sure if he should have any or not.. to be fair.. He didn't want to leave Ana out or make her father suspicious as to why Ana couldn't drink... since really there was no excuse why they shouldn't.

"Ana? Little help.. what shale I say?" he thought over quickly as soon as he saw the wine bottle.

Um...I'd say accept it...and I'll...escape...somehow.

Ana smiled. "If you'd excuse me a moment..." She rose to leave.

"Won't you have any wine?" Reginald frowned.

"Uh...Perhaps when I return?" Ana excused, leaving the room as speedily as possible.

Reginald turned his piercing gaze to Aiden. "What was all that about I wonder?"

Aiden blinked as Ana left the room, and he mentally cursed the wine, as he was all alone with them...

"Umm yes I will have some, thank you." He tired not to shrug as to why Ana left..

"I am not sure, perhaps she went to the ladies room?" wanting to get suspicion off them..

Reginald nodded. "Perhaps."

He poured wine into Aiden's glass and then did the same for the other two.

Reginald then tipped some into Ana's glass. "For when she returns."

Aiden nodded simply.. "of Course..."

" Uh Oh.. Ana.. he has poured you one,... whats the plan?" he asked.

"So.. what kind of wine is it?" he asked.. trying to avoid awkward silence's...

Um...Er...ignore it...I guess. I'll...just...What's he saying?

Reginald tilted the bottle to read the label. "Red, from Sicily. 1966..." He replaced the bottle on the table. "I prefer the '65 but we're out of that..."

"Alright...at the moment he talking about the wine" he thought over. As he nodded to Reg..

"You could pretend to drink it? or we could tell them...but... ah Up to you my Dear" he thought over taking as sip of his.. a very small sip..