Chapter 52
HORTON HOME
Everybody had gathered at the Horton Home to celebrate Christmas. Well, almost everyone. Lucas looked at his watch.
LUCAS: Anytime now.
WILL: Dad, what's up with you?
LUCAS: Oh, you'll see.
As if on cue, Sami burst threw the door.
WILL: Mom?
Will and Sami ran to each other and hugged.
SAMI: Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! My boy! My beautiful boy has come back! Are you okay?
WILL: I'm fine, mom. It's good to see you.
SAMI: Oh, honey, it is so good to see you! I just can't believe this is real.
WILL: Neither can I.
SONNY: Neither can any of us.
Sami, Lucas, Sonny and Will hugged. Meanwhile, Julie and Billie were talking.
JULIE: The wedding was lovely, by the way.
BILLIE: Thanks. Glad you guys could come.
JULIE: We wouldn't have missed it. So, where is my charming grandson?
BILLIE: He would have, but he had an emergency call to finish up and was late catching his plane.
A man came up behind Billie and put his hands over her eyes.
MAN: Guess who.
Billie took the man's hands off of her eyes and turned around.
BILLIE: Hey, you.
MAN: Hey.
Billie and the man kissed.
MAN: Hi, grandma.
JULIE: Hello, Scotty, dear.
Julie and Scotty hugged. Everyone was having a wonderful time. After quite a bit of talking and hugs, Max whistled.
MAX: Can we have everybody's attention, please?
The room quieted down and turned to look at Chelsea and Max.
MAX: Thank you.
CHELSEA: Okay, so Max and I have a bit of an announcement to make. Max and I have been together a long time. I think it was nearly seven or so years ago that we got together.
MAX: Well, that was the second time. We were together before that. But, then there was all that stuff with Stephanie and Nick.
CHELSEA: Exactly. But, the point I'm making is that we've been together a long time. Now, we were planning on telling everybody eventually, and we figured that there's no time like the present.
MAX: I love Chelsea more than I have ever loved any woman in the world.
CHELSEA: And I love Max more than any man in the world. So, we have decided that it's about time to make things official.
MAX: Like Chelsea said, this happened a few months ago, and we thought that now is the right time to tell you all.
Chelsea and Max held hands.
CHELSEA: Max and I are getting married.
The room erupted with applause. Hope, Billie, Bo and Caroline gave hugs to both Chelsea and Max.
CHELSEA: Thanks.
MAX: Thank you all. It's gonna be soon, very soon. And, we'd like you all to come. We've already done a lot of the planning, thanks to Abby.
CHELSEA: Thanks, Abs.
ABBY: No problem.
CHELSEA: And, Theresa Donovan has graciously provided a design for my dress. Thanks, Theresa.
THERESA: You're welcome.
CHELSEA: So, we will be picking our bridesmaids and groomsmen soon, and as soon as we finish that, we will be having the wedding. Because, we really want as may people as can be to be here.
As the night continued on, the box of ornaments was brought out. Everyone began hanging their ornaments. Doug and Julie hung up theirs. Abby and J.J. went up together to hang up Jack's. Bo and Hope put theirs up together. Shawn-D, Belle and Claire put theirs together. Aiden and Chase, who had both received ornaments this year, hung theirs. Scotty and Billie had hung theirs, Billie had also received an ornament this year since marrying Scotty. Couples and families each hung their respective ornaments, or those of their children or relatives. Last but not least, two ornaments were hung at the top of the tree by Jennifer and Hope. The ornaments that belonged to those two great pillars of Salem: Tom and Alice Horton. Bo, Hope, Shawn-D, Belle, Claire, Ciara, Chelsea and Max gathered around. Bo and Hope kissed.
BO: Merry Christmas, Fancy Face.
HOPE: Merry Christmas, Brady.
BO: Merry Christmas, everybody.
