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They were only in Barbados this Christmas because they had just spent two long years in Sibiria during a mission, and they all longed for the sun and warm nights. So, Joe and Nicky asked Nile if she wanted to spend Christmas in Barbados near the coast in their safe house there. Something Nile said yes to in a heartbeat. After settling in, they spent most of their days on the beach and swimming in the warm water.
When Christmas got nearer, Joe made a Christmas tree out of colourful paper, and Nile created a Christmas star out of gold paper. While they did that, Nicky took it upon himself to catch their Christmas dinner in the ocean and returned home with a big fish, Nile refused to be near because of how slimy and ugly the fish were before it was cooked.
On Christmas morning, Nile walked into the kitchen right after ten AM, and she couldn't believe her eyes. Under the Christmas tree lay a big Christmas gift with Nile's name on it.
Joe: "From Santa. Told you he hadn't forgotten you in Barbados."
Joe was busy braiding Nicky's long hair.
Nicky: "Please remember that my hair is attached to my head."
Joe: "Thanks for the information."
Joe placed a kiss on Nicky's head.
Joe: "I'm glad you decided to grow your hair long again. I have missed breading it."
Nicky: "I have also missed this."
They looked over at Nile, who was opening her Christmas gift with a big smile.
Nicky: "And I who thought you were a slow gift unwrapper."
Joe: "It's thanks to me being a slow gift unwrapper we got paper enough to make a Christmas tree this year."
Nicky: "Yeah, I know, and I prefer your Christmas tree instead of those ugly ones made out of plastic."
Nile looked over at the boys.
Nile: "I just want to save the Christmas paper. I love the pattern on it."
Joe: "See, I'm not the only one."
Nile didn't doubt that it was Joe who had a saying in the Christmas paper, which was a rhombus pattern of green and red. When Nile saw what was inside her Christmas gift, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Joe: "By the look on Nile's face, something tells me she likes her Christmas gift."
Nicky: "I think you're right. What did Santa give you?"
Nile stood up and showed them her Christmas gift. It was a Christmas sweater with reindeer and penguins playing in the snow on it. With the sweater in her hands, she walked over and hugged the boys.
Nile: "Thank you, thank you, for this childhood memory."
Joe: "It's really Santa's Little Helper -The Knitting Elf you should be thanking. He spent most of the year knitting it. Or so I heard."
Joe gave Nicky a wink. It made Nicky blush as usual. Nile didn't know how Nicky had found the time to knit a Christmas sweater for her because of how intense the mission had been.
Nile looked at Nicky: "Thanks, Knitting Elf. This is just as good as the one my Nan knitted for me when I was seven."
Nicky: "I only showed Santa Claus and the Knitting Elf the picture you showed us. They did the rest of the work."
Nile loved that the boys kept insisting that it was Santa and his Knitting Elf who gave her a Christmas gift because they knew how much she loved this time of year.
Nile: "I'm really happy that Santa has started to listen to me. I haven't forgotten that Christmas, where I got a doll instead of the ninja-throwing stars I wished for when I was five."
Nicky: "I think that ninja-throwing stars are called shuriken."
Joe: "You're properly right, as always."
Joe kissed Nicky on the head again while Nile looked at the Christmas sweater again.
Joe: "What are you doing?"
Nile: "Putting on my Christmas sweater."
Nile pulled the Christmas sweater over her head.
Joe: "You do know it's like 94 Fahrenheit outside. You end up with a heatstroke."
Nile: "I don't care. I'm going to show the entire Barbados I got the best Christmas gift this year."
Nicky: "You do that, but try to stay in the shadows, okay?"
Nile rolled her eyes in a way only a young person could do whenever they were told what to do by an old man.
Nile: "Yes, I promise. See you soon. And thanks again to Santa, his Knitting Elf and you both for this amazing Christmas gift."
Nile left the kitchen.
Nicky: "Instead of worrying about Nile, concentrate on my hair. I'm not going outside with my hair looking like this."
Joe: "I thought you would appreciate having Space Buns again."
Nicky craned his neck so he could look at Joe.
Nicky: "No, and if you don't braid my hair as we agreed on, I'll cut it short again."
Joe: "Fine, fine."
Out on the streets, Nile was feeling hotter than ever with the thick Christmas sweater on, but she didn't care. Whenever she met someone, she would show them her new Christmas sweater with a proud smile. Wearing the hot Christmas sweater also meant she got a lot of free cold drinks and ice creams along the way. If you asked Nile, Christmas 2026 was one of the best she had ever had.