Can the Martin family have a White Christmas at Sun City? Read and see.

sex: 1/10
violence: 0/10
profanity: 0/10

Categories: Hybrid, Elemental, PSI

Timeline: 2068

Sara (Sisi) Smith was born 1/12/2063
Howard (Howie) Smith was born 4/4/2064

The sun is shining, the grass is green
The orange and palm trees sway
There's never been such a day
In Beverly Hills, L.A

The sun was actually below the horizon, but the sky was bright. The light elementals made sure of that. It was a mere three days past the winter solstice, but the days were always long in Sun City.

Everything else in the old Irving Berlin song was accurate. Kim and Sara, clad in their bikinis, shared a chaise lounge. On the green grass and the beach, six children played while their parents made last minute holiday preparations. A gentle breeze stirred the various trees that had been gifted to the doctors Martin by bio elementals that specialize in plants.

But it's December the twenty-fourth
And I am longing to be up North

"Auntie Kim, why does the singer want to be up north?" asked one of the kids. "Doesn't he like the beach?"

"I guess it's because he misses the Christmas times he used to have with his family," Kim replied. "When he was growing up, the ground was always covered with a clean white blanket of snow at Christmas time."

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

"I heard sleigh bells before," little Cathy 'Kitty' Shepherd said. "Grandma put bells on Ginny and hitched her up to the sleigh!"

"Yeah, and my big sissy took the reins!" said little Steve Shepherd.

"I want to ride a sleigh this year!" piped up little Angie "Angel" Shepherd.

"Don't worry, Aunt Angel," Steve said. "Tina brought Ginny over to Uncle John's stables so she can ride with mom and dad and Kitty and me."

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

-- White Christmas by Irving Berlin

Sara reached out with her telekinesis and turned off the Martin Engineering outdoor sound system. It had been designed with the help of sound elementals to give all of the listeners excellent sound, while not allowing any to escape past a set boundary.

John Martin and his lifemate, Esther Newton, went down into their basement and to a locked door. Esther put her hand on the sensor to open the door. On the other side was a portal, which they used to get to an artificial cavern deep in the bedrock. They walked past a number of doors, finally getting to one labeled "Kim and Sara Martin." Again, Esther placed her hand on the sensor.

"Lunch time! It's time for prawns on the barbie," Kim said with a fake Australian accent.

"Prunes on a Barbie doll??" Kitty asked.

"No. Shrimp on the barbecue grill," Kim said. "And hamburgers and hotdogs and all kinds of other stuff for people who don't like bugs."

"Bugs? Ewwwwww!" said Kitty.

"No, silly!" said Mike. "Seafood. People just call them bugs."

"Is that what Australians have for Christmas dinner?" asked little Angie.

"Not all of them, and not every Christmas," Sara said. Australia is a big country. They have different Christmas traditions because it is summer there. For us, long snowy nights with Christmas trees and Christmas lights is the tradition. For them, a summer barbecue in the back yard or on the beach is more the thing."

"And we're doing it because it's always summer in Sun City?" asked Angie.

"And because it's fun," said Kim.

After letting their food settle for a while, the children and adults splashed into the water, rode the jet skis, sailed, and snorkeled around the fresh water coral reefs that the bio elementals had created.

Hours later, they were happily tired, but still clean and fresh from the waters of Sun Lake. The adults helped the children change to their pajamas, then took them through the portal to the Martin Engineering ski lodge complex.

The Crystal Dome sat high upon a field stone tower in the middle of the Martin Engineering ski lodge complex, yielding a magnificent view of the various lodges, chalets, ski lifts, slopes, and woods.

Down in the complex, Martin Engineering employees and vacationers enjoyed the ambiance. Colorfully lit evergreen trees and buildings, along with strategically placed flood lamps, lit the area without overpowering the star lit view of the forests, slopes, and mountains.

Inside the dome, the Christmas Tree and other decorations gave enough light to see, but not enough to drown out the view outside.

As soon as everyone entered the Crystal Dome, Sara handed a glowing Christmas Angel to Candice.

Candice, dressed as a Christmas elf, flew the decoration to the Christmas tree. Everyone cheered as she carefully placed it on the very top branch.

The kids, having gotten their second wind, were excited by the presents under the tree. The adults, with feigned reluctance, allowed each child to choose one gift to open before bed time.

Ann and Marli, two college students who were staying on campus during the holidays, volunteered to babysit the kids. They were delighted when the Martin family invited them to spend the holidays with them.

Once all of the kids were tucked in, the adults quietly left for the midnight Christmas service.

Four centenarians rode a sky taxi toward the original stateside Martin Engineering complex. Two of the four definitely looked their ages, while the other two looked more like they were in their thirties.

"You really need to take the kids up on their offer to give you a new lease on life," Mark Michaelson, Sara's dad, said to Adam and Michele Martin.

"We've been over this," Adam Martin grumbled. "Our treasures are in Heaven. Our parents and grandparents are waiting for us. We have relatives that we never met because they died too soon."

"So don't die to soon for your grandkids to get to know you," Julie Michaelson replied.

"Larry and Cindy are too busy with their college and careers and stuff to give us any grandbabies," Michele Martin sighed. "We would be waiting a long time."

"So? Isn't it worth the wait? In ten thousand years, it won't matter if you were a little late reuniting with your mom and dad, but it will matter that you didn't get to see your grandkids grow up."

"We've been over this. We're just too weary to wait around for them." Michele said.

Mark said, "You don't have to be weary. Your kids can get rid of all of that. In fact, I'll bet that they have everything planned out."

The conversation stopped when the aircar landed on the main administration building. Two guards came out and assisted the two couples to the elevator, and down to the portal that would lead them to the Martin Engineering ski lodge complex.

They got to the crystal dome just in time to see Candice top the tree. They soaked in the excitement of their grandchildren and gave everyone hugs. Sara's parents went to the midnight service, but Kim's parents were too tired.

On Christmas morning, Kitty was the first child to wake up. She bounced out of bed and woke everyone else. Before the first adult crawled out of bed, the kids were gathered around the tree, bouncing with excitement.

The kids quickly started distributing presents. They really wanted to rip the paper off of their own gifts, but proved to their parents that they were big boys and girls by waiting until all of the presents had been distributed.

But, once every present was in the hands of its recipient, the kids dug in. Soon, gaily colored wrapping was strewn all about the floor.

Once all of the presents were unwrapped, and all of those who gave the gifts had received their hugs, the older kids gathered up the torn gift wrap and threw it into the fireplace, being careful to not accidentally burn up any gifts.

Once everyone had had a hearty breakfast, Tina's mom and dad led those who wished to ride to the stables. Most people got onto the horse-drawn open sleigh, sat on bales of straw, and covered themselves with thick blankets. Tina and Kitty, however, mounted Ginny, Tina's horse.

Kitty squealed with delight. She sat in front of her big sissy and settled back into her embrace.

After a while, she got cold and gave one of the other kids a turn. By the time the ride was over, all of the kids had gotten a chance to ride Ginny. After the sleigh ride was over, they all had a late lunch.

The kids spent the middle of the day playing with their new toys. The adults chatted. Grandma and Grandpa Martin sat on one of the love seats. Their children and grandchildren took turns visiting them.

After the traditional Christmas dinner of ham and turkey, everyone relaxed and let their food digest.

Cindy and Cara sat on either side of their Grandma Martin and gave her a hug. Grandma knew something was up when all of the other adults gathered around.

Cindy spoke up, "You know, every kid that got to spend time with their grandparents feels privileged, and the kids that never got to know their grandparents always felt that they missed out on something,"

Cara added, "Please, Grandma, can you give your great grandkids the gift of yourself?" She looked over at Grandpa Martin. "You too, Grandpa."

Adam and Michele Martin smiled at being called Grandma and Grandpa by their granddaughter in law. Then, they thought of what they were being told.

"Great Grandkids? You're pregnant?"

"Both of us," Cindy confirmed.

"Yes! Oh, yes!" they both said. "But we might need some help," added Grandma.

That was all the bio elementals needed to hear. Soon, Grandma and Grandpa Martin were feeling better than they had in years.

Merry Christmas to all!