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Christmas in Fifteen Minutes:

The journalists at Beach Radio Magazine have a little tradition at Christmas time. They all visit each other's houses for fifteen minutes before they reach the main host's house for dinner. The crew starts at whoever hosted dinner last year and work their way around the houses until they reach the current host's. Last year, Greg and Robin hosted it and this year it's Rose.

Robin and Greg's Apartment:

"So how do you decide the route that we take?" Pete asked at Greg and Robin's door.

"Well, Robin and Greg hosted dinner last year," Rose explained. "We start here and the rest are drawn from a Santa hat. I drew the highest number, so we have dinner at my house this year."

"Are you sure you up for it?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," Rose said. "I didn't have any morning sickness today." She knocked on the door. "You brought their gifts with us, right?" she asked.

"Of course," he said. All talking ceased when they were greeted by a five-month pregnant Robyn at the front door.

"Yo," she said. Rose held up the red gift bag for her.

"Merry Christmas!" she said aloud. Robyn moved aside.

"Everyone's in the living room," she said.

"Sweet," Pete said as he followed his pregnant girlfriend into the apartment. Nessa stood up when the trio walked into the room.

"Good, everyone's here now," she said. "Remember the rules!"

"Like we can forget," Greg brushed off. "We know how the script goes."

"Presents! Presents!" Noriko cheered, clapping her hands. Kenji patted her on the shoulder.

"Alright," Robyn said. "Let's get on with this. Whose house do we go to next?"

"Mine," Noriko said.

"Nice!" Duncan cheered. "Yummy Korean food, here we come!"

"Presents first," the Korean woman said with a pout.

"Okay, okay," Greg said. "We've got fourteen minutes left. Let's get going." Greg and Robyn got to passing around their presents to their coworkers and lovers. The friends in turn gave them their presents.

"Who's up for punch?" Greg asked as he came in with the tray of his famous Christmas punch.

"There's no alcohol, right?" Rose asked.

"Of course," he answered. "I made extra careful to not put any alcohol in it this year."

"Would be nice to have a little booze in it," Robyn said.

"Now, now," Patrick said. "You can't be drinking yet." His baby mama frowned at him as if to ask, "And whose fault is that?"

"Anyway," Greg cut in. "Try the non-alcoholic punch." Everyone took the glasses and drank up. When everyone finished up their rounds of drinks, Nessa rose to her feet.

"Time to go, people!" she said. "Next house!

Noriko's House:

"Mom, dad! I'm home!" she greeted. Her mother rushed to the door and greeted her with kisses.

"Baby, welcome back!" she said. "Your brothers just called.

"Did they?" she asked. "When?"

"They are still on the phone," she said.

"Nice!" her daughter called. Noriko hurried to the phone as her father showed her friends inside. Nessa had to try and pry her off the phone at one point to get her to exchange presents.

"Come on," she reminded her. "We don't have all day."

"I want that Korean barbeque!" Duncan shouted.

"Okay, okay," Noriko said, waving them off. She told her brother in Texas that she loved him and hung up. "Okay, present time!" she said. In the next fifteen minutes, everyone exchanged gifts and ate up some yummy Korean food. When it came time to go, Noriko's mother tried to hold them hostage like she does every year.

"No, mama," her daughter said. "We have to go now."

"Can't you stay a little bit longer?" her mother asked.

"No, mama," Noriko repeated. "I will see you later, bye!" Nessa had to pull her along out the door.

Duncan's House:

"Welcome to my cave of despair," Duncan said aloud.

"It looks nicer than my place," Adam said.

"Is anything going to jump out and try to bite us at your place?" Rose asked.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Adam hissed at her.

"Come inside," Duncan pressed. "We don't have long, remember?" Nessa ushered everyone inside for the presents. This years, got them meatballs to snack on.

"These are good," Sakura said. "Do you make these?"

"Nope," Duncan admitted. "Didn't have to and so I went to the store last night and bought them."

"Still good, though," Sakura said.

"Thanks," the host said.

"Next house!" Nessa said at last.

Eventually, everyone made it back to Rose's house for dinner. However, not without a little drama and a couple of surprises in tow for them.

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