Three days before Christmas, and Jack still couldn't think of a gift for Sue.
It would be their last trip in town, and he needed an excuse to be left shopping alone. After their grocery was done she asked to be dropped off at the library for an hour. She wanted to chat with the old man, and Chuck was more than happy to recall stories for her. Jack gladly obliged, and headed directly towards the electronic store afterwards.
"Mr. Johnson," greeted the young salesman. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes, cell phones, cheap ones. The dog thinks it's a toy. The last one got chewed."
"Our cheapest." The salesman presented him a model. "It comes with $5 airtime."
"Can you wrap two? One for my wife as well."
"Of course, sir," he said, glad for additional sale. "Anything else? Additional airtime?"
"Of friend of mine has that gadget you connect to a phone, and the person beside you can read the conversation on a tiny screen," Jack said, playing dumb.
"Sure. They're very handy. Don't need to recall the whole conversation to your spouse." He showed Jack a small blackberry. "Not cheap though."
"I'll take it."
"Make sure you keep it away from the dog," he advised, ringing the purchases. "They are very easy to hook up, just follow the instructions. And if you have any problem, call me."
After one more stop, Jack met Sue at the library.
Chuck watched them leave. Fooling Matt Johnson wouldn't be that easy. He would need to carefully erase his trace.
***
"A nap or a walk," debated Sue after lunch.
She was staring outside through the living room window. It started snowing when they returned home, and the wind was no more than a light breeze at the moment.
She felt Jack's presence behind her even before he wrapped his arms around her. Her heart accelerated at the soft caress his lips bestowed on her neck. He took her a moment to realise Jack was signing to her using her own body as reference.
'Daydreaming?'
She could feel the tremor of his chest, a sure sign of his soft laughter.
"You're distracting, Jack Hudson," she replied huskily. "Did you choose nap or walk?" Not that she needed an answer to that question.
'Phone, walk, long nap', he signed.
She turned towards him. "What phone?"
"I got cell phones, sweetheart, to wish our families a Merry Christmas."
"Osborne will expect us to call, he'll be ready," she argued. "This is too dangerous, Jack."
"I agree we need to be extra careful. He will expect us to phone home at Christmas, and I intend to disappoint him. We're calling this afternoon, only one parent, at work."
It didn't take long for Jack to convince her, and the kiss he got an exchange of the blackberry made him consider skipping the walk.
Comfortably sitting in Jack's arms, Sue dialled her father's work number.
"What if he already left to go--" She paused when words appeared on the blackberry.
"Stephen Thomas."
"Dad? It's Sue."
"Suzie? What a wonderful surprise. How are you?"
"We're fine, and very happy," she assured him, one hand resting over her tummy.
"So glad to hear that. Is it over?"
"No, and calling at home is not safe," she said regretfully, her voice mirroring her emotions. "We wanted to wish you and mom a Merry Christmas."
"We love you, Sue. You're always in our heart, no matter where you are. You and Jack have a very merry Christmas together."
"Thank you. Love you, too."
"Is Jack there with you?"
"Yes, beside me."
"You take care of my little girl, son, you get that?"
"Loud and clear, sir," Jack replied earnestly.
"And keep her out of trouble," Stephen Thomas added.
"I'll make sure she doesn't get in any more trouble she already is." Jack winked at his wife, who blushed a lovely shade of red. "We have to go, sir. Merry Christmas to Mrs. Thomas."
"Thank you, both of you."
The last words lingered on the screen then Jack turned the cell off before smashing it on the floor.
"Those are expensive long distance call." Her smile was a sharp contrast with the tears in her eyes. "I'll be fine," she whispered when he kissed the droplets away. "You should call your dad before he finishes his day."
"Actually, I will be calling my mom."
She frowned. She was certain his mom wasn't working. "Mom?"
"Every Thursday she volunteers at the soup kitchen," he explained. "She has been doing it for year, and I don't believe she's ever missed a day."
He connected the blackberry to the second phone and dialled.
"Soup kitchen," answered a male voice.
"Sophie Hudson, please. It's urgent." He smiled at Sue.
"Sophie speaking," she panted heavily.
"Sorry for making you run, mom," Jack apologised. "You can take a deep breath."
"Jack? I'm so happy to hear your voice. Does that mean we cannot talk long?"
"Less than a minute."
"Okay, we can do that. How are you? And Sue? Anything new? Where--"
"Sue and I are fine, and very happy."
"Happy? Like in happily in love?" she dared asked, only to hear genuine laughter. "Is that a yes?"
"Yes, mom." He met his wife's shiny gaze. "Like in forever in love with the woman of my dreams."
"I knew it," his mom exclaimed. "I'm so happy. Wait till I tell your dad. When do we get to meet Sue? Are you coming for Christmas? Is that craziness over?"
"You'll meet Sue as soon as possible, I promise," chuckled Jack. "We're calling to wish you and dad a merry Christmas. "
"And a Merry Christmas to you and Sue, son. Is Sue listening?"
"Yes, Mrs. Hudson."
"Is that son of mine taking good care of you? Because if he's not I will hang him upside down on the clothesline," she quipped, making Sue laugh.
"Mom!"
"Very good care," Sue replied tenderly.
"Now, you make sure you keep him in line, darling," she continued.
"Mom!" exclaimed Jack again. "Time to go. Love you."
"Love you both."
"Do you think your mom will like me?" she asked hesitantly after he destroyed the other cell.
"She will love you, she already loves you, sweetheart," he corrected. "And once she learns about baby, she will spoil you so much, I will have to rescue you," he chuckled mischievously.
Cuddling to him, she closed her eyes. "I'm looking forward to meet your parents."
He watched her sleep, his hand gently caressing her tummy. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart."
***
Myles was no stranger to airports. He waited patiently, glancing at the monitor. Their plane had landed, it wouldn't be long.
The mood of the crowd gathering around him was palpable, from the excitement of catching a flight to see a loved one, to the anticipation of someone's arrival, or the frustration of a delayed flight that wouldn't get the traveller home in time for Christmas.
Tracking them down had been relatively easy, reflected Myles, considering Tara only gave him a general location. Convincing them to attend the wedding had not been much more difficult, but getting them here on Christmas Eve proved a challenge. He felt mighty proud of himself for pulling it off.
He scanned the faces as people flooded through the arrival gate, wondering if he would easily recognise them.
***
Bobby couldn't stay still. "Were you that jittery when you got married?"
D chuckled. "I don't recall strangling myself with my tie."
"What happened to giving a guy some privacy?" Bobby asked, only succeeding in making D and Myles laugh harder.
"You should make up your mind, Bobby," gently admonished Myles. "You were beside yourself because I was a wee bit late, and now you want me to leave."
"A wee bit? You were supposed to arrive at the ranch two hours ago, not ten minutes ago," Bobby reminded him. "You're my best man."
"It's winter outside in case you haven't noticed." Myles had encountered some delays between the airport and the ranch, not that he would share that small detail with Bobby just yet. "I made it, didn't I?" Myles pointed out, exchanging a knowing look with D.
"If you don't need me, I'm out of here. I will go round up your ring bearer."
D left Bobby and Myles alone to go looking for his son, David.
After a few more minutes during which Myles watched Bobby fiddle with his tie, Myles silently extended his arm, and Bobby gave him his tie. Myles made a perfect knot, loosened it and handed it back to Bobby.
"Thanks, mate." Bobby tightened it around his neck. "I know Tara's the one, I'm just nervous, I guess."
"Understandable, Bobby, considering your best man will be leading you to the scaffold very shortly."
"Thank you so much for the mental picture," he said, relaxing a notch. "I'm ready, Myles." Bobby straightened his tuxedo, a huge grin on his face. "Lead the way."
"I'm afraid, Bobby, I will have to decline," declared Myles very solemnly.
Bobby stared at him totally stunned. "What?"
"The honour of being your best man should belong to this man." Myles walked towards the door then invited the unexpected guest in. "My wedding gift to you, Bobby."
Myles exited the room to leave them alone.
***
The barn had been beautifully decorated by friends and neighbours of Tara's parents, who all gathered inside for the joyous occasions. A huge banquet would follow, and the wedding celebration would mix with the Christmas Eve festivities.
Bobby proudly walked between the makeshift benches, with the man who raised him by his side. He stopped by the first row to hug and kiss his mother. She looked tired from the long trip, he noticed. He was his mother's only child, and her presence on his special day meant more to him than he let on. He owed Myles big for bringing his parents all the way from Australia.
D stood with his wife and daughter, and watched the procession. As the ring bearer, his son, David, was next. The boy advanced slowly, careful not to slip and drop the red cushion on which the rings were attached.
A loud gasp escaped the crowd went Tara made her appearance behind Lucy, her bridesmaid. She was radiant in her knee length, bare shoulder white dress.
"I always knew you had great taste, son," murmured his stepdad, and Bobby couldn't agree more. His future bride was stunning.
Bobby extended his arm. Tara took his hand, her gaze never wavering from his. If there were any doubts or nervousness lingering in his mind, it vanished instantly. His voice was strong and steady when he promised to love her for the rest of his life, and hers was soft and musical when she vowed to cherish him the rest of her life.
When the reverend proclaimed them husband and wife, and invited him to kiss his bride, Bobby never wanted to let her go.
"They should run out of air soon," whispered D to his wife, highly amused, as the crowd gathered around the oblivious couple, ready to offer their congratulations.
"They could set a new record," chuckled Donna. "It was very nice of Myles to step down in favour of Bobby's dad."
"Yes, it was," he agreed, especially since Jack couldn't be here, though he kept the thought for himself.
He had no idea how much progress Tara, Bobby and Myles had made, and he preferred to remain in the dark. It was the only way he could hope to protect them if things went wrong.
"We all miss them," Donna whispered in her husband's ear, while squeezing his hands, after noticing his vacant expression. After so many years together, she learned just as much from his silence as from his spoken words.
"Did I tell you today how much I love you?" D asked, gazing tenderly at her.
"My memory isn't what it used to be, Dimitrius," she teased him. "Maybe you should tell me again?"
A loud cheer drowned his answer. The groom had finally released his breathless bride.
***
Jack's hands caressed her skin still damp from their lovemaking. Sue moaned softly, lost between dreams and reality. He snuggled closer to her.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear.
He couldn't fathom a day or a night without her, his hand coming to rest over her tummy. She was carrying within her the proof of their love, the best of both of them. And not for the first he wondered how he would balance his family and his risky job once they returned. Deep down he knew if she asked he would quit.
"Penny for your thoughts," she whispered melodiously her eyes wide open.
She had an angelic smile, and he couldn't resist tasting the softness of her lips.
"I was thinking about you," he answered with a smile. "Weren't you sleeping?"
She nodded. "I was."
"Any sweet dreams?"
"Just weird dream," she replied pensively. "I didn't see the drawing." Though she still dreamed about that bike every time she closed her eyes.
He propped himself on his elbow, so he could face her directly. "Want to share?"
"I was in the tunnel." Her voice was eerie. "Krissa was running in front of me. And at the end of the tunnel I saw a light. I've never seen the light before."
"Was it the tunnel that opens on the ocean?"
"Nope. It was narrower."
"Like the one exiting the cave that we haven't investigated yet?"
Her eyes shone with excitement. "Maybe..."
"Is that a hint to go back underground?"
"I'm not as tired as I was, Jack," she observed. "And I stopped throwing up."
"I know, sweetheart, but it's cold down there at the moment."
"Only when the wind blows in from the ocean," she argued, though she knew it was almost every day. "Please?"
She gazed tenderly at him, her hand sensually roaming his bare chest.
"You know I cannot refuse you anything, don't you?" He started laughing when she nodded, a devilish smile curling up her lips. "Are we still going to early Mass?"
"Yes, I don't think I can stay up till midnight, Jack. I didn't get to nap much. Wonder whose fault it was?" she asked, smiling innocently.
"I don't recall hearing any complaints." His words only accentuated the glow on the face. "We need to get ready," he remarked. "If we share the shower it will be faster."
"Somehow, Jack, I doubt that very much, but I'm willing to give you a chance."
***
The two men rode their quads through the trails. The sun was setting rapidly. They should be clearing the woods soon. They couldn't afford to be late. The lead rider let a sigh of relief when they came into view of the house.
They saw lights at the windows but the car was gone. When they chatted at the library, Becky mentioned they would attend the early Mass. He was glad she didn't change her mind at the last minute, or their plan would more than likely fail.
"Are you sure about that, pop?" asked his son.
"No doubt," replied Chuck. "You wait here, near the woods. I won't be long." He rode to the shed. Like he expected it wasn't locked. Matt Johnson would be surprised, he thought with satisfaction. He took the gallon of gas tied at the back, and poured it. Might as well be thorough, he figured, before closing the door of the shed behind him. Armed with a branch, he backtracked, erasing any prints in the snow.
Matt would never suspect an intruder.
***
The music was blasting from two powerful speakers resting on bales of hay. Bobby managed to hold on to his new wife for the first three dances, but he lost her after that to every available man in the barn. When he finally retrieved her from Myles, no less, they sat with theirs parents who were getting to know each other's. The Williams cordially invited them to spend the week at the ranch, and Bobby's parents accepted.
"We could spend the week here too," Tara whispered in his ear while both sets of parents were discussing cattle breeding.
Tara's parents had arranged for the newlyweds to have the guesthouse located a mile east near the stream. Bobby and Tara planned to spend two days there before heading for a cabin in the Appalachians Mountains for their honeymoon. But he never counted on his parents' presence.
"Are you sure you wouldn't mind? I was supposed to give you my undivided attention all week," Bobby said, searching her expression for an honest answer.
"If you promised me your undying devotion at night," she murmured huskily. "I'm more than willing to share you with your parents during the day." Her smile reached her eyes. "And I would very much like the chance to know them, Bobby."
Her answer gave him one more reason to fall in love with her all over again.
The guesthouse was theirs for as long as they wished, Tara's parents assured them, while Bobby's parents couldn't hide their joy at spending the week with their son and new daughter.
"Thank you," Bobby murmured in his wife's ear on his way to the dance floor.
She laced her fingers behind his neck. "My pleasure."
"You know, luv, since we'll get to enjoy our folks' company all week, I don't think they'll mind if we make an early retreat tonight, do you?"
When he grinned at her, she dreamily wondered how she would ever be able to resist those dimples.
"One last dance, Bobby, then we can disappear till Christmas brunch." The discordant notes rising into the barn made her reconsider. "On second thought, maybe we should leave now."
She'd recognised the new rock song. The Smashing Cell Phones were not among her favourite rock bands. Though she had to admit their lead guitarist, Gill, had amazing fingers.
Two horses were at their disposition to ride to the guesthouse. Lights were dancing through a window, Bobby noticed, as they approached. Soft country music filled the air when they opened the door. They followed the sounds and the light to the bedroom. A fire was burning in the fireplace, providing the only illumination they would need tonight.
"One last dance, Mrs. Manning?"
Offering her his hand, he wrapped her in his arms. All the restraints of the last few months vanished as she responded in kind to his touch. This was what he dreamed of all those nights he spent in her arms. Strangely, he felt no rush, wanting to experience every sensation with her. His little wife was his most precious gift, his special gift from above. What he did to deserve her he had no clue, but he would be forever grateful. And when their love and passion consumed them, he got a taste a heaven that he shared with her.
***
The children could barely sit still, and the presence of a man dressed as Santa Claus on the back bench of the chapel had them turning around every two minutes.
Jack found himself watching the children as much as the chaplain, wondering what their little one would be like. The Mass was longer than usual, not that anyone seemed to notice. After the service, invitations were extended left and right, as the parishioners gathered in the lobby and the parking lot, wishing each other's a Merry Christmas.
They drove in silence, his hand resting over her thigh as she laid her head against his shoulder. He parked by the shed. Sue glanced around. Big fluffy flurries were falling from the sky adding a layer to the blanket of snow.
'W-H-A-T', he spelled in her hand.
"Nothing," she said, shrugging it off after one last look at the shed. "Let's go inside. Baby would like some hot chocolate to warm up."
One hand around his waist, Jack led her to the house. He couldn't argue with his little one, could he?
"I'll take Levi out, you prepare the hot chocolate," he told her once inside. "And make sure you make three cups," he teased her.
"You mean you want one, too?" she replied sweetly before brushing his lips with hers.
'Funny you', he signed.
'You hurry', she signed back, then disappeared inside the kitchen.
Levi ran to his favourite tree, but side-tracked towards the shed afterwards.
"Levi, comeback here," yelled Jack from the porch. "LEVI!"
The dog kept barking loudly at the shed, so Jack slowly walked towards him.
"What is it, boy? Something in it?" he asked, reaching the small structure.
He placed his hand on the handle when a noise from behind made him turn around. A rabbit was hopping away, and Levi left in pursuit
"Levi! Stop!" Jack yelled, running after his dog.
He finally caught Levi's collar when the dog circled the trunk of a dead tree.
"Enough scaring the poor little ra... creature," Jack corrected himself in time.
There was no point sending Levi in frenzy with the word 'rabbit'. When they walked in front of the shed, Levi barked again.
"Good thing we have no neighbour," he said, dragging the reluctant dog to the house.
Sue was lighting the fire when he came in. He approached from the side so she would see him. He didn't want to startle her while she played with matches.
She took a step back to admire her work, and ended up in his arms. Small flames were licking the dry wood.
'Good job', he signed in front of her eyes.
'Thank you. Where were you?' she inquired with her hands.
'Running after...' He pointed at the dog lying by the fireplace. 'He saw a rabbit and chase it.'
A look of alarm on her face, she spun in his arms. "Levi didn't catch it, did he?"
"No, sweetheart, he didn't. The little creature was way too fast for our boy," he said while his hands moved up and down her back.
She sighed in relief.
"Do I get hot chocolate, or did you and baby drink mine too?" he asked, eyeing her mischievously.
"Jack! I should be insulted." The twinkling in her eyes contradicted her words. "On the table. We were waiting for you."
Comfortably sitting against him, sipping her hot chocolate, she gazed at the tree. The red and yellow lights blinked in the room otherwise illuminated only by the fireplace. While he was outside she placed a red envelope near the angel at the top, wondering how long it would take him to notice the addition.
They'd decorated the tree together, taking turns hanging the small wooden ornaments, a sleigh, a nutcracker, a snowman, a candy cane, searching the tree for more. Then came different sizes of shiny balls in silver, blue, red, green and yellow, and the cute little birds with their claws wrapped around the branches. A nativity scene was tucked under the tree, the branches creating the illusion of a roof over the manger.
Her eyes drifted to the left and she gaped. Hanging on a low branch was a little stocking. She came to stand up to have a closer look, but powerful and loving arms kept her against him. She felt his chest tremble. He lifted her chin towards him. He was grinning, his deep brown eyes twinkling with mischief.
"No peeking until tomorrow morning, sweetheart," he ordered before silencing her with a lingering kiss.
"How about midnight?" she asked, her voice high-pitched with anticipation.
"I thought you would be asleep by midnight," he observed, amused by this little girl side of her.
"We could stay up," she suggested excitedly. "And drink lots of hot chocolate."
The suggestion only made him laugh louder.
She snuggled affectionately against him, her hands reaching underneath his shirt. "Pretty please?"
"That will get you in bed even faster, Mrs. Hudson," he teased her.
"But it would keep us awake till midnight," she said, suggestively wiggling her brow at him. "Then I could look at the stocking."
"I can just see you and our children in a few years." Images of blond children running joyously around the Christmas tree filled his mind. "All cuddled on the couch fast asleep because none of you wanted to miss Santa."
"You never did that?" she inquired, liking the fact he used the word children, though they never really talked about how many they wanted. "Sleep on the couch to wait for Santa?" she continued when he frowned in confusion.
"Yes, I did, and I never once caught him in action," he admitted, shaking his head at the memory, as her laughter filled the room. "How many would you like, Sue?"
"Children? Three or four. I guess it would depend on my husband," she quipped.
He winked at her. "Your husband will be more than happy to fulfil any order you place, sweetheart."
"You know, Jack, I don't recall ordering this little one," she teased, rubbing her tummy.
"That one was a free sample," he said, joining in her soft laughter. "Sue, while I was out with Levi, I was thinking."
She focused her attention, sensing his sudden change of mood. "And?"
"When we get back, an apartment will seem pretty small compared to this, and Levi will miss roaming freely around the house."
"Are you suggesting we buy a house? Could we really afford one?" The idea enchanted her.
"We could afford a small one in the suburb. It wouldn't be anything fancy, but it could have a yard with trees and a swing set."
"And a sandbox, and a little shed with tricycles in it," she added, daydreaming with him.
"Yes, all that." When he smiled at her, he noticed the shadow that crossed her eyes. "What is it, sweetheart?"
"What if... I stop working?" she hinted, unsure when the thought crossed her mind, or how he would react.
"That's why I said a small house, so you don't have to work if you don't want to," he explained. "I cannot decide for you, sweetheart. But I will stand by your choice."
Relief flowed through her. "Thank you."
He lay down on the couch taking her with him. The fire danced in her eyes, a clear reflection of the fireplace. He tasted her lips, savouring the pleasure.
"We should go to bed. You and baby need your beauty sleep."
"Not midnight yet," she argued, opening his shirt to rest her head over his chest.
He played in her hair. Slowly her breathing evened out. When her fingers stopped caressing his chin, he figured she had fallen asleep. He looked at the grandfather clock. In fifteen minutes, the twelve strokes of midnight would echo in the room. Gently he rolled her over, and stood up. He went to the closet and retrieved the gift he bought her to place it under the tree. He then added some wood in the fire before grabbing the afghan. They would be more comfortable in bed, but this was their first Christmas together, so he chose the romantic option.
He cuddled with her under the afghan.
***
The first thought that came to her mind when Sue woke up was that she didn't dream at all. But it quickly vanished when she turned her head and saw the gift under the tree. The green wrapping paper had elves on it, and a big yellow bow. Arms pulled her closer to her husband.
"Merry Christmas, Jack."
She peppered kisses along his chest up to his mouth. When he felt the tip of her tongue tracing his lips, he deepened the kiss. She granted him access, and they rolled on the couch until he covered her with his body. His hands trailed along her side. He would work an appetite just going through their clothes, grinning at the thought.
"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," he wished, pulling away just enough for her to read him.
She had a beautiful radiant smile on her face, and was gazing at him with excitement.
"What would you like us to do this morning?" he teased. "We could sleep in, or have breakfast in bed, or take a long wake outside."
"JACK!" She placed her hand over his mouth.
He laughed, not quite believing she let him get away with it for that long.
He sat with her in front of the tree, wondering what she would open first. The gift by her knee, or the stocking hanging on the branch. She hesitated, glancing from one to the next, before reaching for the branch.
The little stocking was red with a sparkly silver cuff at the top. Silver glitters spelled BABY over the red fuzzy fabric. She fingered the letters one at a time, her heart swelling with love. She pulled a small box from inside. Jack intently watched her rip the wrapping paper. She gasped in delight, delicately lifting the ornament from the box. It was a baby angel, sleeping peacefully on a white cloud with shiny gold letters spelling Baby's First Christmas.
His hand came to rest over her tummy. Technically, next Christmas would be baby's first Christmas, but at the ultrasound in the doctor's office the previous week, they saw his tiny heart blinking strongly on the screen. For as long as he lived he didn't think he could ever forget the image.
"Baby is not very big, but he is here with us," he told her as she lifted misty eyes towards him.
"Thank you." She carefully hung the baby angel in the tree, out of reach from Levi.
He wrapped her in his arms before placing the larger gift on her lap. She started unwrapping slowly, but curiosity got the best of her and paper flew over his shoulder. She opened the box. The vibrant colours caught her eyes first. Shade of blue and purple swirling together on the soft flannel she ever touched. She pulled it out of the box. It was a nightie almost identical in style to Jack's dressed shirts.
"Are you trying to tell me you want your shirts back?" she asked, eyeing him mischievously.
He laughed, the idea never having crossed his mind.
"I love it, Jack. And when baby is here, it will be perfect for nursing."
"And warmer than my cotton shirts," he observed.
"Thank you." She kissed him tenderly. "You're next," she said, chuckling at his perplexed expression. "Your gift is in the tree somewhere."
He took him less than a minute to spot the envelope.
"An anagram," he said, after looking at the sheet of paper he pulled from the envelope. "You mean I have to work in order to get my gift?"
She nodded, biting her lips to hide her laughter.
"For the records, sweetheart, I'm very good at that game."
He took another look at the scrambled letters.
HSDE HET ORYU SI IFGT NI DHENDI
"I'm guessing each cluster of letters represents a word, right?"
She nodded, wondering how long it would take him to figure out the extra twist she added.
"I need a pen." He then reached for one on the living room table.
She watched as he effortlessly unscrambled each word. SHED. THE. YOUR.
"You had to scramble the words as well?" he said, staring at her with sparkling brown eyes.
"I had to make it a little bit challenging," she replied shyly, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.
She was rewarded with a lingering kiss that got them forgetting all about the game for a few minutes.
"And on top of it, you are distracting me?" he added mischievously, only to have her laugh out loud. "Okay, where was I?"
The words kept coming. IS. GIFT. IN.
He stumbled on the last word, but after trying multiple unsuccessful combinations he came up with HIDDEN.
"I'm impressed," she murmured. "Very impressed," she corrected herself when he lined up the words coherently.
YOUR GIFT IS HIDDEN IN THE SHED
"Okay, let's go, sweetheart," he said, pulling her up on her feet.
"Now?"
"You don't think I will wait, do you?" He was as excited as she was. "And we're already dressed. Where's your jacket?"
Levi ran to his favourite tree while they headed towards the shed.
'Rabbit', she signed as they approached.
"And more than one," he observed, looking at the sets of prints in the fresh snow. "Better keep an eye on Levi, or he will take off."
She was holding her breath as he pulled on the handle of the shed, then he gaped at the sight.
"How... When..." He walked around the vehicle in delight. "I've always wanted one of those."
"You do realise I missed most of what you said," she told him, laughing.
"Sorry." Lowering his head, he brushed her lips. "Thank you, sweetheart."
He examined the quad. It wasn't new, but it appeared in good mechanical order. Two helmets were on the seat. The key was in the ignition. A half empty gasoline container was strapped to the back. He checked the gas tank. It was full.
"We could go for a ride in the woods this afternoon," he suggested, his excitement palpable as he sat on the seat his hands reaching for the handles when he abruptly froze.
"Something wrong, Jack?" she asked, suddenly alarmed.
"Sweetheart, how did we afford it?" The obvious question only popped to his mind at that instant.
"Well..."
She had that devious little smile on her lips that told him it would be an interesting story. "I'm listening."
"I guess, technically, the quad is not really yours, Jack." She swallowed back her laughter when he stared blankly at her, unsure if he should be relieved or disappointed. "Could I tell you around breakfast? Baby and I are starving," she suggested.
He relaxed at the table, listening carefully.
"Chuck and I were chatting last week, and I found myself asking lots of questions about the woods. I told him we loved to explore, but walking limits how far we can go. So, he suggested lending us a quad. For free."
Jack's eyes widened in disbelief. "Free?"
"One of his sons owns the local dealership, and that quad is a seizure after the owner stopped paying his loan. They tried to sell it but Chuck says customers want the latest model, not some ten-year-old antiquity."
Jack's huge grin was back on his face.
"Chuck promised me he would come while we were at Mass and leave it in the shed. I couldn't see any traces last night, so I wasn't sure if he came or not. I was a bit worried that you would open the door this morning and the shed would be empty."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"What is it, Jack? Are you upset?"
"No, sweetheart." He reached for her hand, his eyes shining merrily. "This is a wonderful surprise. Thank you. We will have so much fun. It's just... I almost ruined it."
She stared at him in confusion. "You did?"
He explained Levi's strange behaviour.
"I thought it was simply the rabbit, but I guess he could smell someone was here. I'm so happy I didn't open that door. It would have spoiled the surprise." Taking her hand to his lips, he kissed each finger. "How about a nice warm shower with me, then we could go for a ride? I could even be convinced to let you drive."
***
"Had a nice time with your folks, Syto?" inquired politely Ted Garrett upon her return after he granted her some well-deserved time off during the holidays.
"That's one way to look at it, sir," she replied, enigmatically. "You know what they say about why family members gather once a year."
He raised his brow unsure what to answer.
"To remind themselves why they don't gather more than once a year." And that pretty much summed up her holiday, she thought. "Any improvement in Agent Davis' condition?"
She had been thinking about the agent, and almost went to see him once, but she knew it was against protocol. He heard him sigh loudly.
Her spirits plummeted. "Not good?"
"According to the doctor, he is doing tremendously well. He completely regained his motor functions, and as he starts eating and putting on weight, his strength will come back. His mental skills are intact. I gave him a gun, and he took it apart before reassembling it in a record time."
It sounded all good to her. "Is that a problem?"
"No, the problem is, he has no idea who he is," Garrett informed her, not getting how a part of his memory was totally erased while another was totally intact.
"He doesn't recall being in Agent Hudson's apartment and being shot?"
"He doesn't know who Agent Hudson is." Ted shook his head in frustration. "The shooter was facing Agent Davis, and Davis cannot remember ever being shot, less alone by whom. He doesn't remember his own mother, but he can recite the regulation book. Ironic, isn't it?"
Syto felt sorry for the young agent. Surely he didn't survive just to have his past taken away from him.
"Has he been told who he is?"
"Yes, and he believes most of it," shared Garrett.
"Is it permanent, sir?"
"The doctor has no idea. As far as he is concerned, Davis could recover his memory instantly, or gradually. In the next five minutes, or over the next twenty years, or never."
"Anything the doctor can do to improve the odds?" she asked, wondering if there were treatments available.
"I was told TIME was the key." Garrett just wasn't certain how much of it he had.
"He won't be safe until we apprehend whoever shot him," she pointed out.
"I know. And Davis understands why we are placing him under protective custody."
***
"Why is there a third cover on the table?" asked Bobby after kissing his wife.
It had been a long day and he wanted her to himself.
"Myles just phoned from the airport. He will be here shortly so I invited him to stay, but I'm sure he will depart early," she replied, reading into her husband's mind, or more likely into his wandering hands.
"How much time before he gets here?" he asked, slowly unbuttoning her blouse.
"Not that much," she laughed.
After more than a month, their honeymoon showed no sign of slowing down.
"Bo..."
He swallowed her objection, assailing her senses. She found herself gripping his shoulders, her knees ready to buckle up when her back softly hit the wall. His lips moved to her neck, and she could only murmur his name. His body firmly pressed against her, she was quickly losing touch with reality, until loud knocks and the ring bell forced them apart.
"Don't feed him dessert," Bobby growled on his way to the door.
Despite himself he smiled when he heard Tara's clear laughter from coming from the kitchen.
"Were you planning on letting me freeze?" Myles grumbled, coming in and heading directly towards the kitchen. "Did I interrupt something?"
Tara blushed at the statement.
"Yes, dinner. Have a seat, mate."
"Sure." Myles smirked, wondering if he should mention the buttons on Tara's blouse didn't align, but deciding not to. "So, what's on the menu?" he asked innocently, Tara almost dropping the casserole she was holding.
"Let me help you, luv." Booby glared at Myles who shrugged. "Maybe you should start filling us in?"
The suggestion sounded a lot like an order.
"You know I cannot wait for this investigation to be over so I can officially drop all those travel expenses on Randy's desk," Myles commented, before tasting the food. "Delicious, Tara, you--"
"Myles!" both exclaimed at the same time.
"Hutching is not our man," he announced regretfully.
"Not," repeated Bobby incredulously.
"He was our most likely candidate," she pointed out, reviewing the others in her mind.
Since their killer didn't keep his accomplice alive very long after a deed, they agreed it was more than likely he was working alone, and that he wouldn't trust the murder of a federal agent to anyone, or the framing of another federal agent for that matter. It seemed very logical that whoever killed Davis also framed Jack, except Hutching was the last name they still had not crossed from the pink list.
Earlier one, Connors and Monteiro were eliminated. Connors couldn't walk, less climb up stairs, giving him no access to Jack's apartment. Monteiro suffered from Parkinson disease, and couldn't shoot a gun, less aim it directly at someone.
Carberry and Sielsky were respectively at a conference in L.A. and on a cruise in the Caribbean at the time of Davis' murder. Not that they couldn't find anything incriminating on either of them anyway.
On the other hand, they learned Pederson had gambling problems, and was dilapidating a trust fund he inherited from a very wealthy relative. From everything they gathered, he didn't owe any money to anyone, and even though he made a serious dent in the fund, it could still sustain his secret habits a few more years.
Augusta had raised a red flag with all the overseas trips to Europe she made in the last two years. She was listed as divorced with no dependant. The team discovered Augusta indeed had a grownup daughter that she reconnected with after giving her up for adoption. The daughter lived in the Netherlands with her husband and children, and Augusta was getting to know them now that her own husband left her.
Which left them with Hutching. He was married with two teenagers. While he and his wife shared a bank account, the team unearthed a second account under Hutching's name only, from which he transferred a few thousands of dollars to an undisclosed recipient in Houston every month. His credit card activity also showed regular excursions to Houston, which was the purpose of Myles' latest trip.
"Hutching has guilty written all over," argued Bobby. "This cannot be a coincidence."
"He's guilty all right," conceded Myles. "But not of killing anyone, he is too busy. And if his wife ever finds out, he will be the one dropping dead."
"A mistress?" It was the only conclusion Tara could think of.
"A pregnant mistress and two toddlers looking just like him," confirmed Myles.
"He has a second family?" Bobby said, not quite believing how someone could pull that off.
"The guy is after all a very good tactical supervisor, Bobby," quipped Myles. "Except we seem to be back to square one."
"Not quite," said Tara. "Someone on the black list may have more expertise in manufacturing evidence than I previously thought. We need to keep digging."