by Cindy Bell
“What's that about?” Sammy asked curiously as she joined Bekki near the entrance of the bakery.
“That's John's loved one,” Bekki said with a slow smile. “Ms. Martin is going to be taken care of for the rest of her life, even if John can't be the one to do it.”
Sammy smiled and shook her head slowly. “How generous.”
Bekki nodded sadly. She only wished that John had been the one to share the news with Ms. Martin. The frail woman had begun to cry softly after the lawyer revealed her inheritance. Bekki linked arms with Sammy and they stepped back out into the cold air.
“You know with weather like this, we might just get a white Christmas,” Sammy said with a wistful smile. “Wouldn't that be nice?”
“It would,” Bekki nodded as she searched the clear sky for any sign of snow. When she looked away from the sky again, Nick's smiling face was right in front of her.
“So, are you ready for Christmas brunch?” he asked hopefully.
“She is now,” Angela said from just behind him. She handed over a white cake box to Bekki who took it with a huge smile.
“Thanks Angela, my mom is going to love this,” Bekki's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Nick breathed in the scent of the cake as Bekki held the box, and released a long savoring sigh. “I think I'm going to love it, too,” he said dreamily.
“Not until tomorrow,” Bekki warned as he walked her towards the car.
“You and Morris are coming, right Sammy?” Bekki asked as she glanced over her shoulder at her friend.
“We wouldn't miss it for the world,” Sammy assured her and waved as she walked towards Morris who was speaking with a few of his friends.
“Hurry,” Bekki pleaded as Nick opened the car door for her. “I don't want my mom to see the cake until tomorrow.” Bekki's parents were standing beside the mayor and his wife talking quietly with them. As long time residents of Harroway they were on a first name basis with the mayor, who was more of a neighbor than a politician.
“Get in, get in,” Nick laughed as he held the door open for her. Bekki climbed carefully into the car and then Nick closed the door for her. As they drove back to her house she glanced over at him.
“Are you going to stay tonight?” she asked him a little nervously. Nick was studying the road but he stole a glance in her direction.
“Do you want me to?” he asked, reflecting the same level of anxiousness.
“I can't think of a better way to wake up on Christmas morning,” Bekki grinned and leaned into his shoulder.
“Me neither,” he agreed.
***
That night as Bekki snuggled close to Nick and listened to the steady breathing of his slumber her mind traveled to the year ahead. She had so much to look forward to, and yet, she wasn't exactly sure what that was. She was simply certain that things would continue to get better. Just the opportunity to be surrounded by her family and friends at Christmas brunch was enough to make her believe in miracles.
“Love is making me cheesy,” she mumbled to herself and tried to will herself to sleep. Her eyes kept slipping open and peering out the window, as if she expected snowflakes, or perhaps a sleigh to drift past. Not since she was a little girl had she had such a hard time sleeping on Christmas Eve. She was still wide awake when the sun began to rise. Nick grumbled in his sleep and rolled over, punching his pillow as he did, as if he was in the middle of a combat dream. Bekki laughed a little as she sat up beside him. Feeling daring, she reached out and poked him lightly in the back. Nick's legs kicked and he flipped over in the bed, his eyes still closed. Bekki giggled and reached out to lightly tickle his neck. Nick jerked his head to the side slightly, and then slowly opened one eye. He studied her as he opened the other.
“Still want to wake up next to me?” she laughed as he sleepily frowned.
“Always,” he replied with certainty. Then he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down beside him. “But I must teach you the fine art of sleeping in.”
When Bekki was finally able to drag him out of bed she found herself giddy with excitement. She shooed him out of the bedroom so she could get dressed and apply her makeup. She had purchased a new shade of lipstick to try out. It was called burning burgundy, and was guaranteed to give any kiss a little extra heat. It paired well with the smokey color she had used to line her eyes, emphasizing their dark blue shade. It had been some time since she had really focused on preparing her own makeup, and it was just as fun as she remembered. She tested a few different lip-liners before applying one last layer of burning burgundy. Then she stood back far enough to get a full length glimpse of herself in the mirror. She wore a sparkly red dress that was left over from a Christmas party in New York. She knew it would stand out amidst sweaters and thick jeans, but she loved the dress. She could see that Nick loved it too as he walked into the bedroom and caught her adjusting the skirt.
“Wow,” he exhaled and stared at her for a long time. Finally, Bekki laughed and flung her arms around his neck.
“You ready to go?” she asked hopefully.
“Yup,” he kissed the tip of her nose. “But, just one thing,” he hesitated and reached into his pocket. Then he stepped closer to her. “Guess what I still have,” he smiled and dangled the mistletoe above her head.
“Nick, no,” Bekki's eyes widened as he dove in for a kiss. “I just put on my lipstick and it's going to smudge,” she attempted to protest.
“Mistletoe trumps all,” he reminded her and tickled the top of her head with it. Bekki giggled and drew him into a long, warm kiss. When he pulled away he had a bit of lipstick on his lower lip.
“Is it supposed to feel like that?” he laughed as he kissed her quickly one more time. Bekki could feel the lipstick heating up on her lips as well. It was a delicious sensation, but still rather strange.
“Mm, I think so,” she murmured and sighed as she looked up into his eyes.
“One more?” he wiggled the mistletoe again.
“You're the one with the mistletoe,” she grinned and they shared one more kiss. “Now, I have to fix my lipstick,” she laughed and re-applied. When she turned around he started to lift the mistletoe again and she swatted it right out of his hand.
“This belongs to me now,” she said saucily as she dropped it into her purse along with the lipstick.
“Better bring a coat, it is very chilly outside,” he warned, unable to tear his gaze away from the dress she was wearing.
Bekki nodded and grabbed a faux leather jacket out of the closet. It was thick enough to keep her warm without being bulky.
Chapter Nine
As Bekki and Nick drove to Bekki's parents’ house with the surprise cake resting on her lap, Bekki couldn't wait to taste the delicious food and share in some amazing memories. When they pulled up outside the house they were greeted by Bekki's father fighting with a blow-up reindeer.
“Dad?” Bekki said as she walked over to him, holding the cake box in one hand. “What did that reindeer do to you?”
“It won't stand up straight!” her father complained, obviously frustrated. “Every time I let go of it, it tips right over.”
“Maybe it's just too cold,” Nick pointed out as he shivered. “Here let's see if we can figure it out together,” he suggested and received a look of gratitude from Bekki's father. Bekki watched the two men wrestling with the inflatable reindeer for a few minutes, and though she had to struggle not to laugh at them, she was also savoring the sight. It was a special moment for her to realize that Nick might just be fighting with Christmas decorations with her father for a long time to come. Sammy's arrival was enough of a distraction to draw her out of her daydream as she spun around to hug her friend. Morris was with her wearing a very interesting green sweater with a bright red Santa hat on it.
“Morris?” Bekki asked as she looked at his sweater, everything she knew about fashion causing alarm bells to ring loudly in her mind.
“It's a gift, from Sammy,” Morris said quic
kly and hugged Sammy. He widened his eyes as he looked over the top of her head at Bekki. Bekki covered her mouth to hide a giggle.
“Oh stop,” Sammy laughed. “The best part of Christmas is the bad sweaters. See I have one, too,” she opened her jacket to reveal a dizzying pattern of reindeer chasing each other across a red background.
“Very nice,” Bekki laughed as the three of them headed for the house.
“Are they okay?” Morris asked as both Nick and Bekki's father began shoving the reindeer that continued to fall over.
“They're fine,” Bekki said with confidence. “Just bonding.”
“Is Nick armed?” Sammy asked with concern. “Because that reindeer is innocent until proven guilty.” Bekki laughed at her friend's joke but before she could answer her mother was opening the door for them. Bekki quickly hid the cake box behind Sammy as her friend stepped in first.
“Merry Christmas everyone,” Marie said cheerfully. The interior of the house was just as Bekki remembered it from when she was a child. The fireplace gave off subtle warmth mingled with the chill from the door being opened and closed. The air was draped with scents of cinnamon, apples, and the ham cooking. The tree was decorated and positioned strategically in front of the television as her mother's pet peeve was anyone watching television on a holiday instead of visiting with their loved ones. Bekki sneaked into the kitchen and hid the cake before her mother could spot it. As they gathered together in the living room sorting through music to play and giggling over past memories, Bekki was treasuring each moment. When she heard the front door open and saw Nick and her father stepping inside she braced herself.
“So who won?” she asked as she looked between the two.
“Take a look,” her father said proudly and Nick grinned. Bekki and Sammy stepped over to the front window where they could clearly see that the reindeer had been roped and duct taped into standing up straight.
“Victory!” Morris called out from behind them. Nick and Bekki's father laughed loudly at that.
“Wow, it smells wonderful in here,” Nick sighed and headed straight for the kitchen.
“Out, out, out,” Marie huffed within seconds of his entrance. Nick re-emerged licking his lips from the tastes he had managed to steal.
“Hmm, bad behavior Detective,” Bekki winked at him. Nick did his best to look innocent. Bekki and Sammy joined Marie in the kitchen and began putting the final touches on brunch. Once the feast was laid out across the table there was so much jovial conversation occurring that Bekki couldn't hear herself think. She laughed quietly as she dropped down into one of the chairs at the table. Nick sat down beside her and reached immediately for her hand. She smiled at the warmth of his touch and squeezed his hand in return.
The table was covered with an assortment of delicious food that ranged from traditional to personal favorites. Bekki's favorite was the pasta salad her mother always made with extra celery just the way that Bekki liked it. She had even sliced up green olives to toss with it, which were another of Bekki's favorites. After offering thanks around the table, just as they did at Thanksgiving, the family and friends began to dig in. Nick was not shy about loading up his plate, but whatever dish he had, he always offered it to Bekki first.
“So polite,” Marie murmured quietly to her daughter.
“He's not always like this,” Bekki insisted, but she couldn't hide the glimmer in her eye that indicated he usually was.
Morris and Sammy were debating whether the mashed potatoes or the sweet potatoes were the better dish. Their friendly bickering was settled when Morris put a spoonful of the mashed potatoes in Sammy's mouth and the rich taste silenced her.
“Okay,” she finally assented after savoring the bite. “The mashed potatoes win.”
The conversation ranged from lively discussion about the future of the town, to the Christmas decorations, to Morris' upcoming potential promotion, and finally to the salon.
“Bekki I have to say that all I hear from people is how wonderful a job you are doing running the salon,” her mother said with pleasure. “I couldn't be more proud of what you've done with it.”
“Well, it wasn't just me,” Bekki pointed out. “If it wasn't for you working so hard and creating such loyal customers in the first place, it wouldn't be nearly so successful. Not to mention Sammy,” Bekki winked at her friend. “I don't know what I would do without her.”
“You'd mop less,” Sammy pointed out with a quiet chuckle that drew grins of amusement from around the table.
“Did you hear that Ms. Martin has already started planning a program for the elderly in the area?” Marie asked Bekki as she passed her the green bean casserole. “It is aimed at making sure that no one is alone on the holidays. She's really going to do some good with that fortune that John left her,” she sighed and shook her head. “It's sad that he isn't with us, but it's good to know that he left his money to the right person.”
“It seems so sad to think he didn't have any family,” Sammy added with a frown as she wiped at her mouth with a napkin. “But I guess Ms. Martin was really his family.”
“I think family is about who you love, and who loves you in return,” Bekki pointed out with a wide smile. “I'm lucky enough to have the most amazing family, both related by blood and related by love,” she glanced over at Nick who was grinning at her. He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear.
“Are we going to tell her?” the question made Bekki's eyes widen.
“No way,” she hissed back and kicked him lightly in the ankle under the table.
“Ouch,” he winced and pouted.
As they finished dinner Bekki excused herself and headed into the kitchen. She found the cake and carried it back into the dining room.
“Mama you always make everything so special for all of us,” she said with a warm smile. “This year I wanted to make sure that you had something special, too,” she said as she held out the white cake box.
“Oh what's this?” Marie asked as Bekki placed the cake box down in front of her.
“A special gift, for you, well for all of us,” Bekki laughed as she opened up the cake box. When her mother saw the Italian Cream Cake she gasped with pleasure and clapped her hands.
“I can't believe it! Every single year I wish I had this, and every single year, nothing tastes quite as good, Bekki it's perfect!” she said with tears in her eyes as she looked up at her daughter. “The cake is lovely, but what makes today perfect, is you being here. All of you,” she added and offered a special smile to Nick, who blushed faintly in return. Bekki felt her heart skip a beat as she knew that this was what she wanted. Not just for one holiday, but for every holiday to come.
“I'll slice it!” Bekki's father volunteered and began cutting slices of the cake for everyone to try. As they all complimented the cake and giggled about fighting over the last piece, Bekki felt her body relax. She was home, and she valued every minute of it. By the time Christmas brunch was over everyone was stuffed. Bekki's father sprawled out on the couch, and Bekki's mother collapsed into a recliner. Bekki and Nick cleared off the table together while Sammy and Morris shared in washing and drying the dishes. Even the clean up was festive as they gabbed about their own family traditions and just what they could expect from the new year.
“I don't want anything to change,” Bekki abruptly announced as Morris was hinting about a raise being his main focus for the new year.
“Really, nothing?” Sammy asked with surprise. “There aren't too many people in this world that can say that.”
“I mean it,” Bekki said firmly. “When everything fell apart for me in New York I felt sorry for myself, I thought I was losing so much, but I had no idea how much I was actually gaining. The only thing I want to change in the new year is how often I say thank you,” she smiled at that and leaned over to hug Nick. She was a little surprised when she found that his muscles were tight.
“Well, I'm sure there are some things you'd want to change,” he said calmly as he loo
ked into her eyes.
“Nothing,” she replied firmly and searched his gaze. She could tell that he was upset about something, but she couldn't figure out what. When they were finished clearing the dishes, Bekki decided to step out for some fresh air. Really she wanted to see if there was any sign of snow. From the front porch she could see the shimmering lights on the houses of all the neighbors, and could even hear the festive music and laughter coming from some of the houses. As she leaned against the railing she noticed that the sky did look fairly heavy, as if it might be brewing something special. She heard the front door open and close behind her, but she didn't have to turn to know who it was. She had memorized the sound of Nick's footsteps and the scent he carried. He wrapped his arms gently around her waist so that she could rest her head back against his shoulder. He smiled as he felt the cool brush of her cheek against his own.
“You're not cold?” he asked her in a whisper and hugged her tighter.
“Never, when I'm in your arms,” she replied and glanced up at him. She noticed that he still seemed tense.
“What's wrong?” she asked as she looked up at him.
“It's just hard to figure you out sometimes,” he replied with honest confusion.
“What do you mean?” Bekki asked with surprise. “What is there to figure out? If it's about the case I…”
“No,” Nick said firmly. “I have learnt to accept the fact that you're never going to take my advice about your detective work,” he laughed a little. “But, you said you want nothing to change. Do you really mean that?”
All of a sudden Bekki realized what he meant. “Oh Nick, I didn't mean it that way,” she frowned as she pulled out of his arms and turned around to face him. “I don't want our relationship to change, I mean, the way we feel about each other. I do want it to continue to develop,” she added.
“But you don't want to tell your mother about us moving in together?” he reminded her gingerly.