The Gingerbread Man

1/1

R&H

PG

~ December 2010~

Emma Scorpio Drake was perfectly content perched on top of the marble countertop. She quietly took everything in, the flour being added to the bowl, the adding of the vanilla, the breaking of the eggs. She was waiting patiently on her turn. "Now, Grammy?" she asked, her little hands playing in the bowl of red and green M&M's she held in her lap. "My turn?"

"Your turn, Emma." Holly replied. "Pour them in."

She was practically bouncing with excitement. She poured them into the larger bowl, careful not to spill any. "I help stir?"

"Of course." she replied giving Emma the spoon and then covering the little girl's hand with hers. "After we get these in the oven we'll have to get Cameron to help with the sugar cookies."

"Papa too!" she said. "I go get him."

"Okay." Holly picked Emma up off the counter and lowered her down onto the floor. "Hurry up."

Holly busied herself with spooning the dough onto the cookie sheets. The sugar cookies were to be her last batch of the evening and she was more than ready to be done. What the Scorpio's were going to do with a dozen batches of cookies, she didn't know. Tto hyper grandchildren to give back to their parents didn't seem entirely fair, but then on the other hand what were grandparents for if not for spoiling?

Cameron, at age four,, came running full steam ahead into the kitchen. "Is it time for sugar cookies?" he asked. "I want to roll out the dough."

She momentarily diverted her attention away from the cookies and onto her grandson. "Your grandfather is going to roll out the dough." she told him. "You and Emma are going to cut the cookies out."

"When am I going to be big enough to roll out the dough?"

Holly went back to filling up her cookie sheet. "In a few more years." she promised. "Besides I'm counting on you to help Emma out."

"Okay." he smiled. "I'll help Emma cut the cookies out and put sprinkles on them. I think she'll like the snowman one best." he said. "Do you think we'll have snow on Christmas, Grammy?"

"Maybe." she replied.

"I asked Santa for snow on Christmas when mommy and daddy took me to have my picture taken at the mall." he told her. "I also told him I wanted that Batman imaginex set too. You think he'll bring it?"

"Oh, I don't know." Holly sighed. "Have you been a good boy for mummy and daddy?"

"Yes." he replied. "Even when they told me I was getting baby sister instead of a baby brother like I wanted."

Holly smiled. She remembered when she and Robert brought Elijah home and how Robin was so upset because the entire time she had been expecting a little sister. They went through the same thing again a few years later when they brought home Grace to a disappointed Elijah.

"Maybe one day you'll get a brother, Cameron."

"I hope so!" he said. "Daddy said he had two sisters and it was lots of fun. Someday I would like a brother though. Mommy says you don't get to pick."

"No you don't." she laughed. "A little sister will be fun too, Cam. You can teach her all the things that you teach Emma."

"Maybe." he sighed. "Are we going to make cookies soon?"

"As soon as Emma and Papa are ready."

Robert came into the kitchen carrying Emma on his shoulders. "We're ready when you are, luv." he told her. "Where's the dough?"

Holly placed the last sheet of cookies into the oven. "In the fridge." she told him. "Is Grace home yet?"

He placed Emma on her feet and made his way to get the cookie dough. "Not yet." he replied. "She's been home from school for a week now and I think I've seen her three times."

"She misses her friends." Holly said. "It's hard on her being all the way across the country."

"I know." he said. "But you think she would want to spend a little time with her family."

"She will." Holly promised. "Everyone is going to be together on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. It'll be fine, Robert. Why don't you and Grace go out and have lunch tomorrow. Maybe do some shopping."

Robert searched through the fridge. "I can't find it.' he told her. "Are you sure it's in here?"

"Open the other door." she instructed. "There on the left."

"I see it now." he said, grabbing it and making his way to her. "I do need to pick up a few more things for you. I'll ask her when she gets home."

"You should probably just leave her a note." Holly suggested, searching the drawers for the cookie cutters. "She's been coming in late."

Robert pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "I'll just text her."

"How very modern of you."

"If I could just the hang of facebook I'd be all set."

"One thing at a time, darling." she told him. "Cameron, Emma, why don't you pick out your cookie cutters, okay?"

Emma climbed up the step stool. "I wanna tree."

"I like the little man." Cameron said. "The little gingerbread man."

Robert began rolling out the dough and one by the one the kids started cutting their desired shapes out. Having little children in the house again was a wonderful thing, even more so because they could give them back to their parents. They made trays and trays of trees and angels and santa's and little gingerbread men complete with sprinkles and icing.

When the last of the batch was cooling, the cookie stuffed children were safely tucked in their beds. And the entire house was silent except for the swishing of wine being poured into a glass. Holly shrugged off her cardigan and then pulled off her camisole. "I don't want to bake another cookie." she said. "Ever."

"At least until next year." Robert said, relaxing in the oversized chair in their bedroom. "Cameron and Emma had a great time though."

"I know." she said, continuing to undress. "Why do you think I baked so many?"

"You love M&M cookies." he pointed out. "I noticed you baked the most of those."

"They're Robin's favorite too."

Robert held out his glass of wine to her. "You deserve a nice relaxing evening." he smiled. "With me."

Holly reached for the glass. "Does that mean I don't need pyjamas?"

"Well that depends." he smiled. "What do you consider relaxing?"

"The wine is a good start." she took a sip. "A nice long hot bath sounds like perfection. I feel as though I've been in the kitchen since sunrise." she handed the glass back to him and preceded to undress further. "Did you turn off the Christmas lights?"

"No." he replied. "I forgot to tun them on to begin with."

"I really don't know why you even put them up." she said. "I think we remember to turn them on a grand total of five times during the entire month of December."

"Tradition." he replied, reaching out for her. "Remember when our children were little and we would put up thousands of lights and decorations? Every year they wanted to add more and more."

Holly slid down into his lap. "Our house started to look like a circus attraction." she said. "You did win first prize three years in a row."

"And then the Greene's moved in across the street and we just couldn't keep up." his hands settled on either side of her hips. "Then the kids grew up and moved out and started their lives and now we're grandparents."

"Doesn't seem possible, doesn't it?" she asked. "I can't believe they're grown. Seems like just yesterday you were dressing up as Santa and putting all their presents under the tree. And now Robin and Elijah have children of their own."

"And soon Gracie will too."

"Let's get her through college first." Holly said. "She has two and a half more years to go."

"And I'm sure they'll fly by." he said. "You want some company for your bubble bath?"

Holly arched a perfect eyebrow. "Company?" she smiled. "Always."

Robert and Holly both paused waiting for the interruption they knew was coming. Five, ten, twenty seconds passed and still there was complete silence. "How about that." he sighed.

"A Christmas miracle."

"And one we need to take advantage of."

Holly got up and led them into the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind them.

The End.