CHRISTMAS WISHES
"It doesn't really feel like Christmas, does it?" Cassy asked her partner. They had been
observing their co-workers exchanging gifts and munching on goodies all week. A festively
decorated tree occupied one corner of the squadroom, and many of the desks were littered with
discarded wrapping paper and shredded red and green ribbon.
"Not the kind of Christmases I remember as a kid," Tom agreed. "It was always cold and
snowy, and everyone always had a big fire going in the fireplace. I used to get sleds and ice
skates for presents. Here the kids get surfboards and roller blades."
"That's okay with me, "Cassy said. "I'll take a tan over frostbite any day." She glanced
over at her partner. "Well, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Have any plans?"
Tom shook his head. "There wasn't much point in making plans, since it's my turn to
work the holiday this year. Guess I shouldn't complain; I've had Christmas off the last two years.
At least I can just take call and hopefully stay home. Are you going to see your sisters?"
Cassy sighed loudly. "No, they're going skiing together this year. Won't be back until
next week."
"What about your mother?" Tom asked.
"Gone to New York with a friend until New Years. She left a message on my machine
last week."
"Oh." Tom rose and stepped over to a punch bowl balanced on a table of holiday treats in
the corner and brought back two paper cups of flourescent green punch. He passed one to Cassy
and sat back down. "So, what are you going to be doing for Christmas?"
"Working, just like you. I volunteered to be on call, too."
Tom leaned forward in his chair in astonishment. "You volunteered to work Christmas?"
"I knew most of the other detectives have kids and families to visit," Cassy replied. "I
didn't, so I said I would work." She shuffled papers on her desk and took a tentative sip of the
mystery liquid in her cup. "I was wondering...that is, I thought, if you don't have other plans...."
"What?" Tom asked.
"How about we have a Christmas Eve dinner at your place? I'll bring the wine, and I'll
pick up some of that Italian bread you love. I mean, we both have to stay in town, and the
restaurants will all close early, and you love to cook , and...."
"Cassy." Tom interrupted.
"What?"
"Take a breath, you talked me into it." he said with a smile.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good." Tom saw the look of relief on her face, and wondered if there was more to her
impulsive suggestion than she was saying. "Seven o'clock?"
"How about eight?" Cassy asked.
"Eight is is, then."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cassy paused outside the door of Tom's apartment, wondering how she was going to
balance the armful of bags and packages and still reach the doorbell. Her problem solved itself
when the door opened as she reached the top step.
"I saw you pull up," Tom explained as he took several bags from her overburdened arms.
"It smells wonderful in here, " Cassy remarked as she placed the rest of the bags on the
sofa and gazed around the apartment. Tom had managed to find room to place a small tree in the
corner, and had decorated it with tiny white lights and red velvet ribbons. She started to place
the packages under the tree, then paused, glancing at her watch. "Are we going to eat first, or
open the gifts first?"
"Tradition says you eat first," Tom answered from the kitchen. She turned just in time to
see him turn out the lights. Two twinkling candles reflected their soft light across the room. He
held out a wine goblet and poured hers first, then one for himself.
"Oh, this is nice," Cassy smiled as she sat down across from him. She held her glass out
and touched the rim of his in a toast. "To Christmas wishes."
"To Christmas wishes, " Tom repeated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You cooked way too much food, you know," Cassy observed as she helped him clear
the dishes.
"Bachelors do that. I know how to cook for one, or for a crowd. I'll be eating this for a
week." She glanced at him as they put the last of the meal in the refrigerator.
"What did you wish for?" she asked.
"You mean for Christmas?" She nodded. Tom looked thoughtful for a minute. "Oh, I
guess I would have liked to have been back home for the holidays. But I couldn't really afford
the trip right now. And since I had to be here for work, it was all for the best, anyway." Tom
looked over at her as she glanced at her watch again.
"If you have somewhere to go, it's okay, Cassy."
Cassy looked puzzled. " Go? I don't have anywhere to go."
"You keep looking at your watch," Tom said. "I just assumed...."
"Force of habit, that's all." Cassy wandered over to the tree and picked up a brightly
wrapped gift. "Is this for me?"
"Could be. Why don't you open it and find out?"
"Maybe later," Cassy said. "How about a little more wine?" She held out her glass for a
refill, then switched on the tree lights and settled into the sofa. Tom picked up his own glass and
sat down beside her.
They sat for several minutes, each lost in thought as the hypnotic twinkle of the
decorations, the meal and the candlelight lulled them into a relaxed silence.
"Still doesn't feel like Christmas," Tom finally broke the silence. " I called my parents
just before you got here, but they weren't home. Dad's probably throwing a big Christmas party
at the restaurant. Maybe I'll get to talk to them tomorrow."
"Maybe so," Cassy said. She glanced at her watch again, then suddenly sat up. "Time to
open the gifts," she said cheerily.
"Oh, really? I didn't know we were on a time schedule here," Tom remarked. "Or are
you trying to give me a hint that you wanted a new watch for Christmas?"
"Very funny."
They spent the next few minutes exchanging the gifts they had bought for each other.
Tom caught Cassy's eye as they gathered up the discarded paper and ribbons.
"Can I ask you something?"
Cassy looked up with a puzzled smile. "Of course."
"We haven't spent Christmas together, just the two of us, since the year we were married.
I was just wondering...." he hesitated, then continued. "I was wondering why, after all this time,
you wanted to do this."
She held his gaze for a long second, then looked away into the candlelight. " Because it's
Christmas, and you should be with people you care about at Christmas."
"That's all?" he asked.
"What other reason would I have?"
Tom shook his head. "No reason, I guess." He gazed back into the twinkling lights for a
moment, then rose and reached behind the tree. He pulled out another brightly wrapped box.
"I've got another present for you, but...."
"But what?" Cassy asked with a smile.
"I'm not really sure if it's...appropriate." he answered sheepishly.
"Why don't you let me decide that?" she said, taking the box from his hands. "Oh, by the
way," Cassy said. "I have another gift for you, too."
"Really?" Tom looked around the base of the tree. "Where is it?"
"Its not something you can wrap up," she answered vaguely, glancing at her watch again.
She smiled in amusement at his puzzled expression.
He came to sit down beside her. "So, what is it?"
"You'll see." Just as she started to slip the ribbon from her last gift, the doorbell rang.
Tom frowned as he rose from the sofa. "Who could that be this late?"
"Could be Santa with your last gift." Cassy teased.
"I thought YOU were going to give me my last gift," Tom called over his shoulder with a
wicked grin.
"Thomas Ryan, what did you..." Cassy laughed as she leaned over the back of the couch.
" What did you REALLY wish for?"
"I'll never tell," he laughed as he opened the door. His laughter faded into a shocked
silence as he stared through the open doorway. Across the darkened room, Cassy heard a faint
"Oh, my God." She smiled to herself as she crossed the room to join her partner at the door.
"Well, are you going to let us in, or do we have to find someone else to give these
presents to?" Lyam Ryan asked with a mock gruffness.
"I think he's in shock," Margaret Ryan said with a smile.
"He has no manners whatsoever," Cassy said, lifting some of the packages from her
ex-mother-in-law's arms. "Come on in."
"Um...yeah, come in," Tom stammered as he enveloped his mother in a hug. "Why
didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"What kind of surprise would that have been?" Lyam said. He glanced around the
candlelit apartment. "Did we get here at a bad time?"
Cassy laughed. "No, in fact, I thought you were going to be here for dinner."
"Wait a minute," Tom interrupted. "You knew they were coming?"
"This trip was her idea," Margaret said as she deposited the remainder of her burden
under the tree. " She called us, and said you were down about having to work the holiday. Lyam
refused to let her pay for the trip, so we compromised; Cassy paid for our hotel room. So, here
we are."
As Lyam followed his wife to the tree in the corner, Tom caught Cassy's arm. When she
turned, he wrapped his arms around her
"Thank you, Cassy," he whispered in her ear. " I guess you knew all along what I wished
for, didn't you?"
"Does it feel more like Christmas now?" she whispered back.
"It does, " he agreed. As they started over to join his parents under the tree, Tom
suddenly grabbed her arm again.
"Cassy, do me a favor. That gift you were about to unwrap...."
"Yes?"
"Don't," he whispered urgently. "Not in front of my parents. They...might get the wrong
idea. Unwrap it when you get home; you'll understand."
"Whatever you say, partner."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was past midnight before the Ryans gathered their things together and headed out to
Tom's car. He had offered to take them to their hotel, while Cassy would be picking them up to
bring them back to his place the next day. Cassy and Lyam stood off to one side while Tom
helped his mother put their gifts in the trunk.
"We pulled it off, really surprised him, didn't we?" Lyam said with a smile, his arm
draped around Cassy's shoulder.
"I believe we did," she agreed. She looked up at her ex-father-in-law. " I do have a
confession to make, Lyam."
"What's that?"
"I did have a selfish reason behind setting all this up." She gazed into his compassionate
eyes. "I have always envied the closeness Tom has with you and his mother. It's something I
never had, growing up, or now, for that matter."
"I know," the older man said sympathetically.
"Tom wanted to be with you for Christmas, and he couldn't. I was afraid that he would
wrangle some way to get there, anyway, and I would be here by myself. This way, with you
coming here, I..." she hesitated, " I had a family to spend Christmas with, too."
Lyam pulled Cassy into a warm hug. " You will always have us as family, and not just at
Christmas, understand?"
"I know that," Cassy said, her voice muffled in his shoulder. "Thank you."
"No, thank you. We never even considered traveling anywhere over the holidays before.
We should have done this years ago." Lyam kissed her cheek and climbed into the back seat of
the Mustang. "See you in the morning, Cassy. Merry Christmas." Margaret called.
"Merry Christmas, Cass. See you tomorrow," Tom said as they pulled away into the
darkness.
"You, too," Cassy said as she headed for her car. Once inside, her curiosity got the better
of her. She switched on the overhead light and quickly unwrapped her last present.
Layers of pale pink tissue paper crackled under her hands. There, nestled in the soft
layers, Cassy found a white satin negligee, its neckline and sleeves trimmed in delicate white
lace. She held it up in the faint light, as several yards of satin unfolded in her lap. It was
exquisite, and fairly expensive, as she could tell from the store lettering on the box. A card
fluttered out of the folds. Cassy smiled as she read it out loud:
* I saw this, and I saw you. Merry Christmas, Tom. *
*No wonder he didn't want me to open this in front of his parents,* Cassy thought with a
smile. She sat back and wondered how the evening might have turned out, if his parents hadn't
arrived when they did. And she had been instrumental in getting them there.
"Well, Cassy," she said out loud, "You know what they say. Watch out what you wish
for, 'cause you just might get it."
She started the engine of the Boxster and backed out into the street. She smiled as she
headed toward her own apartment.
*Well, there's always New Years.*
THE END...and Merry Christmas,
Everybody!!
"It doesn't really feel like Christmas, does it?" Cassy asked her partner. They had been
observing their co-workers exchanging gifts and munching on goodies all week. A festively
decorated tree occupied one corner of the squadroom, and many of the desks were littered with
discarded wrapping paper and shredded red and green ribbon.
"Not the kind of Christmases I remember as a kid," Tom agreed. "It was always cold and
snowy, and everyone always had a big fire going in the fireplace. I used to get sleds and ice
skates for presents. Here the kids get surfboards and roller blades."
"That's okay with me, "Cassy said. "I'll take a tan over frostbite any day." She glanced
over at her partner. "Well, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Have any plans?"
Tom shook his head. "There wasn't much point in making plans, since it's my turn to
work the holiday this year. Guess I shouldn't complain; I've had Christmas off the last two years.
At least I can just take call and hopefully stay home. Are you going to see your sisters?"
Cassy sighed loudly. "No, they're going skiing together this year. Won't be back until
next week."
"What about your mother?" Tom asked.
"Gone to New York with a friend until New Years. She left a message on my machine
last week."
"Oh." Tom rose and stepped over to a punch bowl balanced on a table of holiday treats in
the corner and brought back two paper cups of flourescent green punch. He passed one to Cassy
and sat back down. "So, what are you going to be doing for Christmas?"
"Working, just like you. I volunteered to be on call, too."
Tom leaned forward in his chair in astonishment. "You volunteered to work Christmas?"
"I knew most of the other detectives have kids and families to visit," Cassy replied. "I
didn't, so I said I would work." She shuffled papers on her desk and took a tentative sip of the
mystery liquid in her cup. "I was wondering...that is, I thought, if you don't have other plans...."
"What?" Tom asked.
"How about we have a Christmas Eve dinner at your place? I'll bring the wine, and I'll
pick up some of that Italian bread you love. I mean, we both have to stay in town, and the
restaurants will all close early, and you love to cook , and...."
"Cassy." Tom interrupted.
"What?"
"Take a breath, you talked me into it." he said with a smile.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good." Tom saw the look of relief on her face, and wondered if there was more to her
impulsive suggestion than she was saying. "Seven o'clock?"
"How about eight?" Cassy asked.
"Eight is is, then."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cassy paused outside the door of Tom's apartment, wondering how she was going to
balance the armful of bags and packages and still reach the doorbell. Her problem solved itself
when the door opened as she reached the top step.
"I saw you pull up," Tom explained as he took several bags from her overburdened arms.
"It smells wonderful in here, " Cassy remarked as she placed the rest of the bags on the
sofa and gazed around the apartment. Tom had managed to find room to place a small tree in the
corner, and had decorated it with tiny white lights and red velvet ribbons. She started to place
the packages under the tree, then paused, glancing at her watch. "Are we going to eat first, or
open the gifts first?"
"Tradition says you eat first," Tom answered from the kitchen. She turned just in time to
see him turn out the lights. Two twinkling candles reflected their soft light across the room. He
held out a wine goblet and poured hers first, then one for himself.
"Oh, this is nice," Cassy smiled as she sat down across from him. She held her glass out
and touched the rim of his in a toast. "To Christmas wishes."
"To Christmas wishes, " Tom repeated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You cooked way too much food, you know," Cassy observed as she helped him clear
the dishes.
"Bachelors do that. I know how to cook for one, or for a crowd. I'll be eating this for a
week." She glanced at him as they put the last of the meal in the refrigerator.
"What did you wish for?" she asked.
"You mean for Christmas?" She nodded. Tom looked thoughtful for a minute. "Oh, I
guess I would have liked to have been back home for the holidays. But I couldn't really afford
the trip right now. And since I had to be here for work, it was all for the best, anyway." Tom
looked over at her as she glanced at her watch again.
"If you have somewhere to go, it's okay, Cassy."
Cassy looked puzzled. " Go? I don't have anywhere to go."
"You keep looking at your watch," Tom said. "I just assumed...."
"Force of habit, that's all." Cassy wandered over to the tree and picked up a brightly
wrapped gift. "Is this for me?"
"Could be. Why don't you open it and find out?"
"Maybe later," Cassy said. "How about a little more wine?" She held out her glass for a
refill, then switched on the tree lights and settled into the sofa. Tom picked up his own glass and
sat down beside her.
They sat for several minutes, each lost in thought as the hypnotic twinkle of the
decorations, the meal and the candlelight lulled them into a relaxed silence.
"Still doesn't feel like Christmas," Tom finally broke the silence. " I called my parents
just before you got here, but they weren't home. Dad's probably throwing a big Christmas party
at the restaurant. Maybe I'll get to talk to them tomorrow."
"Maybe so," Cassy said. She glanced at her watch again, then suddenly sat up. "Time to
open the gifts," she said cheerily.
"Oh, really? I didn't know we were on a time schedule here," Tom remarked. "Or are
you trying to give me a hint that you wanted a new watch for Christmas?"
"Very funny."
They spent the next few minutes exchanging the gifts they had bought for each other.
Tom caught Cassy's eye as they gathered up the discarded paper and ribbons.
"Can I ask you something?"
Cassy looked up with a puzzled smile. "Of course."
"We haven't spent Christmas together, just the two of us, since the year we were married.
I was just wondering...." he hesitated, then continued. "I was wondering why, after all this time,
you wanted to do this."
She held his gaze for a long second, then looked away into the candlelight. " Because it's
Christmas, and you should be with people you care about at Christmas."
"That's all?" he asked.
"What other reason would I have?"
Tom shook his head. "No reason, I guess." He gazed back into the twinkling lights for a
moment, then rose and reached behind the tree. He pulled out another brightly wrapped box.
"I've got another present for you, but...."
"But what?" Cassy asked with a smile.
"I'm not really sure if it's...appropriate." he answered sheepishly.
"Why don't you let me decide that?" she said, taking the box from his hands. "Oh, by the
way," Cassy said. "I have another gift for you, too."
"Really?" Tom looked around the base of the tree. "Where is it?"
"Its not something you can wrap up," she answered vaguely, glancing at her watch again.
She smiled in amusement at his puzzled expression.
He came to sit down beside her. "So, what is it?"
"You'll see." Just as she started to slip the ribbon from her last gift, the doorbell rang.
Tom frowned as he rose from the sofa. "Who could that be this late?"
"Could be Santa with your last gift." Cassy teased.
"I thought YOU were going to give me my last gift," Tom called over his shoulder with a
wicked grin.
"Thomas Ryan, what did you..." Cassy laughed as she leaned over the back of the couch.
" What did you REALLY wish for?"
"I'll never tell," he laughed as he opened the door. His laughter faded into a shocked
silence as he stared through the open doorway. Across the darkened room, Cassy heard a faint
"Oh, my God." She smiled to herself as she crossed the room to join her partner at the door.
"Well, are you going to let us in, or do we have to find someone else to give these
presents to?" Lyam Ryan asked with a mock gruffness.
"I think he's in shock," Margaret Ryan said with a smile.
"He has no manners whatsoever," Cassy said, lifting some of the packages from her
ex-mother-in-law's arms. "Come on in."
"Um...yeah, come in," Tom stammered as he enveloped his mother in a hug. "Why
didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"What kind of surprise would that have been?" Lyam said. He glanced around the
candlelit apartment. "Did we get here at a bad time?"
Cassy laughed. "No, in fact, I thought you were going to be here for dinner."
"Wait a minute," Tom interrupted. "You knew they were coming?"
"This trip was her idea," Margaret said as she deposited the remainder of her burden
under the tree. " She called us, and said you were down about having to work the holiday. Lyam
refused to let her pay for the trip, so we compromised; Cassy paid for our hotel room. So, here
we are."
As Lyam followed his wife to the tree in the corner, Tom caught Cassy's arm. When she
turned, he wrapped his arms around her
"Thank you, Cassy," he whispered in her ear. " I guess you knew all along what I wished
for, didn't you?"
"Does it feel more like Christmas now?" she whispered back.
"It does, " he agreed. As they started over to join his parents under the tree, Tom
suddenly grabbed her arm again.
"Cassy, do me a favor. That gift you were about to unwrap...."
"Yes?"
"Don't," he whispered urgently. "Not in front of my parents. They...might get the wrong
idea. Unwrap it when you get home; you'll understand."
"Whatever you say, partner."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was past midnight before the Ryans gathered their things together and headed out to
Tom's car. He had offered to take them to their hotel, while Cassy would be picking them up to
bring them back to his place the next day. Cassy and Lyam stood off to one side while Tom
helped his mother put their gifts in the trunk.
"We pulled it off, really surprised him, didn't we?" Lyam said with a smile, his arm
draped around Cassy's shoulder.
"I believe we did," she agreed. She looked up at her ex-father-in-law. " I do have a
confession to make, Lyam."
"What's that?"
"I did have a selfish reason behind setting all this up." She gazed into his compassionate
eyes. "I have always envied the closeness Tom has with you and his mother. It's something I
never had, growing up, or now, for that matter."
"I know," the older man said sympathetically.
"Tom wanted to be with you for Christmas, and he couldn't. I was afraid that he would
wrangle some way to get there, anyway, and I would be here by myself. This way, with you
coming here, I..." she hesitated, " I had a family to spend Christmas with, too."
Lyam pulled Cassy into a warm hug. " You will always have us as family, and not just at
Christmas, understand?"
"I know that," Cassy said, her voice muffled in his shoulder. "Thank you."
"No, thank you. We never even considered traveling anywhere over the holidays before.
We should have done this years ago." Lyam kissed her cheek and climbed into the back seat of
the Mustang. "See you in the morning, Cassy. Merry Christmas." Margaret called.
"Merry Christmas, Cass. See you tomorrow," Tom said as they pulled away into the
darkness.
"You, too," Cassy said as she headed for her car. Once inside, her curiosity got the better
of her. She switched on the overhead light and quickly unwrapped her last present.
Layers of pale pink tissue paper crackled under her hands. There, nestled in the soft
layers, Cassy found a white satin negligee, its neckline and sleeves trimmed in delicate white
lace. She held it up in the faint light, as several yards of satin unfolded in her lap. It was
exquisite, and fairly expensive, as she could tell from the store lettering on the box. A card
fluttered out of the folds. Cassy smiled as she read it out loud:
* I saw this, and I saw you. Merry Christmas, Tom. *
*No wonder he didn't want me to open this in front of his parents,* Cassy thought with a
smile. She sat back and wondered how the evening might have turned out, if his parents hadn't
arrived when they did. And she had been instrumental in getting them there.
"Well, Cassy," she said out loud, "You know what they say. Watch out what you wish
for, 'cause you just might get it."
She started the engine of the Boxster and backed out into the street. She smiled as she
headed toward her own apartment.
*Well, there's always New Years.*
THE END...and Merry Christmas,
Everybody!!