Wish list

Tucker ran to his room, bare feet pounding against the hard wood floor. He slammed the door and threw his tiny little body into the bed, trembling. He didn't want to think about what his mother had just said. Brook, his step mom, had a habit of telling Tucker lies in order to make him feel like things were worse than they really were. Brook told Tucker that his father wouldn't be coming home, that something happened and he couldn't make it. Tucker couldn't believe that his father would ditch him on Chanukah. It wasn't like his father to do that at all!

When his sobbing subsided, he could hear a soft pinging noise coming from his computer. Tucker went to click on the icon and brought up a conversation window. A message read click the call button. Tucker blinked and clicked on the call button. Not even three seconds later, his father's face popped onto the screen. There he was, in his uniform, staring at his son with a bright smile. His father always wore a smile, but not that beautiful. Tucker blinked and frowned. "Papa, are you coming home?"

Blue eyes met with green for a moment of understanding and Gordo frowned. "I'm not sure, son. It could be a while. I think if anything, I'll make it home for mommy's holiday instead."

"But I want to celebrate Chanukah with you, papa." Tucker announced. "It just isn't the same without you."

"Listen, Tucker, your mom is going to be very alone for the holiday. I would prefer if you could go stay with her. Brooke already knows, she's okay with it. She's going home to her families for the holiday. Mommy said she's going to try and celebrate both with you, if you would prefer."

"I want to celebrate with you!"

"Tucker, mommy is making a lot of sacrifices for you to spend the holiday with her. She's giving up her religion to celebrate Judaism with you, you should feel grateful." Gordo answered. "Or, you could go to your grandparent's house. Would you prefer that?"

"No. Grandma doesn't like spending the holidays at home." Tucker answered, quietly trembling with tears. "You promised you would be home."

"Tucker, son that was before everything happened. You mother really needs someone to be there with her, please just do this for me. Please?" Gordo pleaded, folding his arms and touching the pendant on his neck. "Tucker, I promise I'll make it up to you, but please don't abandon your mother in hatred against me."

Tucker hung his head sadly. "Fine, but I won't be happy about it."

"I'm not asking you to be happy about it. Just go. Trust me, you'll have fun." Gordo announced. "Mommy misses you dearly; she wants to see you again. And besides, you don't like Brooke anyway, so what are you losing?"

"I guess so…" Tucker answered quietly with a resigned sigh. "Promise me you'll at least call on Christmas?"

"I promise kiddo."

"Okay, I'll go to Mommy's then."

Lizzie set up two place settings and smiled when the doorbell rang. She ran over to answer the door and blinked when it was Brooke. "Oh. Hi, Brook. Are you…here for a reason? Did something happen to Gordo?" Fear laced her voice. Lizzie, though she was Gordo's first wife, was the last to know if anything happened.

"No," Brooke answered in her usually squeaky voice. "I'm here to drop off Tucker. David wants him to spend the holidays with you."

Lizzie looked at her watch. "Oh, that's fine, just send him in then."

Tucker climbed the last step when Brooke stepped aside to let him in. The little boy stood and stared at his mother with venomous hatred. "You're the reason why daddy isn't coming home for Chanukah."

"Tucker, your father told me the same thing, he promised me he would be home as well." She looked away and put out a third place setting. "Brooke, you're welcome to stay if you'd like. I made meatloaf."

"Eww. No thanks. I'm going to leave because if I stay here I might gain a thousand pounds." The woman waved over her shoulder and Tucker kicked the door shut.

"I hate that woman."

"You and me both." Lizzie murmured hearing the oven ding. She ran to grab the pot holders so she could pull the cookies from the oven. "So your dad finally decided I'm allowed to see you again?"

"He said it was partly because of Ruth." Tucker answered, looking up at his mother when she pulled the cookies out. Tucker was five now, but he still talked better than anyone she'd ever met at five. She figured it was mostly because his father was so advanced. "When will I meet Ruth?"

Lizzie rubbed her stomach and shook her head. "I don't know. When Ruth decides she wants to meet us?"

Tucker put his hands in his pants pockets and shook his head. "I know how babies are made and how they're born."

"You're more advanced than I am," Lizzie answered. "I didn't know that until I was thirteen."

"Why are you so nice to me?" Tucker asked quietly, shaking his head. "You don't have to be."

"You're my son, and my first child. Why wouldn't I be nice to you?" Lizzie asked carefully, placing the tray on the counter. "I have always loved you, but your father wanted something more. I hope he found it with Brooke, because I don't know if I could have ever given him happiness."

"Mom, why did you leave daddy?" Tucker inquired.

"A few months before I had found out about Ruth, actually only a month, he'd left me. He said something about not feeling any emotions toward me anymore and wanting to be with someone else. Had I known you didn't like Brooke, I would have never asked you to stay there while he was deployed." Lizzie stared down at her stomach. "I always loved you and your father, from day one. But he broke my heart when he left me for her."

"Can you ever find it in your heart to love him again?" Tucker asked inquisitively. "Because he still loves you."

"Maybe for your sister's sake, I could, but I'm not so sure right now, Tucker. Would you like to eat dinner?" Lizzie asked, holding up the tray. "Or are you a vegetarian, too?"

"I would die without meat," Tucker answered. "But meatloaf is a cheap imitation of meat."

"Ah, I knew you would say that. I didn't really want it either, but your sister said she did." Lizzie dug through the pantry for some potatoes. "Would you rather make something dad would enjoy?"

"What does dad like?" Tucker asked, finally pulling his hands from his pockets. "Because I can never tell anymore."

"Come here and I'll teach you a recipe his mother taught me." Lizzie placed the potato down on the counter, and then dug through the pantry until she funds some flour and oil. "We're going to make potato pancakes."

Tucker leaned against the counter, his hands flat on top of it. "Potato pancakes?" She heard him ask with a mumble, since all she could see over the counter was his eyes.

"Latkes." Lizzie corrected, catching herself. "His mom used to make these for him all the time during the holidays."

"What do they taste like?"

"Like pancakes made with potatoes." Lizzie answered, pulling out a cheese grater. "You're pretty good at this, we're gonna grate the potatoes. Dad used to love doing this part."

"Why do we use so much oil, mom?" He asked while looking at the giant bottle of oil.

"Only two cups, but yeah, we do use a lot, don't we?" Lizzie answered with a question. "Well, do you know the story of Chanukah?"

Tucker shook his head. "Daddy used to tell it to me, but I forgot."

As Lizzie retrieved an egg and an onion from the fridge, she smiled to her son and spoke again. "During the time of the 2nd Temple, the Holy Land was ruled by cruel Greeks. They robbed the Jews of their property, and set up idols in theBeit HaMikdash. No one could stand up against them, till Mattityahu and his sons rose up and drove them from the land."

Tucker blinked and listened intently. "What does the Menorah mean?"

Lizzie offered her son a small slice of onion and smiled. "We'll let daddy tell you that one later, it's his favorite story. But the short version is that we use the light to spread the word of God throughout the land. You know that, right?"

Tucker shook his head. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, when you light the candle, you're spreading the light of God through the land. That's why daddy puts it so it faces the street. What good is the light if it's just for you?" Lizzie asked, munching on an onion.

"It will help you to not stub your toe." Tucker replied facetiously. "Right?"

"I suppose so," She answered with a small laugh. She saw that he'd finished the potatoes and piled them on the side of the counter. Although the grates were rather large, she would let him go since it was his first time. "Now that the potatoes are done, what do you suppose you do next?"

"Mix everything together." Tucker answered, watching Lizzie pour out the flour. "Right?"

"Darn Skippy," She answered, handing him the cup of flour.

He dumped them all into the bowl and cracked the egg, laughing a little. "The egg got shell in it."

"It's okay; it's only a tiny bit. And the egg has lots of protein in it, so it won't matter much." She smiled and leaned against the counter on her left shoulder. "Did daddy ever tell you that I'm not Jewish?"

"Yes, why not?" Tucker asked.

"Because I believe that we should celebrate the birth of our savior – the same savior that the lights are for." Lizzie answered. "Christianity isn't too far off from Judaism. But in actuality, I don't mind celebrating both cultures."

"Daddy said you wouldn't." Tucker began to mix everything together. "Daddy said he would call tonight."

"I know, he's going to. Just give him time kiddo." Lizzie stood to go in a different room when she heard the pinging from her laptop. There wasn't a message this time, but rather someone calling through. She smiled and unplugged the laptop, carrying it into the kitchen. Hitting the accept button, she placed the laptop so the caller could see both people, making a mess in the kitchen. "Tucker, say hi."

"Hi," Tucker answered, wondering who he was saying hi to. He stopped stirring and looked at his mother. "DADDY!"

"I told you I would call. Have I ever really let you down before?" Gordo asked absently. "What are you making?"

"Mommy taught me how to make potato pancakes," He answered.

Lizzie laughed. "Tell him what they're really called, he doesn't understand our 'English translations'," Lizzie replied.

"Oh, right. She taught me how to make Latkes." The child corrected.

Gordo smiled and licked his lips. "Mmmm. Momma knows those are my favorite. And it's even better when you make them. How many egg shells did you get in the batter?"

Tucker gasped. "How did you know?"

"I was a kid too, you know. I made the same mistakes you did every now and then." He looked over to Lizzie and smiled. "How are you feeling, Liz?"

She glared at him, knowing that question irritated her. Not as much as being called "Liz", but it still irritated her. "I feel like there's an alien chest buster in my stomach." She answered bitterly, still not completely okay with him again.

"Mommy! It's the first day of Chanukah; you should be nice to daddy." Tucker said to his mother, clearly preferring his father over his mother. Lizzie didn't mind, she'd have Ruth all to herself.

"Lizzie, how is Ruth? Is she okay?" Gordo asked with concern.

"She's fine, my last appointment was yesterday, and they said everything was okay and she'll be on time. You have nothing to worry about, I'm sure you'll be home by the time she's ready to be announced to the world." Lizzie answered, ruffling Tucker's hair. "You should talk to your daddy. I have very little interest in talking to him right now."

Gordo felt defeated by that. How could the woman he'd loved turn him away like that? He blinked when realization dawned on him. He was the one that cheated on her, not the other way around. Now she's suffering with two children that she really didn't want; Or at least Ruth. Lizzie would never give a child up, but he could tell by the way she spoke that she really didn't want Ruth. He looked away for a moment, regretting every decision. Lizzie felt guilty having a child with a re-married man. That's why she didn't like talking to him. She kept it together for Tucker and nothing else.

"Is mommy okay?" Tucker asked quietly, looking at the batter for a long time. "I didn't mean to make her upset."

"Its okay, Tucker. Mommy will be fine. Did she tell you what you do when the batter is done?"

Lizzie set the table for five this time, then placed candles in the center. She knew that this wasn't going to be the best night ever, but she also knew it would be different than last year. She brought out a tray and placed it on the table. It wasn't day eight, but she also wasn't much of a cook, either. She rubbed her temples and waited quietly until the doorbell rang. Answering the door, she smiled brightly to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon."

"Please, just call us mom and dad, dear." Roberta answered with a small smile. "Where is Little Gordon?"

"Ah, he's somewhere around here. Probably in his room playing with some of David's old things." Lizzie answered quietly. She stared at the floor when Brooke came to the doorway. "Brooke."

Roberta and Howard turned to the woman that had stolen Gordo's heart. Both felt rather bitterly about the divorce, not believing in such things in their custom, but it had been their son's choice. Howard offered his hand first. "It's nice to see you, Brooke. Are you staying for dinner?"

Brooke shook her head. "No, I have to be heading home tonight. We're leaving around midnight. My brother and I." She frowned and noticed that there were five place settings and not four. "You were expecting me to stay."

"I extended my hand to offer," Lizzie answered. "But it's not my choice. If you should choose not to, that's up to you. Don't say I was never civil to you."

Brooke scoffed and walked away. "Whatever, McGuire."

Howard looked to Lizzie sadly. "I don't know what David sees in her."

"I'm not sure either." Lizzie answered. "Are you staying for the night?"

"We've got no patients tomorrow, and we're not going to miss Tucker's first Chanukah, are we? Thank you for letting him makes his own decision, Elizabeth. It was very kind of you to put your traditions aside for his sake." Roberta answered, fixing the table slightly. "You did a great job, dear. And you made chicken. How did you know Howard likes chicken?"

Lizzie smiled. "A little birdie told me."

"Oh my, well…did anyone make Latke's?" Howard inquired.

Tucker came sliding into the room with his hands flailing about. The apartment was rather small, she didn't doubt for a minute that he'd heard him ask the question. "I did, Grandpa!"

"They look wonderful," Howard answered. "Are we going to light the menorah, then?"

Lizzie nodded with a light smile. "Yes, we can."

Twenty minutes later, the family was sitting down to dinner. Lizzie still couldn't help but stare at that empty plate on the left of her. Was Brooke really that mean that she didn't want to spend time with her husband's son? The word never crossed her mind. She heard a soft tapping at the door and raised a brow.

"I got it, mommy." Tucker answered, sliding from his chair to go answer the door. Standing on the other side was a little girl, likely around eight or so. She smiled a little. "Are you the new neighbor?" Tucker asked.

"My name is Lucy; my mommy said I can come over here, if it's okay with your mommy and daddy." She answered.

Tucker noticed that this child was blonde, like his mother. But not dark blonde, like him. More in between colors. Her eyes were hazel, he liked that. Well, from what he could tell beyond her glasses, anyway. He smiled and offered his hand. "Mommy, can she come eat dinner with us?"

Lizzie nodded with a smile. "Yes, she can. She can bring her mommy, too, if she wants."

"My mommy isn't going to come over right now. She's setting up for Christmas. I like Christmas, it's really bright and festive. And people are always so happy!" She smiled and went where Tucker led her to. Finally the empty place setting didn't seem so lonely. The child sat and smiled.

"Do you like chicken?" Tucker asked absently.

"Chicken! My second favorite!" The child announced with a laugh. "My first favorite is pizza!"

Lizzie stared at Tucker knowing he was clearly in love with this little girl. Who wouldn't be? He loved pizza, too.

"Well, it seems we've got a female version of Tucker, don't we?" Howard murmured.

Around nine, things seemed to settle down. Tucker crawled into his bed after walking Lucy down the hall with the promise of playing with her again later. Lizzie slept on the couch, and Gordo's parents were in her bed. She sighed contentedly and stared up at the glow in the dark lights on the ceiling. Originally, the nursery had been in the living room, so it was previously Tucker's room.

She rolled onto her side and cringed. She knew that feeling. That wasn't a good feeling. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep through the pain, but it seemed almost impossible. Sitting up carefully, she brushed a hand over her stomach. "Now? Are you sure you want to come now?" Lizzie asked. Her breath caught with the next wave of pain. "Yeah," she squeaked. "You're ready."

Lizzie waddled down the hall to her bedroom and knocked on the door. Howard answered her. "Elizabeth?"

Lizzie began to cry. "It's Ruth."

Howard was on his feet almost instantly, coming to the door. "Is everything okay, Elizabeth?"

"No. No, everything's not okay. Gordo isn't here, I'm having contractions, and I didn't want to leave Tucker by himself! I didn't want to startle him at all!" She wiped away her tears. "I didn't want any of this to happen!"

Howard placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly. "Elizabeth, things always happen for a reason. Things fall out of place so you appreciate it more when they fall together." He smiled to her. "Let me get dressed and I'll take you to the hospital." He turned to his watch and blinked. "It's two in the morning."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you, but I have no other way to get there and—"

"Elizabeth, it is fine. I will explain to Roberta what is going on, and she can watch Tucker. You know how much Tucker loves his grandmother." Howard answered with a smile. At least someone could hold it together.

He came back into the room slipping into a jacket as he walked. "She said she will talk to Tucker in the morning. Let's get you to the hospital."

"Thank you for being so kind to me, Howard. I can't explain how much it means to me, even after what happened between your son and me." She clutched her shirt sleeve, breathing through the pain.

"You aren't a bad person, Elizabeth. You have given quite a bit to stay strong even in the midst of chaos. David is proud of you, and loves you dearly. Even now, he does not understand why he chose the road he did. But know that he loves you and the children unconditionally."

Lizzie smiled ever so softly. "Thanks, Howard. I appreciate it."

Tucker rubbed his eyes when he heard an incessant pounding on the door. He wondered if there was a fire in the building, but realized that unless his alarm was going off, that wasn't it at all. He fixed his pajamas and went into the doorway, staring at the door. Don't open the door to strangers, his mother had warned. The pounding continued and he blinked casually, yawning as he opened the door.

Lucy stared at the little boy, her eyes wide. "There's a man at my mommy's apartment. He said he's looking for you. He looks scary and official."

Tucker blinked and followed the girl down the hall to her apartment. She stopped in the doorway and pointed to the curly-haired man that sat at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee. Tucker paused and took a deep breath. "DADDY!"

Gordo nearly choked when he realized there was a little boy running towards him. Having just enough time to put the mug down, he opened his arms and waited for Tucker to connect. "Hey, son, I told you I'd be home in time."

"But today is the fifth day." Tucker answered with a frown. "So you missed the best part."

"The last day is the best part," Gordo corrected softly, holding Tucker tightly. "I've missed you so much."

"So has mommy," Tucker answered with bright blue eyes. "Oh man! Mommy is still asleep!" Tucker ran through the halls, then stopped short in the doorway when he saw the couch was empty. "Where's mommy…?"

Roberta stared at the little boy, frowning. "Close the door, dear, this isn't a barn."

That's when she noticed her son step in behind him, wringing his uniform hat. "Mom, where's Lizzie?"

"Oh my…" She poured the tea into a travel mug and frowned. "Howard took her to the hospital this morning…around one or so. She didn't tell you…?"

Gordo paused in the doorway. "No…she didn't say anything to me. I haven't talked to her since…last…night. Mom, is she okay?"

"She said that it was the baby. She had to go, David." Roberta answered casually with a dark look in her eyes. "She will be fine."

"Mom…Ruth isn't due for another month and a half." It was true; Gordo had been keeping count each day. He didn't want to believe his ex-wife was having his baby and he couldn't even be there. "Do you want to come with me, Tucker?"

"She asked me to keep Tucker here," Roberta answered sadly. "She didn't want to worry him."

"Being away from her is going to worry him more." Gordo answered, taking Tucker into his arms. "Let's go."

Howard paced outside of the hospital emergency room, staring up every so often at the double doors where Lizzie was at currently. He hadn't done this since five years ago, when his son first enlisted in the army and was there for his son's birth. Lizzie must have been so lonely in there by herself. He frowned and stopped pacing for a moment. She was strong. She could handle it.

That's when he heard rapid footsteps coming in his direction. "David!" The older man gasped, staring at his son's once-pristine uniform. "You made it!"

"I did my best, dad. I let her down." He panted, breathless. "I just went to four different hospitals looking for you…why didn't you tell mom which one?"

"Oh my, I did forget, didn't I?" Tucker ran behind his father holding Lucy's hand, stopping next to the older man. "You brought Tucker with?"

"More for condolence if anything happens." Gordo answered, quietly staring at Lucy. "She's here to keep him company."

"David, Elizabeth has been in there for nine hours now. She needs you."

"I can't. She doesn't love me anymore." Gordo answered sadly. "I broke her heart and left her in pain. I'm a terrible person."

"Are you mad? She invited us over because of you. David, she loves you and wants to continue the family, even if you don't. She gave up her traditions to make sure her own son felt welcomed. She loves you more than you will ever see. Do not turn your back on her now." Howard answered bitterly. "She needs you in there, just as badly as you need to see her."

Gordo nodded sadly and touched a hand to the double doors. "Are you sure?"

A nurse came running by with a clipboard in hand. "Are you the father?"

Gordo nodded his head feebly. "Yes,"

"Come with me," She pulled him into the sterile room. "Put this on."

He climbed into the scrubs and coughed slightly as she yanked him into the next room. There was Lizzie, white in the face, her hands white as they clutched the bars on the side of the bed. He could tell that she wasn't ready yet, especially when the doctors told her she still had a few more hours to go. She closed her eyes and leaned back, her head throbbing. "Elizabeth?" Gordo asked hesitantly.

She stared at him, her green eyes watery. She wiped away her tears. "Your daughter wants to meet you."

"I know, but it's too early, Elizabeth." Gordo took a hesitant step forward and fell to his knees beside her, taking her hand. He'd absently noticed she never removed her wedding ring. "Can you find it in your heart to forgive me for all the awful things I've done to you? Can you let me be a part of Ruth's life? Will you let me love you again?"

"Oh please," Lizzie answered. "You never stopped loving me."

"I'm here for you. Tell me what I can do." Gordo replied sadly.

"There isn't much you can do." She bit her lip.

Ruth was born on December 25th at six am, her father standing beside her mother the entire time. Lizzie was laughing quietly as she held her small child in her arms, fighting fatigue. "I thought you said the last day was the best day?"

"Well, the twenty fifth is a pretty good day, too," He answered kissing her forehead. "She's beautiful, you know."

"We should let Tucker see his sister before he thinks I died," Lizzie joked, closing her eyes softly. Gordo took the baby into his arms and blinked several times. "I'm just sleeping, Gordo. I didn't die."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Good, for a minute there I was worried." He cradled the child gently in his arms, having missed this from when Tucker was a baby. "I can't keep you."

"No," Replied the nurse. "We have to take her to the nursery so we can test and make sure she can stay breathing on her own."

Gordo nodded and reluctantly handed over the infant. When the nurse left, he walked outside the room and let his hands fall to his sides, suddenly feeling an emptiness weigh heavy on his heart.

"IS she okay!" Roberta shouted. "Is my girl okay?"

"They're both fine. Lizzie's really tired, so she's sleeping. I'm sorry, Tucker, I know you wanted to see mommy, but she's incredibly tired right now. Mom, Ruth is on her way to NICU, so they can test her and make sure she can go home." Gordo answered, folding his arms. "I also feel like I should announce something else."

Howard stared at his son, hoping it was good news and not bad news. "Lizzie's moving back in with Tucker and I. Brooke called me last night and said she wanted out, that she was going back to her mom's. So, that leaves room in my life for my wonderful first wife that never stopped loving me from the start." He smiled at Tucker. "We'll be a family again, Tuck."

Tucker ran to his dad and threw his arms around him. "Merry Christmas, dad!"

"Merry Christmas, son." He looked to his parents quietly. "We decided to change Ruth's name."

Roberta took a step forward, raising a brow. "To what?"

"Angela Grace." He answered quietly. "Angel's Grace…someone protected her."

Howard smiled. "It isn't Jewish, but I agree with her. It's a beautiful name."

Angel was brought home on day eight of Chanukah, reinforcing Gordo's theory that the last day is the best day. He held his daughter close to his body, glad that she was safe to come home and could breathe on her own. She did have small health problems, but nothing that couldn't be overcome. He took the larger candle in the middle and lit the last candle with it, kissing Lizzie on the lips softly. "This time next year, we'll be a complete family again."

She nodded with a smile. "And Angel will be our little Christmas miracle."

"Christmas and Chanukah," Gordo corrected. "Since she was technically born on both."

"That is true," She answered staring down at Tucker. "But he's still what brought us together."

"That's true, too." Gordo answered, smiling at his older child. "Want to play Dreidle with me?"

"Yes!" Tucker answered excitedly. "I want to!"

As Gordo handed the infant to his wife, he smiled and kissed both on the forehead. "Take care of her, okay?"

"I will," She smiled and kissed him back. "Have fun with your son."

"He's yours too." Gordo replied. "But I will."

Lizzie looked to the small little girl sitting on the floor in front of Lizzie's tree. Staring mesmerized at the ornaments, the child looked up at Lizzie. "Can I go play, too?"

"Of course, Lucy. You're part of the family now, Tucker said so." Lizzie answered with a smile.

For once, Lizzie felt that everything had fallen into place. Even now, as she watched her family plus one gather around the table to play dreidel, she couldn't help but smile and thank God for this small miracle. She kissed her daughter gently on the head. "Thank you for bringing us all back together," She whispered to whoever listened. As she placed the infant into the crib she pushed it gently into the dining room where everyone was playing games. "Hey! Who wants cookies?"

End. Read. Review. 3 Sorry it wasn't a bigger part, Lucy. I hope it was okay. I'll probably write another later. The song is "Wish list" by The Ready Set. 3 Merry Christma-chanu-kwanz-ica, everyone.