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Same Time Next Year (1/1)

"We're really gonna miss you," Catherine said with a hint if sadness in her voice. "It's been so great having you here."

The gang had gathered at Danny's to say goodbye to Nonna who was flying back to New Jersey the next morning. Every couch and chair in the living room was filled along with several folding chairs carried in from the garage. The Allen kids sat on the floor in front of the coffee table.

"I'm going to miss seeing you all everyday as well." Nonna bounced a giggling Angie on her lap. "But it's time for me to get home and make sure Sal and Angela haven't killed all my herb plants by forgetting to water them." She smiled "Gravy just wouldn't taste the same if I didn't use my own homegrown basil."

"Plus, you still have another Christmas to celebrate," Grace reminded her beloved great grandmother.

Jacob's eyes widened. "You get another Christmas?"

"Sort of." Nonna smiled affectionately at the boy who seemed to have shot up like a weed since her last time she saw him at Steve and Catherine's wedding. "Since I was here on Christmas day I didn't get to exchange presents with my family in New Jersey. So, we're going to do that Sunday after church."

"You're lucky." Jacob looked at his mother, his eyes sparkling at the thought. "Can we have two Christmases next year?"

"I think one is plenty," Jenna chuckled.

The youngest Allen sighed dramatically. "Okay."

Joseph ruffled Jacob's hair. "Nice try though, buddy."

"Actually, I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few weeks," Nonna said as Angie, who was approaching nap time, leaned against her chest. "It was so much fun celebrating the holiday with all of you, I would love it if next year everyone came to New Jersey for Christmas."

The Allen children gasped audibly at the suggestion. Both Kaitlyn and Jacob clasped their hands under their chins.

"We would have so much fun!" Nonna bubbled. "Of course, there's no guarantee there would be snow but we could keep our fingers crossed," she said. "I've already talked to your mother about it. Of course, that's assuming you're all interested in coming.

Five sets of hopeful eyes turned to look at Jenna.

"It's something we can talk about," she told her children.

Kaitlyn chewed her bottom lip. "We'd have to fly there, right? I've never been on a plane before. Does it take a long time to get to New Jersey?"

Casey scooted closer to her sister and wrapped an arm around the younger girl's shoulders. "You'd be ok, Kait. You can sit beside me."

Kaitlyn smiled at her big sister gratefully. "Thanks."

"Plane tickets are kinda expensive though, aren't they?" Dylan asked. He loved the sound of a trip to New Jersey. Snow would be a nice bonus too, but his real hope was to get a chance to visit the Brooklyn Robot Foundry his science teacher was always telling them about. He'd even spent an entire class showing them pictures of all the awesome things there were to do there. Dylan didn't want to get his hopes up if there was no real chance of them making the trip.

"Actually, we've all talked about that." Joseph waved his arm to indicate the other adults in the room. "Nonna has an amazing ability to find good deals on flights and we were thinking that if going to New Jersey was something you all want to do … "

"I do!" Dylan's hand shot up enthusiastically. He looked at his siblings. "Do you guys?"

"Yay." "Definitely." "Absolutely." The other Allen children answered all at once.

"Ahhh bahhh eeeee!" Angie, who had been playing sleepily with the shiny charm bracelet on Nonna's wrist, reacted to the growing sense of excitement in the room.

Steve smiled. "I think that's a unanimous yes."

"Colonel Simpson at the VA said that he always has things that need done around the building on weekends and he'd be happy to pay," Joseph said.

"And we can always use help at the tutoring program copying papers and unpacking boxes of supplies when they come in," Elizabeth offered. "There's a little money in the budget for paying someone to do those things so if you guys are interested."

"I'm good at unpacking boxes," Jacob said excitedly. "Aren't I, Cody? He jumped up and bounced on the balls of his feet. "I helped unpack a whole bunch of boxes of t-shirts for Cody's college and I did a good job. Even the professor said so."

"We're selling them for a fundraiser," Cody explained. "Jake came with me last weekend and helped get them all organized. Professor Bennett, he's the faculty advisor to the student senate, said he wished all his students worked as hard, and were as energetic, as Jacob."

Jenna smiled proudly.

"There's a conference room full of files at headquarters that all need alphabetized," Danny added.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be doing that?" Steve asked. "I distinctly remember we had a bet on who could make the most baskets in a minute and you lost which meant you had to deal with the files."

"You made a basketball bet with Steve?" Cody asked skeptically. "What were you thinking?"

Danny pinned Cody with a mock glare. "Is that a crack about my height?"

"Not at all." Cody held his hands up in front of him. "It's just that when it comes to basketball Steve can be a little … "

"The word you're searching for is animalistic," Danny offered, drawing chuckles from the others in the room.

"I was gonna say hyper-competitive," Cody grinned.

"Well, for one thing we were playing trash can basketball," Danny clarified.

"Not that he's any less competitive at that," Chin pointed out.

"You lost fair and square," Steve said. "If you didn't want to get stuck with all the paperwork you shouldn't have made the bet."

"Yeah … well … I still think you cheated," Danny groused. "Your wads of paper were heavier than mine."

"Sore loser," Steve teased.

Danny waved him off. "I'm done talking to you about it. The bet was that whoever lost had to make sure all the paperwork got sorted out and I plan on doing just that by paying others to do it for me."

"I'm sure Steve and I have some things around the house that need done too," Catherine said.

"Can we really go, Mom?" Dylan asked.

"I can pick up some extra shifts and help out," Cody offered.

"Me too," Casey volunteered immediately.

"It's such a great idea and clearly we all want to go." Jenna looked at her children and couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "I would just hate to impose … "

"Nonsense." Nonna cut her off with a tone that left no room for negotiation. "You could never impose. You're family. I have plenty of room at my house. Years ago, when the entire family came to celebrate Christmas, every bedroom was filled and the living room floor was covered with sleeping bags. And those were some of the best holidays ever."

Danny nodded in agreement. "They were."

"I would love to have you all." Nonna smiled. "We'll make it work. And Jess, you're welcome too. The more the merrier."

"Are you sure?" Jenna asked. "Seven more mouths to feed is a lot. Sometimes I think these guys are gonna eat me out of house and home."

Danny bark laughed. "Have you met my grandmother? She could feed your kids, the Kukui High football team, and the chow hall over at Pearl and would still have to send leftovers home with people because there was no more room in the fridge."

"You exaggerate, Daniel," Nonna smiled.

"Not by much," Danny smirked. "Six extra people in the house might mean we have to worry about running out of hot water, but we would never run out of food. Ever." He turned and winked at Jenna. "You might as well give it up. The decision has been made. All that's left to do now is shop for some winter clothes."

"Who would take care of Midnight if we went away?" Kaitlyn asked.

"We could ask Mrs. Baxter from next door," Dylan suggested. "We took care of her cat when she was away so maybe she'd take care of Midnight."

Catherine leaned towards Jenna. "Looks like this train is starting to pick up momentum. You better pull the brake if you're not sure."

"Honestly, I'd love to go," Jenna said sincerely. "I just worry about being an imposition."

Catherine shook her head. "Listen, when Nonna says she would love to have seven more people staying in her house for the holidays she really means it. She loves having people around, watching everyone celebrate, seeing her whole extended family together, and of course cooking for everyone. It makes her happy."

Jenna smiled broadly. "Well, who am I to keep Nonna from being happy." She looked at her kids. "If you guys are serious about working to help pay for the flights … "

Anything else she might have had to say was drowned out by excited chants of, "We're going to New Jersey!"

Nonna watched the joyful celebration in front of her with a wide smile. "I can't wait."

THE END

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