A CHRISTMAS BLESSING
Disclaimer: I don't own any of The Rescuers characters. I haven't read too many of Margery Sharpp's books either, this is basically a continuation of the Disney Rescuers movies. This takes place shortly after the events of 'Down Under'
Note: The facts and language of Hungary that Paula quotes are real, I did research while writing this story.
Dedicated to the memory of Eva Gabor (1919- 1995) You and your talents will never be forgotten.
The young mouse stirred and stirred the small pot (really a human thimble) in front of her. Because her family was so big, instead of a hectic and frantic Christmas Eve party, they instead had a get-together about a week before the big holiday. That way, they all could see each other but spend the holidays with their own families. Bernadette smiled to herself as she added a few spices to her stew. It wasn't just ANY get-together, for her family, it was a very special get-together. They would be adding a new addition to their family very, very soon. Her twin brother, Bernard, had called her only a few days ago with some exciting news. He had finally done it. After all these years of working with (and courting) Miss Bianca, he had finally proposed! Ecstatic with this news, she had quickly dialed Ernie, their brother and he in turn had passed the news on to their sister, Nora, and the round-robin continued until all 17 of the siblings knew, That was the way their family always shared news. One person would know and they would all pass it on.
Maybe it was a twin thing, but Bernadette was without a doubt the most excited of all her siblings when Bernard announced his engagement. She had always been incredibly proud of her brother. Even when he was a janitor in the Rescue Aid Society, she knew he was going to be headed for bigger and better things. He had it in him, Bernadette always knew that. Of all the 18 siblings, he was the one with the most get-up-and-go. The one who was always the most driven. Even though Bernard always attributed Bianca to his succeeding in becoming a top Society agent, she knew that Bianca could see what she saw, Bernard was special. He was headed for greatness, and he found it!
"I STILL don't know about ANY of this!" a loud voice rang out as her brother, Ernie, came into the kitchen. "I mean, honestly, what is WRONG with this picture?!"
"Don't START with this, Ernie!" Bernadette warned him.
"I ain't starting anything! I'm just saying that..I mean, Bernie…him..and her..I mean look at us! We're poor, always have been, might always be! I mean we've grown up in a pantry, and some of us still live there! And SHE, elegant and formal as she is…her, coming off the boat from Europe, probably raised in some 'Porecilin Pagoda'…she's gonna get a fish-out-of-water experience in THIS place!"
"Will you stop that, Ernie?! I cannot BELIEVE what you're saying! Now, this is THE most important thing to have EVER happened to our brother, and the least you can do is be supportive of him!"
"I AM being supportive! But I just can't understand what she could possibly SEE in our brother!!"
"Maybe just the fact..that he's QUIET! He's modest, he's sweet, caring, devoted, loyal..want me to go on, we can be here all night!" Without another word she picked up another bowl and poured some candy she had found that morning in the pantry above into it while the stew was simmering on the stove. She then began to carry it into the large family room, with Ernie following at her heels.
"All I can say is his intended..Veronica.."
"Bianca, Ernie! Bianca!"
"Whoever! All I can say is she better prepare herself for one HECK of an adjustment!" Bernadette set the bowl on one of the tables and glanced around. Nora was near the couch, humming to herself some Christmas Carols she was no doubt preparing herself to sing later on. She knew most of her other brothers were getting themselves a Christmas Tree, Lee Anne was helping her children setting up the holly, Lucy was fixing the Nativity Set. "So, we're finally gonna met the mysterious Bianca, huh?"
"It's killing ya, isn't it?"
"Yeah, yeah, finally meeting this girl he can't stop talking about over and over!"
Paula was sitting on one of the chairs, immersed in a 'History Of Hungary' book. Ever since she had found out about her brother's engagement, she had tried to immerse herself in Hungary's history, language, and culture.
"This is amazing!" she was saying.
"What is?" Bernedette asked.
"Did you know that in Hungary their lunch is our dinner? They eat a three-to-five course meal at lunchtime! For dinner they only have something light, like soup!"
"Check that, BERNARD is gonna have an adjustment!" Ernie said.
"Oh, they make up for it! They eat a light breakfast, than a 10 o' clock snack. They also have afternoon tea, and dessert after dinner!" Paula then stood up as her remaining brothers and sisters filed into the huge parlor. "OK, everyone! Now remember, Bernie and his fiance are gonna come walking into this house any minute, and when she does we're gonna say 'Hello' in Hungarian! Now, what are we gonna say?"
"'Hello In Hungarian!' " her family answered.
'OK, very funny! Now that we have that out of our system let's try it for real like we practiced! Now, repeat, ' Jo napot, Bianca!'"
'Jo napot, Bianca!' her brother and sisters said slowly and carefully.
"Koszonom. Thank you." Paula said.
"Uh..Paula? Ya know, Bianca CAN speak English!" Bernadette pointed out.
"I know that! I just wanted to make her feel at home here!"
"At least ONE of us is making an effort!" Bernadette said with a meaningful glance at Ernie.
"Hey, hey, come on!" Ernie said. "I mean, she's a glamerous, sophisticated, member of the RAS, and we're just a bunch of poor mice who's idea of excitiement is scurging around that pantry trying to find the best things to eat! Is she REALLY gonna fit in with us?"
"Now, look, this is the BEST thing that has happened to Bernie! The BEST! Without her he might have still been a janitor! No one could see his potential. NO one could SEE how nice he is, how sweet and caring a person he is! But she knew, SHE saw! Besides, he IS kind, devoted to this family. When you got laid off, Ernie, who always sent you part of his paycheck until you were back on your feet again?"
"Bernie," he admitted.
"Lee Ann, when you were having your first baby and Rick was at work, who came right over to take you to the hospital?"
"Bernard," she said.
"Yeah! Bernard came through for us all the time. Now it's our turn! Now, I don't want ANY of you to make her feel uncomfortable in any way at all! She is going to be our sister come April. Now make her feel like one. Shannon, can you help me get the drinks?" Shannon followed her sister to the kitchen while the men brought in the tree. They knew that it wouldn't be trimmed until after the meal, as was the tradition in their family, but there was no reason they couldn't set it up now.
"Hey, Nora," Andrew cried out, "How about you give us a song while we set this up?"
"Yeah, come on, Nora, give us a song!" her brothers agreed with Andrew. "Come on!"
"Oh, I'm not prepared…"
"Yeah, come on, Nora!"
"I wouldn't know.. I usually do that before dinner.."
"Come on, Nora!"
"Well.." Nora said, moving toward the staircase," I'll do it, only if Paula accompanies me on her guitar!"
"Oh, no one wants to hear me on that!" Paula said.
"Then why did you bring it?"
"I'll go get it," Paula went into the other room and got her guitar (really a bunch of rubber bands attached to a small toliet tissue tube. ) and stood by her sister. Quickly both women launched into 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer' to the delight of the children, who by the end of it were dancing all around.
Bernadette hard all of it from the kitchen, where Shannon was helping with the drinks. Just then there was a stirring near the far corner of the room. Alarmed, Bernadette went to se what it was…and got there in time to see the tiny black nose of her little neice poking out. "Ginger, do your parents know you're down there?" She asked with her hands on her hips.
"I was down here looking in the pantry for things," she explained as she came back up holding something in her tiny paws.
"Well, next time let someone know you're going down there, that pantry is large and dark. You could get lost."
Ginger held out the thing she held in her paws, a peice of gingerbread. "Look, Aunt Bernadette! How about this?"
"Ginger, where did you get that?"
"What difference does it make WHERE she got it? Point is, she got it!"
"Good for you, Ginger! We'll have a real Christmas banquet tonight! " She set the gingerbread down and took a shaky breath.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Shannon asked her sister.
"I guess I'm just a little nervous," Bernadette admitted. "I mean..this is the first member of our family that wasn't born poor…she's not even from this country…I just want thing to go over well.."
Shannon squeezed her shoulder. "No reason why it shouldn't, sis."
A few blocks away, two little mice made their way through the snow toward the pantry , a pure white mouse wrapped in a violet parka and matching hat, and a somewhat plump grey mouse in a tan coat and hat. The white mouse was clutching a stew pot in her paws and looked visibly nervous. The grey mouse noticed this and took her hand gentily. "Bianca," he whispered gentily to her.
She turned to face him, "Yes, darling?" she asked him in her gentile Hungarian accent.
"Are you alright, Dear? You look a little nervous."
"I am, darling, I am…it's..well, when you met your fiance's family for the first time, you DO tend to get a little nervous."
"Don't worry, they'll all love you!" He put his arm around her reassuringly. She turned to him and kissed him quickly on the cheek.
"Oh, Bernard, you're a darling, and I know I'll love your family!"
"Yes..well..you..you have to remember, there are 18 of us and I was voted the 'Quietest One'."
"And I wouldn't have you any other way!" She reached over to kiss him again, this time meeting his lips. They stood stock still as the kiss went on, finally coming up for air. They smiled at one another and continued walking until they reached the house. Squeesing underneath the door, they found their way to the pantry door and knocked upon it.
Bernadette raced over to quickly answer it. Beaming happily when she saw her brother's face. She gestured for him to come in and threw her arms around him. "Bernard!! How are you? Come in, come in!!" Beaming, she showed both Bernard and Bianca in. "Hello, you must be Bianca! It is SO nice to finally meet you!"
"It's nice to met you as well," Bianca said with a smile.
"Let me tell you, it's nice to FINALLY be able to place the face! Whenever he gets back from ANY mission the first person he talks about is you! Bianca did this, Bianca did that! Finally if he DIDN'T bring you over, I'd have made him JUST to meet you!" She laughed and shook Bianca's hand. "Come in and meet everyone! Let me show you around. Here's the parlor, and down that hall are the bedrooms. In here," she lead Bianca into the other room. "Is the kitchen. Down there, " she pointed to the trapdoor Ginger came out of, "and up there," she pointed to another trapdoor on the roof," are the doors that lead to the pantry where we get our food, and over there are the bathrooms. " They came back to the parlor.
"Come," Paula said, glancing at her book. "Come meet all of Bernard's hugs and ocs. Our haz is your haz!"
"Ahem," Bernadette said, taking Bianca's hand. "Everyone, Bernard and Bianca are here! Everyone, Come on in! Bernard and Bianca are right here!" She let everyone file into the parlor. "Now, I'm Bernadette, Bernard's twin sister, and this is Nora, Ernie, Paula.."
"Paula came forward and shook her hand. "Jo napot, Bianca. "
"Jo napot, Paula," Bianca answered. "And your Hungarian is perfect!"
"Koszonom, Bianca," she said smiling.
"And," Bernadette continued," This is Nick, his wife Julie, their daughters Andrea and Jessica. Our brother Andrew, HIS wife Lisa, their children Oliver and Steve. This is our sister Lee Anne, her husband Peter, their daughter Geniveve. This is our sister Shannon and her husband William. This is our sister, Emily. This is our brother Tony, his wife Dorothy, and their son Justin. This our brother Joseph, and his wife Lila, their kids Ginger and Courtney. This is our sister Anna, our brother Bob and his wife Stephanie. This is Larry, and our other brother Darryl, and Lucy. Well, now you've met the long and short of all of us! Lucy here is the baby, she's the youngest of us! "
Everyone Bernadette introduced agreed they were glad to meet Bianca. "Let me take this into the kitchen for you," Bernadette said, taking the cassarole dish from Bianca. "What do you have here?"
"It's a special Hungarian Goulash," Bianca explained. "My Mother, God rest her soul, taught it to me when I was very young. It's a special recipie, made only for important occasions."
"Wow, now we really feel special," Bernadette said. "I'll just take this into the kitchen. Sit down, the both of you, please. Make yourselves at home."
"Uncle Bernard, tell us about your trip to Australia," Oliver said suddenly, rushing up to him. Soon most of the kids had run up too, begging for the story, They were always eager to listen to their Uncle's adventure.
Ernie followed Bernadette into the kitchen and tried to whiff the goulash.
"Somehow I just cannot picture my shy, quiet, can't get him to say two sentences in one breath brother risking his life and limb on dangerous adventures!'" He glanced at the dish. "Goulash..beautiful.."
"Glad you think so," Bernadette said angrily.
"Look, I'm trying to make her feel at home, but…"
"But nothing! Now, she made this lovely Hungarian dish and the least you can do it sit down and EAT IT!"
"But.."
"But…we are ALL EATING SOME!" Lee Anne came into the room as Bernadette took the cover off the goulash. "Hey Lee Anne..wanna do the honors and taste some?" She hesitated. "Lee Anne?" She held the spoon to her. Lee Anne glanced at Ernie..then took a bite of it.
"Hey…it's not too bad!"
In the living room Bernard and Bianca were finishing up their story to the delight of their audience. "Wow! " Anna said breathlessly. "I cannot BELIEVE you did that, Bernie!"
Bernard felt himself blushing as his usual shyness came over him. "It was nothing," he muttered "Really.."
"Do not be so modest," Bianca said encouragingly. "Bernard was so magnificent! What mouse would NOT want to marry him after he did that?"
"So he proposd afterward?"
"Immidiately afterward! Oh, it was so romantic. There we all were, riding on top of the Eagle, Marahute..this was just before we flew to Cody's house and he called the rangers to free those other poor jailed animals. Well, the air was cool and the moon was shining down on all of us. Bernard descended from the rope onto the bird. I hugged him, calling him my hero, and showing him all my love…when next thing I knew, he had produced the ring and was down on his knee asking me to marry him! I'll never forget it, ever!"
"Wow, Bernard, I never knew ya had it in ya!"
"Wow, how romantic!!"
"You're a lucky mouse!" Paula said.
"I know," Bianca agreed, looking at Bernard with love. Bernard smiled at her, and she reached over and kissed him on his lips. Bernadette and Ernie entered the room just then with trays of drinks. Paula then jumped up.
"Oh, Bianca, would you like some bov (she pointed to some wine,) some orange or cranberry gyumolcsle (she pointed to the juice) , or just some viz? (she pointed to the water)
"The Cranberry juice, please," Bianca said. Paula picked up the juice and gave it to her. "Thank you."
"Ok, everyone," Bernadette said, taping her glass with a fork. "Grab a drink. There's enough here for a toast right now and one for dinner." She cleared her throat and raised her glass in the air. "Here's to our brand new sister, Bianca. We all wish you and our brother all the happiness in the world! I think we all agree you've found your soul mates in each other. Take care of him!"
"I will, " Bianca promised. You've all made me feel so welcome already. Thank you!" They all raised their glasses and drank.
"Hey, Nora, this is the perfect time for a song!" Andrew cried out.
"A song, Nora!" Lisa cried out.
"Yeah, sing, Nora!" Her family encouraged her. "Sing, Nora! Come on, song!" Nora beamed, always eager for a a chance to sing. She gestured for Paula to grab her guitar and join her.
"Nora and Paula have dreams of being professional singers someday. Wait till you hear them, they have amazing talent!" Bernard whispered.
Taking a deep breath, Paula strummed her guitar and she and Nora sang a lovely version of 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' that brought a hush to everyone in the room. Soon the whole room burst into applause.
"That was wonderful, Nora!" Bernard said encouragingly. Then his expression changed slightly. "How are both of you holding up?"
"We're doing alright. We're scheduled to sing in a few more clubs in a few more months. Also we're going to sing at the Christmas Eve and Christmas service at the Church next week. Are you gonna come?" She turned to Bianca. "If you want, you can come, too!"
"Oh, how wonderful! It's fitting that you're in Church, you have a voice like the angels!"
"So, you're coming?"
"I'd love to come!" Bianca said happily.
"Well, then let's go!" Bernard said. "But, seriously, you both are doing alright?"
"Yes, now Bernie, please. We don't need money this month! We're fine!"
"Are you sure, I'm more than willing.."
"Yes! We're honestly sure!" Nora shook her head. That was Bernard all over. Kind, sweet and as caring as anyone could be. Never selfish at all and always willing to share what he had. But with a wife he HAD to watch it now. She made sure to refuse his offers. 'How about another song?"
"Yeah!" everyone cried. Soon the gentile lyrics of 'Silent Night ' filled the room.
A little later Bernadette was putting the finishing spices on the pieces of turkey she had scavaged and was sliding it into the tiny stovepipe oven in the kitchen when Bianca came in with a glass of juice in her hand. "Oh, that looks delicious! You can smell it from the parlor."
"Sit down," Bernadette said, gesturing to the table. "How are you liking it here so far?"
"Oh, I like it. Nora has the lovliest voice of anyone I've ever heard, I'm enjoying listening to her!"
"So," Bernadette said, sliding into the chair next to her, "You HAVE to tell me, just HOW did you meet my brother? I mean, he's just about the shyest member of our family."
"Quiestest member of this whole household! I've hardly ever hard him utter more than 2 sentences at a time!" Ernie said, coming in.
"Not everybody's a TALKER, Ernie!" Bernadette pointed out.
"Yes..it's true, Bernard is not…a talker," Bianca blushed.
"Hey, hey, don't stop there, how did he win you? How does he hold on to a beauty like you?:"
"Well, surely you must know Bernard is a wonderful mouse! He's so kind and caring. I mean, he never thinks of himself at all, always puts others first. In fact, that's how we met, when he helped me out. I had just come into this country, and was going into my first meeting of the Rescue Aid Society. But the United Nations building was big and dark…and I got lost trying to find my way to the room. Bernard was working as a janitor at the time and he noticed me walking around and he offered to help me find the way. When he lead me to the entrance I saw the representative of Germany there, who is also a woman and he greeted her the same way he greeted me. He took off his hat for her and opened the door for her. That's when I realized that he treats everyone around exactly the same, like an equal! So kind and polite and charming..that was him. I became attracted to him that very day!"
Bernadette smiled at the description of her brother. "That's definitely him all over! 18 of us and he's one of a kind!"
"True," Bianca said smiling.
"Hey, Bernadette, we're running out of candy in the parlor."
"OK, I'll hunt some more down, " she stood up. "Bianca, why don't you come with me? Ya can see how we do things here!"
"OK," Bianca stood up and followed her to the roof, where one of the trapdoors were. They both scrambled onto the countertop and Bernadette opened up the door . She crawled through and pulled Bianca up after her. She showed her the huge boxes and bottles that surrounded them.
"See? One of the advantages of living in a pantry. We may be poor, but here, it's all you ever need and want, right at your fingertips. But the trick is to be careful and quick before the BIG door in front opens!"
"Yeah. Bet ya don't get this in no porcelin pagoda, huh? Here instead of food being served to ya ya gotta fend for yourself.."
"ER-NIE!!" Bernadette said.
"Hey, I'm only telling her the truth, that's what we do here.."
"Just get the candy and hurry up!" Embarressed she glanced at Bianca. "Uh..hah..pay no attention to Ernie!"
"Oh, that's alright. To tell you the truth, I've always liked adventure and finding things. The Rescue Aid Society in me, I guess."
Bernadette smiled at that. She was liking Bianca more and more every minute.
\Soon everyone had gathered in the dining room for the big family dinner. Bernard had his arm around Bianca as they sat together, and Bianca was beaming at him. Bernadette tapped her water glass to get everyone's attention. "Ok, listen up!" Bob cried out.
"Hey, quiet you guys!" Shannon said.
"Everyone, I'd like to thank everyone for making it here. Every member of our family is here today, including our newest ones. Bernard, why don't you say grace tonight?"
Bernard smiled. "Sure. Ok, everyone hold hands," he felt himself blush a bit as Bianca took his hand. Usually he wasn't very good at public speaking, but every time Bianca did so much as touch him, he felt strength he never knew he even had. He stroked her soft fur and they gazed upon one another tenderly before he reached for Nora's on the other side of him. Clearing his throat, he began, " Dear Lord, thank you for all we have been blessed with this year. Thank you for the good fortune we have been given and for letting us all be here together today. Thank you for this good food and for all the love we have for each other. We ask that we all keep our good health and we achieve all our hopes and goals in this next year. Today and always.."
"Amen," everyone said.
Bernadette lifted up her glass. "Merry Almost-Christmas! God bless all of us!"
"Hear, hear!" They all said, clinking glasses.
"Ok, let's dish out the food," Andrew said. "Who's carving tonight?"
"Why not Bernard? He just came back from that trip in Australia!" Peter pointed out.
"Yes, let Bernard carve, he's always been good at it!" Lucy pointed out.
Bernard, egged on by his family, finally went up to the front of the table and began to carve the meat.
"Ok, now, let's all have this yummy dish Bianca brought over!"
"I had some, it's good!" Lee Anne said.
Bernadette dished it out and passed around. She then lifted the basket of rolls. "Ginger? Courtney? Take one and pass the rest on, please."
Later Bernard volunteered to help Nora with the dishes and Bianca came over to dry them off. "But, honestly, Nora, how are you and Paula holding up?
"I'm fine, Bernie! Honest, I am." She felt her hand open up as Bernard tried to put a handful of money in it. "No, Bernard, no I can't have it."
"But it's no problem. Bianca and I are getting paid really well now..you can have som."
"No..Bernard," Nora put the money back into his hands. "No, I don't want it. You take it."
"Nora, YOU'RE the one who's struggling.."
"But, Bernard, YOU'RE the one getting married! You take the money. You both get a nice house, you pay for the wedding. We'll be all right."
Bianca came forward. "Would it be all right if it was a LITTLE money from BOTH of us? "
Bianca, I couldn't ask either of you to do that!"
"It's not a bit of a bother!"
"No..no I'll say it isn't," Bernard took the money Bianca offered, added his own to that, and put it in Nora's hand. "Now...you take this money, both of you. You don't have to pay us back, or anything."
"But, Bernie.."
"Darling…think of it as a Christmas present!" Bianca said.
"Yeah…yeah, a Christmas present…please," Bernard said. Bianca had to smile at Bernard's generosity. Obviously Bernard was now the chief breadwinner of the family, and he didn't think twice of sharing what he now had with any of the, despite the protests. Even when he was a janitor he was still thr whenever his family needed him. She took his hand gentily and when he turned to smile at her she kissed him on the cheek. Sometimes she just couldn't believe her luck!
Bernadette came into the room then. "Bernie," she said, "Nora, Bianca, it's time for the Christmas Tree decorating!"
Bernard went to help his brothers string the lights. "Bianca! Over here!" Lucy wavd fro her spot on the floor and patted the seat next to her. Bianca found herself sitting on the floor stringing popcorn with most of his sisters. "This is how we poor women get our kicks, stringing up strands of popcorn for the tree!" she cracked. Bainca laughed.
"This is fun!' Bianca laughed. She pricked her finger a bit. "Oh1"
"Don't you worry, you'll get the hang of it, I'll help you." Emily said.
"Thank you," Bianca said.
"You're doing good for the first time," Dorothy said encouragingly.
"Remember the last werson we taught how to do this?" Anna asked.
'Yeah, I think it was you, Dorothy, when you got married," Lucy said. "You got so many pricks we're afraid the popcorn would be another color OTHR than red!" They all cracked up, even Bianca.Lisa began to tell a story about something that happened at her own work, causing all the women to laugh out loud again.
"Lisa, you tell such amuzing stories!" Bianca said.
"This job is FAR from ordinary, let me tell you!" Lisa said. "Enough about me, what about you?"
"Yes, what part of Hungary did you come from?"
"Bangladesh," she answered. "But our Christmas parties were NEVER this much fun!"
"You're really having fun here?"
"Oh, I'm having a marvelous time!"
"So, what brought you into the RAS anyway?"
"Mostly my father. I was kind of a…how do you say it here?"
"Daddy's Girl?"
"Yes, yes, a Daddy's Girl. I was always interested in anything my Father did, and he was a chater member of the RAS. I always loved to hear his stories about his next grand adventure, and I wanted so much to have a grand adventure as well! So I wanted to join as soon as I was old enough, I did study hard and made sure I could get in..but I was never prepared for Bernard. Someone that sweet, kind, and brave..sometimes I think he's too wonderful to be true."
"Well, he's true and he's for real, we can all attest to that!"
"Attention everyone," Bernadette called out. 'It's time to hang the ornaments! And I think we'll have the newest member of our family hang up the first one!" Bianca smiled, surprised. Bernard helped her up and she went over to the tree as Bernadette gave her a large lavender colored ornament. Bianca's eyes opened wide as she saw the silver glitter on it that spelled our 'Our First Christmas'. She glanced at Bernard, who smiled. She lookd the tree over, top to bottom, and finally hung the ornament right in the middle of it. Everyone then began to hang ornaments all over until it could hold no more. Nick then lifted up little Courtney and she put the angel upon it. Tony plugged it in and turned off the lights, and the tree glowed with brilliance. Everyone clapped and sat down to admire it. The sound of human carolers could be heard from outside.
"Oh, I LOVE this song!" Nora said. She began to sing 'Angels We Have Hard On High' and soon everyone joined in, even Bianca. Members, turned around, surprised at her lovely singing voice. Nora smiled at her accompaniment. "Hey, Bianca, how do you sing that in Hungarian?" Bianca smiled and quietly sang it in her native language.
A little later Bernadette brought in some hot chocolate for the family, but noticed two were gone. "Hey, where are Bernard and Bianca? Oh, don't tell me that Chairman called them in. Man, can't he cut the any kind of break even on Christmas?!"
"No, I think Bernard took her up to the roof."
"Oh…well..what did you guys think of Bianca?"
"She's pretty nice for a girl who started out as a debutante," Anna said.
"Very down-to-Earth," Larry added.
"Yeah, Bernard made the right choice. She's good for him." Andrew added.
"I didn't know he was even THAT brave!" Nick said.
"I don't even think HE knew until she came," Emily said.
"I like her!" Ernie said, startling everyone. "I do. She's not stuck up at all, and she's been ating like she's ben in a pantry her whole life!"
"Yeah, I approve of her, too," Lucy said. "She'll fit in good here."
Meanwhile Bernard and Bianca were sitting upon the roof of the home with their arms around each other. A light snow was falling, and the effect was tender and romantic. Bianca snuggled closer to Bernard, who tightened his arm around her. "Bernard, Darling, this is so lovely!" she whispered.
"I knew you'd like it," Bernard said quietly. "There was something like this when I was growing up in the pantry all my brothers and sisters were born in. When any of us wanted to be alone or have a bigger space to play in, we'd come up here. Look down, Dear." Bianca looked and gasped at the city of New York, a maze of lights blanketed with fresh snow underneath her. "Isn't it beautiful? It's like a Painting right at your feet. And no one else gets to see it but the very few."
"It's like riding on Wilber or Orville," Bianca said.
"Only your feet are safely on the ground," Bernard said. Bianca smiled.
"It's so romantic, Darling," Bianca said. "So peaceful..and quiet..and me and you, alone." She reached over and kissed Bernard tenderly.
"What did you think of my family?" Bernard asked her.
"They're wonderful, Darling. I'm having so much fun with them."
"They like you," Bernard said. "I can tell they do." Bianca walked all around the roof, taking in the lovliness of the snowfall and the bright colors below her. Bernard watched her. Her beautiful white fur shining in the many colored reflections of the lights and her brown eyes wide with happiness. He lost all track of time as he saw her move around in the snowflakes and look out at the street below. He came over to her and she leaned against him. He kissed her hand gentily. "How'd I get so lucky?" he whispered into her ear.
"I wonder that myself, Darling," Bianca said turning to face him. They kissed tenderly in the snow. "Szeretlek, Bernard," Bianca whispered to him. "That means I love you."
" Szeretlek, Bianca," Bernard said back. "I love you, Bianca." They kissed again, but deeper and more meaningful. Their arms tightened around one another as they kissed again and again while the time went by.
"Hey, you two better save something for the Honeymoon!" came a voice as Lee Anne and Bernadette came up to the roof.
Bernadette smiled. "Sorry if I'm interrupting something..what a stupid thing to say, YES we're interrupting something!" She grinned. "Well, I'm only coming up here to say that I think th kids are ready for Santa now!" Bernard smiled and he and Bianca came down.
"It's in it's usual place?" Bernard asked.
"Yep, took it down for you!" His sister said.
"What's going on now, Darling?" Bianca asked as she and Bernard reached a darkened room.
"Well, uh.." Bernard began to explain, a bit embarrassed, " See, it's kind of a tradition, around this time every year I play Santa Claus for my nieces and nephews."
"You do?" Bianca asked, amuzed.
"Yeah," he admitted, taking out a big cardboard box. "It all started when Oliver was born. W all got the idea to dress as Santa, and we wondered who it could be. Well, the suit we found didn't have any padding..and since I carry my own padding," he smiled and touched his stomach. "I got the job."
"Oh, Darling, how wonderful of you to do that!" Bianca said.
"You..you really do think so?" Bernard asked as he put on the red coat.
"Oh, Darling, this is such a touching thing you do," She came up to him./"Would I be a bad girl if I asked Santa for a small Christmas kiss?"
"I don't think so at all," Bernard said, taking her in his arms. They shared a loving, gentile kiss that gradually got deeper and deeper.
"Well, well, 'I saw sister kissing Santa Claus underneath the missletoe tonight!" Shannon cracked as she came down to get another cookie. "The kids are getting restless, Bernie!"
"Ok..Ok, I'll..I'll go I'll b there," he quickly finished putting on the suit and Shannon handed him the toys.
A little later the kids were eagerly laying with their new toys as the adults were looking at them affectionately. Bernard was in the kitchen taking off the suit with Bianca's help. Just then there was a huge knock on the door. Bernadette got up to answer it. "Now, who could that be?" she asked. She opend the door and was surprised to see two fashionably dressed mice in crisp new suits at the door. "Yes?" she asked.
"Bianca Gessalmouse, please?"
"Well.."
"We were told she was here. We're from the International Immigration Agency. We need to speak with her for a moment concerning her being in this country.."