A/N: A different kind of holiday story centering on the first Christmas of Jeremy and Tanya's four month old son. Frank and Denise are not married, they have remarried other people, but old feelings die hard for two united souls as we'll see during this family tale.
The Sherwoods pulled into their driveway and locked their bikes. They'd been riding every morning for the last few months. "How did it feel today?" Jordana asked her husband. "They'd been married five years just the past October.
"Great!" he said smiling; he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground.
She laughed and smiled, "Frank, be careful."
"I am, stop worrying," he said laughing. "You're worse that Denise ever was."
"Sure, she understood all the kind of stuff," Jordana replied. "You think she'll be there next week?"
"Probably, it's her grandson's first Christmas as well as mine," he replied.
Jordana rolled her eyes, "She single or with some other guy?"
"Remarried, just over a year I think."
"Good for her, it's about time," Jordana said wiping her face. "Makes me feel a little better."
"Why?" he asked.
"If she's married...You won't..."
He sighed. "Jordy, honey I've told you before, nothing she says or does will ever make me go back to her, okay?"
She nodded, "You wanted me to call her to visit you in the hospital."
""Yeah, so," he said, he didn't see the big deal.
"Why?" She asked. "If she means nothing to you why did you want to see her when you had surgery?"
He shrugged. "She's a friend, what are you getting so upset about?"
"Because she told me at the baby's Christening that if she had to do it again she'd never have let you go!" she snapped. "And she left you, you didn't leave her."
He sighed. "I cannot believe you are jealous of her."
"Why not?" she asked going in the house and starting their breakfast just as the phone rang.
"Hello," Frank answered.
"Hey Dad," Jeremy said. "Looks like Jacob's only going to have one grandparent at Christmas. Mom's not coming and she won't say why."
"Oh, do you want me to talk to her?" he asked.
"I guess, she's not talking a lot at all and Robert even said he doesn't know she's just said she's not up to coming."
"I'll talk to her," he said.
"Thanks Dad," Jeremy said as his four month old son started shrieking.
Frank laughed, "Kid has good lungs."
"Sherwood temper," he laughed. "We'll see you on the 18th right?"
"We'll be there," he said and hung up.
"What's wrong?" Jordana asked. Her husband's face was so expressive.
"Denise isn't going to Jeremy's for the baby's first Christmas."
"Why? She was so excited about it at the christening..." Then she stopped. "Oh Frank..." She knew why, she'd only see Denise three days ago but she swore her to secrecy.
"What?" he asked.
"That's too bad; I...call her or go see her."
"Jordana what is it?" he asked.
"I can't tell you Frank," she said. "I don't like her for the pain she caused you but...She's a woman and when two women talk and give each other their word we don't break it."
"Fine," he said and walked away.
Jordana picked up the phone and dialed Denise's house.
"Hello," Denise answered.
"Hey, how you feeling?" she asked with real concern.
"Terrible," she sighed.
"I know, listen, Jeremy told Frank you aren't going for Christmas and I think it's a big mistake. You need your family to get through this and you need to be positive, please go, if it's the drive and Robert can't go we'll take you."
"It's not," she said with as must conviction as she could. "I don't want anyone seeing me like this."
"With any luck you'll be doing this for awhile, you can't hide it. It'll tear Jeremy to bits if this is...and you aren't with him."
She sighed and thought a moment. "Okay, you're right. I'll be there."
"Can Rob be gone the two weeks or do you want us to drive you?"
"He can bring me, thanks though."
"Okay, I'll help you okay? I'll do all I can to help them not know. I had my sister and my aunt go through it, and they didn't have your courage."
Denise smiled. "Thanks, we'll see you on the 18th."
Jordana smiled and hung up. She went to find her husband. He was in the shop working on his grandson's gift.
"Hey soldier," she said offering a bright smile.
"Hey, who were you just talking to?"
"Nobody," she said coyly but Frank wasn't playing the game.
"So you're going loony and talking to yourself?"
"No," she said rolling her eyes skyward.
"So..." He wasn't used to pulling teeth.
She was silent. He let it go. "As soon as I finish we'll go out and finish the shopping."
She nodded and went and put her arms around him. "You mad at me?"
"Not at all, give me half hour then we'll go. I love you." He gave a quick kiss and she left to go about her own preparations.