THE CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY
Christmas decorations were all around as they rode in a cab to the party. There were wreaths draped across the streets on wire hanging between lamp posts. People and cars were everywhere, madly rushing about to get that last gift before the night was over.
Pulling her eyes away from the pretty decorations, Lucy glanced down at her watch. "I wonder how Wyatt and Rufus are doing. Maybe we should have stopped over by the zoo to see if everything was going well."
"I'm sure Rufus and Wyatt are fine," he muttered, looking out of the window.
Lucy didn't miss the emphasis on his words. "Why do you do that?"
"Like I said, I want you to be happy."
"What I said earlier, about what I felt for Wyatt and-."
He turned to her, cutting her off tensely, "Tell me, what do you feel?"
She was frustrated. "I try to step closer to you and you run, throwing Wyatt at me as you go! If you'd stop pushing me away-!"
"If I stop pushing you away, what?!" he said, cutting her off again.
"When you were there for me when Emma killed my mom and got away…you held me. You must have felt something!"
"What was I to do?" he asked, looking over at her, "You were lying there crying, telling me you can't, so I held you! That's what I did…I wanted you to stop hurting."
"You were going to tell me why you were here. Flynn, why are you here?" she implored.
"Thirty-seventh and Lexington!" the cabby announced. The cab pulled up to the curb in front of a Brownstone home and Flynn paid the man. "Thank you, sir! Merry Christmas to you and the missus!"
"Merry Christmas," Flynn replied as he opened the door and climbed out. He held it for Lucy and took her hand to help her step out of the car.
Lucy held a gift for the Peters in one hand, the other held onto Flynn as he helped her up the steps to the front door, a thick silence between them. Flynn knocked loudly five times. They stood there not making any eye contact as they heard the voices and music inside. Flynn knocked again.
"Coming!" Hazel called. She stepped up to the door and opened it. "Why, it's the Flynns! I'm so happy you decided to come and join us! Come in, come in!" she urged them, stepping aside and waving them into the home.
"We brought a gift for you," Lucy said as she handed it to Hazel.
"Why thank you! Hang your coats and things right over there on those hooks," Hazel quickly pointed as she unwrapped her gift. Flynn took off his hat, coat, scarf and blazer and hung them on a hook, then took Lucy's items and did the same. Flynn straightened and secured his tie inside his black vest as Lucy patted her hair.
Hazel made it through the wrappings and exclaimed, "Champagne?! Oh my goodness, thank you!"
"You're welcome," Flynn replied.
"You two are very kind!" Hazel chirped, looking at them.
They gave her a smile as they stood apart from each other.
"Uh oh," she frowned. "Trouble in paradise. Shopping on Christmas Eve got the best of you two, huh?" she asked, but hurried on, "Well, you're going to have to kiss and make up."
"We'll be okay, Hazel," Lucy assured her, unconvincingly.
"But you can't enter until you kiss." Hazel giddily pointed up at the archway. Flynn and Lucy looked up and saw a sprig of mistletoe perched right over their heads. "Come on, chop-chop." Hazel urged.
Flynn looked down at Lucy, leaned over and pecked her cheek.
"Oh, come now. You can do better than that," Hazel persisted.
They stood there for a few beats. Finally, Flynn turned and gently touched Lucy's shoulders, turning her toward him, but she still wouldn't look at him. He softly placed his finger under her chin, lifting it, forcing their gazes to meet and he delicately pressed a tender kiss on her lips. Heat shot through Lucy at the touch of his warm, soft lips. She had wondered how they would feel—they were everything she had thought they would be and more. Flynn had thought of what it would be like to kiss her and he hadn't even come close to imagining it correctly. Her lips were so incredibly sweet and supple that he took another kiss. This time, to his surprise, he felt Lucy press her lips to his, too, making the heat rise in him as well.
"That's more like it! Merry Christmas!" Hazel exclaimed. "Now come and meet my other daughter Joanie, my grandson Danny and everyone else! Charles?!" she cheerfully called as she headed into the sitting room.
Lucy raised her thumb to Flynn's lips and gently wiped all signs of her red lipstick from them. She then took his hand and they went into the sitting room.
There was plenty of food, desserts and merriment in the household. Christmas music from the radio filled the air as aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors ate, chatted and laughed throughout the home along with Flynn and Lucy who sat on the couch near the tree.
"Alright everyone!" Hazel announced. "It's time for my special eggnog!"
Just then the front door opened. "I'm here! Danny!" Ruth called from the vestibule.
"Mama!" Danny yelled as he ran down the stairs with a set of twin boys about his age following him. He went to Ruth and hugged her.
"Merry Christmas Eve, Danny!" she kissed the top of the six-year-old's head. "Merry Christmas Eve, Tommy and Timmy!" she happily laughed as she tussled the twin boy's hair and they all entered the sitting room.
"Didn't realized there were going to be so many here," Lucy commented to Flynn.
"You're not enjoying yourself?" he asked.
"I wasn't expecting to go to a Christmas party," she said softly, "But this is really nice."
The smile on her face touched Flynn. "It's nice to see you having a good time," he said low.
"I know you're having fun, too," she whispered, "which makes me enjoy all of this even more."
"Mama! Ruthie's here!" Joan, Ruth's sixteen-year-old sister, yelled.
"Just in time for your mother's eggnog, Ruthie!" an older woman yelled to her from the kitchen.
"Oh, boy!" Ruth exclaimed, rolling her eyes, making the room laugh. There was another knock at the door. She went back, opened the door and her eyes got bigger. "Maynard!"
"Ruth!" he exclaimed, surprised to see her.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was invited," he explained, nervously running his hand through his red hair as he held a big gift with his other. "You look lovely this evening."
She blushed at the compliment. "Oh, thank you, Maynard."
Ruth's sister came to the door, "Well, let him in Ruthie! It's cold outside!" her sister laughed. "Come in and I'll take this gift!" Joan bubbled, taking the large gift. Ruth stepped forward and helped Maynard remove his coat. "Oooh, look who's under the mistletoe!" Joan exclaimed.
"Joanie, mama needs you in the kitchen," Ruth said tightly, trying to get rid of her.
Joan stubbornly stood her ground. "There are rules for mistletoe, you don't want to break the rules, do you Maynard?"
"Joan," Ruth threatened under her breath.
"Um, no," he agreed and quickly gave Ruth a kiss on her cheek, making her blush.
Joan giggled and headed for the sitting room as she threw over her shoulder, "Come into the sitting room, Mama's passing out her eggnog!"
They entered the crowded room and stood near Flynn and Lucy. "Who is this grand gift for?" Ruth asked curiously.
"Danny. It's from…" Maynard looked around and spotted Flynn and Lucy on the couch, but he saw them shaking their heads no. "Santa," he ended lamely. Ruth giggled and Maynard smiled.
Hazel passed out the eggnog in lovely glass tumblers that had holly and ivy etched on the sides.
"Can I have some, Mama?" Joan asked sweetly.
"Of course you can, Joanie. When you're twenty-five," Hazel responded flatly, making Joan pout and others laugh.
The wonderful smell of cinnamon and nutmeg greeted Flynn and Lucy as they tasted the drink and it was all they could do to not make a face. It had to be one-part eggnog and two-parts hard liquor.
"Whoa!" Lucy exclaimed.
Charles's cousin Frank, who was sitting next to Lucy, laughed, "Look out, Hazel's eggnog will put hair on your chest!"
"How do you like it?" Hazel's sister Mary, who was sitting in a chair next to Flynn, asked him.
"It's…very strong," Flynn remarked, making her giggle uncontrollably as he and Lucy set their eggnog glasses on the coffee table.
"I see Mary's already been dipping into the nog," Mary's husband Willis chortled.
"Oh, Willis hush!" Mary said, still giggling. Flynn and Lucy couldn't help laughing along.
"Fruitcake everyone!" Hazel announced.
"Uh oh, here comes the fruitcake!" Frank whispered loudly, making a face.
"I can hear you Frank!" Hazel yelled from the kitchen. She came into the room with some plates of cake in her hands and offered them to everyone.
"No, thank you," Lucy declined.
"You'll love this!" Hazel pushed, trying to tempt her.
"I'll take it." Flynn reached over and took the slice of cake. He cut a bit off with the fork and the little piece crumbled. He looked at Lucy who responded with a skeptical frown. He scooped the bits onto the fork, ate it and tried not to choke on its dryness.
"How is it?" Lucy smirked, trying not to laugh. Flynn had a hard time answering as he chewed.
"Wanna chase that with some eggnog, pal?" Frank laughed.
Flynn made a face as he swallowed his bite. "That's a good idea." Lucy picked up their eggnog from the coffee table, handed Flynn his glass and took another drink. "Between this cake and the eggnog, it's going to be a long night," Flynn grimaced, making Lucy giggle.
"Here, I'll take that for you." Ruth appeared in front of them, saving Flynn from having to eat anymore of the dry dessert as she took the plate from him. "Mama's fruitcake," Ruth shrugged and laughed as she placed the slice in a napkin. "Have some chocolate cake instead," she said, picking up a slice from the nearby dessert table.
Lucy took the dessert that Ruth offered. Cutting off a piece, she took a bite and moaned. "This is heaven!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes rolling back in ecstasy. She turned to Flynn holding the plate up to him, "You like chocolate cake, right?"
"I do," he replied.
"Then you better get yourself a plate," Lucy said merrily, pulling it away and taking another bite. He gave her a blank look. She giggled, severed a piece with the fork and held it up for him. Holding her gaze, he opened his mouth and she fed him the bite. "Now that's moist and chocolatey," she beamed, taking another bite.
Flynn lifted his thumb, and surprised Lucy as he removed a little piece of cake from her lower lip and ate it. "The cake is very good," he agreed in a low voice. They finished sharing the dessert and drained their eggnog glasses, making them feel warm all over.
Hazel came over to them, "Would you mind helping us in the kitchen, Lucy? We could use some extra hands," she smiled as she held a green, gingham apron out. Lucy glanced at Flynn who raised his eyebrows.
"I don't know how much of a help I'd be, but of course." Lucy stood and followed Hazel into the kitchen.
Charles went over to Flynn and sat next to him, "Are you and the missus having a good time?"
Flynn nodded, "We are, thank you."
"Will you be seeing your relatives tomorrow?" he asked, taking a drink of his own glass of eggnog.
"It's just the two of us."
"Then I'm glad you came and joined our family tonight," he smiled. Charles set the glass down, "It's none of my business, but Hazel said that the two of you must have had a tiff earlier."
"A little disagreement," Flynn replied flatly.
Charles hurried on, "I met Hazel a couple of years after my first wife passed."
"You had another wife?"
Charles nodded, "Her name was Ann and she was lovely."
"May I ask what happened to her?"
"She died in childbirth, along with our son."
Flynn felt his pain as he looked away. "I'm truly sorry for your loss," he replied quietly.
Charles looked at him thoughtfully. "You strike me as a man who understands," he surmised. Flynn didn't respond, but Charles went on. "I never wanted to meet another woman after that. I was mad at the unfairness of it all and even mad at myself. I focused on my work and shut everyone else out. Then came Hazel Johnson. With her, it was all fighting and fire. Nothing like my first wife. I tried to get Hazel out of my mind and I couldn't. So, I married her." Charles smiled. "I see you, too, have decided to keep on living." He elbowed Flynn, "So, the fighting and the fire? Keeps us on our toes, huh?! Never a dull moment with our missuses, right?!"
Flynn smile wryly at Charles's pep talk, "Right."
"Lucy seems like a true lady."
"She is," Flynn agreed.
"Well done, son," Charles smiled.
Just then there was a knock at the door.
Lucy stepped into a warm, yellow kitchen with a window over the sink. A number of women were in there preparing more desserts and coffee for everyone.
"This is Lucy Flynn everyone!" Hazel announced.
"Hello, Lucy!" A dark-haired, very pregnant woman, sitting at the table with a young girl and Mary, greeted her. "I'm Sarah. My George is at work driving the subways. Hazel is my aunt and her younger sister Mary and Willis are my parents. This is my daughter Becky," she touched the young, five-year-old girl seated next to her who was eating a cookie, "And the twins are my boys."
Lucy nodded with a smile, "It's nice to meet you all." She gazed at the little girl, "Nice to meet you, Becky. You have a very pretty red dress."
"Thank you. I like your dress, too!" Becky replied with an adorable smile.
Sarah laughed. "You're sweet, Lucy. You and your husband having a good time?" she asked as she spread frosting on some cookies on the table.
"We are. It's been wonderful here, thank you," Lucy said warmly. Ruth came in and started taking coffee cups out of the cabinets.
"Lucy, do you want to fill those cups with coffee?" Hazel asked.
"Sure, I can do that." Lucy picked up the percolated coffee pitcher and started pouring coffee into each of the cups that Ruth lined up on the counter.
"I love the chocolate cake," Lucy stated as she dutifully filled each cup.
"I do too!" Joan replied cheerfully.
"Did you make it?" Lucy asked her.
"Sarah made it," Ruth answered. "I could eat the whole cake if you let me," she laughed as she pulled more napkins out of a drawer.
"All of us can!" Mary giggled as the other ladies joined in laughing.
"How long have you been married?" Ruth asked, catching Lucy off guard.
She fumbled for an answer, "Oh, um, just this past June."
"Oooh! A June bride!" Joan cooed as she went over to where her sister stood and picked up the saucers that went with the coffee cups.
"He's not bad looking," Hazel added.
"I suspect he keeps you quite busy," Mary stated, raising one eyebrow, making Lucy blush.
"Mom!" Sarah exclaimed.
"Aunt Mary! Ruth cried.
Joan giggled.
"I was just observing. Makes me think about the first years with your father," Mary said to Sarah.
"Mother!"
"Where did you two meet?" Hazel asked as she gently moved Becky out of the chair, sat down and pulled the little girl onto her lap.
"San Francisco." Lucy replied, setting the coffee percolator down.
"I bet it was love at first sight!" Joan exclaimed, pretending to swoon onto her sister, making Ruth laugh.
Lucy smiled wryly, "Not exactly."
"Do tell," Sarah urged, as the other women grew silent, wanting to hear their story.
"It was rocky when we met. We both had different views on certain things and that caused a lot of friction. But then, through constant turns of events, we began working together. Eventually, the more we talked and got to know and understand one another, the more we realized that we had a lot in common." She smiled softly, "And the more I wanted to be with him."
"How romantic," Joan uttered softly.
"When did you realize you loved him?" Ruth asked.
Lucy was thoughtful. "There was a point when he started pulling away from me because he was unsure of my feelings for him. It hurt, and I missed him. That's when I knew."
"Lucy."
Everyone's eyes flew to Flynn who was standing in the kitchen door way. Lucy met his gaze for a few beats, blushing as she wondered how much he'd heard. Flynn stated, "The delivery is here."
"What delivery?" Hazel asked as Charles came and stood next to Flynn.
"Our friends here bought us a large supply of coal!" Charles announced as he squeezed one of Flynn's shoulders.
"Coal? What ever for?" Hazel asked amazed.
"It's going to snow quite heavily tomorrow," Flynn explained. "In fact, it would be best if you all stayed here together until it's over."
"I haven't heard anything!" Frank called from the sitting room, getting in the conversation.
"It's very true," Lucy verified.
"Well, thank you!" Hazel replied. "That was very thoughtful of you! Charles, show the delivery man where to put the coal!"
"Yes, dear, right away, dear," Charles smiled, rolling his eyes.
Lucy took off her apron and went over to Flynn, "How much of that did you hear?" she asked quietly as she hung the apron on a hook near the kitchen door.
He took her hand and they went and stood in front of the fireplace that had various stockings hanging from the mantle. "Everything from San Francisco."
"Oh," Lucy said quietly, wondering what he felt about her confession.
Hazel came back into the sitting room. "Now everyone," she announced, "since it's Christmas Eve, everyone gets to open one gift!"
This made all the boys jump with glee as Joan went over to the tree to help pass out gifts. Flynn and Lucy saw Danny go straight to the large present.
"Can I open this, mama, please?" Danny asked.
"Go ahead," Ruth smiled, looking at Maynard.
The little boy made short work of the wrappings and screeched with delight at his discovery.
"Whoa!" Timmy exclaimed.
"A train set!" Tommy cried with equal excitement.
"Wonderful, kiddo!" Charles said to Danny, "Santa brought you a nice present this year!"
Ruth went over to Maynard. "You shouldn't have, that's too much," she whispered, filled with concern.
"It's not from me, it's from Santa," he reiterated with a smile.
"Santa?" she replied and smiled as she saw how happy her boy was for the gift. "Thank you," Ruth said, touching Maynard's arm.
He nodded. "How about we take it up to his room and I'll put it together for him?" Maynard asked Ruth.
"We live in an apartment some blocks from here," Ruth informed him.
He hesitated, "Can I ask, where is Danny's father?"
"He died in the war in Normandy," Ruth explained.
He took her hand. "I'm sorry, Ruth."
"Thank you," she smiled softly.
"I'd still be happy to set it up for him at your home, if that's alright," he added hopefully.
"Yaaaay!" Danny exclaimed at his offer.
"That's a yes," Ruth laughed with Maynard joining in.
"Hey," Lucy whispered, taking Flynn's hand. She led him over to their coats and closed the French doors, muting the noise of the festive crowd and ensconcing them in the vestibule.
Lucy retrieved her purse from the coat peg by the front door, "I was going to leave this for you in the bunker. But now seems like a very good time to give it to you." Flynn stepped closer to her as she opened her purse and took out a flat, rectangular shaped object wrapped in red paper and tied with a gold ribbon. Flynn met her gaze as he silently took the gift, shocked that she had thought to buy him anything. He looked at the green Christmas name tag that was attached with a string and read her familiar, elegant handwriting:
Merry Christmas to you, Flynn. Love, Lucy.
Lucy eagerly stood by. After a couple beats, she noticed he wasn't opening his gift. Her brow furrowed with concern as she gazed up at him. "Flynn, what's wrong?"
"…I haven't received a present from anyone in a long time," he answered quietly.
Her heart contracted for him. She eased up on her toes and kissed his cheek sweetly, "Merry Christmas, Garcia." He smiled softly, a tear threatening to escape. "Go ahead, open it," Lucy whispered, encouragingly.
He pulled the ribbon and it loosened. Careful not to let the name tag fall to the floor, he unwrapped the gift. It was F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, complete with its original blue dust jacket.
"This is a first edition copy?" he asked amazed.
She grinned as she urged, "Open it."
Flynn glanced at her as he opened the cover. There was a note written in cursive with a signature:
For Mr. Flynn
You are a Genius
F. Scott Fitzgerald
"Lucy, where did you find this?" he asked perplexed. "And when?" he added, turning the book over in awe.
She laughed softly, "Today. I saw a quaint little book store, down the street from the Empire State Building and thought of you. I know you love reading, so I searched for popular authors and found this book. This is all authentic, signed by Fitzgerald himself. I was shocked when I opened it and read that. And I just had to get it for you." She smiled, "Looks like he, too, knew a Flynn who was a genius."
"This is amazing, Lucy," Flynn said, truly touched and filling with emotion that was spilling over into Lucy. "Thank you." He sweetly kissed her cheek and said, "Close your eyes." She gave him a suspicious look. "Close them," he repeated quietly, and she complied. He didn't move away from her but took the time to look at her lovely face. He again took in the scent of roses mixed with her natural scent as his gaze settled on her lips which always promised soft kisses. One of her eyes opened and he smiled. "Both of them."
She laughed softly, "Are you going to do something before Christmas is over?"
He chuckled as he stepped away from her and went to his coat. She heard him return and stop in front of her. "Open your eyes," he whispered. He brought his hand forward and offered her a little burgundy leather box with tiny gold leaves etched around the top and along the sides. Lucy gingerly took it out of his hand and glanced back up at him, but he wasn't meeting her eyes. She pressed the little gold button on the front of the box. The lid opened, and she gasped. Inside were a pair of small gold, rose-shaped dangle earrings with a bright-red ruby in the center of them.
"When did you get these?" Lucy exclaimed softly.
"Today at Macy's…when you went to the ladies room," he chuckled softly.
"Flynn," she whispered as she gently touched the earrings with the tip of her finger.
"I'm not a big jewelry man," he quietly explained, "But, when I saw these, they reminded me of you." She looked up at him wide-eyed as he continued, "Your rose perfume. Your kindness, which is pure gold. And your fiery red heart."
Lucy's heart caught at his explanation and she was deeply moved. Feeling her face heat up, she whispered, "Flynn… these are beautiful and thoughtful." Tears glistened in her eyes as she suddenly flung her arms around his neck. His arms encircled her and they hugged each other tightly.
"Thank you," she whispered.
She pulled back, gently took Flynn's hand, turned it palm up and set the box in it. She immediately began removing the earrings she had on and placed those in his hand next to the little box. Flynn smiled as she removed the new earrings and put one in each lobe.
"How do they look?"
He gently took one of her earrings between his thumb and index finger, sending shock waves through Lucy as his warm fingers grazed her lobe. "You're beautiful."
She blushed as they held each other's gaze.
"Merry Christmas to you, Lucy."
"Hopefully you're all up for caroling!" Mary called to them from the sitting room archway, giggling.
Hearing Mary, Lucy quickly put her old earrings into the little box and placed both it and Flynn's book in her purse. Lucy took Flynn's hand, squeezed it and smiled as she opened the French doors and headed back into the sitting room.