Shady was in the kitchen making the last minute preparations for Thanksgiving Dinner. Her father had driven up from Sacramento the night before. It was the first time he'd seen his daughter since finding out he would be a grandfather. She laughed as she thought about the conversation.
As soon as The Shadow walked into the house, he dropped his bag, grabbed his daughter and pulled her into a bear hug. The baby bulge was already starting to show and her father couldn't help putting his hands on her belly. He looked into her smiling face, "You feeling okay?"
She grinned, "A little better now. Not sick nearly as much but I do find I sleep a whole lot more."
"That's an understatement," Lee said, entering the room, walking up behind his wife. He put a hand on her waist and then proffered the other one to his father-in-law to shake.
Powell didn't take his hand. Instead, he accused, "You did this to my little girl?"
Lee froze, unsure how to proceed. Shady felt his grip tighten on her waist but she didn't smile. Christmas deserved a little harassment every now and again, "You should answer him."
"You, too?" Lee whispered. She shrugged and her husband knew he wasn't getting any help. He looked at the Shadow and answered proudly, "Damn sure did, sir. And, after this one joins the world, I have plans to do it again."
He heard Shady's indrawn breath. But, it was her father's reaction that was priceless, "Sounds good, son. I'd be happy with at least two or three grandkids." Powell smiled at Shady and then asked, "The guest room ready?" And strolled past his daughter, patting his son-in-law on the shoulder, and left the couple alone in the living room.
"You need help?" Lee's question startled her from her day-dreaming.
She smiled and turned to look at him and, lord help her, she melted at the sight. He was in a dark t-shirt that clung across his muscled chest and fitted into faded jeans that accentuated hips and ass. He was barefoot and padded into the kitchen. He wrapped arms around her and pulled her close, "I know that look, Mrs. Christmas."
"And if I weren't already pregnant, that's the way to get me to drop trowel to get that way," Shady answered without reserve.
He chuckled, "Good to know for future opportunities. But, back to the original question, do you need help?"
Boots kissed her husband, "I'm good, thanks. This part I know how to do." And she went back to preparing the turkey.
Soon, the rest of the guys began to arrive. Each one brought a dish to go along with the main course that Shady prepared. This year, in addition to the regular team, both Hale and Toll brought their dates. Lee found it funny that these men who could make split-second, life or death decisions brought their girlfriends for his wife to approve. All of the team acknowledged her father as they took a seat at the table for Thanksgiving dinner. Conversation was like any other normal, dysfunctional family – they shared stories of growing up, other family dinners, and Thanksgiving's spent on foreign shores in service to their countries.
Once they finished, the guys began to gather in front of the television for the annual Turkey day football games. Shady took her time clearing the table, packing up leftovers and cleaning up the kitchen. Hale's girlfriend, Esta, a model from South Africa, also helped Shady in the kitchen.
"Are you excited about the baby?" Esta asked.
Shady paused and looked at the beautiful woman, "Yes, Esta, very. In fact, tomorrow Lee and I are shopping for furniture for the nursery."
She leaned in conspiratorially with Shady, "He is very handsome. And, you are a lucky woman."
Boots smiled, "Tell me something I don't know." And, laughing, they went back to cleaning up the kitchen.
Lee was headed to the cellar to get another bottle of wine. One of the other upgrades they had made to the house when they bought it was to turn the basement into a wine cellar. They had added shelves and a refrigerated section and stocked the room. Who knew that Lee Christmas was a connoisseur?
As he passed by his study, Lee saw the package setting on the desk. It caught his attention and he ducked in to check it out. He recognized the return address and dropped the box as if it burned him. He immediately removed his military-style pocketknife and cut through the tape securing the butcher paper. Lee laid the wrapping aside and then turned his attention to the box. He gingerly cut through the tape and pulled back the flaps. Peering in, he once again used his knife to remove the contents – a strip of camouflaged material that appeared to be a sleeve torn from a uniform. Sewn to the sleeve was an insignia that Christmas recognized instantly and if he hadn't already been concerned, the site of the familiar patch made his blood run cold.
He slammed out of the study and yelled for his wife, "Boots!"
Shady jumped at that command tone and immediately responded, "Sir?"
But it wasn't just his wife's attention that Lee had managed to attract. The rest of the assembled guests were immediately alerted and watched the scene.
"Where did that package come from?"
Shady's eyes widened as she tried to comprehend what she was being asked, "Package?"
"Yes, package."
"Lee, I…" And she fumbled for words.
His tone betrayed his frustration, "The one you put on my desk in the study, Boots. Where did it come from?"
"Oh," the light dawned, "it was on the porch when I got back from the store yesterday. I just picked it up and brought it in. When I saw it was addressed to you, I put it on your desk. I…uh…I guess I forgot to tell you." And she stared her husband down, "Is there a problem?"
And Lee realized what he had done and began to backtrack, "No." He shook his head, "No, nothing wrong. I just…" He looked around at the rest of the group, "Shady, this is that package I've been looking for. I told you about it. That's why I was so surprised you didn't let me know it had arrived."
Shady narrowed her gaze. Her husband was trying to save face so she let him off the hook. Shrugging, she responded, "I'm sorry, love. I think my short term memory was the first thing the baby took."
He laughed in response, "No, I'm sorry, darling. I'll go get that wine now." And he left the room. The rest of the team also shrugged off the incident and went back to what they were doing before. All of the guys that is except for Barney Ross and Thomas Powell.
Barney started to follow his number two but Shadow stopped him, "Let me." He followed his son-in-law down the hall.
Lee had ducked back into the study, resting his hands against the desk. He locked his arms and dropped his head. This was how Powell found him when he looked in the room.
"Everything alright, son?"
Lee wasn't surprised that someone had followed him. He was, however, surprised to discover it was Shady's dad. He shook his head and responded, "Everything's fine, sir."
"Didn't sound like it."
"I blew it out of proportion. I overreacted."
Powell shook his head, "That's not what I heard. I heard a man reacting to a situation where his pregnant wife may have unknowingly put herself at risk."
"That what you heard?"
"Yeah." But when Lee didn't add anything else, her father asked, "So is she? Is she in danger?"
And since her father entered the room, Lee finally moved. He stood to his full height, crossed his arms in front of his massive chest and assumed what could only be called a defensive posture. His tone was ice cold and menacing when he answered, "I can protect my wife."
But Thomas Powell was not intimidated. Instead, he crossed to the former SAS officer and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'll take that as a yes." But before Lee could argue, her father continued, "And I have no doubt you can protect my daughter. But who's going to protect you?"
Lee was taken aback. Shadow continued, "Three months ago, there would've been no doubt that Shady would have provided that backup. And, if she thought for one moment you were in danger, she'd still try to do it. But, she's in no condition to assume that responsibility now."
"I'll let you tell her that because I sure as hell won't," Christmas chuckled.
"Look, Lee, all I'm trying to say is you've got six other men in this house that will back your play and follow your lead. They'll do anything you want," Powell made sure that he had Christmas' full attention. "All you've got to do is ask."
The younger man gave a small smile in response, "Thank you, sir. I understand."
Powell slapped his son-in-law's arm and nodded in response. He didn't say anything else and left Lee still standing in the study. When Shadow rounded the corner, he wasn't surprised to see Barney Ross loitering where he could hear the entire conversation. The team leader jerked his head at the Air Force colonel – an unspoken thank you for handling the situation. Powell smiled in response and returned to watch the game and enjoy the day with his daughter's family and friends.
The Friday following Thanksgiving, Shadow left early to return home. Shady watched as Lee walked her dad to his car, the two men deep in conversation. She'd ask what they were talking about but she knew she'd never be told. All Boots knew is that the two men had stayed up until early this morning plotting something and, she had no doubt, this was the summation of those plans.
She waved at her dad as he pulled off and then watched her husband back the truck from the garage. He leaned out the window and called, "You coming or not?" Boots grinned, locked the door and joined her mercenary.
One of the things that they had discovered about each other was that the couple shared a love for antique stores, junk shops and swap meets. Many of the things in their home had started out as pieces past their prime; their usefulness. But, between Shady's imagination and ability to sketch and Lee's love of woodwork, they had brought many items back to life and made them even better.
Boots had already drawn out how the nursery would look. Her favorite item that they already owned was a propeller from an old Cessna-182. She already had it mounted on the wall of the room and, depending upon if they had a girl or a boy, Shady would paint it. It would look like flower petals if they had a girl or she would make it resemble an old World War II plane if they had a boy.
The piece they were looking for today was an antique chifferobe. Shady had called a couple of stores that indicated they had the unusual item. And, sure enough, the first place they stopped had one that the couple could agree upon. It was reasonably priced and actually wouldn't require too much refinish. It was heavy wood with round antique finials on each corner. Lee paid the shopkeeper and a couple of his workers helped him load it. Back in the truck, Shady asked, "Who's gonna help you unload it?"
He looked at her and smiled, "Already have someone on stand-by."
"Which one?"
Lee grinned, "Gunnar will be waiting when we get home." And she returned his smile.
True enough, Jensen was parked on their doorstep when the couple pulled in. The two men easily moved the large chest into the freshly painted room. Shady stood back out of the way, directing where to position it. Once the chifferobe was placed, Lee went back to put the truck in the garage. Boots dusted at the piece, opening the doors and then pulling out the drawers to see how much more work she would need to do.
"How much refinishing does it need?" Gunnar asked.
Shady shook her head, "None. Just rub it down with beeswax and it'll be good to go."
Pointing towards the highest point of the eight foot cabinet, Jensen warned, "You're not climbing all the way up there."
"And you're not going to start bossing me around, too," Boots argued right back. "I get enough of that from my husband."
Gunnar chuckled, "I bet you do."
Shady put an arm around the big man's waist, "Come on into the kitchen. There are plenty of leftovers."
"I'm not going to intrude on time you and Christmas have together."
She put a hand on his chest and stared up into his chiseled face, "You're not intruding. So don't make me kick your ass."
He laughed, "I'd like to see you try, little mama."
Lee had returned and was now leaning on the doorjamb listening to the exchange, "Don't test her." He passed a beer bottle to Gunnar, "You heard her, come on."
Gunnar returned Shady's hug and followed her husband to the kitchen where they shared a meal and good company for the rest of the evening.