Author's Note: Okay, here's my latest update. I have realized I need to slow down just a little with updates … I know I've been spoiling you rotten. But, I'm not cutting back too much. How about 3 times a week… more if I'm in an updating type mood? Officially Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. Anything else is bonus. Because the more I update lately, the less I write… and you all want me to keep writing, right? And I get holidays off, so don't expect updates on Christmas and New Years… though, who knows, I might anyway. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent belongs to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Wolf Films, et al. The characters and setting are borrowed without permission. This is a work of fan fiction. The plot belongs to me. I am making no money from this. I humbly request not to be sued.
Title: The Ivy Green
Chapter: 14
"Cassie, please go see if Caleb and Sarah want to help make cookies," said Annette. "Tell them we are about to start."
Cassie hurried out of the kitchen and down the hall. She returned quickly with her sister and cousin in tow.
"What kind first, Grandma Annie?" asked Sarah.
Annette took a pound of dough she'd prepared the night before out of the refrigerator. "Butterscotch gingerbread," she said. She dusted the top of the kitchen island with flour and plopped down the dough. She handed Ivy a rolling pin. "Ivy, you start to roll it out. Cassie, you and Sarah go get the cookie cutters."
"I don't know how," Ivy said. Annette stood behind her and put her hands over Ivy's. She showed her how. Ivy rolled out the dough until it was about a quarter of an inch thick. Sarah and Cassie brought over the cookie cutters. Annette helped Caleb cut a few cookies while the girls did the rest. She popped the first batch in the oven.
The rest of the cut out cookies went on wax paper. Next came shortbread cookies with Hershey kisses on top. The children rolled the dough into small balls and pressed a kiss into each one. They went on the wax paper in line to be baked. Annette made sure the oven was never empty and kept a close watch on the timer.
Next, they made a huge vat of white icing. Annette scooped it into small bowls and got out some food coloring. She demonstrated the amount of food-coloring necessary to color a bowl of icing, then encouraged the children to experiment making the colors they would like to use to decorate cookies.
Once the icing colors were made, Annette brought out a large container of already cut and baked sugar cookies that she had made the day before. She helped the kids fill icing bags with the colors they wanted and set them to work decorating the cookies. She gave them sprinkles and some small candies to use, too.
Cassie kept sneaking pinches of the remaining white icing while she worked. Annette was now baking the shortbread cookies. Caleb was making a mess but he was laughing and having a great time. Ivy concentrated very hard on each cookie she worked on, trying to make it perfect.
Ivy and Annette were still working on the cookies three hours later. Cassie had wandered off, bored, but now she was back for another try. Sarah had grown tired of cookies and Caleb was down for his afternoon nap.
All of the sugar cookies were decorated. The shortbread cookies were cooling on the counter. The butterscotch gingerbread cookies had just gotten cool enough to decorate. "Don't overdo the icing on these," said Annette. "These cookies don't need it."
Cassie and Ivy did small accents with icing on the butterscotch gingerbread cookies.
"So, what do you think of making Christmas cookies?" Annette asked Ivy.
The girl had food-coloring stains on her hands and flour in her hair. She grinned. "Its wonderful," she said. When they were finished they each ate a cookie to celebrate a job well done.
Ivy selected her best, decorated sugar cookie and took it to give to Bobby. He and Alex had joined Sam in the den watching Christmas specials. How the Grinch Stole Christmas was on now. Sarah was playing on the floor with her dolls. Ivy presented Bobby with the cookie.
"Wow," he said. "Its so pretty I don't want to eat it."
"They're awfully tasty," she cajoled. Bobby grinned and took a bite of the cookie.
"Thank you, Ivy," he said. "This is delicious."
Cassie came in carrying a plate of cookies for the crew in the den to share. She and Ivy joined in watching the Grinch.
Johnny Eames was outside, bundled in a warm winter coat, firing up the grill. The plan for the night was hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner.
The dinning room closed as a wrapping station and leaves were added to the table to accommodate the thirteen people who gathered around it. Johnny brought in the freshly cooked burgers and dogs. Annette brought out a huge bowl of French fries. Dinner was a cheerful and pleasant affair that finished with cookies for desert.
As evening drew in around the Eames family home, Annette asked: "Who's going to go with us to midnight mass?" Annie Eames had not missed a midnight mass on Christmas Eve since she was sick with a fever when she was five years old. It was tradition for most of the Eames clan to dress up and dress warmly and walk to midnight mass. Their church, St. Catherine's, was only four blocks away.
Bobby had not been to midnight mass, or any mass for that matter, since he was a teenager. He was, as he said, a "lapsed altar boy." So he looked skeptical when Ivy turned to him.
"Can we go?" she asked. "I've never been to midnight mass."
"Are you going?" he asked Alex.
"No," she said. "I'm going to stay here with Caleb and Sarah. I have some presents to finish wrapping."
"I'm going, Uncle Bobby," said Cassie. She turned to Ivy. "You can sit with me. It's my first one, too."
Ivy looked at Bobby. "Please," she said.
He sighed. "Okay," he said. "I'll go." Ivy smiled at him. He was becoming a sucker for that smile.
"Yay," squealed Cassie. "You can sit with me, too, Uncle Bobby."
Around eight Elizabeth put Caleb to bed. Ivy read him "T'was The Night Before Christmas." Cassie and Sarah sat quietly, listening in.
Caleb was asleep before she got as far as Santa's arrival, but as the two younger girls were listening with rapt attention she finished the story quietly.
"Sarah," called her mother. "It's time for bed."
"I'm too excited to sleep," said Sarah. "It's no fair Cassie gets to stay up."
"Maybe Ivy will read you a story, too, if you go to bed," said Janet. Ivy nodded, smiling. She liked reading stories out loud. She had taken to reading to the kids at the center.
Sarah frowned thoughtfully. "Okay," she said begrudgingly. "I'll go to bed, but I won't sleep."
Janet took Sarah up stairs to the bedroom they shared and got her ready. Ivy came up with The Polar Express to read to her. Cassie came and sat at Ivy's feet to listen.
Sarah was still awake when the story was over. "One more story," she begged. Ivy reread 'T'was the Night Before Christmas.' When she was still awake after that one Janet sent Ivy and Cassie back downstairs and tucked in her youngest. When she checked on her a half hour later Sarah had fallen asleep after all.
At ten Ivy put on her best dress.
At ten thirty Annette Eames rallied the troops to get their coats and hats on. Alex, Caleb, and Sarah were the only ones staying home, though Sam was only going because Cassie had begged and cajoled him.
The moon was surrounded by high clouds and gave off a ghostly light. Thicker clouds were moving in from the west, obscuring the stars. The temperature had dropped and their breath came out in small white puffs as they walked to the church. Ivy shivered and moved closer to Bobby. He made an excellent wind block.
The service began with Christmas hymns and an offering. Ivy put her last bit of change in the plate. Cassie put in a shiny dollar coin her mother had given her just for that purpose. Then there was praying and the sermon. Bobby had a weight leaning on each arm. He looked down. The two little girls were sound asleep, using him as a pillow. He shared a smile with Sam when he noticed his plight.
The final hymn was "Joy to the World." The choir stood and belted it out joyously to the heavens. Ivy and Cassie woke up. Everyone stood and sang along. Cassie was yawning as they left. Ted picked her up and carried her piggyback and she was soon fast asleep with her head on his shoulder.
Ivy yawned. She started to lag behind as they walked. Bobby looked at her. "You want a ride?"
She raised her eyebrows. Bobby squatted. "Hop on."
She put her arms around his neck and climbed onto his broad back. Bobby stood up, locking his hands under her for support. She yawned again. "Thank you," she said sleepily.
Bobby smiled. A snowflake landed on his nose. "Ivy, look," he said, as more snow began to fall.
Ivy sat up a little more and grinned. She caught a snowflake on her tongue. "I hope this keeps up," she said. "We'll have a white Christmas."
She settled against Bobby's shoulder, sleepily watching the snow as they walked home. Alex was on the front porch listening to the midnight church bells when they got home. She caught her breath at the image of Bobby carrying his niece. It was a side of her partner she rarely got to see. He looked so happy, she thought.
Bobby and Ivy were to sleep in the living room. Alex went to sleep in the nursery with Caleb. Everyone went to bed except Sam and Johnny. They went to the closet and pulled out the bags of presents from Bobby and from the Eames clan and put them under the tree. Then they went to bed.
Author's Note: You know I love reviews.