Hey, Y'all! We have had a sick house since the holidays, so editing had to take a back seat...but HERE I AM! These are the last two chapters. I know I said there was only one...but my SASIL muse wouldn't hush. What could I do? I'm going to go ahead a drop them at the same time cuz Y'all have been so patient. So as always Enjoy! Review! and Ged Ged Yah!
.
Sally Ann couldn't decorate the whole house the way she wanted to between the new baby and recovery but she did manage to order some simple Christmas decorations online and with help from Frida wrangle in a small tree. She grinned at the surprise on Hasil's face when she welcomed him home from work to a decorated front door and living room. Later that night, with the baby asleep on the couch, Hasil lay on the floor with his head in Sally Ann's lap in the darkened front room, enjoying the luminous glow of the tree, lit up with white lights and the few keepsakes that Sally Ann had purchased.
She had chosen an adorable ceramic ornament of a snowman and a snowwoman holding a baby snowman between them, with the inscription "Our Family's First Christmas – 2017" on a fat red ribbon swirl beneath them. It was silly but she loved it. There was also a heavily detailed children's block done in silver that read "Baby's First Christmas" on the outside and opened to reveal a place for a photo and a flat plate that read "Kaeden Thane Farrell – 2017". Sally Ann had always wanted to start a family collection of decorations, a nod to her own future – a beginning piece of the legacy she hoped deep down that she would be able to pass on to her children. Now, she did have a family to invest in - a future to look forward to. For years, this was all she wanted for Christmas – a solid family unit. What she had now, with Hasil, was fulfilling all the longings she had carried in her heart for as long as she could remember.
Later that evening, with the smell of fresh pine filling the room and stirring up memories of the mountain, Sally Ann gently finger combed Hasil's hair while he shared how his clan welcomed the winter season with a three-day celebration. His face animated at times and serious during other parts; he talked with his whole body. Telling her about the feasting - the special sweetbreads, spiced and sticky-sweet that were made only for that celebration and the wild pigs, roasted whole with a vinegar and honey glaze that drove you crazy from the smell; as they roasted slowly for two whole days before the first night of festivities. Taking to his feet, Hasil laughed until tears came to his eyes trying to act out the drunken antics of his cousin Tice, who unlike himself and the others, couldn't hold his liquor for anything. Sally Ann shook her head and giggled as he detailed out all the crazy, and sometimes dangerous, games that were held and the special festivities for the children that took place in the day time…but at night the huge bonfires and raucous music served as a backdrop for Farrell wine soaked, adults-only merriment.
Settling back onto the floor to reclaim his spot on her lap, he revealed that his favorite part of the winter celebration was when the elders would come together to do the Prayer of Thankfulness and sing on the last night. He told her how he would find a place to perch himself on a tree limb above it all and listen to those who would gather and join in. Their voices, rich and full, rising higher and higher, seeming to envelop him in their melodies and harmonies. How he would close his eyes and let their glorious sound circle and swirl around him. Holding her hand to his chest, he confided that seeing the unity of his family in those moments was something he missed greatly. He wondered how or if they had celebrated at all this winter.
"I hope you get to see it again, Hasil," Sally Ann sighed.
Hasil looked up at her with raised eyebrows, "Yea'?"
"Yeah, I do."
Hasil was coming awake slowly, feeling movement in the room. It was still dark outside and before his eyes could adjust, he automatically reached for Sally Ann. Finding her spot empty, he lifted his head to look around. The bathroom door had no outline of light to indicate that she was in there.
"Sally Ann?" He whispered into the dark just as she appeared in the doorway.
Closing their bedroom door softly, she rushed back to her side of the bed. With a bounce, Sally Ann crawled in, snuggling into the covers. Hasil rubbed his eyes, rolling over onto his side to face her.
"Hey," she whispered.
"Hey," he murmured, closing his eyes again and dragging her closer to him. Sally Ann traced his face with her fingertips, stroking over each eyebrow gently. Taking her time, she brushed past his cheekbone down to his jawline, coming to rest at the hair covering his chin. Leaning up on an elbow, she traced his lower lip with her thumb before planting a soft kiss there.
"Hasil," she whispered.
"Hmm?" he rumbled deep in his throat, raising his eyebrows but not opening his eyes.
"Haaaasil," she sing-songed, in a quiet voice. She slipped her free hand under his shirt and slowly roamed higher to toy with the sparse hair on his chest.
Hasil jumped at the contact, reaching for her wandering hand with a hiss and a chuckle. "Oh-ho naw! Ya hands are cold."
Sally Ann buried her face in his chest and slid her hand around to his back out of reach, "Well, warm me up."
Hasil grunted and wrapped his arms around her, exhaling heavily into her hair, intent on going back to sleep. Sally Ann traced patterns up and down his back, raising her head again to see that his eyes were finally open. A little.
"Whut?" Hasil grumped, his eyelids heavy.
"Nothin'," she said, but her cheeks rose up in a secret smile which Hasil caught immediately.
Finally opening his eyes completely, he leaned back to be able to see her whole face. He raised his eyebrows, curious. "Nothin', huh?"
"Mmm hmm," Sally Ann's smile still evident on the corner's of her mouth.
"What was you doin' out there?"
"Nothing!" She whispered and waited while he studied her face, giving him nothing.
"Okay," Hasil chuckled, whispering back, squinting his eyes at her odd behavior.
Sally Ann snuggled back down into his chest, this time tracing a path down his back, around to his hip, "Hasil?" she whispered.
"Yea'," he replied, his voice soft, still sleepy.
"It's Christmas."
"Heeey," Hasil drawled out with a slow smile stretching across his lips. "My first Christmas."
"Mmm hmm," she gave him a close-lipped smile and a quick kiss. "Merry first Christmas, Hasil Farrell."
"Well…how bout tha'," he whispered, rolling onto his back, taking her with him.
Snuggling up against his side, Sally Ann's free hand began to wander again, leaving his chest to dip low on his hip, toying with the sensitive skin stretched across the joint.
"Hey-hey," Hasil chuckled, capturing her hand and bring it up to his lips for a kiss, "I thank ya betta cut that out."
Sally Ann let Hasil hold her hand down on his chest, her voice barely audible, "It's okay."
Sally Ann slowly raised her head to meet his questioning eyes. Hasil rolled onto his side to face her and peeked over her shoulder. Sally Ann could feel him do a double take. She watched him eyeball the empty bassinet and waited.
Confusion clouded his face, frowning slightly he questioned, "Where's the baby?"
Sally Ann opened her mouth but nothing came out. Trying again, her voice was unsteady, "I-I put him in his room." Her face showed her discomfort but her gaze remained steady.
Hasil raised his eyebrows, "Yea'?"
Mildly embarrassed with whole exchange, Sally Ann's confidence dipped and her eyes began to wander around the room until she felt his fingertips gently stroke across her face. Comforted, she closed her eyes for a moment, leaning into his touch.
"Hey," Hasil kept his voice low even though he was no longer concerned about waking his sleeping child. "Hey…look at me." When she didn't comply, he gently nudged his knuckle under her chin to get her to focus on him.
When Sally Ann's gaze met his there was no more shyness left in it, all he saw behind her deep brown eyes was a familiar heat.
"Hasil-,"
"But Doc said—," he started.
Sally Ann gave a tiny shrug, looking away from his intense expression. "I know. I know but… we can do…other things."
Hasil stared. Dr. Arden had explained to him the healing process Sally Ann was going to go through and the importance of giving her time to return to normal activity. It was hard to keep from wanting her, but the thought of doing her any harm was enough to curb his appetites and send him to the shower to handle it himself when the pressure got to be too much.
Caught up in the rush of heat between them, he repeated, "Other things?"
"Other…things," A slow smile lifted her cheeks as she saw understanding spark across his face.
Sally Ann could see his need start to darken his grey eyes, but still - he didn't move. Taking his hand, she turned it over and placed a soft kiss in the center of his palm; letting her lips linger like a caress – sending shivers up his arm. Still seeing uncertainty when her eyes returned to his face, she placed her hand flat on his chest and gently pushed till he lay on his back. Throwing a leg over, she straddled him; entwining her fingers with his to hold his hands captive, restricting his movement. Leaning down to kiss his cheek, she trailed her lips across his skin, letting her breath warm each spot before moving on. She dipped lower nipping at his jawline and lower to his neck, paralyzing him with a tidal wave of sensation. When she fastened her teeth on a sensitive spot below his ear, he let out a shuddering breath and frantically shook his hands loose from hers to be able to grab hold of her while she continued with this deliberate torture of his senses. His hands went into motion on their own accord, reacquainting him with the feel of her. My sweet Sally Ann.
Raising her head to look him in the eye, she toyed with the springy strands at his hairline and whispered, "Okay?"
With a shaky hand, Hasil stroked the pad of his thumb across her cheek, "'kay."
.
A/N - You know I had to get them back in the groove before we left them. SASIL4EVER! Thank you for reading! (whispers pause and review, pretty please) On to the next!
