Chapter 33: It Was The Night Before Christmas

December 24, 1913

Rose left the kitchen taking a break from making cookies with her family. Everyone was at her and Jack's house making cookies for Christmas morning. She figured that since there were eight of them in the kitchen she could sneak away for a little while. She was going up to her room to wrap her gift for Jack. She had gotten him more art supplies that she knew he needed, but that was only part of his gift.

She also had a special gift for him from her, Jewel, and a special someone that he didn't know about yet. She figured that she would tell him in a creative way and since Christmas was here she though it was the perfect timing. She bought a baby outfit the day before and hid it in their room while he was at work. So after she finished wrapping his art supplies she put the baby outfit in a small box and wrapped that one as well. She grabs the two gifts and heads to her living room to put them under the tree.

"Where have you been?" A voice said startling Rose. Rose turned around to see Jemma.

"I figured I would sneak out and wrap some gifts while Jack isn't here." Rose laughed. "I got him more art supplies. I'm sure it's safe to say he will like it." She added. Jemma nodded.

"I still have to wrap Fabrizio's gift." Jemma said. "Jack helped me pick it out." She added. She loved Fabrizio and wanted to make him happy.

"What's going on in here?" Johanna asked as she walked into the living room to join them. Both women looked at her and shrugged.

"Just talking about what we go our men for Christmas." Jemma replied. She nodded. Both Jemma and Rose knew that Johanna really cares for Dr. Bradshaw. They are trying to get her to see that he cares for her too. Johanna doesn't think that he feels the same about her as she does for him. Rose and Jemma think differently. He had asked Rose what Johanna had liked after her last appointment.

She had gotten him a gift and was going to give it to him before Christmas. Rose and Jemma talked her out of it and convinced her to invite him over for Christmas. She finally did and to her surprise he accepted her invitation.

"Do you think he will like it?" Johanna asked both women for their opinion on the gift that she had for the doctor.

"He will love it!" Both women said in unison. "We think he will like being with you even more though." Rose said making the other woman blush.

"I don't know about that." Johanna admitted. She still wasn't convinced that she felt the same.

"Don't assume the worst." Jemma said as she put a hand on her sister's shoulder. Rose nodded in agreement.

"Think positive things." Rose added. "How many more batches of cookies do we have left to make?" She asked looking towards the kitchen.

"Only a few more left." Johanna replied. All three women made their way back to the kitchen to help the rest of them finish up with the cookies. Rose had a playpen set up in the kitchen so she could watch Jewel while they baked cookies.

"I was wondering where the tree of you had gone." Meredith stated as she mixed the ingredients to make more cookie dough. Ruth was sitting down at the table feeding Lily. Rose walked over to the playpen to check on her daughter.

"She's such a good baby." Josephine laughed. She didn't cry once since you left. She been playing with her toys or watching us.

"Rose was like that too." Ruth spoke up. "She was alert and usually content." She added. Rose loved that her daughter entertained herself because she was able to get things done. She hoped that her second child would turn out the same.

Just then the men come through the front door. They had gone out to chop wood for the fireplace. They had just finished staking it up on the front porch. Jack brought a few pieces inside and made his way towards the fireplace. He added them in to keep the fire going.

"Something smells good in the kitchen." He stated as he walked that way. "What are you ladies up to?" He asked as he stood in the doorway. Rose picked up Jewel and walked over to him. She kissed him and handed him the baby.

"We are making cookies for tomorrow." She said as she kissed him.

"Can I have one?" He begged. His mother looked at him and laughed at his expression.

"Only one." She replied. "If we keep eating them we won't have any for tomorrow." She scolded. Jade looked up and put the cookie down before Meredith noticed. Jack grabs a cookie and bites into it. He hands one to Jade.

"I won't say anything." He laughed. She took it from him and bit into it as well. She wasn't the only one eating all of the cookies. Rose was sneaking some when they weren't looking as well. It was starting to get late as they finished up the last batch of cookies. Rose was secretly hoping that everyone would leave at a decent time so she could give Jack that special gift tonight before they went to bed.

They cleaned the kitchen after they put the last batch of cookies in the oven. As the last batch of cookies was baking, everyone made their way to the living room to sit around the fireplace. Rose was deep in thought as she was watching Jewel interact with Lily. Rose couldn't wait to see how Jewel would interact with her little brother or sister. She would be a year and a half by then.

As time passed everyone eventually left the house and went back to their own home. She figured she would give Jack the special gift before she put Jewel down for the night. She gets up from her spot on the sofa next to Jack and grabs the gift from underneath the tree.

"Is that for me?" He asked as he took the small gift from her. She nodded.

"I know it's not Christmas yet, but I wanted you to open this one early." She replied. He looked at the tag and was confused, but he continued unwrapping the gift. When he opened the box he gasped.

"This is only part of it." She laughed. "You will get the rest sometime in September." She stated.

"When did you find out?" He asked.

"Last week. I wanted to come up with a creative way to tell you." She admitted. "I figured since Christmas was right around the corner." She added.

"This is the best Christmas!" Jack beamed. "You continue to amaze me." He said as he gently pulled her closer trying not to wake Jewel who was sleeping in her arms.

"I can never thank you enough for saving me." She said as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. "I'm so glad you came into my life. I wouldn't trade this for all of the money and riches in the world." She stated.