Beau made an announcement after the cooking was done that it was finally time to select a Christmas tree. They were to decorate it on the return. Abby went, along with all three Van Dekkers, and Luca, Emerald, and Ellie Grace. The house grew extremely quiet in their absence.

And even if Gloria hadn't asked Abigail to stay behind, she still would have. Abigail was yet in a 'pinching myself' mood.

"If you're wondering why I asked you to stay," Gloria said to Abigail when she joined her in the kitchen. "That's because I still need your help."

"Oh, really?" Abigail arched one eyebrow as she sat on a barstool. "Everything is in the oven already."

Gloria caved almost immediately and became bashful. "You caught me. I actually have been wanting to talk to you away from the others."

"What about?"

Gloria leaned against the kitchen island so that she was directly opposite Abigail. "For starters, you've been looking at me funny since you arrived. Cat got your tongue?"

Abigail blushed. "Sorry."

"No need to worry." Gloria waved a hand of dismissal. "What are you thinking?"

"I think I've seen before, although a very long time ago, but I can't place where. Or why."

Gloria did her best not to give it away. "There's a reason for that though process. Just think it through."

Abigail began to wrack her brain. "Are you saying that we have met before?"

"Yes. Work it out."

Abigail continued to think.

An old memory hit her all at once. The feeling hit her like such a ton of bricks that she would have staggered if she was on her feet.

"Oh, my God…" Abigail murmured.

Gloria nodded. "There it is. Will you tell me the what happened that day?"

"My parents took me with them from Ohio to New York when I was eight because they had a business deal to close. They were also keeping tabs on me because my left arm was broken." Abigail said slowly. "As a reward for being so good, they took me to see The Nutcracker. It must have cost them so much, but that was a very fun experience. I was even particularly entranced by the Sugar Plumb Fairy because that was the first time I'd seen someone outside of the family with red hair."

"I've never forgotten the adorable redheaded child in row three with a casted arm who watched my every move." Gloria pulled an old photograph from her dress pocket and handed it to the younger woman. "This is for you."

Abigail took the photograph and looked at it. It depicted her at age eight, dressed very nicely, but with her left arm in a plaster cast. Beside her was a much younger Gloria. She was in full costume as the Sugar Plumb Fairy. Both of them were standing together and smiling for the camera.

She looked back at Gloria. "How did you know…?"

"That present-day Abigail is the same who is with me in the photograph?"

"Yes."

"You told me your full name, so I wrote it on the back. And the year." Gloria explained patiently. "Fun fact—you were the only kid to approach me that night."

"Amazing." Abigail said in a daze.

She checked the back of the photograph. In a delicate script, she potted the image's year of publication and her own name. All of this was unreal.

Abigail set the picture down. "So you were a dancer back then?"

"I was able to fulfill a dream of mine by performing with the New York City Ballet. They offered it to me at the last minute because of dire circumstances." Gloria recollected. "That night also stands out particularly well for me because it was my last performance ever. I retired."

"Because you had a young family back here."

Gloria nodded. "Yes. Abby was young, and Luca was younger. I didn't want to miss anything more. Forgive the pun, but bakery was my second act."

"I'll take it, and I find this very amazing. Fate meant for us to cross paths." Abigail gave Gloria a scrutinizing expression. "And now it's you looking at me funny."

Gloria coughed. "Pardon me. Abby said that you work for the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Is that agency a sister to NCIS?"

"Yes." Abby confirmed. "We're smaller, but we can cast a wider net."

"I see. What inspired you to go in the direction of the Coast Guard?"

Abigail traced an imaginary design on the countertop. "Has Abby told you what my family is like?"

"The word she used was 'awful,' but she seemed like she didn't want to elaborate."

"I do have good memories of them. I do. But calling those Borins awful is the politest way to put it."

Gloria didn't like the sound of this. "Oh, dear..."

"I even went to boarding school at age sixteen, just to get away. It felt like I was going insane by the time I moved out." Abigail went on. "A recruiter came to visit us in the months before graduation and I signed up on the spot."

"Well done."

"I couldn't turn away an opportunity when it was looking me in the face." Abigail continued to trace shapes on the countertop. "Maybe I was a dancer in another life, but in this one, I had to be practical. That's another story for another day."

"Alright." Gloria changed lanes because even Abigail's body language was demonstrating her feelings. "Word is that your birthday is almost upon us."

Abigail relaxed again. "Yes. My birthday is on Christmas Eve, just like Abby's is."

Gloria became sly. "And as I understand it, Hennie was born on Christmas Day, just like Ellie Grace?"

Her words ended in a question because she was fishing even though she already knew the answer. Abigail played along.

"Also true." Abigail bobbed her head. "Zelda was born in deep July, by my sister was born in deeper August. I heard that no Sciuto can do anything small. The same goes for the Van Dekkers and the Borins."

"Do remind me to tell you about what happened when Abby lost her voice in middle school." Gloria gave Abigail a pat on the arm. "Please go on with what you were about to say."

Abigail mimicked swearing on the Bible. "I'm not making this up, but Bethel was born during a drought and I was born during a blizzard. We were even both born at home."

"Wow. I think this just adds even more to how unique you and your sister are." Gloria smiled at her. "Have you ever had a fun birthday before?"

"No. Farm life was bland beyond all reason, and then I was eventually too busy with war or work."

"Then Beau and I will really make sure you have a birthday to remember." Gloria decided. "Let us show you how much we cherish you."

"Oh, Gloria. Thank you." Abigail signed these last two words. "I'm really looking forward to that. May I share a secret?"

"You can tell me anything, sweetheart."

Abigail sighed heavily. "Well, Abby has been teaching me about what it's like to be loved and to just be part of a regular family. A lot this is new to me. I'm sorry if any that seems weird."

"None of what you've been telling me about your life is weird in any way. I am sorry that your family did whatever it was to made you feel as though you need to apologize for learning how to love. That's on them." Gloria came around the kitchen island to stand in front of the younger woman. "It does make me incredibly happy, however, that Abby loves you like she does."

"Her heart is the biggest of anyone I've ever known."

"I have to agree with you there. When Abby wasn't doing antics or science experiments to give us premature grey hair, she was often sticking up for younger kids or nursing injured animals back to health..."

Gloria paused here. She looked Abigail up and down, like she was sizing her up. Abigail just felt like she was being x-rayed.

"Yes?" she prompted.

"When Abby called to tell us about you, she also told us about the case that delved into her past… meaning that you all found out about her former fiancé."

"We did." Abigail replied. "Abby also told about Haven and Harper. She also even said they would be twenty this year."

"That's right. Do learning those things make you think differently about my daughter?"

"No." Abigail said firmly. "I have all the love and respect in the world for her. She's persevered through and survived every obstacle thrown at her. I'm in awe of that. And her spirit."

"Well, color me impressed." Gloria said. "Abby never brought her former-intended home when they were together because she was a little wilder back then. Did you know that the first time I ever saw that man was when Abby was casting her engagement ring at his retreating back?"

Abigail shook her head. "No."

"I didn't bother finding anything out about the man because my baby girl was already suffering enough. Heartache was the last thing she needed to keep feeling."

"My parents were no where near supportive when I went through my own trauma." lamented Abigail. "I have also been engaged before. His name was Isaac."

She rubbed her eyes and steadied herself. There were a lot things she and Gloria would talk about during this visit, but this was one topic she couldn't avoid. It would have to be addressed head-on.

"We enlisted together, but he was killed in combat. The grief caused me to leave the service for good. I found CGIS not long after. My parents blamed me for falling in love with a serviceman. They're about as anti-war as it gets."

"Oh, I am so sorry." Gloria said sympathetically. "What about Isaac's family. Do you still talk to them?"

"No, but I helped to bury Isaac. Then his parents died from old age almost right after that. I gave back the ring and walked away from the family for good. All of that is well behind me now." Abigail shivered slightly. "I don't know the grief of losing a child at any stage, but I more than understand the grief of losing someone you thought you would be spending the rest of your life with."

"You are a survivor, too." Gloria hugged Abigail and held her out at arm's length. "How are you now? Be honest."

"I healed, and I've moved on. All of it was a long time ago."

Gloria gave Abigail's hands a gentle squeeze. "Does Abby know about this?"

"Yes. She respects that, and that I was in the service."

"Good." said Gloria in approval. "Beau and I would have both done our part to serve on the front lines if we weren't impaired, but we've always taught our children to respect our nation's troops."

Abigail beamed. "Thank you."

"I have another question, my dear." Gloria informed her in a segue-type tone. "Do you and Abby want to get married because Abby is pregnant?"

"Yes to the first part," Abigail sputtered in surprise. "But how did you know she's expecting?"

"A mother knows her child." Gloria said simply. "How far along is she?"

"Almost eight weeks. The news was delivered on Halloween."

Gloria did some quick math. "Which means that she was would have started the IVF process before you two got together. Am I correct?"

"You are."

"Then tell me how long you've loved my daughter."

Abigail remained firm even though Gloria was trying to trip her up on purpose. "I've loved Abby from the moment I first saw her two years ago. She's been on my mind ever since."

"Good. What do you think about how she was already working on becoming a mother?"

"I'm ecstatic because I always wanted kids. The dream was put away after Isaac died." Abigail twirled a lock of her long red hair around finger. "Now that the dream is back in motion, I'm over the moon."

"Do you love the baby?" Gloria wanted to know.

"I love them both." Abigail used her hands to underscore the last word.

"Twins?" Gloria gasped. "My daughter is carrying twins again?"

Abigail nodded enthusiastically. "That's correct."

"Oh, I could cry." Gloria gave Abigail a quick hug. "And how are you?"

"Positively pinching myself. This is all so much more that what I've ever bargained for. There was a point when I almost gave up because the situation in Ohio was just so bad."

Gloria yet again refrained from saying something untoward about the other Borins. "What do they think about Abby? Other than that you two share a name?"

"They're impressed well against their will by her. It's great." Abigail said with pride. "Thanks to Abby, I was able to stand up to my family. She's the light I didn't know I needed until I let her in. Because of her, I've learned about love. She says I teach her about hope."

"Will you teach those values to the babies?"

Abigail nodded. "And more."

"I like that answer." Gloria decided to ask something else because she had a feeling these questions wouldn't be answered if other people were around. "You talk about your Ohio family like there's a lot of them; how many siblings do you have?"

"Just a trio of self-righteous big brothers." Abigail said shortly.

Gloria navigated back out of the choppy waters. "Between Beau and I, we have a number of siblings. You're going to meet them soon."

"Do all of you get along?"

"Splendidly so. Gert, Horace, Teddy, and Larry are our best friends."

Hearing this gave Abigail a tremendous amount of hope. "Are any of them different?"

Gloria chuckled. "Only Gert. How proficient are you with signing?"

"Very. I learned ASL so I could teach Bethel to communicate." Abigail told her. "Now that she, Zelda, and Hennie are around, I'm becoming better than ever."

"Outstanding. You'll need that particular skillset when talking to my sister." Gloria patted her on the hand. "You are my family now. Someone has to show you the ropes."

Abigail opened her mouth to say something to this, but jumped when she felt a peculiar vibrating sensation on the countertop. That had been unexpected.

Gloria picked up a large visual timer and showed it to her. "I use this when I'm cooking because I can't hear the stove. It has rather a kick, huh?"

They proceeded to remove a series of dishes from the double oven, which included baked chicken, fresh bread, and two pies. Everything was the handiwork of what the family had made together that day.

Gloria glanced at Abigail to see that she was looking puzzled about something.

"Use your words." she encouraged.

Abigail turned to her. "Is there something missing from the spread?"

"Twelve points to Abigail. There actually is one more dish I want to make, but it's a two-person job. We still have a little more time before the others should be back."

Abigail shifted her thoughts to a lighter place. "I'm ready to do whatever you need."

"Perfect answer. We're going to make a type of gumbo I've never tried before—it's got lentils and okra."

Abigail promptly lit up. "I haven't had okra since the last time I hung out with Dwayne Pride."

Gloria stared. "You know him?"

"I do." Abigail said coolly. "My team crosses paths with his, on occasion."

"That's amazing. File that under the column of things we'll talk about on another day. Right now, it's time to focus on the gumbo."

Gloria pointed to a drawer just on Abigail's other side.

"Will you please get the remote out and turn on the TV?"

Though this was one of the stranger set of instructions Abigail had been given in awhile, she followed through. Gloria's television came to life at once. Its default screen was an input channel.

"Why do you need the TV?" Abigail set down the remote and put on an apron that Gloria passed to her.

"My kitchen skills are not just limited to baking. Neither are Beau's. He and I love learning new recipes all time." the other woman explained. "We record cooking shows to follow along with. Subtitles are it's easier to follow."

"That's very clever." Abigail said sincerely. "I like it."

Gloria grinned. "Have you ever cooked following instructions from a cooking show?"

Abigail shook her head. "Nope. This is a first."

"Did you cook in the kitchen with your mother?"

"No, again. That was my brother's alley."

Gloria felt a stab of sympathy, but smiled through the sadness. "Then we'll be sure to have an extra fun time. I'll fix the TV in a minute, but I just realized I forgot the okra in the larder. Will you be a dear and make sure I've remembered everything else?"

Abigail spotted on the countertop a piece of paper bearing a checklist, and a pen beside it. Different recipe ingredients had been laid out around these items.

"Okay. I'll get started."

"Excellent." Gloria praised her. "I will be right back."

In truth, she had left the okra behind on purpose all along. Something had told her that Abigail would need a few moments alone after their conversation wrapped up. And she was right. What she hadn't expected was for it to have such a profound effect. Or to already love her like she was one of her own.

This woman was a total keeper.

Gloria quickly double-backed to the kitchen, but hid just out of sight. Abigail appeared to be steadying herself emotionally and could be seen swiping at the tears falling down her face. But it was plain that Abigail was happy.

So she finally went to fetch the okra.

Gloria had wanted to give Abigail the blessing to marry Abby the moment she walked in through the door of the house, but she held off. Beau still need to have a one-on-one chat with her.

That was going to be fun.