III
Over the ground lies a mantle of white
A heaven of diamonds shines out through the night
Two hearts a-thrilling in spite of the chilling weather
Love knows no season, love knows no clime
Romance can blossom any old time
Here in the open, we're walking and hoping together
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight we're having tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow, we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say "Are you married?" We'll say, "No, ma'am
But you can do the job when you're in town."
Later on, we'll conspire as we dream by the fire
To face unafraid the plans that we made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow, we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
Until the other kiddies come around
When it snows, ain't it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland
(Walking in a winter wonderland.) Let those sleigh bells ring
(Walking in a winter wonderland.) Tell it like it is
(Walking in a winter wonderland.)
We're slipping and sliding out here, here we go
(Walking in a winter wonderland.) In the cold, cold snow
Yeah, yeah. (Walking in a winter wonderland.)
It's wintertime, it's wintertime, yeah
Winter Wonderland, The Eurythmics
Christmas Eve, 2005
It had been a while since Jo and Blair's "extended family" had all been together in one place, and it wasn't for a crisis, which in and of itself was worth celebrating. The two hostesses looked around their large living room, smiling at the sight.
Rose and Charlie Polniaczek, recently remarried, were talking with Monica Warner. Bailey Warner was playing happily on the floor with David. Mrs. Garrett, Natalie Green and Evie Green, and Dorothy and Diane Ramsey were laughing and joking. Richard Sennet and his fiancé Betsy Fournier were sitting with Dwight Freeman and his girlfriend Alison Brinkman, sharing drinks and a laugh, along with the newest members of their "family", Boots St. Clair and Georgia Compton.
Jo had been surveying the room when Blair had crept up behind her, putting her arms around her lover's stomach. "Life can't get any better than this, Joey."
Jo glanced over he shoulder and smiled, putting her hands on Blair's. "I was just thinkin' the same thing, babe", she said contentedly. "It's nice to see everyone and not be at a hospital. The remark made both of them laugh.
"I love you, Jo Polniaczek. Have I told you that recently?"
"Oh, let's see-maybe an hour ago?" She turned to face her girlfriend, kissing her on the lips. "I love you so much, Blair", Jo said with what always seemed to be raw emotion when saying those words to the blonde. "Merry Christmas, Princess." Another kiss ensued.
"Just wait til after everyone's gone, and David's asleep", she whispered to her partner. "I'll give you a very personal Christmas present."
"I guess we'll have a private gift exchange, then", Jo answered with a sultry smile. "So", Jo said, breaking the sexual tension a little, "think it's time we tell everyone?"
"No time like the present, my dear Joanna."
Jo wasn't the speaker in their family, but she owned this one. "Can I have everyone's attention please?" It took a moment for everyone to quiet down, turning toward Jo and moving in a little. "On behalf of Blair, DC, and I, I'd like to thank all of you for coming to our Christmas Eve celebration." She looked around the room with a large smile. "On Christmas, everyone should be with family. I should know-I spent five Christmases away from mine, and never wanna go through that again.
"All of you, in one way or another-are our family, without exception." She had said the last words looking at Monica, who smiled softly in return, then at Boots, who simply blushed. "Of course some of ya have other family that will occupy your time, but to know that you all feel the same, it's what makes life special."
"Hear, hear", Natalie said, hugging her mother.
"Because you're all family, and because we love all of you so much, it's only right that, on Christmas Eve, we give you all the first gift of the evening, and that is that I'm expectin' our second child on June 15th." The smile on her face took Blair's breath away.
There was a loud cheer and hearty "congratulations!", from everyone, each person coming up to Jo and Blair to give them a hug and or a kiss. By unspoken consent, everyone let Charlie and Rose reach Jo first.
"Oh, Joanna!" Her mom hugged her as tightly as she ever had, then looked at her. "You know that DC means the Universe to me, but to have our second grandchild come from you?" Rose broke down in happy sobs. "It means everything to me."
"Me, too, Ma", Jo said, so happy to share this moment with her mother, after all that had taken place years before.
"You gonna find out if it's a boy or girl this time?" Her dad gave her a gentle hug, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Doesn't matter, as l0ng as the baby's healthy."
"We haven't decided yet, Pa", Jo informed him, hugging him back. "But if we find out, you'll be the last to know", she said with a sly grin.
"Hey, that's no way to treat a grandpa!" All three of them laughed.
Eventually Edna made her way to Jo, a beaming smile on her own face. "Merry Christmas, Joanna", the older woman said with affection. "To think you're going to be a mother-and I know you're going to get tired of amending that statement", she added, Jo laughing loudly.
"Nah, I understand what everyone's thinking. But yeah, this baby will come from my body, and I can't wait to meet it. I'll never love DC any less because he didn't come from me." Jo chuckled. "When they get older, that's gonna take some explainin', Mrs. G."
Edna laughed in response. "It won't matter who the birth mom is, Jo", she reminded her younger friend. "They'll both know that they're loved beyond reason by both of you."
At one point Georgia pulled Boots aside, giving her a sweet kiss. "This is a good Christmas Eve, love", she said with a smile. "It's amazing how generous Jo and Blair-how generous all of them are that they already think of me as part of a this big family."
"It took me a long time to see it, Georgie", Boots said, using her girlfriend's nickname, "but this is what a real family is. I never felt this much love in mine, but this? I'm so glad that Jo and Blair are back in my life."
"Maybe we'll start a family one day?" She gave Boots a wicked little grin.
"Maybe, but since we can't make that happen with just the two of us, I guess we'll just have to practice more", Boots said with a mock sigh, making Georgia burst out laughing.
"This is a Christmas to remember, Barbara", Georgia responded, being about the only person that Boots could ever remember calling her by her real name and liking it.
As the party continued, Jo made her way over to Monica and Bailey. She hadn't been ignoring them, but with such a large crowd, it took some time to mingle. Upon seeing Jo approaching her, Bailey gave Jo a big bear hug!
"My sister-in-law is gonna be a mom! I'm so excited, Jo", she gushed, Jo laughing and kissing the younger girl on the cheek. Bailey was almost as tall as Blair now, Jo secretly hoping Bailey ended up taller than her lover.
"Hey, I'm a mom already, kiddo", she said, teasing the younger Warner whom she loved as much as anyone on the planet.
"You know what I mean, Jo", Bailey huffed.
"I know, kid, I'm just teasin' ya", Jo assured her. "Welcome to the Twenty First Century."
A few moments later, Jo turned to face Monica. "It looks like you're having a good time tonight, Monica", J0 said with a smile.
"I must say this is more lively than those 'parties' in Manhattan and The Hampton's that I was raised on, Joanna", she smiled, taking a sip of her wine. "There's no place I'd rather be tonight, my dear."
Jo actually blushed a little. "I hope I don't have to tell you, Monica, that when this baby is born, it's just as much your grandchild as DC ever will be. You'll be front an center in their life."
Monica grabbed Jo's hand softly. "Thank you, Jo", she said softly. "You didn't have to say those words, but I do appreciate it. I've learned an awful lot, from both you and Blair, what makes up a true family. It took almost losing my daughter to realize it, but I won't take it for granted ever again. Merry Christmas, Joanna." Monica leaned in and gave Jo a kiss on the cheek, surprising the brunette.
Jo clutched Monica to her, hugging her warmly. "Merry Christmas, Monica."
Jo opened her eyes while in the hug, Blair looking at her with a proud smile. I love you, Blair mouthed the words, Jo winking back at her lover.
Jo and Blair made sure late that night, long after David was dreaming of Santa, that they shared some Christmas cheer between them, making love a good portion of the evening, sharing the most intimate of presents that two people could share.
Jo had Blair pressed up against a wall in their bedroom, a smoldering kiss lighting both of them up, soft moans, growls, and cries between them. ,
"God, Blair, I could kiss you forever", she panted, as her hand tightly held one of her lover's breasts. "But there's other things I could be doin' as well", she said with a sultry voice.
"Like what, Jo", Blair said in a voice full of decadent challenge.
Jo looked around the room, spying the arm-less swivel chair at Blair's desk that she used some time to do her research. Picking Blair up, the blonde yipping in surprise, she took her over to the chair, placed her in it, pushing the chair against the wall.
Blair got the idea. She raised the height on the chair, then spread her legs. That wasn't good enough for Jo. The brunette, never taking her eyes off of her love, knelt on the floor in front of Blair, taking first one leg than the next and placing them over her shoulders, leaning in and burying her face into Blair's genitals.
"God, Joey!" Blair wanted to scream the words but couldn't, not wanting to wake their son down the hall. "That's it, baby, lick me, suck me!"
Jo had to smile, knowing that Blair never would have said words like that years ago, congratulating herself again on how she had corrupted her Princess. Blair scooted forward on the chair a little till her ass was barely on the edge, giving Jo full access to everything,
Sensing an opportunity, Jo inserted two fingers into Blair, getting them slick with her lover's desire. She removed them, but before Blair could protest one finger was back in her vagina, while Jo inserted the other into Blair's ass, while continuing to lick at Blair's essence and suck on her clit.
The sudden assault took Blair over the edge quickly, but telling Jo not to stop. Jo kept fucking Blair in both her openings with her fingers, sending Blair into a second orgasm, Blair grabbing Jo by the back of the head, letting her know that that was enough. Before Blair had even started to recover, Jo had picked her up, depositing her back on the bed, covering Blair's body with hers. She claimed Blair's lips, Blair almost climaxing tasting herself on her lover.
"Does this mean", Blair said with stilted breath, "that Santa thinks I was a good girl or bad girl last year?"
Jo broke the kiss laughing at the remark. "I think a little bit of both, babe", she admitted. "I hafta admit when you're naughty is when your nicest."
Blair laughed as she tried to control her breathing. "You're a wicked elf, Jo Polniaczek", Blair said with a sated smile on her face.
"Merry Christmas, Princess", Jo said with more tenderness.
"Merry Christmas, my barbarian."