Chapter 17
Gifts
"The great art of giving consists in this: the gift should cost very little and yet be greatly coveted, so that it may be more highly appreciated."
-- Baltasar Gracian
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Christmas Eve dawned much like the previous day had, enough to dampen Catherine's spirits slightly, but certainly not Lindsey's. She'd awoken bright and early and proceeded to skip in to wake up her mother and Uncle Gil. No one could remember the exact moment Grissom found himself constantly sleeping in Catherine's bed, but he had, and now found himself with three drawers and a quarter of her closet. He had also promised to take over the Christmas Eve cooking for the party with Sara, Nick, Warrick and, of course, Bekki who had become a mostly permanent fixture in their lives, regardless of the fact that she still didn't have a family.
"Mommy, they'll be here soon! Where'd you put all of the gifts?" Lindsey called down the stairs that afternoon. Catherine, who with little sleep had found herself with a stressful headache, groaned from the living room couch.
"Advil, dear?" Grissom asked softly, presenting Catherine with a glass of water and two little pills. Catherine took them gratefully and swallowed them down as Grissom moved behind her head and began massaging her headache away. Catherine moaned.
"You are a god," she groaned out as his hands worked magic on her sore head. Grissom grinned.
"Mommy!" Catherine winced.
"They're in the basement, Linds," she called back. Lindsey came barrelling down the stairs; Catherine winced at the thumping.
"Thanks, Mom," Lindsey said as she ran past. Catherine smiled genuinely.
"Hey, you okay now?" Grissom inquired softly. Catherine tipped her head back and gazed at him adorningly. Grissom smiled in return. Suddenly, Catherine sat up.
"Bekki's custody hearing," she said. Grissom sat beside her as silence reigned, both lost in the implications that simple phrase brought.
"Thanks… Mommy?" Lindsey had come back up the stairs, arms filled with brightly wrapped boxes.
"Put them under the tree for the night, sweetheart." Lindsey did as she was told and took a seat on her mother's lap. Catherine kissed the top of her head.
"I love you, Lindsey."
-
The knock on the door sounded promptly at 5pm. Catherine sprung from her seat in surprise.
"I come bearing gifts!" Nick's voice rang. Catherine grinned as she flung open the door. There stood Nick, Sara and…
"Bekki?"
"We got her, Cath. We got custody of Bekki!" Sara said, tears coming to her eyes. Catherine found herself with blurred vision as she pulled the young woman into her arms.
"I'm scared," Sara whispered in Catherine's ear.
"So was I," Catherine whispered back reassuringly. They pulled away and Catherine found herself presented with two large bags and an armful of gifts.
"Merry Christmas," Bekki said softly as she held out her armful. Catherine called to Grissom, shoving the girl's burden into his arms before sweeping Bekki into a hug.
"Come in!" she exclaimed when she let Bekki go.
-
I'm not finished yet, do not worry. Fluff is upcoming!
Coming soon…
The season of giving
And of course… Blossoming
Kavi Leighanna