Chapter 18: Sorrys, Thank Yous, And An Unplanned Decision
Later...
The Ham-Ham party had begun at four in the afternoon. The four double agents were having their own fun. This party ended at six, and then they were supposed to go to the way more funner Christmas party at the Bad Hams Place.
Meanwhile...
"So... Yes. Hurry up now." Mike glanced around. "You only have about an hour and a half... Stay here though." He turned on his heels from the closed wooden door and walked into the living room a few corridors down. It was set up perfectly, and he could not find a flaw in his perfect plan. "I guess this is now a lesson to expect the worse and the best at the same time and what this event is all about..."
Mike paced around the living room for about an hour until all of the Bad Hams came in. He watched and finally walked to the middle of the room. "Alright... Where's Cait and the other three?"
Stella looked up. "She's prolly still back at her place waiting for someone..." She rolled her eyes, which said, "Bah, humbug!" "She just doesn't know when some people aren't coming..."
"Uh, Stella, weren't you listening?"
"Listening to what?"
"Oh, dear Lord... She wasn't listening to what I said earlier today..."
"Er, yeah, you never said anything," Number 1 murmured.
Mike turned pale for a minute. He coughed. "I didn't say anything about it? I thought I did..."
"...Non, vous deed not say aneetheeng," Roger mumbled.
Mike regained his color. "Well, I'm tired of watching Cait mope around and all, so I just thought-"
"You're going to end the plan two days early." Stella flashed her silver eyes.
"...Yes. Yes. Yes, I am."
Number 1 sighed. "Reasonable, considering you like her..."
"Anyway, I'm going to go get them." Mike turned. Number 1 jumped up and followed him out of the living room. They walked to the front of the Bad Hams Place where there was a sleigh.
Mike glanced at it. "Where the hell did that come from?"
Number 1 shrugged. "Must be some passerbyers. Let's steal it!" He jumped into it. "...It has nothing to pull it with."
Mike jumped into the sleigh, too. "Oh, it's one of those electronic ones." He pressed a button that was in front of Number 1. The sleigh then took off with lightning speed. The two Bad Hams looked for ways to control it, but they could not find a way to.
"Oh shit, now we're going to crash into something and die." Mike rolled his eyes.
The sleigh bounced across the river somehow and stopped in front of the clubhouse. Mike gave it a hard look. "This thing's freaky. But anyway, Number 1, stay here." He jumped out of the sleigh and walked down the tunnel. Once he came to the door, Mike gave it a good kick. Caitlin, Natsu, Megan, and Kayla answered the door. Caitlin was holding onto Bossy, and Natsu was holding onto Kay and Jay.
"Alright, c'mon," Mike remarked.
The four double agents followed behind him back to the sleigh. They seemed confused, too, when they saw it.
"Um... Is that thing safe?" Caitlin asked as she held Bossy tightly.
"You know, I wouldn't be able to tell you," Mike responded as he got in. "C'mon. Number 1, I'll take your spot and you can sit next to your girlfriend... C'mon, we don't have all night!"
Once everyone was in and ready, the sleigh took off again. It stopped in front of the Bad Hams Place. The six Bad Hams got out of the sleigh and entered. They walked all the way to the living room and took their places.
"Alright," Mike announced once everyone was seated and situated. "After I finish talking, we're going to go on and have our Christmas dinner." He looked over at Caitlin. "Anyway, I want to start off with giving awards." Mike brought out a large box hidden behind the Christmas tree.
"Okay, I know, we've had once again a successful year. Plenty of things have happened, but we've pulled together during the hard times. Such as back in March when that Jake guy came along, we got two more double agents, Natalie aka Natsu and Dilla aka Megan. Also when Cait and Natalie were busy with their little kids, Kay-Z aka Kayla joined our double agents.
"But getting to my point, our double agents do a lot for us, so I wanted to award them." Mike opened the box. He pulled out four small boxes and handed one to each of them. "Go ahead and open them to show everyone whatcha got."
Kayla was the first to rip hers open. She brought out a large ruby necklace that read "Kay-Z" on it. "Yay!"
Megan opened hers next. She got a large opal necklace with "Dilla" on it.
Natsu tore open hers as if it were a piece of bread. She had gotten an amethyst necklace that read "Natalie" on it.
Caitlin then opened hers. She lifted the box lid slowly. She brought out a sapphire necklace with "Cait" on it. She found a note at the bottom that said, "Cait, I got something better for you in a few minutes. Don't leave before then. -Mike."
"Thank you!" the four double agents said in unison.
"Also the Numbers are the original Bad Hams, including myself." Mike quickly flashed an egotistical grin. "This year, because of many requests, for them, I bought more gym equipment and games for the game room. Pretty nice, if you ask me... It's already set up.
"Alright, next. Becky and Roger. Both of you have now been with us for one and a half year. Pretty good. In the middle, you two announced your love for each other, if you remember that event... Anyway, I thought I would give them both a token of appreciation." Mike brought out two small boxes and handed them to Roger and Becky.
They both opened theirs at the same time. Roger got a gold ring with a silver band in the middle. Becky got a golden ring with a peridot.
"Thank you, Mike," Becky whispered.
"Merci, Master Mike." Roger bowed.
Mike continued. "Alright, now Stella. Oh, long story about what happened between us all of this time we've been together... Many different things."
"Good morning, little boy and girl!" Natsu whispered into Caitlin's ear. Caitlin was very amused by this quote that Number 1 had said in Mike's story when they were dealing with Jake.
"Despite some experiences, we got married back in March a week after dealing with Jake. I just wanted to make sure everyone knew exactly how much I loved her." Mike got down on his knees in front of Stella. He took out a small box and handed it to her.
Stella gingerly opened the box. Inside was a golden ornament with silver accents. The ornament was a heart that read "First Christmas Married." Stella blushed a bright pink. She kissed Mike on his lips. "Thanks, Mikey... Oh, yes, merry Christmas."
Mike stood up off of his knees. "That's about it, except for one thing..." He turned toward Caitlin. "Cait, I know it's been a hard one for you this season, and I actually started feeling sorry for you."
"'Feeling sorry for me'?" Caitlin stared blankly back at him.
"You might want someone else to hold your little kid for you." Mike took Bossy out of Caitlin's paws and handed him to Becky. "Alright, I'll be right back. Just get ready." He walked out the door of the living room.
Caitlin glanced around the room. "Be ready for what?"
Stella smiled. "You'll see."
About ten minutes later, Mike came back to the door of the living room. "Cait?"
Caitlin stood up. "Did I do something? Are you going to now tell me I'm not really a Bad Ham, which I really am, and kill me?"
Mike laughed and laughed only with a jovial grin on his face. "Oh, dear Lord! Just get ready."
"I'm ready." She glanced down at the floor.
Mike walked through the doorway and stepped out of its way. "C'mon, she's here waiting for you!"
Caitlin looked up when she heard someone walk into the doorway. "OH MY GOD! BOSS!" She ran into Boss, who was standing in the doorway. He held her tightly.
"I'm here now..." Boss looked into her sapphire eyes.
Caitlin's eyes watered. "Boss..."
"AHEM." Mike coughed.
The couple looked up. They were underneath the mistletoe supplied by Becky, thank you. Caitlin kissed Boss on the cheek. "Boss... Were you..."
"Yes. Yes. Yes, I was."
"...I can tell, you're replying like Mike now." Caitlin hugged him tightly as if she let go the world would end.
"Let's all make the sound effect," Mike muttered.
Everyone then went, "AWWW!"
"Oh, shut up, you," Boss mumbled.
"Anyway, I've got a few things to say, but I'm gonna say them at dinner, so let's go." Mike turned toward the door with Stella beside him. Everyone else followed.
After everyone served themselves at the great buffet put together by Stella, Becky, and the double agents who made platters for it, everyone fell silent as Mike stood up at the head of the table. He cleared his throat.
"Alright, great year, everyone, as I said. But now, I want to clear everything up that I have gotten confused through everyone." Mike took a deep breath. "My own mistake."
"Wow, you admitted you made a mistake." Caitlin laughed.
Mike coughed and continued. "Anyway, I owe my biggest apology to Stella. I'm sorry...er...I got you confused by saying all of this complicated crap. Stella, you're my only true love, and I want you to know that.
"Also, I owe a big apology to the Taisho-Kun family. I'm also sorry about that photographer even though I couldn't help his, er, ways. I want to say sorry for making you guys suffer because of my own opinion."
"What's your, er, opinion?" Boss flashed his baby blue eyes.
Mike paused a minute. "I didn't quite think you were good enough for Caitlin-Chan here. I love her like a sister I never had, and I wasn't sure about you. So that's my explanation for everything that happened this holiday. I got it confused with a lot of different things, but I'm really sorry for that. That only. Not sorry about anything else..."
"Actually, Mike, I want to say something here." Boss cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about everything I've done. Everything I've done period. I've made everything complicated for you. And now, that's why I want to tell you that you're a great guy after I talked to you for a while. You didn't even offer me anything this time." He took a quick breath. "But I wish you did."
Mike paused. "What do you mean by that?"
"I wish you did offer me a position in the Bad Hams. After I learned my own wife had a position as a double agent, I actually wanted to be invited in. Surprisingly, you disappointed me once again."
Mike continued staring into space. He thought for a minute. He looked like he had the burden of heavy thought going through his mind. "Well, I could say I don't blame you or I can go ahead and say that I'm overwhelmed with that thought. Or I could offer you a position as a double agent, I wouldn't doubt you'd do great with that..."
Boss took a sharp breath in. "I would like it if you offered me that, Mike Montgomery."
"Yes, I would like it if you accepted that offer, Boss Taisho-Kun."
A round of applause comes from the rest of the Bad Hams.
"Wow, is this happening?" Caitlin whispered with excitement into Natsu's ear.
"Yeah, it is..." Natsu glanced into space. "I never thought I'd see this day..."
Mike sat down in his chair. "Anyway, I'll let you sign all of the papers after the holiday so we don't have to worry about it right now until we get our party done. Anyway, everyone, enjoy your Christmas dinner! Oh, before I forget..." Mike got up again and walked into the kitchen from the dining room. He came back with a big pot. "Anyone want any hot chocolate? I made it with no crushed pills in it..."
Boss actually began laughing, but no one else got it. Caitlin had also brought in a few bowls of burlee, and she could not figure out why Boss now liked it unlike when he said he would never try it at the beginning of this story. After the Christmas dinner, all of the Bad Hams returned to the living room.