Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe or the characters.
Author's notes: As I traveled this last weekend, I spent a lot of time hearing national weather reports in the various airports and listening to some cold, snow, and icy forecasts. As the days approached Christmas, the wintry forecast dumped several inches of snow across the Midwest, trapping several motorists and travelers. This spawned a nagging idea that I had when I originally heard the forecasts, so I wrote this down. I had to do some researching surrounding the Fort Campbell area. Yes, the hotels and cities mentioned do exist, although I do not know if everything is exactly in the areas mentioned, but this is fiction. I hope everyone, who is traveling this holiday, is safe and drive carefully.
Merry Christmas!
Tennessee Christmas
Conrad drove along the interstate in Tennessee, heading for St. Louis and trying to hang onto the Tahoe. Ever since he had driven through Nashville, the rain then freezing rain and sleet had begun to fall as the temperatures dropped below freezing. "I think I would prefer the snow than this ice," he grumbled a little too loudly, waking his wife of five years.
Shana yawned and then opened her eyes wide. "Conrad, what is that odd noise? Don't tell me that is…"
"Sleet," they both said together. "The traffic reports are horrible," Conrad continued. "They are issuing a winter storm warning for heavy ice accumulation, possibly switching to snow."
"Honey, maybe we ought to pull over and find someplace to stay. I don't want to end up in the ditch or worse," she said, looking out the window at the deep ravine next to her and then glancing back at the sleeping little boy in the backseat. "The weather will only get worse the further north we travel."
"I know. I was actually thinking the same thing. We can call my folks and tell them that we will come later, or we can turn around and go home," Conrad offered since he knew that Shana would love to spend Christmas in Atlanta with her family.
"When are the weather reports saying that this will end?" She asked.
"Not until tomorrow," Conrad answered, looking around and watching the car in front of him slide.
Shana patted his shoulder soothingly and sat quietly in the passenger seat for a minute. "Con, we haven't been home to see your folks in two years for the holidays. We really need to see them. Let's pull over and see what we can find in the way of hotels. Maybe we can wait this out and start out tomorrow. I'm sure your folks will just be happy that we are coming, even if we don't arrive until tomorrow or the day after."
Conrad smiled. "Okay, Red. Help me get off this highway."
Shana pulled out the map and started to trace their route, as Conrad picked his way through the interstate, littered with tow trucks trying to pull vehicles out of the ditch. A jack-knifed semi had the southbound lanes of the interstate completely stopped. "Here, take this next exit. That should be for Clarksville."
Conrad took the exit and saw the signs for Fort Campbell. Jokingly, he suggested, "We could pop in and say hello to Ron and Courtney. Aren't they still at Campbell?"
Shana's blue eyes narrowed as she gave her husband one of her infamous glares before she laughed. "Yes, they are. Figures you would mention Courtney's name at Christmas."
Conrad rolled his eyes and shook his head. "That is not what I meant, Shana, and you know it. Plus, I know what you are thinking, but that was how many years ago? Man, the same night she kissed me, which was only a peck on the cheek," he quickly pointed out, arching an eyebrow, "she also kissed Ron, and as they say, the rest was history." He once again defended the controversial Christmas kiss shared between the tank jockey and himself that one Christmas after they defeated Cobra.
"I'm just kidding you," Shana smirked. "Courtney and I get along fine…now. I just like to tease her about that whenever I can. She had a knack for igniting my jealous streak, even before that Christmas kiss."
"Had?" Conrad teased before quickly continuing, "I'm glad that is all in the past. I can't believe you two actually fought over me." He laughed at his memories and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel waiting for traffic to move.
"Don't get a big head, Mr. Man of Action. It was your fault for not wanting to publicly show your feelings towards me. All of us women had it rough, warding off Lance and Hector's advances, but Courtney had to deal with them on a day to day basis, whereas me and Allie could avoid them most of the time."
Conrad chuckled as he reached over and grabbed Shana's hand, kissing it lightly. "Okay, my beauty. Where do we want to try to find a place to stay first of all?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Let's try the Holiday Inn," she said, pointing to the signature green sign.
Conrad pulled off the busy and treacherous road and up to the front doors of the hotel under the canopy. Shana jumped out and ran inside. A few minutes later, she came back out, shaking her head. "Full," she huffed as she slid back into the vehicle. "The clerk told me that all the holiday travelers are stopping because of the storm. Now what?" She sighed.
Conrad looked at his wife. "We can try the Royal Inn," he suggested, pointing to the next hotel. He shifted back into drive and went down the road to the Royal Inn. After he pulled in, he noticed that the parking lot was packed and the lighted sign read, "No vacancies".
Shana got out her cell phone. "What are you doing?" Conrad asked.
"I'm calling Courtney to see what she recommends," the redhead answered, ignoring Conrad's teasing smile. "She's married now, you know. And so are you," Shana growled before creasing her eyebrow, perplexed by how Ron answered the phone.
Ron had grabbed the portable phone on the first ring, praying that it was his wife but not with bad news. Courtney was on her way home from base; and even though he was worrying himself sick, he didn't want to be a pest and continuously call her or distract her from driving. When the phone rang, his heart sank and he quickly answered, expecting the worst. "Are you okay?" He asked, not bothering with formalities.
Confused, Shana stated, "Ron? Hi, it's me, Shana. Merry Christmas. I'm fine. How are you?" She was not expecting him to answer so quickly or his odd question.
"Shana? Wow, what a surprise," he said into the phone, caught completely off guard. "I'm fine. Merry Christmas to you too. Sorry about that. I thought you might be Court. She's on her way home from Campbell," he explained.
"Oh, okay. It is nasty out here," Shana confirmed, understanding his concern. "When is Court due home?"
"Well, in dry weather she would have been home already, but with this mess, I have no idea." Pausing, he replayed Shana's comment. "How do you know about our weather? Are you in the area?"
Sighing, Shana said, "Yes. We were on our way to Conrad's folk's place but pulled off in Clarksville because of the weather to try to find someplace to stay. We've stopped at a few hotels but they all have been full. We were wondering if you knew where we might try."
Ron listened to the Hauser's dilemma and then looked around at the empty house. He quickly made them an offer. "Why don't you guys come to the house? We have an extra room, and you can crash here for the night or however long is necessary. I'm sure Courtney would love to see both of you, plus we haven't seen Matt since he was one."
"It has been awhile Ron, but no, we couldn't encroach upon you or disrupt your Christmas plans," Shana hastily refuted.
"No, I insist. It would be no trouble. The weather is only getting worse. Besides, it is only going to be the two of us this year. Where are you?"
"The parking lot of the Royal Inn," she answered, giving Conrad a look and mouthing to him, 'They want us to stay with them.'
Conrad nodded and shrugged. He personally would rather stay with friends than in a hotel, but he would leave the decision up to his wife.
"Okay, hang on a sec. I'll see if Courtney has made it that far." Ron picked up the cell phone and dialed his wife's number.
Courtney hit the talk button of her hands-free cell phone. "Hello," she sighed, her voice conveying irritation and her lack of patience.
"Hey beautiful. Where are you? Are you okay?" Ron asked hastily, relieved that she answered her phone. He also unmistakably heard her annoyance at the traveling conditions, but his mind was reassured just by hearing her voice.
"I'm just fine. Sitting in traffic. It's a mess out here," Courtney huffed. "I'm glad I took the Land Rover. It has a little more weight than the Tracker. It's gonna be a while before I get home, I'm afraid."
"Just be careful. The road reports are not good," Ron explained and then asked, "Have you passed the Royal Inn yet?"
"Nope, I can see it, but I'm stopped. It looks like everyone is getting off the interstate, and traffic is snarled. The cops are working an accident and trying to direct traffic. Why?" She thought it odd for him to ask about a specific hotel.
"Because Conrad and Shana are sitting in the Royal's parking lot wondering where they can find shelter tonight. All the hotels are full. I told them that they could stay here. If that is okay with you?" he quickly added, covering the mouthpiece to the land phone so that Shana did not hear him.
"Really! Sure, I don't mind. We didn't have any plans anyway," Courtney stated, finally inching through the intersection. "What are they driving? I'll pull in so they can follow me."
"Okay, let me ask. Hang on," Ron told her then switched phones. "Shana, Court is almost to the Royal. What are you driving?"
"A dark blue Tahoe. We are over by the McDonalds." She offered the information then said, "Listen, we don't want to impose. Are you guys sure?"
"Yes, we are sure. She'll be in a green Land Rover. Hang on a sec," Ron said, switching phones again. "Okay, Court. They are on the south side of the Royal in a dark blue Tahoe."
"Okay, I see them. I'm pulling in right now. I'll see ya soon," she said. "I love you."
"I love you too, beautiful. Be careful," Ron told her, then disconnected the cell phone and grabbed the land phone. "She just pulled in guys. Do you see her?"
Conrad pointed as a green Land Rover pulled in and made its way in their direction. "Yep, we see her. Thanks Ron, we'll see ya soon." Hanging up, Shana turned to Conrad and said, "Well, we will get to spend Christmas with some friends of ours that we haven't seen in a while after all."
"I would rather stay with friends on Christmas Eve than in a stuffy hotel anyway," Conrad said, lowering his window as Courtney pulled up.
"Hello strangers," Courtney greeted. "Are you having fun slipping and sliding in the ice?"
"Funny, Court," Conrad said as Shana interrupted, "Hi Court. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," she replied. "It has been a long time since we've seen each other. Just follow me home. We'll go up here and make a right just before we get to the interchange. From there, it is another three miles."
"Okay, thanks again," Conrad said, rolling up the window and shifting into gear as Courtney turned her vehicle around.
The two vehicles pulled back out onto the icy road and traveled at a snail's pace. The Hausers followed Courtney at a safe distance. "Wow, she can actually drive sane," Conrad commented, causing Shana to laugh.
"Momma, where are we? Are we there yet?" a little, sleepy voice asked.
"Not yet, Matt," Shana said, turning in her seat and smiling at her little carrot-top son.
"We are going to see Auntie Courtney and Uncle Ronnie, Sport. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Conrad asked the little three-year-old.
"Yes, yes," Matthew enthusiastically bobbed his head. He never forgot that the Rudats sent him his favorite birthday toy last summer - his Big Wheel. They also sent him a shiny red fire truck for Christmas.
"Good, just sit still for mommy and daddy then. Daddy needs to concentrate on the nasty roads," Shana told her son, turning back around in her seat just in time to see a car do a complete 360 going in the opposite direction. "I'm glad he was over there, and no one was around him."
"Me too," Conrad answered, slowly turning onto the road that Courtney had just turned on. "Okay, I take that back. She can only drive sane on the highway. Good gracious, I wish she would slow down," Conrad grumbled, mindful that he had little ears in the backseat listening to him. His son had changed his life in so many ways. He counted his blessings every day that he was married to the woman, who he had fallen so completely in love with at GI Joe and that she had given him a son three years ago.
Before Shana could reply, the cell phone rang. When she answered, Ron's voice quickly spoke, "Shana, make sure you guys keep up with Courtney. You have to get up a pretty steep hill. If you are not going fast enough, you won't make it."
"Okay, Ron. We were just wondering what she was doing," Shana replied, informing Conrad to speed up. "Thanks Ron," she said before she hung up.
Both vehicles made it up the hill, or small mountain as Conrad had described it, and then slowed down for the next couple of miles before turning into a driveway. A little rustic house sat on one side of the lane while a few outbuildings sat on the other side. "Wow," Conrad and Shana both whistled. "I could see Ron with this place, but I would never have pictured Courtney living like this. Of course, I would have never pictured her as a mechanic either," Shana stated.
"Actually, this doesn't surprise me. I think she had her fill of the high-class way of life back when she modeled," Conrad answered, receiving an evil glare from his wife. "What? It's true."
"Yeah, I know," Shana said, watching the Land Rover disappear into the garage. Conrad pulled up behind her and turned off the engine. He slowly released the brake, happy that the Tahoe stayed put and didn't slide backwards on the slippery driveway.
Courtney climbed out of the vehicle, stretching her cramped and stressed muscles, as Ron came out of the house, pulling on his coat. "Hi, sweetheart. Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yep, right as rain. The roads are awful," Courtney commented, grabbing her duffle and tossing it towards the door. She grimaced slightly as she thought of company in their house. "Is the house presentable?" She asked fearfully. The week had been incredibly busy at base since most of the mechanics were off, and she had been working a lot of hours and disregarding the housework.
"The house if fine, dear. They're not gonna comment on your housekeeping," Ron answered, giving her a light kiss and a hug, which she returned warmly, thankful that she was now home. The two of them walked towards the Tahoe. "You stay here," he told her, leaving her inside the garage and ignoring her rolling eyes.
The Hausers climbed out, grabbing a hold of the car doors so that they didn't slip. "Hey all, be careful," Ron shouted, walking outside into the wintry mix and sliding over to the passenger side. "I'm glad to see you guys." He peeked his head in the backseat and saw the little boy. "Hey there Matthew. How are you?" He asked with a wave.
"Fine," the little boy squealed, struggling against his car seat.
"Hold still, Sport," Conrad told him, trying to brace himself against the vehicle and undo the seatbelts. "Hi Ron."
"Hi Ron. This was really nice of you guys," Shana said once again, as she glanced up at the woman standing in the garage. She skated to the back of the vehicle, grabbed a few bags, and sat them on the ground. "That should be it for tonight, I hope," Shana said, slamming the hatch down and feeling her feet slide.
"Whoa there, I gotcha," Ron told her as he quickly steadied her before she fell.
"Thanks. I wasn't expecting that," she said as she regained her footing.
Conrad picked up his son from the car seat and shuffled carefully to the garage. "Hi Matt," Courtney waved, watching everyone skate around the icy driveway and reaching her arms out to take the little boy struggling in his father's arms.
"Auntie Courtie," Matt screamed, hugging her around the neck and planting a big kiss on her cheek. As he started to squirm, Courtney put him down but hung onto his hand, since he wanted to run outside after his dad.
"No, no, sweetie. You don't want to fall and go boom, do ya?" Courtney asked him.
Matthew shook his head and waited for his parents to come back to him.
The three adults slowly walked up the icy driveway, carrying a few luggage bags. Once inside, Ron shook Conrad's hand as Courtney and Shana hugged each other, uttering their greetings.
"Come on inside. It is too damp and chilly out here," Ron said, leading the way into the house.
Courtney and Shana followed while Matthew and Conrad brought up the rear. Courtney grabbed her duffle, which she had tossed towards the door earlier and stepped inside the warm mudroom. Everyone took off their jackets and boots or shoes before they stepped into the cozy kitchen. Ron disappeared back into the garage for a moment. "Welcome to our little slice of heaven," she said, casting her own scrutinizing eye around the kitchen and dining room, relieved that it did look presentable for company.
"Wow, Court. This is really nice," Shana said. "You know, we can't thank you enough for your hospitality."
"Don't worry about it. You guys did the same for me a few years ago when I came down to visit Ron when he was doing that extra training at Benning. How about some coffee or tea to warm you up?" She offered as Ron came in with his arms full of firewood.
"That would be great," Shana replied, taking in the blue heart-shaped décor mixed with other antique furnishings.
"Here let me help you," Conrad offered, taking some wood pieces from Ron.
"Thanks," Ron replied, heading towards the family room.
Matthew ran after his father, as Shana's gaze finally landed on the woman before her, specifically taking notice of the long, tightly braided hair. "Court, what happened to your hair?" She asked, shocked by the sight before her.
Courtney twisted around after turning on the stove to heat up the teakettle. "You mean the color? I'm letting it go back to its natural color."
"After all this time?" Shana said, arching an eyebrow. "I though you liked the darker color." She only remembered Courtney with long, blonde hair when the GI Joe team was first organized. Shortly after the first battle, the tank jockey had cut her hair and colored it a dark, auburn color, stating reasons of easier manageability and a change of appearance. Over time, she had let it grow long again but continued to keep the color dark.
"I did, but," she automatically rubbed her hand across her belly. She could feel the small swollen bulge even if it wasn't visible yet. The corners of her lips formed a smile.
"You're pregnant?" Shana excitedly inquired, her blue eyes shining with happiness. As Courtney nodded, Shana pulled her into a hug and said, "That is great news."
"Thanks, I'm just starting my fourth month," Courtney grinned as she returned Shana's hug. "The first trimester, I was advised to not color my hair. I heard different stories from women and hair stylists disagreeing if it was safe to color during the pregnancy. I didn't want to take any changes, plus Ron kind of liked the lighter color," she shrugged with a smile.
"I'm very happy for you and Ron. Does anyone else know? I can't believe you didn't say anything when I talked to you at Thanksgiving," Shana jokingly scolded.
"Only family and the guys at base know right now. Ron talked to Ed yesterday and told him, I think. We sort of wanted to get through the first trimester. I had a really hard time, but I'm feeling great now," Courtney revealed.
"Morning sickness?" Shana queried.
"If that is what you want to call it," Courtney answered. "I was sick all morning and then again in the evening. But my doctor got that all straightened out, and now, I only get these odd food urges."
Shana laughed as the two men came back into the kitchen. "Where's Matt?" Shana asked Conrad, noticing her son missing.
"He's watching Frosty the Snowman," Conrad answered.
Nodding, Shana turned to Ron. "Congratulations, Ron. Courtney just told me the news," she said, hugging Ron.
"Thanks, Red." Ron answered and then looked at the strange expression on Conrad's face. "We are gonna be parents," he explained with a gleam in his eye.
"No way," Conrad said with astonishment and teasing grin on his face. "Wow. Congratulations." He shook Ron's hand and gave Courtney a hug.
"Thanks, Conrad. We couldn't be happier." Courtney said, returning the friendly hug, and then lovingly wrapped her arms around her husband's waist.
Shana smirked. "Let me guess. Ron's being just a tad overprotective, right?" She remembered how the tank jockey stayed inside the garage earlier, and now it all seemed to make sense.
"Yep, you saw him not let me walk outside," she joked.
"Speaking of, how did you get from the Motor Pool to the Rover?" Ron asked.
"Two of the guys walked me out. They said that if anything happened to me, you had threatened them. It was so embarrassing," Courtney revealed, giving him a sly smile before turning to retrieve four cups.
Ron shook his head and defended himself. "I just didn't want anything to happen to you or our precious cargo," he said, lightly patting her belly before looking at the Hausers, slightly embarrassed at his display of affection.
Shana laughed, "Don't worry about it, Ron. You should have seen what Conrad did to me. Embarrassing is right."
Courtney smiled. "Hey, why don't you two go put the Tahoe in the other garage? There is enough room in there for two vehicles. Just back the Mustang all the way to the rear."
"That's a great idea. That way your vehicle will not get all ice covered," Ron told Conrad.
"Sure," Conrad agreed before asking, "You still have that Mustang?"
"Oh yeah," Courtney answered with a laugh. "Ron has his bike, and I have my car. Of course, we did settle for the Rover and Tracker, but there are days, like today, that you need them. But during the warm times of the year, there isn't anything like putting the top down and driving." She looked at Ron and corrected herself since she loved the open road on a two-wheeled vehicle as well, "Or, putting on a helmet and riding."
The four ex-GI Joes laughed, and Ron and Conrad walked out into the mudroom to put their outerwear back on. "Be careful you two," Courtney yelled before she looked at Shana. "Come on. Let's move your things into the bedroom. It has a nice queen-sized bed, and the bathroom is right across the hall."
"Okay," Shana said, looking around at the other décor as she followed Courtney through the house. "This is really great of you, Court. I never would have thought we would be spending Christmas in Tennessee with you two." Then she quickly added, "I mean, because of an ice storm and all."
Chuckling, Courtney nodded. "It is no trouble. It's been too long anyway. I miss seeing everyone, but we are happy here."
"And that is all that matters. So have you thought about what you are going to do after the baby comes?" Shana asked, watching Courtney grab a few extra blankets for the bed. She knew that she had struggled with retiring from the Army after Matthew was born, eventually finding that it was best in the long run if she did.
"We have talked about it but nothing conclusive. We talked about me getting an instructing job but that would mean a move to a different base, and we are lucky now that we both are stationed at Campbell. Of course, there is talk that Ron may be transferred anyway come summer so then it wouldn't matter. I'm going wherever he gets stationed. If the Army can't place me, then I guess I can retire and do something else."
"You may like being a mom, Court. Plus, maybe after this one, you may have another and another and an…"
Courtney quickly interrupted her, "Hey, wait a minute. Let's start with this one first." She laughed and then turned serious. "I am nervous though. I just keep remembering how screwed up my childhood was, and I don't know how to be a mother. My mother was always too busy enrolling me in all of those god-awful pageants or shopping, and my dad was always too busy with work."
Shana helped make the bed and said, "You both will do fine. No one knows how to be a parent. You just learn as you go."
"I guess you are right. It still is scary." She chuckled softly, hiding her nervousness and feeling silly that she had once faced death and Cobra but the thought of being a parent terrified her. "I want to be a good mother, but I'm gonna need something to occupy my time, especially if I retire from the Army. Look at you and Allie. You have your own dojo and marital arts school, and Allie teaches drama at the local college where she and Dash are stationed."
"True, but you could open your own auto repair shop or even become a make-up technician, although I seriously can't think of any base that would not jump at putting you into their Motor Pool or hangar. It is a tough decision. I know that Conrad and I struggled with retirement issues. In the end, it was the best choice for everyone involved. I have not regretted it either. You and Ron will make the right choice. I have faith in you."
Smiling, Courtney replied, "Thanks. I guess we will just wait and see. No need to worry about it now."
"Well spoken," Shana said.
"Let's go make some supper. I'm starved. What are you guys hungry for?" Courtney asked as they walked back through the family room and saw Matthew sound asleep. She grabbed a throw blanket and laid it across the little boy's sleeping form.
Shana watched her, hiding a smile. The tank jockey would be a wonderful mother, Shana thought to herself. "Whatever you have around here is fine. We did not come to intrude. I would say that we should go out and eat but that is out of the question," Shana laughed. "Your tree is beautiful."
"Thanks. Kind of different all in blue, but I found the blue lights after Christmas last year, and we already had tons of silver and gold bows and ribbons. It's a simple but festive tree." Courtney revealed. "I was actually thinking about making lasagna with garlic bread if that works for you. Not a traditional Christmas feast, but I do have a ham for tomorrow's Christmas dinner, just in case you guys are still here," she winked at Shana.
"If we are still here, then ham would be wonderful. Aren't you two going to either of your families this year?" She asked before realizing that even if they had plans, the weather now was calling the shots.
Shaking her head, Courtney explained as they made their way to the kitchen, "No, we were out to Vegas to see Ron's mom late summer, and we were going to see my folks at Thanksgiving but because of the morning sickness, Mom and Dad came down here. They flew out to California to see my brother for Christmas, so it was just going to be the two of us. Don't worry, if ya'll end up staying, we have plenty of food. The freezer is packed with chicken and venison, and I even had a garden this summer so I did some canning and freezing of vegetables," Courtney bragged on herself. "Pretty impressive, isn't it?"
Shana laughed as she shook her head in disbelief. "You do realize that if you would have told me any of this when we were in Joe, I would have called you a liar."
"You probably would have called me worse than that, and I would not have even believed me. But we did have some good times, didn't we?" Courtney stated, grabbing the lasagna noodles out of the cabinet and handing them to Shana before getting a large pot to boil the noodles in.
"Yes, we did," Shana agreed.
The two women worked in the kitchen as the guys moved the vehicles outside and then skated back up to the house. "Getting nasty out there, ladies. The sleet has turned into snow," Conrad said, shaking the ice crystals and snowflakes from his blonde hair and peeling off his outerwear. "We may be stranded here for days and days. Maybe these two will decide they don't want kids if they hang around Matt too long." He joked, walking across the kitchen floor and laying an arm across Shana's shoulders.
Shana playfully slugged her husband in the arm. "Hush now," she warned.
Ron slipped off his coat and boots as he matched his wife's laughter at the Hauser's comments. "Too late for that now. Besides, we don't mind the company," Ron said, handing his wife some lasagna sauce from the pantry.
As soon as the noodles were soft, Courtney finished preparing the lasagna and placed it in the oven. She excused herself to take a quick shower and change. While Courtney cleaned up, Ron led Conrad and Shana back into the family room where Miracle on 34th Street was just coming on. The three adults chatted, until Courtney joined them, having changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. She and Shana finished making the garlic bread, sipping their tea and talking about where their ex-Joe teammates were stationed until they called the others to come and eat.
During the meal, Shana and Conrad shared some stories about kids, and Courtney and Ron listened, mentally taking notes. After supper, Shana put Matthew to bed and then helped Courtney clean up the kitchen. At 10:00 that evening, it was still snowing and looked very messy outside. The airports had cancelled all flights and a lot of the roads were closed.
Yawning, Shana tugged on Conrad's sleeve. "I think we ought to turn in for the night."
Conrad looked over at his wife and nodded, starting to stand up. "Thank you both for the delicious meal and your kindness for the shelter."
Ron replied, "You're welcome. It has been great catching up with you two."
"Yes, it has been great. We'll see you two in the morning," Courtney added, trying to hide her own yawn.
"It has been wonderful," Shana chimed in. "Thank you so much."
"Good night, all. We'll see you in the morning," Conrad said, following Shana to the guest bedroom. "Merry Christmas," both Hausers said.
"Night. Merry Christmas," the Rudats replied, snuggling next to each other watching the fire die down and the blue Christmas lights twinkle. "It was nice to see our friends again," Ron whispered.
Courtney nodded. "Yes, it was. I like having company. It makes the house seem more alive," she sighed, moving to get up.
"Yeah, well in five months, this house will be very alive," Ron said, standing up and pulling his wife into his arms for a quick kiss.
Savoring the kiss, Courtney said, "Yes it will. Either this house or our future house, whichever comes first."
"Home is where your heart is, my love," Ron replied, extinguishing the burning embers of the fireplace and turning off the Christmas tree lights. "Let's go get some shuteye."
Courtney followed her husband to their bedroom, quietly closing the door. Sliding into bed beside her husband after she had changed and concluded her nightly beauty ritual, she asked, "Do you think we will make good parents?"
"Only the best, Court. We will be great parents to this little guy and any future little guys and gals." Ron reassured her, rubbing her belly and pulling her close to him.
"I hope so," she answered, snuggling down beside him and dozing off to sleep.
"We will," Ron whispered, closing his eyes and hearing the winter weather continue to assault the great outdoors.
Inside the guest bedroom, Conrad and Shana changed into their sleep clothes. Lying on either side of Matthew, Shana cast her blue eyes over to Conrad. "I'm glad we stopped. It was great to catch up on where all of our old teammates are and what they are doing."
"It was. I can't believe that Lance is married, and Hector is a father. And Ed is getting married too. Courtney still is the little social butterfly," Conrad stated, running his hand through her long hair.
Chuckling quietly, Shana replied, "She does keep in touch with everyone, even though she rarely sees any of us anymore. Between her and Allie, I could live in a cocoon and still know what is going on in everyone's lives. I am so happy for Ed though. I felt so bad for him after Bree, but his fiancée sounds wonderful. I can't wait to meet her. Maybe we will have to make a trip to Texas to see him, and then we can stop by and see Bill and Robby."
"Just keep planning, honey," Conrad teased, laughing softly and smiling at his wife's happy face. "I hope that Ed will have the whole team, uh, I mean ex-team, invited for the wedding."
"Me too," she answered before she said, "I love you, Con."
"I love you, Shan," Conrad replied, gently kissing the top of his son's head and then kissing his wife goodnight.
The Hausers settled down, drifting off to sleep, happy to be warm, safe, and among friends. Tomorrow, weather permitting, they would continue to travel to St. Louis and spend Christmas with Conrad's family.