AN – I wish you all a Happy St. Nicholas' Day! I hope you enjoyed all the chocolate and nuts you found in your boots... I know, I did :o) Anyway, here's the next part of ASW. Hope you like…
A Snowy Weekend – Part 12
Disclaimer - See part one for all important information
9:08 AM
Mac took a deep breath and slowly opened the door to her bedroom. At first she couldn't see Little AJ anywhere and only after she entered the room was she able to see him cowered behind her bed, on the left side right in front of the nightstand. His knees were pulled to his chest and Mac couldn't see his face, since he'd laid it on his knees and crossed arms.
After closing the door behind her, Mac moved deeper into her bedroom and walked around the bed. Every now and then she could hear his sniffs and hiccups. With a sigh she took place on her rattan armchair and looked at Little AJ, who hadn't looked up so far.
Mac watched him but didn't say anything. She wanted to give him the time he needed and hoped that it wouldn't take long for him to open up and talk with her.
Little AJ suddenly looked up and into her eyes but still didn't say a word. His face was tear-stained and slightly red while the disappointment was still clearly visible in his eyes.
"You know, if you keep your lips like that for more than three minutes, they will stay that way," Mac softly told him, talking about his lower lip, which was stuck out in a pout. She remembered that her uncle Matt had told her that when she was a little girl and had pouted that way.
AJ immediately reacted as he'd heard his aunt's words, pulled his lower lip into his mouth and bit on it.
Mac raised her eyebrow in wonder when she saw what her godson was doing. "Why are you doing that?"
Little AJ sighed and wiped off the tears on his cheeks. "Because I think I was keeping my lips that way for more than three minutes," he whispered with a teary voice. "I don't want them to stay like that." As soon as he'd finished his explanation, he was biting on his lower lip again.
She nodded her head and gave him a little smile. "I'm sure it wasn't more than three minutes, AJ. Your lips are looking fine."
"Are you sure?" Little AJ quietly asked.
Mac once more nodded her head and confirmed her statement. "I'm absolutely positive."
AJ slowly got up on his feet, went to the armchair and sat down on Mac's lap. Then he threw his little arms around her neck and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Auntie Mac," he whispered into her ear and Mac could hear that he was on the verge of starting to cry again. "I didn't mean to do it."
"What are you sorry for, AJ? What didn't you mean to do?"
"I broke the plate and ran away," he told her, still whispering.
"Oh, honey. I know you didn't mean it," Mac answered him and pulled him even closer to her. "It was only a plate and nothing to worry about. Okay?"
Little AJ sighed in relief and Mac could feel that his little body relaxed again. "'kay. I love you, Auntie Mac."
Mac kissed his wet cheek. "I love you too, honey."
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Mac's living room
Same time
The dishes were put into the dishwasher and Harm already had changed Jimmy, who was now sitting on his blanket, playing with his favorite toys. The CD player was playing some jazz music in the background while Harm was cleaning the living room.
Doing household chores and listening to soft music always helped him to come up with a good idea for court and he hoped that it would help him to come up with a good plan B for today. He believed in what he'd told Mac earlier and knew that he would come up with one.
"Come on, Harm, there has to be something," he murmured to himself and took the bowl with candies from the coffee table to place it on Mac's dining table. "Think, man. What did you like to do as a kid while you were at your grandma's around Christmas time? Just think Christmasish."
Harm sighed and walked to the window, looking out at the Washington version of Winter Wonderland. He thought about the many times he'd spent as a kid at his grandma's farm in Belleville. They were often snowed in and could only spend their days indoors and barely leave the house. However, it was never boring back then, since his grandmother always knew how to entertain her lively grandchild.
Harm turned away from the window and walked to the dining table to get one red gumdrop out of Mac's candy bowl. He took a bite and had to smile. 'I still remember the first time she'd taught me how to make chocolate cookies or when we...,' he started to think and suddenly had to stop when it finally dawned on him. "That's it," he said out loud with a smile and nearly ran into Mac's kitchen. "Please tell me it's possible."
Harm opened a few of Mac's cabinets in hope of finding everything he needed for his plan. However, soon he had to give up in frustration. Most of the supplies they would need simply weren't available in Mac's kitchen.
"What now?" Harm asked the room and looked back into the living room, watching his little godson playing on his blanket. "No way are we being Scrooge the entire day. Right, Jimmy?"
Jimmy just babbled cheerfully and continued to play with his toys.
'Scrooge?' Harm thought and had to smile. "Bingo," he suddenly said out loud and walked into the living room to get Jimmy into his arms. "Come on, sport. It's time for a visit."
Together they made their way out of Mac's apartment, ready to accomplish the mission called 'Plan B'.
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Meanwhile in Mac's bedroom
"So we can't go sledding?" Little AJ asked and raised his face from her shoulder so that he could look into her eyes.
"No, honey. We can't go sledding today."
"Why not?" He wanted to know; still not understanding why they couldn't go sledding even though it was snowy outside.
Mac slowly got up from the armchair, still holding Little AJ firmly in her arms. "Ooof, you're heavy, AJ."
"I'm five, Auntie Mac. I'm a big boy and I have to be heavy," Little AJ proudly answered her and giggled.
As soon as she stood on her feet, he circled his little legs around her waist, clinging tightly to her. "Let me show you why we can't go today, okay?"
"'kay," AJ answered and together they made their way into the living room.
The first thing Mac noticed was that neither Harm nor Jimmy were no where to be seen or heard. The only sound in the room was coming from her CD player. 'I guess they are in the guestroom,' Mac thought and walked straight to one of the living room windows.
"Can you see your uncle Harm's car out there?" Mac asked her elder godson and watched him while his prying eyes were searching for Harm's SUV.
Little AJ shook his head. "No. Where is it?"
Mac pointed at the wall on the left side of the parking lot. "It's over there. Can you see the snowdrift right in front of this wall? Right under this blanket of snow you can find your uncle's car."
"Wow, it's snowed in," Little AJ enthusiastically replied with wide-open eyes.
"Yes it is, AJ. The snowstorm last night created quite a few of these snowdrifts and it isn't really safe for us at the moment to go out, just to have some fun with our sleds," Mac tenderly tried to explain the situation.
"Oh." Little AJ thought about everything his aunt had just told him. "Does that mean we're stuck and can't leave the house?"
Mac gave him a little smile. "No, if it would be necessary, we're able to get out of the house. But as long as no one of us is seriously sick or hurt, we shouldn't leave the house at the moment."
"For how long? Will we have to stay for days?" Little AJ curiously asked and Mac was glad about his interest, knowing that he started to understand the reasons.
"I'm not sure yet, sweetie, but I think by tonight we'll know more."
"Okay." Then a bright smile took place on Little AJ's face, just like the one he had on his face this morning before Harm and Mac had to tell him about not being able to go sledding. "Maybe Uncle Harm, Jimmy and I have to stay more days here. That would be sooo cool," he said delighted.
Mac couldn't hold back her laughter about her godson's enthusiasm and gave him a quick hug before letting him down on his feet again. "You would like that, huh?"
Little AJ strongly nodded his head and grinned. "Mmm-hmmm."
"What?" Mac asked, knowing that something else was on his mind.
"What about Mommy and Daddy? Do you think they can come home tomorrow?" Little AJ asked while they sat down on the couch.
Mac wasn't sure how to answer his question. "I'll tell you something. Why don't you try to call them later today? I bet they would like to get a call from you."
"Can I?"
Mac smiled and nodded her head. "Of course you can." She ruffled his hair and was taken aback when her apartment door suddenly opened and Jimmy slowly walked into the room. He was followed by his uncle, who had his hands full of bags and boxes. "Where are you two coming from?" Mac asked in surprise.
Harm gave her his best flyboy grin and placed the bags and boxes onto her coffee table. "Oh, Jimmy and I just visited the Ebenezer supermarket and got everything for our plan B," he told her enthralled.
Mac just raised her eyebrow and let her gaze wander to the bags and boxes before returning it to her partner's shining eyes. "Explain yourself, Mr. Rabb," she said and could hardly await his explanation.
Harm immediately gave her a salute. "Aye, aye, Ma'am," he said and hoped that Mac, and even more important Little AJ, would like the plan B he'd come up with.
TBC…