Chapter VIII: Joy to the World

"ROCKEFELLER TREE RECOVERED, CASH RETURNED TO ROBBED STORES," the headlines declared.

"Well, another case solved for us, and another defeat for Fat Cat," Chip said with satisfaction. "Now, we can get down to the real case at hand."

"Oh no," Dale groaned, "what now?"
Chip bonked him on the head.

"I was talking about Christmas, dummy!"

"Ohhh yeah, I almost forgot!"
"I wouldn't figure you for one that'd forget Christmas, Dale," Gadget said slyly.

"Oh I wouldn't forget, it just sort of slipped my mind!"
"You'd have to have a mind first, for something to slip it," Chip muttered.

"Hey, you take that back. I'm plenty smart!"
"You couldn't add two plus two if you had a chalkboard and a scientific calculator!"

"And I bet you couldn't go to sleep at night without reading a chapter in one of those stupid Shureshuck Jones books!"

"I could so! And besides, they're educational!"

"Boys!" Gadget said, stepping in between to separate them. "Honestly! I'm married to one of you, but I have to mother both of you! Now cut it out."

"Sorry Gadget," they said together.

"Good. Now go get the rest of the Christmas decorations out of the attic. Our party's tomorrow night and we have to get everything done!"

"Yes ma'am!" the two chipmunks saluted, taking off at a run for the upper levels of the tree.

"Bonza move there, Gadget," Monterey Jack chuckled. "Now oi think the next task in getting' ready for the party ought to be chuuheeezze foragin'!" he said, his mustache twirling at the ends just at the mention of the word.

"Monty, does your entire existence revolve around cheese?"

"Not completely, luv, just most of it. Oi am a mouse, after all! Never could figure out why you didn't develop much of a taste for the stuff."

"Oh, I like it as well as the next mouse, but I was never a cheese-eater like some. But there was this one kind…"
"Yeah, go on," Monty grinned.
"Well, there was this diner in Wisconsin where Dad and I would stopover on trips, and they had a sharp cheddar that was out of this world! Forever after that, Dad always had to stop there when he flew out that way, and bring a wheel of it back home."

"Oi remembah it well," Monterey said. "I 'appen to 'ave a friend out that way. So I sent out there, and got you a little Christmas present. It's early, but oi thought you might like it for the party."
He reached behind the kitchen counter, and handed Gadget a circular package.

"Oh Monty, you didn't!"
She lifted the package to her nose, and took a tentative whiff. The delicious aroma nearly made her head spin.

"You did! Thank you!" she said, throwing her arms around his neck. "I remember it just by the smell, and I've even been craving it the past couple of days…" she stopped, noticing the curious look he was giving her.
"What's wrong, Monty?"
"Er, nothin' luv…just strange choice of words, is all. Maybe it's just me."

"Oh. In any case, we do need someone to make a shopping trip. And you, good sir, are playing chef this time."
"Oh gladly, Gadget, gladly."

"But we need at least one thing that's non-cheese flavored."

"Croikey, an' I thought it was gonna be a right ol' party spread."

Gadget shook her head as Monterey walked out the door to go to the market.

"What a crazy, mixed up bunch I have for a family. Wait a minute, what am I saying? I'm calling 'them' crazy?"

With a slight giggle to herself, she dove vigorously into the storage boxes that had so far been brought downstairs.

"Now where's that wreath…"

"Hi Gadget!"

The inventor yelped and fell headfirst into a box. She raised up, covered in garlands and ornaments.

"Tammy! How many times do I have to tell you…"
"Not to sneak up on you like that, I know. But it gets funnier every time!"

"I'll bet. Have you seen the door wreath?"
"Oh yeah, I already hung it out."
"Naturally. Oh well, I might as well start hanging these garlands. Isn't this season exciting! I mean, when we don't have a case and all…"
"Gadget, slow down! You've been running at full steam all day and you haven't let up yet. What is with you?"
"I don't know, I've just felt like doing a lot today. Well, I didn't feel all that great when I got up this morning, I was a little queasy in fact. But once that was over, the day got off to a darn good start!"
"Uh huh. Well, if you want to hang garlands, go ahead. Me and Sparky are headed out to look for a tree."

"Okay, Tammy, see you in a bit!"
As she started for the door, Tammy looked back at her friend, and thought for a second.

I wonder…

Pondering possibilities, she grabbed her coat, and headed out into the snow.

Next morning, the Rangers slept in, as was their custom during the holidays. Chip had been enjoying a dream, in which he and Gadget were surfing the waves in Hawaii. He smiled in his sleep, and reached over to where Gadget was lying.

Only thing was, she wasn't there.

Waking up a little more, Chip sat up, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I wonder where…"
He listened for a minute, and the sounds from down the hall told him where his wife was.

"Geez, she hasn't sounded that sick since the last time Monty made cookies. Must have been the leftover cheese chowder last night or something."

Gadget walked back into the room, holding onto the doorframe for support.

"Oh, morning Chip. I just had to step out for a minute."
"I noticed. Are you okay?"
"What? Oh sure, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about."
"Good. Monty should have breakfast done by now. I can almost smell cinnamon and walnut pancakes, with just that touch of syrup and a little cream…"
Gadget made a small gasping sound, and ran from the room again. Chip walked to the door and looked after her, puzzled.

"What did I say?"

Shrugging it off, he got up and dressed in his usual winter attire, a thick, woolly pullover and his bomber jacket. Thinking ahead, he reached into the other side of the closet and grabbed a pair of lavender coveralls, laying them across the bed for Gadget before he left the room.

"Mornin' pally!" Monty called, looking well rested and in his element under a tall white chef's hat. "All ready for the big Christmas party tonight?"

"I sure am! I don't know about Gadget though."
"Why? Wot's ailin' the little sheila?"
"It may be nothing. She just…didn't look like she felt that great this morning."
"Aw, it's just excitement, that's all."

"I hope so. Did Tammy and Sparky bring back a tree last night?"
"Did they evah! Them two sneaky dingoes went scroungin' in a department store's throwaways and came totin' home a nine inch artificial tree! You oughta see it mate, looks so real Zipper almost started smellin' the pine needles."

"Sounds like a winner to me! I'm looking forward to trimming it tonight."
"Me too, lad. Especially while I'm workin' on a cup o' me famous cheese cider!"
Chip looked oddly at the big mouse, and shook his head.

The night of December twelfth saw the best Christmas bash ever thrown at the Ranger's tree. Martha and Bink came over, as well as Foxglove, Buzz and Spunky, who'd by now grown into a handsome adolescent cat.

"Nevah thought Oi'd be so glad t'see a cat," Monty joked when the young feline poked his head through the door.

"Well gosh Mr. Monterey, we aren't that bad. I haven't eaten a mouse this whole week!"

The young cat looked deadpan serious, but then started laughing at the green expression that crept across Monty's face.

"Don't do that t'me, boyo! Oi 'ave enough nightmares as it is!"
Martha busied herself in the kitchen, helping Gadget pile up platters with Monty's culinary creations.

"How've you been since the wedding, dear? What with that last big case and all, we haven't seen much of you."

"Oh I've been doing pretty good, keeping busy, you know…learning to play housewife, when necessary."
Martha chuckled at that.

"Gadget, I don't think I could ever see you completely transformed into a homemaker. But there's something else…different, about you. You look like you're almost glowing."
"It's probably that facial scrub Tammy gave me for my birthday. It's really great."

"Hmm. I wonder."

"You wonder what?"
"Oh, never mind. Just an old mother's mind working overtime. Let's get out to the party."

"Come on, Gadget!" Dale called as they entered the living room. "We're about to put the star up!"
"Too roight," Monty said. "We figured since this little ornament was your dad's, you'd wanna put it up there."
Gadget looked up to the top of the tree, and smiled.

"I have a better idea."
She reached down, taking the star from Monty, and then handed it to Bink.

"Come on up, you little rascal," she said, hoisting the laughing little squirrel up the stepladder that went up by the tree. "You know what to do, don't you?"
Bink giggled, and reached out, dropping the star perfectly in place.

"Pretty," she said softly.

"Yes it is. Very pretty."
She ruffled the little girl's hair and handed her back down to Martha.

"'Ere now, give us a song, Gadget luv!" Monterey said.

"Oh Monty, I don't know…"
"Listen 'ere t'me, girly, oi know you've got a voice in there. Th' good Lord didn't put it there to be wasted."

Gadget thought it over, and grinned sheepishly.
"Oh all right, but only if you play for me."
Monty cracked his knuckles in response, and sat down at a miniature piano that graced one wall of the room. He ran his fingers across the keys, and started playing the tune of an old, old Christmas carol that everyone knew. Gadget hummed a little, trying to remember the words, and started singing.

"O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining…"

Chip sat back and reveled in the sound.

Whenever we have children, they're going to be very lucky to have a mother like her, he thought.

He noticed Tammy staring wistfully out a nearby window. She was staring at seemingly nothing, but he knew better.

"He's thinking about you too, I bet."

Tammy looked back at him, a little sadly.

"How'd you know what I was thinking?"
"Lucky guess. Now cheer up! You'll see him soon enough."

The night continued in such manner, until finally, a few minutes after midnight, Monty closed the lid on the piano, and got up.

"It's been a bonza good time, mates, but this ol' mouse 'as gotta hit the sack."
"We should be going too," Martha said quietly, picking Bink's sleeping form up from her chair. "Thanks all for a wonderful evening."

"I better be heading back too," Spunky said, yawning. "Susie'll wonder if I'm not there when she wakes up in the morning."

"Oh, hang on a minute, Spunky," Gadget said, running down the hall. She came back with a small package.

"In case we don't see you again before, Merry Christmas."

She took a soft scarf out of the wrapping, and wound it around his neck. It was orange and striped to match his coat, and he snuggled into it with a contented purr.

"Thanks a million, Gadget," he said, pulling her to him with one paw. "I wish I had something to give you and Chip, but I just don't get out that often."
"You're our friend, Spunky. That's present enough."
Good-byes went around the room, until finally, it was just the Rescue Rangers standing around their Christmas tree.

The following days passed by in a blur of holiday preparing and gift shopping, and soon the tree was bursting with secrets and wrapped boxes. Gadget was continually having to swat Dale away from the tree, as he tried to shake packages.

"Aww Gadget! I wasn't tryin' to sneak into anything, honest!"
"Tell me another one. Now just stay out from under that tree for one more night, can you manage that?"

"I guess so."
"Well you'd better! Why do some people act like such children? Am I the only adult around here to shepherd all of you!"

"Easy there, Gadget luv," Monty said as he passed through. "Don't work y'self into a tizzy!"

"I'm…sorry Monty, Dale. I don't know what came over me."
Tammy watched the scene with interest from the kitchen batwings. She walked out into the living room, and took Gadget by the arm.

"Come on. You and I need to have a talk."
"What? Where?"
"Downstairs, in the first aid room."
"First aid? But I haven't…"

"Don't argue, just walk."
As they traveled down through the tree's trunk, Gadget looked curiously at Tammy.

"What's so important that you had to bring me down here?"
"Girl, if you are that oblivious, then I can see that this was the only way to get you down here so I can run the test."

"What test?"
"Gadget, you have been sick every morning. You've gotten moodier than Monterey Jack during a month with no cheese shipments, and you were complaining just this morning that you needed to let out your coveralls. Think!"

Gadget looked puzzled, and then it was as if a light bulb had clicked on.

"Tammy…do you think…?"

"I dunno, but we're going to find out!"

An hour later, the two girls started back upstairs. Gadget was so bursting with excitement, she could barely contain it.

"I can't believe it, Tammy! This is just our one month anniversary coming up!"
"Well, some people fall into the situation faster than others. It happens."

"I wanted to get Chip a special present for Christmas, but I wasn't counting on this!"
"Oh he'll be surprised all right," Tammy chuckled. "Monty and Dale will probably have to lead him around for an hour or two so he doesn't fall off the hangar branch!"

Giggling conspiratorially, the two friends went about the rest of their tasks for that day.

That night, every Ranger was in bed early. It had been a long day, and everybody was excited to see what Christmas morning would bring. No one, it seemed, was more excited than Dale, but there was one competitor for that position. As she snuggled down into her blanket that night, Gadget stared up at the ceiling.

"Tomorrow's going to be a day to remember," she whispered.