Chapter Eight

Shut Up and Kiss Me

Jordan had nearly forgotten how much work went on in the morgue. Nearly, but not quite. And Garret was very thorough in his training. Once Jordan had given her month's notice to Boston Children's Hospital, she landed in the morgue the first of October, and hit the ground running.

Six weeks passed quickly. Garret's training took up most of her time during the day and most of her thoughts at night. She never got a chance to work with Woody. She had supervised one of his victim's autopsies, but interacted more with Sydney – who did the actual procedure – than with Woody himself. She never wondered the thought out loud, but Garret answered the unspoken question himself; "Yes. You'll still work with detectives…and so you'll work with him again…but only on really high profile cases since he's the chief of detectives. But right now, my training you take precedence over everything else."

The weather slowly turned colder and the first flurries of winter began to pepper the Boston landscape. Before Jordan knew it, turkeys were on sale at the local grocery store and Thanksgiving was just around the corner. If she was still at Children's, those staff members that didn't have family in Boston would have eaten Thanksgiving dinner with the patients. Jordan sighed. This year she wasn't sure who she'd eat with. Max had gone to Ohio to see his sister and wouldn't be back until right before Christmas.

But the dilemma solved itself…and once again, Alice played a key role. Jordan really hadn't seen the little girl since her transplant back on that muggy, rainy summer night. She assumed Alice was in school and doing well, since the inner office gossip grapevine said nothing different. Jordan was surprised when one day while she was sitting at her desk catching up on paperwork, a timid knock on her door set her holiday plans in motion.

"Jordan?" a soft voice asked.

"Alice!" Jordan looked up in surprise to see the girl, now a picture of health…pink cheeks, complete with dimples – and piercing blue eyes. Her blonde hair now easily fell below her shoulders in waves.

"Dad said you worked here now…and I told him I wanted to come and see you after school today…"

"I'm so glad you did." Jordan held out her arms and Alice ran into them for a hug. "How are you?"

"Better. Dr. Baines says my new heart is working really good. And I think it is, too."

"Good…I'm happy to hear it." Jordan bit her lip before her next comment. "Are you here by yourself?"

"No…Dad is here. He's talking with Dr. Macy about some case." Alice rolled her eyes as if to say adults…you're all alike…

Jordan chuckled. Woody was going to have his hands full in few years if he didn't already. "So…what have you been up to today, Miss Alice?"

"School. And it's kind of cool this year. Last year I was in daycare, but this year I get to ride the bus, when Dad lets me, and it's the real thing."

"Where are you going?"

"Sisters of Mercy…"

Jordan hid a smile. "I went there, too."

"Really?"

Nodding, Jordan replied. "But we had to wear uniforms then," she whispered conspiratorially. Alice wasn't wearing the traditional plaid skirt and white blouse Jordan remembered all too well.

"I don't have to wear one until I'm in first grade."

"Ah…."

"We just got out for Thanksgiving today…"

"Yeah…I guess it's about time for that…"

"Today Sister Mary Katherine had us draw pictures of one thing that we're thankful for. Want to see what I drew?"

"Sure.."

Alice slid her backpack off and unzipped it. Reaching down inside, she pulled out one of those rectangular, cream-colored pieces of paper that Jordan remember from her own childhood. "Look," Alice directed as she held it up.

Jordan bit back a sniffle and a tear. On the piece of paper, Alice had drawn a heart. "The other kids laughed at it…they said that it wasn't Valentines, it was Thanksgiving and my heart didn't make sense. But Sister Mary Katherine said it was the best drawing in the whole class and that she understood…and that I was right. I had a lot to be thankful for with a new heart…"

"And I think Sister Mary Katherine is a very wise woman," Jordan added, struggling to keep her tears at bay. Alice need never know how very close she came to leaving them that night.

"So do I," Woody's voice echoed from the doorway. "Sister Mark Katherine is a very smart lady."

"Dad…are you through with Dr. Macy?"

"Sure am. Ready to go home and start the holiday?"

Alice nodded. "But remember, you promised to take me ice skating on Saturday…me and Brittany."

"I remember…" Woody pulled a face at Jordan over the top of Alice's head. Jordan chuckled. "Get your things together and let's head out, Al."

Alice hurriedly put the drawing back in her backpack and zipped it up. Then she stopped and looked at Jordan. "Jordan, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

"Me? Oh I don't know…hang out here a while, grab some turkey at the diner…"

"That's no Thanksgiving. Come and eat dinner with me and Dad. He's cooking a turkey with stuffing and everything. He's a real good cook…he uses Grandma Hoyt's recipes…I promise…it's good."

"Thanks, but no…I couldn't…"

"Sure you could," Woody responded. "We'd love to have you…"

"But…"

"Alice, I think Lily wants to see you in her office for a minute… she said something about some chocolate candy…the kind with raspberry filling…." Alice was off like a shot.

"Chocolate and raspberries does it every time," Woody said, grinning after his daughter. The turning back to Jordan, his face serious, he continued. "Come spend Thanksgiving with us, Jo…."

"What is this? You shorten all women's names down to the masculine…Jo…Al…" she joked, trying to change the subject.

"Just when I need to cut things short. And I'm serious about the dinner invitation…Jordan Marie. Thanksgiving dinner is at 1 p.m. sharp. Dress comfortably, because right afterwards, we go pick out a tree and I drag out the Christmas decorations and watch Alice decorate it. We play sappy Christmas music and drink hot chocolate until we puke."

"Puke?"

"Until we can't drink another drop. Sometimes I even live dangerously and top it with whipped cream…"

"Ohhhhh…..life on the edge."

Woody chuckled before he turned to go. "I mean it. One o'clock. Or I'll send a squad car after you…."

Jordan found herself tentatively knocking at the Hoyt's door at 12:45 Thanksgiving Day…sweet potato casserole and bottle of wine in hand. Alice answered the door. "Jordan! Dad, Jordan's here…come on in." She pushed the door open wider to let Jordan through.

"You came…." Woody said, coming from the kitchen. He had never left his old apartment building, but had upgraded his studio situation…two bedrooms, two baths….and two times the old rent payment, he had joked to Jordan.

"I was too scared not to. I believe I was threatened with a squad car…."

Alice and Woody chuckled at her. Indeed the day was light and Jordan found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. Alice was right, Woody was a good cook and Jordan found herself enjoying the meal, the company, and the conversation. Alice glowed health now, despite the fact she hated taking the daily, awful tasting medicine that would keep her body from rejecting the heart.

After dinner, they all three had hurried through the dishes and Jordan found herself walking to the Christmas tree lot to help them pick out a tree…then laughed as Alice picked out the biggest one she could and Woody struggled to bring it home. "Sure you don't want some help?" Jordan asked him.

"No…I'm fine…everything's just peachy," he growled from somewhere in the branches of the tree.

Alice giggled. "I think he needs help…he just never wants to admit it."

"Some things never change, Alice," Jordan rejoined, struggling to find a spot on the tree trunk to help Woody bear the burden across the street, through the lobby, and into his apartment.

"Dad said you and he used to work together a long time ago," Alice said while they waited on Woody to get the decorations out of the closet.

"We did…several years ago. And then I decided I wanted to be a cardiologist again…and now I've decided to come back to the morgue and help the police."

"I'm glad…you did both. Because if you weren't my first heart doctor, you and Dad might not have met again…but I'm glad you're back at the morgue and working with him again."

"So am I…"

"Okay, Al. Here's the decorations…I've done my job, now it's your turn. Jordan and I are going in the kitchen to make hot chocolate."

She followed him into the kitchen, her hands nervously tucked in her back pockets. As long as Alice was in the room, Jordan felt comfortable…anytime alone with Woody still left her edgy.

"Marshmallows or whipped cream?" His question brought her out of her reverie.

"What? Oh, whipped cream." He put some on her drink and handed the cup to her. "She's really doing well, isn't she?" Jordan asked, indicating Alice.

"She is. And I will be eternally grateful to you and Dr. Baines."

Jordan shook her head. "I really didn't do anything…"

"Yes, you did. You pinpointed what was wrong and why…and Lewis said you moved heaven and earth….and threatened to make a few heads roll if Alice didn't get a heart…" Woody chuckled. "I will be forever grateful."

"I'm just glad she's better."

Silence hung for a few minutes while they listened to Alice in the next room, decorating the tree. "Are you glad to be back at the morgue?" Woody asked, wiping the whipped cream off his mouth.

"I am…it's like coming home."

"I thought you'd feel that way. And what little we have worked with each other…I've liked it," he said softly, gently wiping away the stray dollop of whipped cream on the side of her face, fighting the urge to simply reach out and kiss it off. "Was that like coming home, too?"

Jordan stood stock still…mesmerized once again by the blueness of his eyes and the gentleness of his touch. It still only takes a brush of his fingers…and I'm jello all over again…Oh God, is he going to kiss me…he looks like he wants to…"

"Dad!" Alice's voice pulled them both back to reality. "Come look at the tree."

"Sure honey," Woody called back, not taking his eyes off of hers. "On my way," he answered his daughter, letting his hand slide from the side of Jordan's cheek to let his thumb lightly trace her bottom lip.

Jordan took a sharp breath and set her hot chocolate down before she spilled it. She needed to get home…soon.

"Jordan, you come, too," Alice called.

"Coming…" She took another deep breath and pushed open the kitchen door, pausing to admire Alice's handiwork. "It's beautiful, Alice."

"It is, isn't it?" Woody responded. "I'd have to get out the pictures to be sure, but I think this year's tree is prettier than last year's… What are you laughing at?" He directed his last comment to Alice.

"Her." Alice pointed at Jordan.

"What's the matter? Do I have whipped cream on my face?" Jordan asked, her hand going up to the check that Woody had touched.

"No, silly. You're under the mistletoe," Alice answered, a very smug-Woody-ish expression on her face. "Come on, Dad…you know what that means."

"No…both of you…see, I'm moving…" Jordan answered.

"Doesn't matter. You were caught under the mistletoe…now Dad's gotta kiss you. It's in the rules somewhere.."

"No…it's okay Alice," Jordan tried to back away from the situation, only to find Woody right behind her and taking his daughter's side to the argument.

"I think Alice is right…those are the rules…and you have to be kissed." He turned her around to face him. "So pucker up Cavanaugh."

"This is not fair, two against one…" Jordan whined.

"Shut up and kiss me," Woody taunted, nearly under his breath, so low that Alice couldn't hear him.. "Or deal with the consequences…"

"Which are?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He wagged his eyebrows suggestively, before pulling her closer and lowering his lips to hers.

It was a gentle kiss…a chaste kiss by all accounts…one that made Alice squeal and Jordan just want to cling a little tighter for a little longer and see what else would happen.

"Okay, bedtime," Woody commanded. Jordan opened her eyes, for a moment wondering if he was directing the comment to her.