Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Disclaimer: I don't own "Will & Grace." That's quite clear by now. I also don't own the title song, but I'm not really sure who does.
Setting: 4th season, right after "Jingle Balls"
Summary: Without Stan, Karen faces her first Christmas with her stepchildren.
Author's Note: I realize I just posted, but the first chapter was so short that I felt bad. Hope this cures your headache, Lindsey.
Chapter 2
The next morning, Karen stepped out of her bedroom earlier than usual. She wore crisp black trousers, a deep maroon cashmere sweater bedecked with a diamond brooch, and black pumps.
She walked down the flight of stairs to the children's floor, walking up to Olivia's door and knocking abruptly.
"Hold on, Mason, I told you I'd play with you in a minute!" Olivia's annoyed voice called out.
"Olivia, honey, it's me!" Karen responded. Realizing that she rarely visited her stepdaughter's room, she added as an afterthought, "Karen."
Karen heard light footsteps approaching the door until it swung open, revealing a young girl with wild auburn curls and a shocked look upon her face. "Karen?"
"Yeah, honey, who else?" Karen asked. "Come on, get dressed, let's go pick out a Christmas tree!"
"Christmas tree?" Olivia echoed in disbelief. "Why?"
"It's nearly Christmas and our house doesn't look any merrier," Karen said. "And the quickest way to fix that is to get a tree!"
Olivia eyed her stepmother warily. "Have you started celebrating the holidays early?"
Karen laughed. "Oh, honey, of course. Now let's go get a tree!"
Hearing the conversation and wanting to be a part of it, Mason barreled down the hall and skidded to a halt in front of his sister and stepmother. "Are we going to get a tree?"
"Not if you two don't hurry it up and get dressed!" Karen exclaimed. "Now scram!"
Mason and Olivia stared at each other, silently asserting that Karen was, indeed, serious. The next moment, each child was gone to get dressed.
Karen smiled, satisfied.
"I like the big one," Mason declared, pointing to a Christmas tree.
"That's too big," Olivia decided. "I think this one is better."
"But that's too small, Livvy," Mason exclaimed. "What about that one?"
"Mason, you idiot, how would we even reach the top?" Olivia wanted to know.
"Um, a ladder, maybe?" Mason retorted sarcastically.
"Do we even have a ladder?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah, we do. What kind of family doesn't have a ladder?" Mason asked.
"The kind that has kids stupid enough to want the biggest tree in the lot," Olivia shot back.
As the argument wore on, Karen was beginning to seriously regret taking the kids tree shopping. They couldn't decide on any one tree and whenever they got close, one always managed to find a fault. Karen wondered if she could surreptitiously locate her flask.
"Mason, we aren't getting anywhere with this," Olivia, the voice of reason, spoke. "Why don't we let Karen decide?"
Mason thought about this and decided that it had its merits. "Ok."
"Karen, you get to decide which tree we get," Olivia told her stepmother.
"Um, all right," Karen said, hugging her mink closer to her body. She glanced at the trees surrounding her, finding that they all looked alike. Finally, she found a tall, fat tree. The needles weren't too sharp but it looked as if it could hold up some of the heavier Walker family ornaments. "I like this one."
"Really? It's kind of fat," Olivia remarked.
Karen smiled, thinking of Stan. "I like fat things."
Olivia and Mason giggled as Karen motioned to one of the workers. "We'll take this one," she said.
"Well, kiddies, since the tree isn't going to be here until later this afternoon, why don't you go into the storage basement and get the ornaments?" Karen suggested.
Olivia and Mason glanced at each other, neither eager to plunge into the depths of their dusty, cobweb-filled basement.
"Um, all right. Why don't you come with us?" Olivia asked.
"Oh, I would, honey, but I've…ah…I've got things to do," Karen said. Olivia shrugged and grabbed onto Mason's arm, dragging him toward the elevator while Karen went upstairs to her bedroom.
"Excuse me, but I don't think you remember who you're talking to," Karen exclaimed into the phone moments later.
"I realize who you are, Mrs. Walker, and I would love to help-"
"Well, good! You'll have it ready by Monday, then?" Karen asked.
"Mrs. Walker, Monday is Christmas Eve."
"Of course it is, silly! Why would I want the present to be ready anytime after Christmas?" Karen asked, laughing.
"Mrs. Walker, we have a great deal to finish by then-"
"I see where you're going with this," Karen said. "What are you doing, what are you talking, what are your terms?"
"I don't have any terms, Mrs. Walker. I'm just trying to say that-"
"How many Benjamins is this going to cost me?" Karen asked.
"B-benjamins?"
"Yes. Benjamins. As in one-hundred dollar bills," Karen explained slowly as though explaining this concept to one who didn't understand money.
"Mrs. Walker, this is not about money, this is about time-"
"Time is money, my friend, and I haven't got much time!" Karen exclaimed. She paused. "But I have a lot of money. Now that's ironic."
"Very, Mrs. Walker, but-"
"Bah bah bah!" Karen interrupted. "Now, I am willing to double the original price."
"Double?"
"Yes, double," Karen confirmed.
"I see. We'll have it ready by Monday, Mrs. Walker."
Karen smiled. "That's more like it."