Chapter 3…Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! I'm thinking I can probably keep this story going right up to the point of the congressional-question-flashback from whatever episode that was!

The couple was on the verge of their first Christmas together. In the few weeks that had passed since their first date, Mac and Rod had been inseparable. And, though neither had admitted it yet, were madly in love.

The two of them had worked out a deal for the holidays: Christmas Eve with Rod's family here in New Haven, then an early morning drive to Groton for Christmas Day with Mackenzie's parents, and back home for an extra special New Year's Eve with friends. (Or all alone, they hadn't decided yet.)

Christmas Eve

Stephen Calloway watched his son's car pull into the driveway. Rod had mentioned that he was bringing someone for dinner and they were a former student, but he wouldn't divulge the name.

As he peaked through the dining room window, he saw Mackenzie Allen emerge from the passenger side door. Stephen wasn't the least bit surprised, because he hadn't been the least bit oblivious. He noticed the looks, the smiles; and he knew Rod visited his office when he wasn't there. He also knew that bringing a girl home to meet his family was a big step for his son.

Rod had always been a casual dater; more concerned with tomorrow's baseball game than finding the love of his life. So Stephen was well aware of what Mackenzie must mean to him.

"Spying on Rod?" whispered Meagan, just behind her father's ear.

"Of course," he said with a quick kiss on the cheek. "Go get the door for them."

Meagan, at 16 years old, was the baby of the Calloway family. She opened the door and gave her brother a huge hug, "I'm so glad you're here. Come in, come in."

"Mac, this is my favorite sister…"

"His only sister; my name's Meagan," she interrupted as she wrapped her arm around Mackenzie's and led her into the house. "It'll be so nice to have another girl around here."

While Rod was left to tend to the luggage, Meagan introduced Mac to the rest of the family. There were the brothers: Matthew, 18; James, 20; and Bryan, 23; all congregated around the pool table in the game room. Mimi and Pops (Grandma and Grandpa Calloway) and Uncle Robert and Aunt Jean Calloway were gathered in the kitchen picking at the dinner that was being prepared. Rod finally caught up to them as they were entering the den where his mother and father were chatting over cocktails.

"Well, well, look who it is," Stephen said, feigning surprise, as he stood to greet to group.

"Oh, please," Meagan squealed, "he saw you through the window."

"Can you blame me? I was curious; though I must admit that I suspected it all along."

Wrapping his arm around Mackenzie's shoulder, he continued in a whisper, "And was quite thrilled to find out my suspicions were correct."

The couple smiled. Rod knew his father liked Mac professionally, but was glad to find out that he supported their relationship.

"Sarah, this is Mackenzie Allen," and to Mackenzie, "Ms. Allen, this is my wife, Sarah."

Sarah Calloway was Rod's stepmother. His mother was killed in a car wreck shortly after Meagan was born, and his father had remarried a few years later. Rod and Sarah never really got along.

"Nice to meet you," she said with forced enthusiasm as she headed for the door. "I wonder if dinner's ready."

Mac and Rod looked at each other with an expression of sarcastic acceptance. Rod knew his stepmother would act this way, and he had warned Mac.

As it turns out, dinner was ready and everyone gathered in the dining room. The conversation was typical of a family getting together for the holidays: Matthew, who was attending Boston University on a hockey scholarship, was ranked second on his team for points scored; James had been accepted into NYU's pre-med program; and Robert and Jean announced that they would soon be grandparents. Sarah spoke very little throughout the course of the meal.

After dinner, everyone gathered in the den to exchange gifts. Again, Sarah remained relatively quiet. Stephen, noticing her lax enthusiasm, said, "Sarah, my dear, come help me break out that cheesecake for everyone."

The kitchen was just across the hall from the den, so when Stephen and Sarah began to raise their voices, Mackenzie could hear the conversation faintly. One thing she did hear clearly was her name. Listening would be eavesdropping, this she knew, but if the conversation was about her, she didn't care about being polite.

"She won't be any good for him, Stephen. She's too ambitious and she doesn't need him. His goals will get pushed to the back-burner until they're shoved out of the picture all together." Sarah paused for a moment, "He finally got out of that ridiculous military and onto a good path, a successful path. He doesn't need her. He needs a wife, a mother for his children. He's 25 years old, for goodness sake. Why can't he get serious about his future?"

"I think you're overreacting, and underestimating both of them," Stephen responded. "Rod and Mackenzie's lives are headed in very similar directions. And I think she needs him just as much as he needs her. They'll push each other to be great."

"Hot shot lawyers don't exactly make for great wives and mothers," Sarah continued.

Mackenzie couldn't take any more of this conversation. She was furious that someone could judge her in such a way when they had only known her a few hours. She excused herself from the group, assuring Rod that she just needed some fresh air, and went outside to cool down.

Rod had heard his parents' conversation. He had been talking louder than normal, hoping to shield Mackenzie's ears, but he knew now that she had heard. When several minutes had passed, he resolved to go look for her.

Rod opened the front door just Mac was reaching for the knob. He looked at her sympathetically, telling her that he knew what was wrong. She just shook her head, "I don't want to talk about it." As she began to step past him into the house, he raised his arm and planted it across the doorway, blocking her re-entry. Mackenzie glared at the arm for a moment, and when it didn't move, she glared at its owner.

"You have to listen to me, Mac," Rod pleaded. He was stern, but full of heart, so she relented. "Don't tell me that you don't care what she thinks. She's your mother."

"She's my step-mother," he replied. "There's a slight difference. But no, I don't care what she thinks. I care what I think. And what I feel."

He held her face in his warm hands and pressed his forehead to hers. She closed her eyes as she heard him whisper, "I love you, Mackenzie."