December 20th rolled around, and the Mason and Drake families arrived at the ski lodge. Controlling the younger crowd proved to be a challenge. The children's first visit to the lodge was bound to be a memorable one, what with their first snow, and their first time away from home for the big holiday. Andrew and Hannah raced around in circles, examining all the decorations the lobby had. Della did her best to corral them while Perry took care of registering. After the assigned chalets were given to them, the families went to lunch and toured the premises.

Perry couldn't help but smile as he watched Paulie and his children continue their in-depth exploration of the premises. Della saw the tender expression in his eyes and the boyish grin. She loved catching his unguarded moments, when the busy world faded away and Perry Mason, attorney at law took off his armor and just Perry Mason, husband and father, came out. He was never more attractive to her than when he had that natural smile.

"What's going on in that sexy mind, Perry?" Della asked in a low voice.

He looked down at his wife and his smile widened to include the devastating dimples. "Oh, the kids are being adorable."

Della watched as a careful mask dropped over his features. He was hiding something from her. She tilted her head, openly trying to decipher what exactly he was up to. He had been so determined for the family to come to the lodge. And the more she thought about it, the more the reason he had given her–Paul and Gertie's vow renewal–seemed phony. Before the Christmas Eve gala, she was going to know the reason they were back where it all began.

She sighed. "You forget, Chief, I know how to read you. Yes, the kids are cute. But what else is going on?"

"Nothing is going on, Darling!" He looked like he had just swallowed a handful of cookies freshly pilfered from the jar. "After Hannah found the picture, it occurred to me she should see where we tied the knot in person." He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Honest Injun."

She fluttered her lashes at him. "Liar."

"Della?" She smiled at him, and he drew her close. "I love you. I have a feeling you don't hear that often enough. And I don't mean the gooey love. I mean, I love who you are, and how you are, and the character you have, and the way you run our lives. I respect you, and I know you don't hear that often."

"What brought all this on?"

He kissed her lightly. "Call it the fresh air."

The couple strolled around the resort, trailing behind the three excited kids. They bought them a bag of chestnuts to share, and one for themselves. Eventually they sauntered into the cafe. There, to no one's surprise, sat the Drakes. Paul rose when Perry and Della approached. He saw the bag of roasted chestnuts and chuckled.

"Started without us, I see! What took you so long? Here we are, starving, thoughtfully waiting for you to join us, and you're off God-knows-where, just seeing the sights!"

Waiting until Dellas was seated, Perry took the space across from her, then smiled at Gertie. "Sorry we kept you." Then to Paul, he explained, "The kids decided to take the tour. You'd vanished, so it was left to us to supervise. Boy, are they excited! Paulie was running around, letting out warhoops, and Andrew was almost as bad."

Della nodded. "Perry speaks the truth! We wanted them to expend their excessive energy due to all this excitement." She waved her hand dramatically. "Consider yourselves lucky the brood naturally chose their own table."

As soon as she finished speaking, the waiter came and took their orders. While the kids chattered excitedly amongst themselves, the adults enjoyed cocktails and relaxed enough to leave work and parenthood out of the conversation.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the town, Mae Kirby met the Chicago portion of Della's family at the airport. Perry had arranged for a car service, so the transition and check-in was smooth. Only after they were registered did she explain what Perry had planned. She encouraged them to enjoy the amenities of the hotel and the surrounding area until the day of the wedding.

As the days passed, everything Perry had planned came to fruition. He and Della relished the downtime spent with Hannah and Andrew, and treasured the memories they made. In the evenings, after the children were tucked in, the couple mapped out what they wanted to do with their house, the trips they wanted to take in the future, and the upcoming gala. One thing Perry was careful not to discuss was Paul and Gertie's ceremony. He didn't trust himself to keep the secret. The closer it came to springing his surprise, the more he feared walking into a trap of his own making and giving away the entire show.

It was during lunch the day before the wedding that he informed Della and Gertie he had paid for them to have a spa day.

"I want you both pampered before the big dance," he explained casually. "And I thought Hannah would enjoy being a girl with the two of you."

Della stared at him in shocked disbelief. "A spa day? What are you going to do with yourself?"

He shrugged. "I'll think of something."

She laughed, then took him by surprise by planting a big kiss on him in front of everyone at the table.

"Eew!" Paulie moaned, and he and Andrew both covered their faces.

Perry cleared his throat and looked at Paul. "You're failing your son, Senior. He must not know real men enjoy it when the woman they love take control and unleash their passion. Don't you ever shock him?"

Gertie laughed outright. "Come to think of it, Paul is a little skittish when it comes to visual demonstrations."

"Hey!" he protested, "I'll have you know I have no problem whatsoever kissing my wife." Bending over her, he proved his point, causing Paulie and Andrew to have the same reaction. "There."

That night, Della and Perry were having a hard time getting the kids into bed and asleep.

"Oh, come on, you two, we have a long day tomorrow," Perry said as he tucked them into their beds. Andrew tried to shoot out of his bed like a rocket, but Della was waiting for him. "Nice try, buddy."

Perry quickly wrangled his son into his bed. "No more escapes, Andrew James Street Mason."

"I want to give Momma her goodnight kiss!" Andrew giggled. He always laughed when Perry used his full name.

Perry looked up at Della. "You're being paged, Mrs. Mason. If I knew you were throwing me over for a younger man, I never would have brought him along on this trip."

Andrew giggled again. Della winked at him, then brushed his dark hair from his brow. He looked deeply into his mother's eyes and felt a warmth flood him. He was safe and loved and knew it. Then she kissed him goodnight.

Perry came over to Hannah. She was burrowed under her covers with just her head peeking out. "Do you need Momma to kiss you goodnight, too?"

She nodded. At eight, there was nothing she loved more than Della's gentle hand on her shoulder, unless it was Perry reading a story or singing a lullaby. "Daddy?"

He smiled at her. "Uh-huh?"

"Would you sing me a song?"

He sighed. "Any particular one? A Christmas song?" She nodded. He caught Della's eye and she moved to stand beside him. "Let me talk to Momma for a second, okay?"

"What?" Della asked.

"She wants a song. Now's as good a time as any to do the one we've practiced."

Without another word, she started her part of the song. "I really can't stay . . ."

"But Baby, it's cold outside. . ."

And so it went. When they finished Hannah's song, Della turned down the lights and whispered, "Now, go to sleep, my loves."

The following morning, before the pitter-patter of little feet, Perry awoke. Beside him his wife was nestled against his side, her arm over his chest and her head on his shoulder. Her scent engulfed his olfactory sense, and he breathed her nearness in. Gently he pressed a tender kiss to her hair.

Della's eyes fluttered open. Focusing on her husband, she smiled sleepily. "Hi."

"Hi yourself, Cinderella." He kissed her lingeringly on the lips. "Paul is right; you're beautiful. I'm so glad he's never seen you like this."

"Like what?"

"Half-asleep and one hundred percent sexy." He moved his arm and she arranged herself more comfortably against him. "Della, you're going to be pampered today. While you and Gertie and Hannah are having your hair done, I'll check with Mae to make sure she's arrived safely."

She studied his profile. "Perry, are you ever going to tell me what this has been about?"

He met her eyes and shook his head. "My secret. Trust me, Darling. You'll like it."

"I like you," she purred. "The kids are sound asleep, Chief. And I happen to know the spa doesn't open for hours yet."