Who was standing on the Bledsoes' front porch? Read on to find out!
Christmas Day 11:00 AM
The husky middle-aged man standing on the rectory's front porch laughed out loud at the harsh greeting he'd just received. "Surprise! Merry Christmas!"
"Philip Edward Bledsoe! What on earth are you doing here? Why are you standing out there in the cold? And why aren't you in St. Louis?," Phyllis exclaimed. "You get in here right now! You've got some explaining to do!"
"Okay, okay…just a minute…I gotta take care of somethin' first." He turned and whistled loudly over his shoulder. "Look who else is here!"
A small group of people soon gathered on the sidewalk leading up to the house. "See, Mom? Diane came with me, too…and the kids…"
"What's going on, Honey?," Ed asked impatiently, joining his wife at the front door. Standing with his hands on his hips, he called out, "Phil! You brought Diane and the boys to Guthrie? Paula and Lyle and their twins are here, too? Oh my goodness! The whole family's here! Son of a gun! That's just crazy! I don't believe it!"
"And I don't understand it…" Overcome with emotion, Phyllis leaned against her husband, wiping her streaming eyes with a tissue as she continued. "You all said you couldn't come for Christmas this year…and now you're all here…and it's so wonderful…but…I'm so confused…"
Giving his mother a bear hug, Phil chuckled softly. "Come on…let's go inside and warm up, and we'll tell you all about it, Mom…"
A couple of minutes later, Phil, Paula, and their families were crowded into the rectory's living room, laughing and talking as they made themselves comfortable on the well worn furniture. "Okay, kids…," Ed began in an annoyed tone. "...spill it! You know, you two made your mom real unhappy when you said you couldn't come for Christmas, and I'm glad you're here now, but still…I'm not pleased that you all caused your mother so much grief."
"I'm sorry. We didn't mean to upset you, Mom." Paula reached over and patted her mother's hand gently. "But it just so happened that at the last minute both of us were able to rearrange our holiday work schedules. We didn't say anything to you and Dad, because we weren't sure it would work out until we actually got everything hashed out…"
"And we didn't want to get your hopes up, just in case it didn't work out. You know we'd never want to disappoint you, right?" Seeing his mother's tentative nod, Phil smiled. "So we decided to keep our plans to ourselves, that's all. We both knew you were disappointed when we said we couldn't make it for Christmas, but I think it would've been a lot worse if we'd told you we'd try to come and then we couldn't get here for whatever reason.," he added. "Anyway, after we both got things figured out with our work schedules, me and Paula talked it over and decided that instead of calling ahead, it might be more fun to surprise you…so Diane and I packed up the kids and drove from St. Louis to Claremore last night…"
"And then we left early this morning to drive over here.," Paula added. "We'll stay the night and head back to Claremore late tomorrow afternoon. I wish we could stay longer, but I could only get two days off…"
"And I have a budget meeting I have to be at later this week." Phil sighed in annoyance. "It's a stupid time of year to have a meeting, but whatever. They didn't ask me what I thought about the date…"
"Well…you all staying the night here might be a problem…" Ed grimaced slightly, shaking his head at his daughter's plans. "There aren't any rooms available in town, and we've got a full house here."
Nodding at the Bledsoes' guests, Phil shrugged. "Yeah, I see you've got lotsa company, but that's no big deal. We drove our campers over here so we'd have a place to sleep. You know I've been wanting to try mine out ever since I bought it, right? Well, this was a good time to do just that. Anyway, I talked to Reverend Talbot at the Methodist Church across the street, and he said we could both park our trailers there overnight."
"We brought plenty of food, too, Mom, so you don't have to worry about feeding us." Seeing the surprised look on her mother's face, Paula laughed. "Yes, believe it or not, I actually did some cooking on my own, but I used your recipes, so hopefully everything turned out okay. I made Dad a pecan pie, too."
Sniffling slightly, Phyllis dabbed at her eyes again. "But I still don't understand why you didn't call to say you were coming once your plans were set."
Phil sighed softly as he rubbed his mother's shoulder. "Well, for one thing, as I said, we wanted it to be a Christmas surprise, but we also didn't want you to fret about having to do all those holiday preparations like you normally do. In the past, you've worn yourself out getting everything ready for Christmas Day, and then you're too tired to enjoy your company…not to mention the expense involved in fixin' that big dinner like you usually do." He cast a slightly suspicious glance at the Nelsons' fidgety small children. "But it looks like you had enough reasons to wear yourself out anyway…"
"Nonsense, Philip!," his mother scolded. "When it came to getting ready for the holidays, these fine people have helped me out! Believe it or not, I really haven't had much of anything extra to do." She pointed to the tiny evergreen plant sitting on a nearby table. "See? They even got us a darling little Christmas tree…" She paused suddenly, turning to the small group of people standing behind them. "Oh my goodness! Where are my manners? I've forgotten to introduce everyone…"
She gestured toward the Nelsons. "This is Sam and Alice, and their three children: Jake, Josh, and Janie. They got stranded out on the highway when their car broke down during the snowstorm, so they've been staying over in the parish hall, since there was nowhere else available to stay in town." After Sam and Phil shook hands, Phyllis smiled at her other guests. "And this is Special Agent Seeley Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan. They're both with the FBI. They were over in Tulsa for a case, but they got stranded when they couldn't get a flight out of the City because of the snowstorm, so they've been staying here with us in the rectory."
Phil grimaced slightly as he shook Booth's hand. "Um…so why didn't you just fly outta Tulsa?"
"It's a long story…," Booth said with an embarrassed shrug. "The weather caught me off guard…"
"I suppose that's true, to some extent." Brennan chuckled at her partner's discomfort. "Basically, Booth doesn't always believe in meteorologists, and he thinks their forecasts are mostly based on guesswork."
Booth rolled his eyes at her. "Really, Bones? I believe what meteorologists say most of the time, but I think they're prone to exaggerate, that's all…"
Wanting to avoid another round of animated bickering between the couple, Ed quickly interrupted them. "As a matter of fact, Phil…" The elderly man exhaled slowly. "Booth and Dr. Brennan decided to stay with us for Christmas Day so your mother and I wouldn't be lonesome, okay? They could've flown back to DC yesterday, but they decided to wait a couple of days, which is real nice of them, isn't it? Besides, they've paid for their own groceries while they were here, and they paid for the use of their rooms, too. Sam and Alice offered to do the same, but I couldn't take their money. They've had a streak of bad luck, and I didn't want to put any more stress on them." Still somewhat irrationally annoyed at his children's surprise visit, the elderly man grumbled at his son. "Look, I know you're concerned about me and your mom spending a lot of money and working too hard over the holidays, especially with us being older now, but it was nice having folks around here the last few days, especially with all the snow keeping us stuck at home. We liked having the company…and you said you couldn't be here, so…don't make a big deal about them being here, either. Just leave it be."
Sighing softly, Phil pursed his lips slightly at his dad's explanation. "Okay, Dad. Look, I understand why you're frustrated with us…and I guess maybe we should've done things differently, but we're all here now, and it's Christmas, alright? What's done is done, so let's not argue. Let's just enjoy the day, spending time together with the whole family, okay?"
Hesitating slightly, Ed nodded as he embraced his son. "You're right, Phil…we're all gonna enjoy Christmas Day…together."
Meanwhile, Paula's eyes widened in surprise as she studied the FBI contingent. "Wait a minute…you're Temperance Brennan, the mystery author, aren't you? Oh my God, Diane! It's really her! It's the actual Temperance Brennan in the flesh…"
Diane was stunned as she stared at Brennan. "No way!"
"Yes way!" Rushing to shake Brennan's hand, Paula was almost beside herself in excitement. "I love your books!" She pointed towards her sister in law. "Well, actually, we both do! I can't believe this! You're really you…and you're standing right here, in person, in my mother's living room…right here in Guthrie, Oklahoma! Oh my God!" Realizing she might be overreacting a bit, Paula grinned sheepishly as she fanned her face with her hands. "Sorry. I know I'm babbling, but…I'm such a huge fan of yours! I just can't believe I'm really meeting you in person like this, here in my mom's house and all. This is amazing! I have all of your books at home…"
Diane giggled as she shook Brennan's hand. "Me, too! I have the physical books and then I've downloaded all of them on my tablet!" She held up her phone. "I was actually reading your latest book on the way here!"
Brennan smiled politely as she listened to the women's gushing chatter. "That's good to know. I'm glad you both enjoy my books."
Paula's husband Lyle laughed out loud. "Enjoy them? My wife practically devours them! Whenever she gets a new Kathy Reichs mystery, we all know not to bother her until she finishes it, or else there's Hell to pay…"
Phil poked Diane's ribs playfully. "I hear that! I think if my wife had her way, she'd lock us out of the house so she could read her novel in peace…and once she starts, she doesn't wanna stop, even if it means we might have to skip dinner."
Booth nodded in agreement as he gave Brennan's hand a gentle squeeze. "Yeah, I get that…when Bones is in the middle of writing a new novel I know I'd better leave her alone, or else I'm gonna be in trouble, you know?" Chuckling as Brennan rolled her eyes at him, he smiled. "Her books are really good, though. I like to read them, too."
After the introductions were complete and the normal pleasantries exchanged, Phyllis cringed as she checked her watch. "Oh my goodness! Look at the time! I need to get that ham in the oven or dinner will be late…" She raised an eyebrow at her newly arrived family members. "After you all bring in the food, why don't you girls come help me in the kitchen? I could use a hand getting everything ready."
Ed winked at the men standing around in the living room. "I'm not sure, fellas, but I think we've been dismissed for now. I guess my sweet wife's got a lot of things to do at the moment, so we'd better skedaddle outta here before she changes her mind!" He turned to his son with a grin. "How about giving us guys a tour of your new camper, Phil?"
Scratching his head at his mother's sudden mood change, Phil nodded in confusion. "Um, sure…okay."
"Good." Ed nodded happily as he looked around the room. "Now…where did I put my jacket? I wonder if I left it in the hall…or maybe it's in my room…"
Sam shook his head. "I think maybe it's hanging on the rack by the back porch. I'll go look…"
Phil glanced at Booth as they got ready to leave. "Special Agent, huh? That means your FBI, right?"
"Yep." Slipping into his jacket, Booth arched an eyebrow at the younger man's questioning gaze. "Are you interested in joining the Bureau?"
The two men stepped out onto the front porch as Phil continued. "I don't know…maybe? I've actually been thinking of becoming an arson investigator, but I've also checked into working for various state and federal agencies, too. I'm the lead at my station right now, but I'm not sure I want to stay in that position forever…you know, heading up the crew as we put down a five alarm fire and shit like that. I mean, I love my job, but it can be so dangerous, you know? Besides, my schedule can be weird, and I'd like to spend more time with my kids. I think I'd prefer working on the part that comes after the fire's out, where someone figures out how it started in the first place. I like finding out why things happen, and I'm pretty good at solving riddles like that."
"Yeah, I get that. Being an investigator can be rewarding, especially when you figure out who the perp is and then bring them to justice.." Booth smiled as he looked out over the snow covered lawn. "I like that part of figuring out who committed a crime, too, especially since Bones…Dr. Brennan…is my partner. She's really good at coming up with all sorts of detailed evidence from any of the remains that we may find, and that always helps us solve whatever mystery we're looking into. She's the best forensic anthropologist in the world, so she makes my job a helluva lot easier…I mean, she's just amazing, you know? She's the reason my unit has such a great solve rate…"
Smiling to himself, Phil nodded as he listened to the federal agent sing the praises of his associate. This fella's got it bad for his partner, doesn't he? "So what you're sayin' is that having a good partner makes the work a lot easier?"
"Definitely. See, the secret to being a good investigator is to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are, and then to listen when they tell you stuff. When you put all that info together, it's a lot easier to figure out which bastard did the dirty deed."
"Thanks for the tip!" Phil paused as Sam and Ed joined them on the porch. "Okay, guys…prepare to be impressed and amazed! You're gonna love my new camper…it's downright palatial…"
Oooooooooo
While the men were busy being impressed with Phil's camper, Alice volunteered to supervise the children as they played in the snow. The smaller children wanted to build snow forts so they could have a giant snowball fight before Christmas dinner.
It wasn't long after the trailer tour that Phil, Lyle, Sam, and Booth were called upon for their expertise in snow fort construction, and to hear Alice tell it, the men enjoyed playing in the snow as much as the kids did, if not more.
Since the house was finally quiet, Ed decided it would be a perfect time for a nap in the living room. He stretched out in his recliner, pretending to read the book on his lap, but his snoring soon gave him away.
"Let your dad sleep.," Phyllis said to Paula in a whisper as they stood in the room's entry. "He was up late last night doin' the Christmas Eve service, and I'm sure he's worn out…"
"And this way he's out of your kitchen, right?" Paula giggled. "You know he'd be under foot, wanting a taste of everything…"
"True." Walking over to the entrance into the formal dining room, Phyllis sighed, shaking her head in frustration. "I'm glad everyone's here, but…where are we goin' to put everybody when we have dinner?"
Hearing Phyllis' frustrated sigh as she walked by, Brennan asked, "Is something wrong? What can I do to help?"
"I guess there's nothing really wrong, Temperance…" Shrugging slightly, Phyllis crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm just trying to figure out where to seat everybody for dinner. There are ten adults and seven kids, and I'm not sure how we're all going to fit in here. I suppose we don't have to eat in the same room, but I'd prefer it if we could work it out somehow…you know, having us sit down like one big family for Christmas." She grinned sheepishly. "I know we're not all family, but…I think it'd be nicer that way."
"Hmm. Let me see…" Studying the room intently, Brennan tilted her head to one side. "Is the table extended as far as it will go?"
"There's one more leaf…"
Brennan nodded. "Good. And do you have any square folding tables? Or tray tables?"
"Yes, I have some card tables…but they're out in the garage. I'll have Ed bring them in for us when he wakes up."
"Excellent. Now…let me see…" Smiling at the prospect of having an entertaining project, Brennan tapped her fingers on the table. "May I have some paper and a pencil?"
"Yes, of course."
Armed with her drawing materials, Brennan was soon involved in completing her task with the same fervor she exhibited when she worked with Booth to solve heinous crimes. After studying the dining room, living room, and kitchen, she sketched several diagrams in order to determine the most practical use of the available space while still trying to maintain a family atmosphere for Christmas dinner.
In the meantime, Paula and Diane were busy in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the items they'd brought. Looking over all the casserole dishes that covered the kitchen counter, Diane smirked at Phyllis. "We might need Dr. Brennan to set up our buffet, too, or else we're gonna have a big traffic jam in this kitchen."
"Maybe so.," Phyllis agreed. "After all, as we've learned from reading her books, she does seem to have an eye for minute details. "
Diane nodded in agreement. "That she does. I think that's why I enjoy her books so much. Those little details make her stories come alive. You know, when I'm reading one of her mysteries, I often feel like I'm standing right there next to Kathy Reichs while she's working on a case."
"Yeah…I think that's why they're so much fun." Shaking her head in disbelief, Paula grinned at her mother. "So you knew the whole time that your houseguest was actually Dr. Temperance Brennan…a world famous novelist…but you didn't say anything to us about her staying here for a few days. I find that hard to believe…"
"Yes, of course, I knew! I've seen her picture on the back of her books enough times, so there's no missing who she is! I mean, it's not like she called attention to herself, but I recognized her as soon as she and Agent Booth walked into the parlor with the sheriff. Anyway, she's such a lovely, down to earth woman and there was no reason to make a production out of things when they showed up here a few nights ago, especially since they were both stressed out by being stranded during the blizzard." Phyllis narrowed her eyes at her daughter's chuckle. "You should've heard their bickering! They were really going at it, so the last thing she needed was to have me all up in her business about her being a famous writer...you know, like asking her all sorts of obnoxious questions about her books and all. Besides, she doesn't act like a celebrity at all…she doesn't ask to be catered to, and she hasn't made any demands on us like some famous people might do if they were a guest in someone's home. She's vegan, of course, but Agent Booth took that into account when he bought their groceries, so that wasn't an issue. All in all, she's a kind, thoughtful, generous person, and she's been an exemplary houseguest."
"So you just played it cool, not making a big deal out of things, even though she's a bestselling author whose books have been made into blockbuster movies. Right. Whatever you say." Winking at Diane, Paula chuckled softly. "Come on, Mom…I know you must've been fangirling over having her staying here with you. I can't believe you've kept this news all to yourself! If nothing else, you must've told all the other church members…"
"Nope, not really. I mean, my friends may have seen her at church last night, but nobody said anything." Phyllis wore a sly smile. "I can play it cool if I need to…although I may ask her to autograph one of my books before they leave tomorrow…"
Diane giggled as she arranged a vegetable tray. "You know, I've read online that a lot of people think that Dr. Brennan based the character of Andy Lister on her real life work partner…and after getting a good look at Agent Booth, I can sure see why. That man is smokin' hot..." She stopped suddenly. "You all don't need to tell Phil I said that. I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't care, but…"
"Oh, Honey…you can trust us to keep your little secret, okay?" Phyllis gave her a knowing wink. "And you're absolutely on target about Agent Booth. The Lord did a great job of putting that man together, didn't he? Good gracious…he is one handsome man…and with all those big muscles…Lord help us…"
"I tell you what…" Paula licked her lips slightly as she considered the agent. "Now that I know what 'Andy Lister' really looks like, I'm gonna have to go back and re-read all those spicy bits in Dr. Brennan's novels. I think they'll definitely be a lot more interesting now that I can imagine Agent Booth taking part in some of those sexy scenes…wow…"
"Yep!" Diane quickly agreed with Paula's assessment. "He's definitely sparked my imagination…"
"I think I've figured it out!.," Brennan proudly announced as she entered the kitchen. Her brow furrowed as the three women looked up at her in embarrassed surprise. "What?"
"Nothing, really." Phyllis smiled as she looked over Brennan's diagram. "We were just discussing how attractive Agent Booth is, that's all…but you already know that, since you work with him…and then we were talking about your books…and stuff like that…"
"Oh…I see." Brennan paused, wondering if she'd missed something interesting before agreeing with them. "Well, anthropologically speaking, of course, you are correct. By whatever standard you might use, Booth is a very attractive man, especially with his exceptional facial symmetry and remarkable musculature. He's also an outstanding FBI agent, and I'm quite pleased to have him as my partner. After all, I only work with the best."
Pinching her lips together to keep from giggling, Phyllis nodded, wearing a coy smile as she looked at Paula and Diane to see if they understood Dr. Brennan's underlying sentiment, and the two women smiled in return. They knew exactly what the anthropologist meant:
Hands off! You can look at Booth but you may not touch him! Agent Booth belongs to me…and me alone…
Evidently pleased to have proven her point as far as Booth was concerned, Brennan nodded resolutely. "Now, let's talk about where everyone is going to sit when we have dinner…"
Oooooooooo
The extended dining room table had been moved from the center of the room to one side, making way for two square folding tables, which were flanked with an assortment of chairs. After everyone had served themselves from the buffet, they found their places and waited for Ed to say the blessing.
The elderly priest cleared his throat softly. "Let us pray: Lord, we thank You for our family and our friends who are gathered together today to celebrate the birth of Your Son. We thank You for all the many blessings You've bestowed upon us this year. Help us to share those blessings with others in the coming years. In Your Name we pray. Amen."
The group responded with a hearty 'AMEN'.
"Now…let's eat!" Grinning broadly, Ed sat down and happily surveyed his plate before he took a bite. "Wow…you've outdone yourself, Honey! This ham is great!"
Phyllis waved off his praise. "I didn't do anything other than put it in the pan and heat it up before I poured on the glaze that came with it…"
"I know better than that…" Winking at his wife, Ed sighed contentedly. "You made it with love…and that makes it special…"
She beamed happily at the compliment. "Thanks, Sweetie! Now, make sure you eat some vegetables, too." She shared some hot buttered carrots with him. "You need something to counteract all those carbs…"
Ed pretended to pout. "Come on, Honey…carbs don't count at Christmas…you know that…"
"Maybe not, but they will come back to bite you later if you're not careful, Eddie…"
As they sat at one of the smaller tables by themselves, Booth nudged Brennan and nodded toward the elderly couple, chuckling at their playful antics. "Look at them, joking around like a couple of kids. Married all these years, and they're still so happy together. I think that's amazing…"
Brennan frowned slightly as she observed them for a few seconds. "Do you suppose they knew they'd be together so long?"
"What?" Surprised by the odd question, Booth turned to his partner to see if she was trying to make a joke, but she seemed serious. "Well, who knows? I mean, I'm sure there was a certain amount of luck involved, and they both seem to be in good health, so that's a point in their favor…"
"But random chance doesn't entirely explain the success of their relationship, does it? They seem to genuinely care for each other, even after living together for an extended length of time. In my experience, such a long period of monogamous pair bonding is unusual for human couples to achieve."
He nodded, finally understanding her point. "I guess you're right. It isn't merely random chance that got them this far. I think many years ago, when they first decided to get married, they also decided that they'd do anything they could to make sure they stayed together for their whole lives. They love each other deeply, and because of that, neither one ever wanted to give up on their marriage, no matter what happened to them along the way." Sighing softly, he paused, unfolding his napkin. "My grandparents had that kind of marriage, and, believe it or not, Bones, I think your mom and dad did, too, based on what Max has told me about her. That kind of love…the kind that has the strength and the depth to last for decades…it's rare, and it's incredible, but it's not all due to luck. Ed and Phyllis have probably had to work hard at staying in love over the years. They made the effort, and now they're reaping the rewards."
Brennan slowly shook her head. "I don't understand, Booth. Human attraction is based on a response to hormones, endorphins, and other biochemical agents. There isn't any work involved…it's merely a basic instinct driving an encounter, encouraging sexual coupling in order to preserve the species."
"Well, maybe the hormones do sorta jump start the whole reproduction kind of thing…" Booth laughed as he considered her statement. "Okay, so maybe there's not a lot of work that has to be done at first if you're just hooking up…you know, when you find someone you think is attractive and they like you, too. Maybe at first, one person thinks another person is hot, and that's simply because of hormones interacting, or whatever, and so they have sex, and maybe to them, that's all it is…giving in to biological urges. But to have a true meeting of minds…to find someone who is a perfect match for your heart and soul…and to have a long lasting relationship with that person…it means you've gotta commit to making it work after the hormones are no longer the main factor that holds you two together. See, there's gonna be times when the person you find so attractive is gonna make you furious, okay? And if it's just someone you think is cute, then maybe you cut your losses and take off, and it's no big deal. But if you've made a commitment to love someone…if you've said you're in it for the long haul…then you just gotta remember that you love them no matter what happens, even if they're being really obnoxious, and you gotta be willing to work through it, especially if you've had kids together. That was the problem with me and Rebecca…we had a kid together, but we didn't want to put the effort into working out our differences. See, if a couple is willing to make the effort…if they make the choice to do that sort of hard work every day, and if all the outside factors fall into place for them, then maybe a couple can be as happy together as Ed and Phyllis are, even after fifty years."
"I'm very happy for them, of course…" Brennan sighed sadly as she reached for her glass. "...but their situation only serves to remind me that I often fail at maintaining long term relationships. It seems I'm missing some component in my personality that allows me to do so."
Booth was stunned by her statement. "Come on, Bones…you know that's not true." Taking her hand, he waited until she looked into his eyes. "You've been friends with Angela for years. You've always maintained a great relationship with Hodgins, and you've adapted to having Cam around. Your squints love you…"
"I have a professional relationship with my interns…"
"It's more than that, Bones, and you know it." Seeing her annoyed expression, he continued quietly. "Anyway, me and you…we've worked together for four years, right? And even though we don't always see eye to eye, you've figured out how to put up with me, probably because you're a genius…"
"But who knows when I'll do something to ruin those friendships?" Chewing her lip, Brennan shrugged slightly as she glanced at Booth. "I'm sorry. I suppose this isn't really an appropriate topic of conversation for Christmas dinner."
"Listen, Bones…you know I'll always be here to listen to you whenever you need to talk about something, no matter what day it is, right? And that's because you're my friend." Seeing that she understood, he exhaled slowly. "And so, because you're my friend, I'm gonna try to give you a little bit of advice. I guess you can think of it as an extra Christmas gift…and of course, since it came from me, it's gonna be extra valuable."
She couldn't help but smile at his comment. "Booth…that's silly…"
"Just listen, okay?"
She exhaled slowly. "Okay. What is your 'extra valuable' advice?"
"Just take things day by day." Seeing her confusion, he smiled sadly. "I know you, Bones, and I know you're a perfectionist. I also know sometimes you're so focused on what might happen to your relationships in the future that you get scared about what's going on now, thinking you might do something wrong to ruin them, right?" As she nodded, he said, "Well, it's true…you could mess things up, but you know what? Your friends…the people who love you…we're gonna forgive you if you mess things up."
"But what if I do something truly awful, Booth? What if I say or do something that hurts someone terribly?"
"It won't make any difference, no matter what you do. We're always gonna love you and we're always gonna forgive you." He chuckled softly. "You know what? Both my Pops and my Nana had a bit of a temper, and they were known to have a noisy argument or two…or maybe more…during their time together. Anyway, Pops always told me that if you foul up one day, you can always start over again the next day. That's what he and Nana always did after a row. They always forgave each other…or maybe I should say Nana always forgave Pops, because most of the time he was on the wrong side of the skirmish."
He was pleased to get a tiny smile from her after that comment. "Seriously, Bones…don't worry about making a relationship with anyone last forever. Things will take care of themselves in the long run. Just relax and take things one day at a time when you deal with people, okay? And then, when enough days pass, you'll look back and realize that maybe thirty or forty years have gone by, and you're still friends with Angela…and you'll still be doing sciency stuff with Hodgins, and maybe even with Cam…and maybe after fifty years or so, you might even manage to find time to have lunch with me at the diner on occasion."
"I suppose that's a reasonable way to handle it." Brennan ate a bite of salad as she thought things over. "Perhaps I should rely on something I've heard my father say on occasion: 'don't borrow trouble'. Is that aphorism applicable in relationship situations?"
Patting her hand, Booth smiled. "Exactly. Now…" He glanced furtively over his shoulder before pushing his chair away from the table. "I'm gonna go see if there's any pumpkin pie left. Do you want anything while I'm up? Do you want me to get you some more pecan pie?"
"No…I'm fine, but thank you." She smiled as she watched him walk away, murmuring to herself. "Maybe, if Booth is willing to overlook my errors I'd be able to have a lengthy relationship with him after all…if I take it one day at a time."
Oooooooooo
It was almost 8 o'clock on Christmas evening, and the holiday festivities had begun winding down.
Booth had volunteered to help Sam and Alice carry armloads of gifts and three sleepy children over to the parish hall so they could settle in for the night. "And it took us several trips to get everything there…but it was worth it.," he mumbled happily as he walked back across the parking lot. ""They'll remember this Christmas for a long, long time…"
After jogging up the stairs of the back porch, he wiped his feet on the doormat and walked into the enveloping warmth of the kitchen. "Oh hey, Bones! What's going on?'
She shrugged as she sipped from a dainty china cup. "I decided that Phyllis and Ed should be able to spend some family time together with their children without having to worry about a stranger hanging around." She rose from her seat to fix some more tea. "Besides, it was turning into a rather awkward discussion. Phil and Paula have some definite opinions about where their parents should live when it's time for them to leave Guthrie, but, as you might imagine, Ed and Phyllis have their own thoughts on the matter, which don't exactly line up with those of their children." She giggled quietly as she discarded her teabag. "Things were getting rather heated, so I excused myself."
"Yeah, that was probably a good idea." Taking a mug from a cabinet, Booth poured himself some coffee. "I bet Ed and Phyllis will make a logical decision. They seem to be pretty strong-willed and independent, but they're at an age where they need to consider whether or not they'll need help in the near future." Stirring some sugar into his cup, he shrugged. "I'm sure they'll come up with a compromise of some sort, like maybe living halfway between Claremore and St. Louis or something like that. Trust me…it'll all work out."
She nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it will."
They sat silently for a few minutes, enjoying the stillness that had settled over the house. Finally Booth cleared his throat. "I think this is my favorite part of Christmas Day. We've had a good meal…we've had fun giving and receiving gifts…we've had a good time with friends…and now most of the commotion is over and we get to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening in peace."
"Hmm…," Brennan said absentmindedly. "That's nice…"
Glancing at partner, Booth raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay, Bones? You seem a bit…I don't know…maybe kinda blue…"
"I'm fine." She smiled at him before returning to her teacup. "I was just thinking about Ed and Phyllis…about how glad they were this morning when they realized their children had come to visit them for the holiday. They were so happy to see them…" She shifted slightly on her stool. "I'd like to experience that someday…having my family come home to see me for Christmas." She shrugged as she ran her fingers along the cup's handle. "I know how happy it makes Max when I visit him, and I enjoy seeing my nieces, but somehow I feel like seeing my own children over a holiday would be different…that it would be somewhat more…satisfying."
"It is." Booth pursed his lips slightly as he looked away from her. "I mean, even though I don't often get to see Parker on the actual date of Christmas, when I do see him…when I watch him open his gifts…and see how happy he is just to spend time with me…it just sorta makes my heart overflow with joy." He held up his hand to interrupt the expected comment. "Yeah, I know we don't experience our emotions with our hearts, okay? But trust me…, wherever it comes from, it feels wonderful." He reached over to take her hand. "Anyway, you may get to find out for yourself one day, right? You haven't given up on the idea of having a child some day, have you?"
"I don't know." Giggling softly, she smirked at him. "Your semen donation is still available should I decide to use it. I suppose I could try to time things so I could give birth next December. That would definitely be a memorable Christmas gift for you, wouldn't it?"
He rolled his eyes at her crazy idea. "That may not be the best gift idea you ever had, Bones. It'd be easier to get me a puppy! Come on…be serious, okay? Are you still thinking about having a kid? You'd be a great mom!"
"I'm not seriously entertaining the idea at the moment. I believe helping the Nelson children build their snowman has clarified the issue for me."
"But you were great with them!" He hesitated suddenly, realizing that she most likely wasn't aware how he'd 'spied' on her. "At least that's what Alice said. And Janie thinks you're wonderful…"
"I'll admit…I had fun playing with them…but I was also quite relieved when it was time to return to their mother's care. I think, perhaps, it'd be better for me to wait another year or two before I make the commitment to bear a child." She gave him a sly wink. "You know, like you said at dinner this afternoon…I'll take it one day at a time…"
"That's a good way to look at it. And you know, it's like I've told you before: there's more than one kind of family, right? So kids or not, you never have to be alone at Christmas if you don't want to, because you've got me…and the rest of your friends, okay?"
"I know…and I appreciate that." Yawning, she stretched slightly before rising from her stool to put her teacup in the sink. "I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. You said we'd be leaving between nine and ten tomorrow morning, correct?"
"Yeah. There's a couple of things I want to do in town before we head to Oklahoma City. For one thing, I need to get Parker a tee shirt of some sort…or maybe a hat…you know, something like that…"
"Alright. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Booth."
"Good night, Bones."
He sighed quietly as he watched her walk away, pondering over their conversation. "She's gonna be such a good mom…," he murmured. "...and somehow I gotta make sure she's a good mom for my kids. We need to have a life together…it needs to be more than 'I'm just a donor'…but how am I ever gonna convince her of that?"
Rinsing out his mug, he put it in the sink. "I guess I'll have to take our relationship one day at a time, too…no matter how many years may pass by…but one thing I know for sure: Bones will be worth the wait."
Thanks for reading. One more chapter to go!
