Wonderful Christmas
Mike Corbin (General Hospital) and Mary Scanlon (Port Charles)

"Oh no, Mr. Corbin, hands off the deviled eggs," Mary said, catching her husband rifling around in the refrigerator. "And don't try to charm me with that smile. It won't work. You know I made those for the guests."

"But they look so delicious. How about just one? Please, Mrs. Corbin, just one," Mike pleads, giving her that dashing smile that had won her over some time before. She'd never expected to fall in love again, certainly not at her advanced age, let alone get remarried six months before, yet there she was. Being referred to as Mrs. Corbin was still a shock to the system, yet it also felt right somehow.

"They look so tasty, made with just the right amount of love," Mike went on.

"Mike, you silver-tongued devil, you're impossible," Mary chuckles. "Fine. You can have one deviled egg. But only one."

"Thank you, dear lady."

"Did I hear someone say devilled egg?" Frank asked, sauntering into the kitchen, mug of spiced eggnog in hand.

Mary shook her head at her husband as if to say, now look at what you started. He shrugged and snitched an egg, devouring it in one bite.

"That was the one and only freebie," Mary said. "You'll have to wait to sample the eggs at dinnertime like everyone else, Son."

Frank smirked. "Well, Mike, consider yourself one lucky man."

Mike winked at Mary. "Oh, I do."

Mary blushed, all the while knowing it was perfectly ridiculous. She was pushing eighty. Eighty-year-old women did not blush. Yet, her cheeks were rosy and warm.

Turning to look at her eldest son, Mary asked, "Frank, did you finish setting out the place cards?"

"I did," Frank replied. "And considering some of the attendees tonight, I had to get creative with the seating chart so as to avoid any bloodshed before we even say grace."

"Francis Scanlon!" Mary gasped. "You take that back right now and apologize to Mike. Sonny is Mike's son and -"

Frank held up a hand. "Ma, wait a sec. I was actually talking about Karen and Brenda, and Eve and Lucy. If those women sat next to each other, the fur would start flying."

Mary blushed again. This time, in embarrassment. "Oh. I mean, of course, you're right, Frank. I didn't mean to assume-" She broke off.

"Anyway," Frank said, "I'll just go… See if Joe needs help with… anything." He beat a hasty retreat from the kitchen.

Mary slowly turned to look at Mike. He was leaning against the sink. "Mike-" She said, wading up a hand towel and tossing it onto the counter. "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry."

Mike shook his head. "Don't apologize. We never talked about this before … I suppose I was afraid to ask how you felt about my son's business. You're so devout and upright-"

"Oh, Mike," Mary said. "You make me sound so judgmental and holier-than-thou."

"That's not my intention." He moved over to Mary, lightly grasping her hand. "Mary, your faithfulness, your innate goodness; those are things that drew me to you in the first place."

Mary squeezed his calloused fingers. "I appreciate you for saying that but I can indeed be judgemental, whether I want to admit it or not. How often have my sons told me I was too harsh on their girlfriends in the past? Too often, I see things in black and white and it becomes a case of all or nothing with me. I'm approaching eighty and I am set in my ways. I am not sure you can teach an old dog new tricks. That's not an excuse. It's just the truth. But it's also true that I genuinely like Sonny. He's strong and capable, and most importantly, he's good to you, and his wife and children. I may not understand why he does what he does, but I accept it. And I will always want him around because he's a part of you, Mike, and I love you."

"Mary," Mike said softly, in a voice a little hoarse with emotion. "Oh no, Mary, I am afraid I was wrong."

"Wrong? About what?"

"You're not just a good person, Mary. You're wonderful."

She chuckled. "Mike Corbin, you're such a smooth-talker."

Mike gave her a soft, warm kiss that curled her toes. How a kiss could curl her toes at her age, she didn't understand, but it did. Everything she experienced with Mike felt fresh and new and exciting.

She gently cupped his cheek. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Corbin."

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Corbin."