Chapter 2

"Did you have a fun Christmas, Grandma?" DJ asked as he took a seat next to Elizabeth on the deck.

"I had a wonderful Christmas." She gave him a one-armed hug. "How about you?"

"It's been super great." DJ nodded enthusiastically. "I can't wait to tell Michael about all the things I got. Aunt Carrie said we're going to have a slime war. Do you and Grandpa wanna come for that? Mommy said we'll have to do it outside and make sure we have on old clothes."

"Sounds like it's going to be exciting." Elizabeth smiled. "We'd love to come."

Joseph exited the house carrying Joan over one shoulder and Angie over the other. Both girls were giggling uncontrollably.

"Look what I found in the kitchen," he said. "Two of Santa's elves!"

"We not elves!" Angie insisted through her giggles. "We gi-wls!"

"Are you sure?" Joseph made a big show of putting the girls down on the deck and examining their faces closely. "I thought I saw pointed ears on the two of you."

Joan's hands flew to her ears. "We don't have pointed ears." She looked at her cousin. "Do we, DJ?"

DJ joined the laughter. "I don't see any."

"My mistake then," Joseph chuckled. "As you were." He looked at Elizabeth. "Ready?"

"Whe-we goin?" Angie asked.

"Grandma and I are going to take a walk on the beach," Joseph said.

"Me too?" Angie asked hopefully. "I take walk wif you."

"Can I go too?" Joan asked.

"It'll be fun," DJ said excitedly. "I can show you where Daddy and me found that pretty shell."

Joseph and Elizabeth's eyes met and they both smiled softly. What they had planned as a nice quiet walk on the beach had changed in a flash to what was sure to be a busy, noisy trip with three children extra amped up on Christmas excitement. And they couldn't have been more thrilled with the change in plans. There was nothing they enjoyed more than spending time with their grandchildren.

"I'll go tell your moms we're going," Joseph said, "And then we'll head out on an adventure!"

He could hear the children, and Elizabeth, cheering as he headed in the house.

"Jess, it's so great to finally get a few minutes to sit down and talk to you," Catherine said warmly, giving the young woman a hug. "Cody has kept us updated on what you've been doing in London, but I can't wait to hear all the stories from you."

"Sure!" Jess replied with a broad smile.

"Maybe we can get lunch sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'm sure you've been busy catching up with family and friends since you've been back."

"I'd love that," Jess said sincerely.

"It's great to see you again, Jess," Carrie said, joining them. "Now that my husband has stopped bugging you about details on the Premier League, whatever that is, I get my chance to talk to you. When did you get back?"

"Sunday," Jess told her.

Carrie smiled. "Just in time for the holidays."

Jess nodded eagerly. "I had an absolutely amazing time in London this semester. Amazing isn't even a big enough word. But …" she glanced across the room to where Cody was standing with Steve, "I'm also really really happy to be home."

"Trust us, we know exactly what you mean," Carrie said, nodding to herself and Catherine.

Across the room, Steve and Cody observed the scene with nearly identical soft smiles.

"So … nothing to worry about, was there?" Steve asked, glancing at the young man beside him.

Cody exhaled a laugh, looking down. "Yeah, you were right. As always."

"What time does her plane get in?" Steve asked as he and Cody worked on putting together a new coffee table after an unfortunate mishap involving Jadon and a borrowed bowling ball.

"1:45," Cody answered. "I'm going to meet her at the airport with her parents and her sister."

"Nice," Steve said, nodding approvingly. "She'll be really happy to see you right away, I'm sure. And I know you can't wait to see her."

"Yeah," Cody said immediately before eyes dropped back to the wood pieces in front of them.

Steve caught the motion and sat back. "What is it?"

Cody glanced up, seeing Steve's knowing look, and sighed. "It's just that … I mean, it's been almost four months, what if … what if things feel different?"

"Different how?"

"I don't know, she's … she's had this amazing experience in a totally different country and I … I mean, she's said she's excited to come home … but I can't help wondering if now that she's been gone she might want more than …" His voice trailed off.

"More than you?" Steve supplied.

Cody didn't answer right away. "Maybe," he finally admitted quietly. He paused, then shook his head. "It's stupid. I'm sure I'm overthinking but …"

"But …?"

"Did you ever feel that way? When you and Catherine were apart for a long time during deployments?"

Steve paused, thinking over his answer.

"Maybe a little, in the beginning, but I think we were also more used to the separations because of our backgrounds. We knew what they meant, what they didn't."

Cody nodded, keeping his eyes on his mentor.

"You still want to be with her?" Steve asked.

"Yes," Cody said without hesitation. "I love her."

"And you two talked more days than not while she was gone, right?"

"Yeah."

"Did she ever say anything that makes you think she doesn't still want to be with you?"

Cody paused. "No."

"Then you go meet her at the airport, and later you talk, just to make sure." He shook his head and smiled softly. "But I really don't think you have anything to worry about, Cody."

Cody sighed, his smile matching Steve's. "Thanks, Steve."

Steve nodded back and his smile grew. "And I'll tell you something else."

Cody's eyebrows rose slightly in question.

"Those first few moments when you see each other again after months apart?"

"Yeah …?" Cody asked, unconsciously leaning closer in interest.

"There's nothing else like it in the world."

Back in the present, Cody's smile grew as looked back at Jess talking animatedly now with Catherine, Carrie, Grace, and Gabby. A faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "You were right about it all."

Steve smiled, following his gaze and guessing his train of thought. He clapped the young man who had come to mean so much to him on the shoulder. "Quite a Christmas present, isn't it?"

Cody nodded, his eyes still on Jess who had caught his eyes and smiled brightly back at him.

"The best."

"How's work going?" Gabby asked as she and Leilani boxed up leftovers while Danny and Chin cleared the last of the dishes.

Leilani smiled. "I had Christmas Eve off for the first time in years, so I actually got to go to Chin's family celebration."

"How was it?"

"More chaotic than the hospital on a busy holiday night," Leilani said. "But the most fun I've had in ages. What did you guys do last night?"

Gabby looked at Danny and grinned. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to say."

Chin's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Really now?"

Gabby looked at Danny who blushed slightly and nodded to Gabby that she was free to reveal the details of their evening.

"We spent all night watching The Great British Bake Off." Gabby smiled broadly. "One of the people I work with swears it's the perfect stress-relieving show, so I finally got Danny to agree to at least give it a try."

Leilani placed several bowls into the refrigerator. "And?"

"My friend was right. It's amazing!" Gabby bubbled. "We ended up binge watching half a season."

"Which is something Steve absolutely does not need to know," Danny insisted.

"I disagree." Chin's eyes sparkled. "I think he definitely needs to know. That way he won't be surprised when there's another baker involved in the next cookie or cupcake wars."

"Is that a new candy cane?" Catherine asked, noticing Angie licking a multi-colored candy cane.

"I's yummy, Mommy," Angie told her.

"I bet it is, but you have one in the kitchen you already started, remember?"

Angie nodded, her mouth around the long part of the holiday treat.

"I'm sorry, Catherine, that was my fault," Deb said. "I didn't know she already had one."

"It's fine," Catherine said, shaking her head and smiling. She looked back at Angie. "Are you going to eat all of that one?"

Angie nodded emphatically, still sucking on the candy cane.

Catherine appraised her skeptically, but smiled. "Okay, you bring it to me when you're done with it so we can wrap it up. Don't give it to someone else to finish. Understand?"

"Okay, Mommy," Angie said. "I find DJ and Joanie."

As she ran off, candy cane in hand, Catherine shook her head resignedly. "Taking bets now where that ends up."

"Let's hope not the carpet," Deb said, cringing.

"I can deal with the carpet, let's hope not her hair."

"We moved a few extra chairs into the ground floor guest room if any of you ladies need a little break from all the noise and excitement," Steve said to Nonna, Aunt Deb and Grandma Ang who were currently seated in the living room holding various stuffed animals while Kaitlyn, Jacob, DJ, Joan, and Angie played zoo in preparation for their planned trip there later in the week.

Grandma Ang looked at her cohorts then back at Steve. "We're good. But thanks for the offer."

"I think the elephants are next," Joan said, which prompted Aunt Deb to lift one of the animals in her lap into the air and do her best impression of an elephant's trumpet.

Angie clapped excitedly.

"In the wild an elephant's call can be heard up to 6 miles away," Kaitlyn reported.

"Really?" Jacob asked. "That's far."

"You know what else?" Kaitlyn said. "The oldest recorded elephant lived to be 86."

"You know a lot of interesting facts about animals, mia bambina," Nonna said and Kaitlyn smiled proudly.

Grandma Ang reached up and squeezed Steve's hand. "We can rest later," she said softly. "This is the stuff that's too good to miss."

"Auntie Cath, this was stuck to the table in the playroom," Grace said, bringing her a half-eaten candy cane that was now mostly white after the colors had been licked off.

"Oh, thank you, Grace."

"I wiped off the table. It was a little sticky."

"Thank you, honey," Catherine said gratefully. "Better the table than her bed or worse."

Grace winced, spotting Angie across the room. "Don't look now, but she's got another one."

"Where does she keep getting these?"

Grace gave her a look. "Have you seen your daughter? She's adorable and says please and thank you, of course she's going to find a way to get candy canes off of anyone and everyone."

Catherine smiled, chuckling in acknowledgment. "I can't decide if this is better or worse than cookies."

"Well, given the fact that I don't think I've ever seen her finish a candy cane, probably better."

Catherine nodded. "Well, that's true." She chuckled again, this time at Angie very obviously offering her pre-licked candy cane to Adam who was awkwardly trying to say no without hurting her feelings. "Uh oh, looks like Adam may need a timely rescue."

"Thanks again, Grace."

"Sure, Auntie Cath. I'll keep my eyes out for any others."

Catherine sighed ruefully. "Good idea."

"I didn't hear Angie announce your arrival," Catherine smiled as she walked into the dining room to find Jadon talking with Cody, Jess, and Casey. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Thanks for inviting me," Jadon said. "I needed to get away from my mama's church lady friends. They're all tryin to fix me up with their granddaughters. They don't understand I'm not ready to be tied down. I need to keep my options open."

Casey rolled her eyes. "When are you gonna give up the playa act?"

"Never." Jadon dropped an arm across her shoulders. "Admit it. You missed me when you were off breaking hearts in California."

Casey smiled. "Maybe just a little."

"The real reason he doesn't want to be fixed up is because he's got a crush on a girl in his Criminal Justice class," Jess teased.

Jadon looked at Cody. "Did you two not have better things to talk about on your trans-Atlantic calls than my love life?"

Cody and Jess locked eyes and laughed.

"There's always time for Cody to keep me up to date on your exploits," Jess said.

"Unca Aawon you wan' some? Is so yummy." Angie held up a candy cane.

"I bet that's as yummy as the last …" he grinned, "I lost count. But you know what?" He whispered conspiratorially.

"Wha'?"

"Joan went upstairs to get Chutes and Ladders. How about if I hold that for you so you don't get the game sticky and you sit with Grandma Ang?" He indicated the dining room table where Ang, DJ, Jacob, and Mary were sitting. "I bet if you girls ask, Aunt Deb and Nonna will play with you."

Steve, who was crossing the room after a Cammie potty run, gave his brother-in-law an appreciative nod when Angie handed him the candy cane and with an, "Okay, you hold it fo' me," turned and ran for the dining room.

"You're crazy. You wouldn't stand a chance against us," Steve insisted.

Danny shook his head. "Are you kidding. I'd have Nonna on my team. The luckiest of lucky charms."

"We'd have Grandma Ang," Steve pointed out.

Carrie walked up next to Jenna and asked, "What are they talking about?"

"I got my kids the Family Feud board game and they were telling Steve and Danny about it and … well, predictably it led here."

Carrie's eyes danced with excitement. "I'm in! Just say when and where."

"Angie, can I share that candy cane?" Chin asked, kneeling to her eye level. "I haven't had any in a long time."

"You have dis one. I shawe wif you." She presented him with the unwrapped cane.

"Thank you so much for sharing, you…" he took the offering and kissed her head, "are a very good girl."

She beamed at the praise and looked at her grandfather who was sitting a few spaces to Chin's left. "Gwandpa, Unca Chin didn' got a can'y cane."

"I saw, and you shared because you had one." He grinned. "Quite a few. Good girl, I'm very proud of you."

Before she could be off in search of more sweets, Chin lifted her onto his lap. "How about if you tell me all about that awesome new building set you and your brother got?"

Nodding at the experienced older brother and cousin of his large family, Joseph smiled. "Well done."

Tilting his head towards Kono who was across the room with Gabby, he smiled broadly. "Someone was just like that with malasadas. Half eaten ones all over every family gathering."

"It's nice to think that years from now these kids will be corralling the next generation and remembering back to Angie's half eaten candy canes," Joseph said. "It's the best kind of chaos."

THE END

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