December 25th

"Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?" Derek asked yet again. He was carrying the baby's car seat with one hand, holding Emily's hand with the other as they walked up the sidewalk to his mother's house.

Emily groaned, shot him a 'please stop asking' look. "I'm sure, Derek – I didn't race across town at midnight to ask you to stay for no reason."

"I meant about spending Christmas Day with Mama," he said with a little laugh.

"Oh..." She shrugged. "Why do you say that like I'm about to walk into a war zone?" she asked with a nervous little laugh of her own.

He squeezed her hand. "Well, Mama can be a little overwhelming when it comes to my love life," he admitted.

"We're not exactly...you know," she pointed out.

He nodded. "I know we're not technically 'dating' yet," he said, "But in Mama's eyes, you're the closest thing I've had to a serious relationship."

She raised a brow. "Are you seriously telling me I'm the first girlfriend you've brought home to meet your mom?"

"Maybe," he admitted. "I was just waiting for the right girl..."

She rolled her eyes. "Liar – you're just afraid of commitment."

He chuckled. "I'm going to plead the fifth on that one." He knocked on the door, then opened it and stood back to let Emily inside. "Mama," he called out, "I'm home!"

Fran came rushing towards them, immediately wrapping Emily in a bone-crushing embrace.

"Nice to see you again too, Mrs. Morgan," she managed to choke out from the midst of the hug.

"How many times must I ask you to call me Fran?" she said, releasing Emily. She proceeded to grab Emily's hand and lead her over to the baby's carrier. "You must introduce me to your little bundle of joy!" she declared.

Derek pouted. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

Both women ignored him as they crouched down next to baby Clyde's carrier. Emily lifted him out and passed him to Fran, who immediately cradled him into her chest. "Oh, Emily, he's beautiful!" she gushed.

"Just like his mom," Derek murmured, just loud enough for Emily to hear.

Fran, though, missed nothing, smiling to herself as they shared a tender look. She cleared her throat to interrupt. "I think this little guy wants to open his presents," she announced.

"Mama, he's not even a week old," Derek reminded her.

She held up one hand in self-defence. "It was Santa."

Emily just shook her head and laughed. "Well, Clyde is very grateful to Santa," she murmured, following Fran into the living room where gifts were piled under the tree.

"Before we open gifts, Mama," Derek said, "Emily has something she'd like to ask you..."

She turned to Emily with an expectant expression.

"Well, you know I'm not close with my mother and Clyde's parents have both passed away, so baby Clyde doesn't really have any grandparents..." She paused, cleared her throat. "What I'm trying to say is...would you be his honorary grandmother?"

"Really?" Fran asked, eyes filling with tears.

Emily nodded earnestly.

In answer, Fran kissed Emily's temple with maternal affection. "I promise to love this little guy just like he were my own grandson," she vowed. "He might be the only one I ever have," she said pointedly to Derek.

"Hey!" he whined. "I just brought home a girl for the first time and you're already pestering me for grandbabies?"

She just grinned at him with faux innocence. "Derek, I love you, but I want to be a grandma before I die..."

He groaned. "I'll work on it, okay?"

"Good boy," she murmured. "Now, let's spoil this little cutie, okay? He came early just so I could give him a good Christmas."