Chapter 29
Shane woke first Christmas morning. Seeing Oliver was still sleeping she let the dogs out and started the coffee. Picking out a Shakespeare mug for Oliver that said, 'I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed.' Shane had gotten the mug for Oliver's birthday after the encounter with Kimsicle. Setting the coffee on his bedside table she leaned over to wake him up. "Merry Christmas Oliver."
"Merry Christmas Shane," he smiled stretching before tugging her back towards him when she started to get up. "Not so fast."
"Oliver!" She started laughing when he pulled her on top of him. "We've got a lot to do."
"Just a moment," He said kissing her hands moving down her back. It only took a moment for her to forget everything they had to do. "What's first?" Oliver asked in between brushing his lips gently against hers before nuzzling her neck.
"First?" She couldn't remember what they'd been discussing.
"To do?"
"Oliver O'Toole." She pushed away from him slightly laughing. "They'll be here before long."
"It was worth a try." He said with a grin.
"Try drinking your coffee instead." Shane said grinning back.
He let her go picking up the coffee to take a sip watching her pick out clothes then realizing she was picking out his clothes as well. "Shane may I ask what you are doing?"
"Picking out your clothes." She said like it was completely obvious.
"I can see that. Can I ask why? I've been picking out my own clothes for quite some time."
"So, we're color coordinated for pictures."
"Of course, what was I thinking?" He asked getting out of bed and kissing her on the cheek on his way to the shower.
Now that she'd gotten him moving, she went into the kitchen to finish off a breakfast casserole and the rest of breakfast. When he came into the kitchen, "Can you set the table for breakfast and finish cutting up the fruit? I'm going to get ready."
"Yes, ma'am." Oliver said obediently.
"Funny O'Toole." Shane rolled her eyes on the way out. "And don't eat all the scones before they get here." She said from down the hallway.
By the time Shane had gotten ready and called her mother to wish her a Merry Christmas, Joe and Leah were arriving. Waving at them from the kitchen, while she was stirring white chocolate to drizzle over the cranberry scones, and reassuring her mother regarding Alex, Shane gave Oliver a 'help me' look.
"Dad why don't you guys have a seat we almost have things ready." Oliver gestured to the bowl or the phone asking which one Shane wanted to let go.
"Mom Oliver wanted to say Merry Christmas." She immediately handed him the phone. Oliver rolled his eyes knowing Shane didn't want to deal with Alex drama on Christmas.
"Hi, Mom, Merry Christmas. Yes, we've got your gifts under the tree. We haven't opened them yet. We'll miss not having you here today. Yes, Dad and Leah just got here. We were about to sit down to breakfast. Why don't we call back later tonight?" Oliver could see Shane drizzling chocolate shaking her head and mouthing 'No. Not going to happen.' out of the corner of his eye. "Sure, we'll talk then."
"Oliver O'Toole." Shane raised an eyebrow.
"Things may calm down by tonight." Oliver assured her.
Giving him a 'We will talk later' look, she walked away with the mini scones before he could take one. "Dad, Leah. Sorry about that. Are you ready to eat?"
"Starving." Joe said giving her a hug. "Merry Christmas."
Leah leaned over to hug her, "It all smells wonderful."
Oliver and Shane finished putting the rest of the food on the table. After Oliver said grace, they started passing food around. Leah asked about O'Toole family Christmas traditions.
"You mean ones that didn't involve the fire department." Oliver said smiling.
"They didn't all involve the fire department." Joe responded returning his smile.
"Dad's great with a grill but the finer points of a Christmas dinner were a little more challenging. There was more than one Christmas we'd forget we were cooking, and the smoke alarms went off."
Shane and Leah laughed. "I still blame the fact that kid's toys come in a million pieces that have to be put together." Joe said. "My mother finally gave up on me cooking. She'd either have us at her place or started staying over the night before to avoid the extra visitors."
"I did enjoy watching all the old holiday movies in black in white every year with my grandparents." Oliver said.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Shane said with a grin. "What about your family Leah?" Shane asked.
"We'd go to church every Christmas Eve but most of our traditions centered around food. The women in our family would all get together before Christmas and bake different treats then trade, so we'd all have a variety. I had a lot of cousins and it would get quite festive. As we all got older the group has gotten smaller, but we still get together every year."
"That sounds like a fun way to catch up during the holiday season." Shane said. "How did the shop do during the Christmas rush?" Shane asked changing the subject.
"We stayed pretty busy. I always pick up extra shifts to help during this time of year. I'm looking forward to going back to my regular schedule next week."
"What about you Shane? Are you going to take some time off to regroup after Christmas?" Joe asked. "You were working pretty hard even before the holidays started." Oliver hadn't been the only one concerned about her over the last couple months.
"You mean from the CBI?" Shane asked looking speculatively at Oliver wondering what he'd said to his dad on the subject. "My mom was asking the same thing on the phone this morning. If I didn't know better, I'd think there's been some collusion."
Wondering what else Joe hadn't mentioned Leah asked, "What's the CBI?"
"The Colorado Bureau of Investigations. I've done some contract work for them occasionally." Joe's comment about Shane keeping secrets when they were walking out of the church suddenly made sense.
Oliver looked at Shane before saying, "It started out occasionally and then became what I would call regularly. Shane your family is concerned because we love you and care about your well-being. You've had a rough time lately. Taking the break from CBI has allowed us to spend more time together and you to get more sleep."
His use of the word family made her stop and think before responding. Shane sighed taking Oliver's hand before trying to explain her irritation, "I'm still getting used to having a family that is involved enough to question what I do. Knowing what happened and what the DLO is like this time of year, Dale hasn't contacted me regarding any upcoming cases. We've been so busy at the DLO I haven't stopped to think about what I'm going to do moving forward."
"Whatever you decide, we want you take care of yourself." Joe said. "I wasn't trying to tell you what to do."
"I know. I really haven't stopped to think about our schedule. The Foundation projects are growing and creating more work as well. I need to make a decision and let the CBI know one way or the other."
"You don't have to decide today." Oliver said. "Did you want anything else to eat? You never had one of the scones you were protecting so ferociously." He said passing them over.
Shane took one smiling, "I was a little surprised there were any left. How many have you had?"
"Who's counting." He answered smiling. Leah could tell the awkward moment had passed but now she had even more questions for Joe.
As they finished eating Oliver asked, "Dad do you mind taking the doodles out back while we clean up from breakfast?"
"Can I help with anything?" Leah asked.
"Thanks for offering. It won't take but a few minutes and then we can open gifts. We've got it. I'll definitely need help with getting things ready for this afternoon." Shane said.
Oliver started putting the turkey in the oven while Shane cleaned up the breakfast dishes.
"I'll go out with Joe then. I haven't seen your back yard. The front is gorgeous."
Outside Leah asked Joe, "Is Shane not close with her family? She mentioned her dad died before coming to Denver."
"Her dad was out of the picture long before he died. He left when she was 10 and didn't look back. Anna did the best she could being a single mother raising two girls. Shane's sister has a gambling addiction. From what I can tell, Anna has had her hands full. The addiction issues placed a strain on the relationships in the family. From things Oliver has said, Shane gets along with her mother well but probably limits how much she unloads or lets her know to avoid putting any more stress on Anna. Shane's a complete mama bear when it comes to taking care of people she loves. Before moving to Denver, I get the feeling, other than a friend or two, Shane didn't really let people get close to her." Leah nodded understanding after watching how breakfast played out.
They went back inside once the dogs were done. Shane handed them both refills on their coffee before they all settled around the tree by the fire. Joe helped Shane move Oliver's gift from the guest bedroom to by the tree while Leah & Oliver sorted out the rest of the presents. The dogs kept sniffing packages wondering what they were. Shane had caught them early on during the holiday season pawing through a few of the gifts that were in bags wanting to know what was inside them so she had switched to using wrapping paper for the rest of the gifts. Joe and Leah sat on the sofa while Shane sat on the floor with the dogs in between her and Oliver.
Oliver handed an envelope to Shane with a grin that immediately made her suspicious. "This is from the Kelser family."
Shane opened the Christmas card and started laughing. Not able to stop she handed it to Joe who read it out loud. "Dear Shane, Oliver mentioned you keep teasing him about having a cow named after him. I told him maybe you would stop if you had your own cow. I sorted it out with Bill and the aunts. The next cow born in the spring will be named Shane. You'll have to bring the doodles out to meet the new Shane. Merry Christmas, Abby"
When she could finally stop laughing, "Abby is a sweetheart. Oliver O'Toole, I can't believe you."
They took turns opening gifts as the doodles checked everything out as it was opened. Oliver loved the phonograph table. Leah told him the history of the table coming from the family of a mining baron having been forewarned by both Shane and Joe that he'd ask.
Shane had found a picture of Joe in a tux from the wedding and put it in a picture frame. "You look dashing." Leah said looking at Joe admiringly. "Thank you, Shane." Shane had also taken pictures of Leah and Joe at the girl's night they had and framed them so Leah would have some of the two of them together.
Joe opened an advanced survival kit from Shane and Oliver. "We didn't want a repeat on any of your hiking trips." Shane said smiling.
Leah had found Oliver some vintage Shakespeare ornaments that were clear glass balls with quotes from different plays inside the balls. "These are wonderful." Oliver exclaimed reading the quotes before hanging them on the tree.
Shane opened a backlight keyboard from Joe & Leah. "Your mom mentioned they're helpful when you're working late at night. Not that we're encouraging such behavior," Joe added when he got a look from Oliver.
They went through another round of gifts before Shane opened a leather-bound personalized family bible from Oliver. There was space in the front for family trees, marriages, and births. There were also color master works of art sections of biblical events. "Oliver it's beautiful," Shane said with tears in her eyes. "It's the first time I've had one of my own."
"I know. I asked your mom when she was here." He said brushing her hair behind her ear. She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek laying her head on his shoulder as she flipped through. "Remember we saw this one when we were at the Vatican." She said pointing to one of the pictures.
"I remember every moment of the trip." He looked at her with such overwhelming love before leaning his head against hers viewing the bible over her shoulder. Leah almost felt like she was intruding but realized that's what had been missing in her first marriage. There had been affection and friendship at first before things fell apart, but she never recalled seeing that look on her husband's face. Looking up she saw the same look on Joe's face as he gazed at her now. Thanking God, she held out a hand to Joe. He took it weaving his fingers in between hers.
They finished opening gifts and cleaned up the paper and packages. Shane found several bags and boxes for Joe & Leah to take their gifts to the car before moving the rest into the bedroom. Leah helped Shane start prepping some of the food for lunch. Oliver checked on the turkey before Joe helped Oliver find a spot for the new phonograph table and get it set up. Shane stopped mixing the stuffing for a minute as she heard a Tony Bennett Christmas album start. "I'm going to have to buy him some albums from this decade for his birthday." Shane said laughing and shaking her head. "Once in the middle of an argument I called him a human antique."
"You know his love of the past is the perfect foible for your technophile ways. Opposites attract." Leah said smiling. "Joe's very proud of Oliver and his work at the post office but anything else I keep finding out randomly. It's like swiss cheese. Joe's such an open book about most things it confused me at first until he told me Oliver's very private."
"They've only in the last two years gotten on a solid footing again. Some of the swiss cheese is probably because Oliver is very private, but they also have a lot of years to catch up on still. The privacy thing drove me bonkers when I first met Oliver. Once I realized it was because he'd been hurt so many times, I learned to have more patience with him. Early on Rita, Norman, and I all followed him one evening because we were so curious about where he was going after work every week."
"You didn't. I would never have the nerve. I'm more of a rule follower. Where was he going?" Leah asked.
"I used to be a rule follower. Dance lessons. I ended up joining him for a little while as his partner before he decided to quit."
"You mentioned the Foundation at breakfast. Joe's mentioned it in passing when he's helped Oliver with a few things. What kind of Foundation is it?"
"That's a good question." Seeing Oliver was coming in to check on the turkey again, "I'll let Oliver answer that question."
"What question?"
"Leah was asking about the O'Toole Foundation. Why don't you explain before I try to recruit her?" Shane asked.
He took the turkey out to baste it again before sliding it back in the oven. "My biological father left a small fortune as well as some business interests. I put managers in charge of the business and put most of the fortune into a foundation. In the course of our work at the DLO, we run into a broad cross section of people. When we see a need that maybe doesn't have access to traditional financing or there's not available resources, we use the O'Toole Foundation to fill the gap."
Shane had moved on to finishing off other side dishes while Oliver kept explaining while picking out wine. "Norman, Rita, Shane, and myself make up the board of the O'Toole Foundation but Dad & Bill tend to help out now and again. Putting the Kelser Farm into a living trust & building the education center was one of the early projects in which Bill was involved. There's also a retirement home for postal workers that was just completed in Virginia. We're waiting on some permits and to finish staffing before opening to residents the beginning of next year. Currently we're involved in a project with Safe Haven a local women's shelter."
"In between working at the DLO and being on the Foundation Board, Shane somehow finds time to work with the CBI?" Leah asked in astonishment. "Also, you never said what type of work?"
"You see Shane. Work life balance. It's a thing." Oliver sent her a look.
"Funny O'Toole. I'm going to have to let Rita know I'm regretting her introducing you to that phrase."
Oliver leaned over stealing a couple items off the charcuterie tray Leah was putting together before answering her original question, "Theoretically Shane's a computer analyst consultant." Joe returned after finishing loading gifts in the car in time to hear Oliver.
"Theoretically?" Leah asked.
Joe answered, "When Shane's not tracking something down through a computer, Shane lives for hacking. Leah the moment Shane realized I was serious about you she probably had your life history on her hard drive." Joe said grinning at Shane.
"Oliver O'Toole!" Shane looked at him accusingly while she was working on some sweet potatoes.
"He didn't say a word." Joe said on his way by to refill his coffee. "I just know you that well by now."
"Leah, I didn't run a background check." Shane said defensively.
"No, how did you put it when confessing? 'Just a rather extensive search that maybe would have been considered overly intrusive,' Oliver supplied teasingly.
Having been warned that Shane was a mama bear about the people she loved. Leah tried not to feel offended. "I'm glad that you love Joe enough to try to take care of him. I swear I'm not an ex-convict or a serial killer."
"Oh, I know. I said I didn't run a background check. Working in the area I do at the CBI; we get our backgrounds delved into regularly. If you were, I'm sure a supervisor would have asked me about you."
Oliver started laughing. "So, you didn't run it knowing Dale's supervisor probably would."
"I'm sorry if you felt like I overstepped. Well now the cat's out of the bag. How did you wind up in Tennessee for college and what made you decide to change majors from political science to teaching after only one semester?" Shane asked curiously.
Leah noticed she didn't apologize for her actions but any offense that Leah might have felt and started laughing. "Oliver how in the world do you keep up with her?" She could see why Joe said Anna had her hands full if Shane's sister was anything like her.
"It's a challenge I enjoy every day." Oliver said kissing Shane on the cheek before going to answer the doorbell.
Joe put his arm around Leah knowing she probably felt a little overwhelmed. "I do enjoy watching him try. I've not bothered telling him it's a losing battle." Leah laughed. "He's already concerned if they have kids they'll hack into the Pentagon before their teens."
"You two are a regular Abbott & Costello act today." Shane said giving him a look. Hearing Bill, Joe left to say hello to the new arrivals giving Shane time with Leah.
Shane put a hand on Leah's arm, "Joe's been more of a father to me than mine was. Oliver would be the first to tell you I'm curious, nosy and may have some issues knowing when to not color outside the lines."
"Your heart was in the right place." Leah acknowledged before answering her questions. "I got scholarship money to Tennessee. Changing majors was the result of the usual reason young kids make silly decisions." Leah sighed.
"You met a guy?" Leah nodded. "How long did it last?" Shane asked.
"Only a semester. By then I really did like the idea of teaching. I started tutoring and there was something thrilling about watching the lightbulb go on when someone got a concept you were trying to explain."
Rita came in with a dessert. "Rita you shouldn't have." Shane said giving her a hug and thinking quickly on how to avoid catastrophe.
"Oh, I didn't. Dad made it. I'm going to go hang up my coat."
After she stepped out, Shane leaned over to Leah, "We all love Rita dearly but never eat anything she cooks. Not even a nibble."
Oliver came in to pull the turkey out of the oven seeing the additional dessert on the counter he turned to Shane, "Oh no did Rita?"
"No Bill."
"Oh good."
Leah laughed, "Surely it can't be that bad."
"It's worse." Shane said definitively. "She brought a dish into the office and even the doodles wouldn't eat any of it."
Shane and Leah finished bringing all the sides into the dining room while Oliver started carving the turkey. Dinner was a chaotic affair with multiple conversations occurring at once. Oliver glanced at Shane watching her weaving in and out of different conversations. She looked up to find him watching her and smiled to let him know she was fine before talking to Bill about the next calving season and getting her own cow named after her.
Joe leaned over to Oliver, "Things have changed. Cows, computers, and lots of people. It's a little different from just you and me. You think you'll ever get accustomed?"
Oliver grinned, "I don't know but I'm going to enjoy trying."
After dinner they sat around the fire talking. Bill and Joe pulled out guitars and started playing softly in the background. As conversation slowed, Joe asked Oliver to sing. Glancing at Shane before starting to sing 'There's Still My Joy.'
I took my tree down to the shore
The garland, and the silver star
To find my peace, and grieve no more
To heal this place inside my heart
On every branch I laid some bread
And hungry birds filled up the sky
They rang thy bells around my head
They sang my spirit back to life
One tiny child can change the world
One shining light can show the way
For all my tears, for what I've lost
There's still my joy
There's still my joy
For Christmas day
The snow comes down on empty sand
There's tinsel moonlight on the waves
My soul was lost, but here I am
So this must be amazing grace
One tiny child can change the world
One shining light can show the way
Beyond my tears for what I've lost
There's still my joy
There's still my joy
For Christmas day
There's still my joy for Christmas day
Halfway through the song, Rita laid a hand on Shane's arm remembering it was playing in the DLO when they returned to keep Oliver company on Christmas Eve the year the Postables were formed. Rita knew that Christmas was when Shane cracked open her heart to the glimmer of a possibility that the hope, faith, family, and miracles that existed for others could possibly be part of her own life. Watching her friend change over the following year, Rita felt tremendous joy knowing Shane allowed love and patience to grow, letting go of the cynicism, becoming the woman she was today. Norman handed both women a box of Kleenex as they were in tears by the end.
"Thanks Norman." Shane sniffled.
"No problem." Norman said clearing his throat remembering it was the Christmas they all got the stockings with their names embroidered on the top. They still hung them every year in the DLO.
"I think we need a lighter choice before calling it a night Dad." Oliver said smiling at the rest of the Postables while clearing his own throat. Joe and Bill started playing 'Have Yourself a Merry Christmas.'
Norman and Rita left with Bill. Joe and Leah left shortly after. Heading into the kitchen to finish cleaning up Shane asked, "Would it bother you if your dad got married again?"
Oliver stopped shocked, "I hadn't thought about it. He never brought anybody home that he was dating when I was younger."
"He's pretty serious about Leah. She's nice and she seems to fit in well with everyone. You have to admit we're a unique group."
"Have you ever thought about your mom marrying again?" Oliver asked.
"She dated a few guys when we were teenagers, but nothing ever got serious. I think she was always so busy when the two of us were still at home a relationship didn't stand much of a chance. After we moved out, she's dated on and off but never found the right person. I should probably call her back."
Oliver took the dogs out for a late walk while Shane called her mother. When she was done, they curled up by the fire with cups of tea enjoying the peace and quiet. "We're sleeping in tomorrow morning?" Shane asked.
"Most definitely." Oliver answered.
"You may want to tell the doodles." Shane said. Both the dogs looked up at them with their heads tilted like what did we do?