The chimes ring seven times, and everyone has gathered in the family room. Adults are wearing casual clothes, but the youngest children are still in their pajamas.
"Dad, can we open our gifts now?" Tony asks anxiously.
"Go ahead," Anthony says with a smile. "Why don't you pass them out?"
"Okay, Dad." Tony hurriedly goes through the presents, and the children begin opening them. Thank yous are given to the adults.
Tonya goes up the stairs. She returns carrying a satchel full of gifts. She places the satchel on the floor, and hands out a gift to each adult male.
"Go ahead, Spock, and open it," she requests cheerfully.
He graciously opens the present. He pulls out a black sweater covered with snowflakes. There are larger flakes in the center of the sweater. "Ah…yes, a Christmas sweater," he says, raising both eyebrows. "Thank you, Tonya." He pulls the sweater over his head, on top of his black turtleneck shirt.
Anthony's sweater is black with "Rudolph" on the center of the sweater. The red nose even lights up. "Hey, Cuz" He looks right at Spock. "Want to trade?"
Spock appraises the cartoonish sweater. "Absolutely not. You know, it does suit you well." Spock gives him his best wry smile.
"Ha…ha, very funny," Anthony replies as he puts on his sweater over his shirt.
"Hey Spock, you know you are right; it does become him," Reggie comments, then laughs at Anthony.
Now all the adult men don their holiday sweaters. When all the gifts are opened, Spock asks the family to head to the stable.
Once inside the stable, Spock looks at his wife. "T'Mara, come." He offers his hand, and she grabs hold of it. He leads her to a large stall and indicates the gate. "Your present is inside."
She gazes at him, then opens the gate. There is a 2020 black Chevy Camaro waiting for her. He hands her the key fob. She stands awestruck. "Why?"
"Why, T'Mara? You are my wife, my bond mate. The one who has been by my side all these years and will be with me for years to come. You have put up with all my quirks and at times my overbearing ways. But mostly because I love you," Spock says, unashamed to admit his fondness for his wife in front of the family.
"But we promised not to give each other gifts," she says, still overwhelmed.
He almost chuckles, but recovers. "Yes, yet it is a promise we seem to break every Christmas. Go and start her up."
T'Mara gets into the driver's side and starts the engine. She gets the feel of the gearshift. She runs her hand over the dashboard, then the steering wheel. She turns off the engine and slowly gets out. She goes to her husband and wraps her arms around him. Their lips meet. The kiss lasts for more than a moment. He slowly breaks the kiss. "Aisha, we should not do this in front of the children," he reminds her as she is about to kiss him again.
"Okay, my sweet, and thank you." She lets go of him.
"You are quite welcome."
"Okay gang, now that this emotional scene is over, let us go back inside and get warm," Anthony suggests.
They all follow Anthony into the house. As they enter through the back door, T'Mara says, "Whoa…wait. There is one more gift to be opened." She tilts her head toward the basement entrance.
"She's right. Come on, everyone, to the basement." Anthony then commands the lights to come on so they would not head down the stairs in the dark.
After they all make it down the narrow stairway, T'Mara says. "My husband, it is your turn." She leads him to a corner of the basement. There sits a large box.
"Father, can you guess what is inside?" T'Meika asks.
"No, but I assume it is not as large as the box leads one to believe. Likewise, I assume you know what lies inside," Spock remarks as he studies the 4' by 4', perfectly square box.
Anthony helps him lift the box with a missing bottom. It reveals another box. Spock removes that box, which finally reveals a wrapped present. He picks up the present. It is one inch thick, a foot-and-a-half long, and two feet high. "Now I believe I can make a reasonable guess. I surmise it is a painting, but cannot venture what the picture could be," Spock says, looking at it and then glancing over at T'Mara.
"Then you just need to open it," T'Mara says, smiling.
That is what he does. Under the colorful wrapping paper is a beautiful painting of a young Lady Amanda and a very young Spock. Spock holds the painting in his hands. His eyes intensely scrutinize the painting. His face, at the moment, is expressionless. It slowly changes to what T'Mara believes is sadness. She wonders if she erred in purchasing a painting of his mother.
She places her hand on his upper arm. "Spock…I know how much your mother meant to you. I hoped that…that it would bring back pleasant memories. I never intended to..." A tear escapes her eye.
"T'Mara, no…it is an exceptional gift, one that I will cherish for years to come. The painting does indeed bring back pleasant memories." He lays the painting on an empty chair. He offers his hand, and she takes it. "My Wife, I thank you." They kiss with love.
She whispers in his ear. "I thought you said not in front of the children."
He gives the briefest of smiles. He brushes his lips against her ear. "I guess there are always exceptions to the rule."
T'Meika smiles at her parents. She always enjoys it when her father shows affection to her mother.
A buzzing noise emerges from an intercom. Anthony walks up to the intercom that is inside a nearby wall. He presses the button.
"Brunch is ready. Get everyone up here," Sidney's voice states from the intercom.
"Okay Sidney, we will be right up." Anthony turns to the rest of the family. "As you probably heard, brunch is served. Come all."
He gestures for them to follow him up the narrow, creaky stairs. Once in the house, Spock places the painting on his bed before returning to the dining room. There is a mixture of leftovers from the Christmas Eve dinner and breakfast fare. Everyone sits down. After Reggie gives the blessing, some take breakfast fare while the others take the leftovers. They all chat as they eat their meal.
Afterward, Spock glances at his wife. "T'Mara, do you want to test out your Camaro?"
She flashes him a broad smile.
Looking towards Anthony, Spock asks him, "Will the children be alright here?"
"Certainly, go ahead."
"T'Mara, you make sure you get to drive. Under that thick Vulcan veneer is a man, and he will want to play with your new toy," Jerome comments as he gives Spock a sideways glance and a sly smile.
Spock cocks his best brow at Jerome. "No, this is a good opportunity for her to get reacquainted with a manual speed transmission. Before I had the car shipped to Anthony's, I test drove it ten times."
Jerome chuckles. "Ah huh... see T'Mara, he already tinkered with your vehicle."
"So I hear. You sly dog, how did you manage to rebuild that car without me finding out? When did you test drive it without my knowledge?"
He clears his throat. "Sly dog?"
She teasingly shakes her finger at him. "You've heard the term. How did you do it without me knowing?"
"Well, to answer your inquiries, I hid the car at your father's old garage. That is also where I worked on the vehicle. When I told you I was visiting him, I…well…did visit with him, but I spent most of the time working on the vehicle. I test drove the car during my lunch breaks." He hopes the answers satisfy her curiosity.
"Okay…wait. I thought you told me you could not meet me at lunch because you had to meet up with Jim."
"Correct, T'Mara…for Jim came with me as I test drove the car." Spock avoids looking into her eyes.
She pats him on the back. "I do have another question. Why did you ship the car out here? Why didn't you just have me wait till we return home? Seems to be a bit illogical, don't you think?"
He now looks into her eyes. "Well... I guess your husband has been married too long to his wife. Logic gives way to love, and we all know love can be illogical at times. Besides, I wanted to give your gift on Christmas day." His lips turn upwards.
Anthony begins humming "When a Man Loves a Woman".
Tonya watches the two and then remarks, "T'Mara, I never told you this before, but that day when you introduced Spock to me, I was jealous, for I saw the love he had for you in his eyes."
"Thank you for sharing that with me."
"Come, Aisha, while we still have time to take our drive." Spock places his hand on the small of her back and coaxes her toward the door.
She waves at everyone, and they take their leave. They trod through the snow, and both open the stable gate. Spock goes into the stall, gets inside the car, and engages the engine of the Camaro. Once Spock drives the car out of the stable, T'Mara gets behind the wheel.
She looks to Spock in the passenger seat and asks, "Ready?"
"Ready."
T'Mara engages the gearshift into first. She presses her foot on the gas pedal and slowly releases the clutch. The car bucks, then stalls.
She shrugs and says, "I guess I am a bit rusty."
She attempts again and though the car bucks a bit, it does not stall. She eases the shifter into second, and they are on their way down the roads of Lancaster County.
Spock peers out the passenger window. He absorbs the sight of the snow-covered land, how it envelops the trees, rooftops of homes and buildings. The frozen precipitation fascinates him. He knows that there was a time in his life when he did not allow himself to appreciate the beauty of God's creation. He could describe how a snowflake was formed, how it was the aggregation of ice crystals that fall through the earth's atmosphere. Now with T'Mara's influence and allowing God to guide his heart, he appreciates the beauty of the fallen snow. He cannot decide which is more beautiful – an individual flake or how the multitude of flakes encompass the land. He turns his attention to the old stone homes with smoke emerging from the chimneys. It amazes him that even in the 23rdcentury, people still enjoy a roaring fire.
T'Mara's peripheral vision catches him shaking his head. "Hey, you okay?" she asks with her soft soprano voice.
He turns his head slightly towards her. "I…I am quite fine. I was just acknowledging Yahweh's beautiful creation."
She smiles. "Yes, glorious, ain't it… I mean isn't it."
"Yes," he says, then his mind drifts into other thoughts.
T'Mara spots a sign in the distance. The sign reads Jason's Tea House. She downshifts to slow down. As they approach the sign, she sees that the café is open. "Hey, would you like to indulge in some tea?" She gestures with her hand in the direction of the establishment.
Spock inwardly shakes himself from his thoughts. He clears his throat. "That would be agreeable," he remarks as he notices the sign.
T'Mara coasts the car into the lot. With the vehicle parked, they exit and proceed to the modest teahouse. There are a few other patrons inside the establishment. Spock escorts her to a small table for two in a corner. He pulls a chair out for her. She sits down, and then he sits in his chair. She scans the hologram menu that pops up from the table. She makes her decision on what she wants to drink. She chooses a chi tea. She then looks up and studies her husband's handsome features. She begins to wonder what has him so deep in thought.
The waiter comes up to their table. He asks her what she would like. T'Mara gives her order.
"And you, sir?" The tall young man asks Spock. He, at first, does not acknowledge the man.
T'Mara softly taps Spock's hand. "He needs your order."
"I am sorry. Excuse me, sir, for I was deep in thought. I will have what my wife has ordered."
"Okay sir, ma'am…I will be back with your tea in a few minutes.
When the young waiter leaves, T'Mara replaces her hand on top of Spock's. "What has you so engrossed?"
He looks directly at her. "I was thinking of my mother. Your gift to me was unexpected. I will cherish it always. However, I must admit it has caused me to reminisce about my youth. Also, the holiday season has made me miss her more."
T'Mara's eyes grow sad as she shares his pain. "I think I can understand that. During Christmas, I used to wish dearly that my mother would show up. To have my family whole again. Now that she's back in my life, I hold dear the moments I have with her." She stops, for the man brings their tea and places each cup in front of them.
"Enjoy," he states and walks away.
Spock takes a sip of his tea and contemplates the words T'Mara expressed. "Yes, I have been blessed to have many years with my mother. However, on the hand you hold, I can count the times I told her I love her. On both hands, I can count the times I hugged her. Why? Because the 'Vulcan Way' forbade it." He takes his cup and downs the rest of his tea.
"My husband, do not punish yourself, for it is…"
"Not logical. Yes, it is not," Spock adds. The man comes by and refills their cups. Spock sits back and waits for the waiter to step away. "And yet, logic cannot take away the pain I feel at this moment."
Her eyes never leave his face. Her voice becomes soft and caring. "Then take it to God…please…your mother married a full-blooded Vulcan and spent most of her life on Vulcan. She knew Sarek did not declare his feelings. He definitely would never permit his son to show such emotions. It did not matter to her how many times you said the words or how many times you embraced her. She knew by your actions that she was adored by her son. What are the words you would share with me when I dwell too long in my past?" She squeezes his free hand.
His eyes shine with gratefulness. "Thank you for your wisdom. Yes, I always said the past is the past and cannot be undone. It is today that is important and to live it in its fullness. God's mercy can cover all our transgressions. Follow Him, and our path will be straight. Sometimes I need my wife to remind me of my own words." He graces her with a small smile.
They finish their tea and Spock pays the tab. T'Mara allows him to drive them back to Anthony's home. He pulls in the driveway and parks the vehicle. They enter the home where the aroma of turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie flood the entranceway.
Anthony comes up to them. "Hey, Spock you are late." He smiles at them.
"Indeed, we are 5.25 minutes late. We stopped at a café in …I believe the town is called Ephrata. We lost track of time," Spock admits as he helps T'Mara with her coat.
Anthony smirks at Spock. "So Cuz, how does one lose time?"
"Ah, the table has been turned," Spock remarks as he carries their coats to the closet. "And not a valid reason for arriving late." He joins T'Mara, and they follow Anthony to the dining room.
"So Spock, which way did the table turn?" Anthony asks, trying not to laugh.
He gives a slight sigh. "Anthony."
"Ha! Gotcha." He smacks Spock on his upper back.
Oooooooooooooo
After a traditional turkey dinner, everyone retreats to the family room. Anthony starts a fire in the fireplace. T'Anya begins to teach Tony how to play 3 D chess on his padd. Chad and Cherese play an old-fashioned game of checkers on a real checkerboard.
Anthony excuses himself. He returns with a pot full of chestnuts. Reggie gets up and assist in placing a rod on the rack inside the fireplace. Anthony hangs the pot on the rod. He then sits back down.
"Cousin Anthony, what is it that you have cooking in the pot?" Spock inquires.
"I am roasting chestnuts. Have you ever had any?"
"I have not," Spock replies.
"Well, Cuz you are in for a treat. After they are cooked, you let them cool then peel them, and then, of course, you eat them."
I'll show you as soon as they are ready." Anthony sits back down and joins the discussion, but he occasionally checks the chestnuts.
About thirty minutes later, Sidney brings a bowl over and carefully dumps the chestnuts into it. She places the bowl on the center coffee table. Anthony grabs one of the nuts and demonstrates how to peel it. Spock watches him intently, then follows suit and begins to sample a chestnut.
"Well Spock, is it pleasing to your palate?" Anthony inquires.
"Indeed, it is," he says as he picks up another one.
He peels it and puts the nut in his mouth. They go back to sharing tales of Christmas past. After a few moments, T'Mara notices that his face appears pale and a bit swollen. She studies him with concern.
"My Love, are you okay?" she asks, touching his forearm.
He swallows, then whispers into her ear. "I'm not sure." His voice has a scratchy sound, as if he were coming down with a cold. But T'Mara knew that could not be the case, for they had found a vaccine for the common cold back in 2273
"T'Mara, I am going to lie down," he says as he stands. He walks slowly toward the stairs, but stops halfway when he experiences vertigo. Then a sharp pain radiates from his lower right side up through his right arm. He places his hand on his lower right side. He begins to feel lightheaded. Suddenly he collapses and falls forward. All goes black as he hits the floor.
"Spock!" T'Mara cries out.
Everyone jumps up and runs over to him. T'Mara kneels at his side and tucks her hand under his head. He does not seem to be breathing, so she checks for his pulse.
T'Mara's eyes widen. "NO! NO! NO! Anthony, his heart has stopped! Someone call the medics. Now!"
Reggie already had pulled out his pocket padd to contact the emergency department.
T'Mara pushes rhythmically on the area over Spock's heart, and it begins to beat again. He coughs.
"Spock!" she cries out to him.
He struggles to open his eyes, but then the pain returns. His eyes close tight and his body goes limp, but his heart is slowly beating.
"Hang in there, my sweet, please..." T'Mara shuts her eyes as she silently pleads with God.
There is a knock on the front door. As medics rush in, T'Mara stands up and moves out of the way. A medic places a portable heart monitor and heart stimulator next to Spock. He kneels beside his partner and places a small patch on Spock's lower right side. Suddenly the line goes flat on the screen. He presses the button when the device reaches the correct voltage. The device zaps Spock. It causes his whole body to jerk. T'Mara places a hand over her mouth.
Spock's heart begins beating again. He tries to speak, but words do not come out of his mouth. A medic then runs a scanner over his body. "No bones are broken." He turns to T'Mara. "Are you his wife?"
"Yes"
"We are taking him to Paradise Hospital," the medic says.
T'Mara stares at her cousin with fear in her eyes. "Anthony, this cannot be happening." Her voice cracks.
"It will be okay," he assured her. "Come with Sidney and me. The rest can stay here and watch the children."
T'Mara agrees that his plan is best. She goes to her daughters.
T'Anya's eyes are moist, but she does not allow any tears to fall. "I'm a Vulcan, and will not be afraid, for it is illogical to be afraid."
T'Mara strokes her wavy dark locks and manages a little smile. "Yes… your father would be proud. Remember, God loves him and will take care of him."
T'Meika nods. "Go ahead, Mother. We will be alright."
T'Mara gives them each a heartfelt hug.