"Last week of school before Christmas!" Sally cried at the top of her lungs, waking the rest of the house in the process.
Betty moaned under the covers. Class parties were that Friday, and Betty was on 'cookie duty' for Sally and Bobby's homerooms. Turning to one side, Betty smiled to find a white lily greeting her. Inhaling the petals, she painfully recalled how infrequent gifts and tokens were when and Don were on good terms. It seemed to be when he was in the dog house that he would go extra hard to make his way into her good graces.
"Don't wake the neighbors!" Betty warned, donning her robe and slippers. Her first step was always checking on baby Gene, who now shared the room with her while Don was residing in the old attic, now converted into a nursery. Lifting her son into her arms, she snuggled him close. "You are my favorite part of this year – my one good thing," she cooed. "Let me get breakfast started for your brother and sister and then we will spend the day together.
Betty ladled extra batter onto the skillet for pancakes as Sally and Bobby ran down the stairs.
"My friend Bert says that school breakfasts are awful," Bobby said, reaching for his apple juice.
"Then consider yourself lucky," Betty advised. "Not everyone gets a hot breakfast every morning."
"Some things are better cold, like cereal," Sally offered. "I wouldn't want any warm Corn Flakes."
"Mommy, can I bring an extra pancake for my friend Bert? I can slip it in my lunchbox."
Betty tried to hide a smile as she set aside an extra breakfast plate. "Your friend Bert is lucky to have you, Bobby."
"How come Daddy isn't up yet?" Sally asked, wrinkling her nose. "He's usually up to say goodbye before we go to school."
"Maybe he's sleeping in a little," Betty suggested. "Don't disturb him."
"I won't," Sally mumbled, scarfing down the rest of her food. "Our bus will be here soon, Daddy doesn't have much time left."
"He'll see you when he gets home. Don't forget your hat and gloves this time. If drops you off without hat and gloves I'll know who to look for!" she warned.
Sally nodded her head, instructing Bobby to put on his coat and take his lunchbox for the bus.
Betty turned her mind back to the kitchen, tidying up the area. She tried to not notice the fact that her husband was in fact not up and going out the door as he usually was. You told him you didn't care, Betty reminded herself, knowing that she wasn't being completely honest. The question remained as to whether or not he noticed.
Don sauntered down the stairs, dressed in his standard suit and tie. "Kids off to school already?"
Betty nodded. "Sally missed you this morning."
"I'll make it up to her," he promised.
Betty decided to do a little prodding. "Getting a late start aren't you?"
"After a long night last night, I figured I was entitled."
"Of course," Betty conceded, raising her hands. "The children have their last day of school this Friday – I'm sure they'd love to see more of you next week."
Don tapped his head to show understanding.
"Speaking of spending time with the children," Betty ventured, "Junior League has a meeting tomorrow night, in preparation for the hospital visit the following week. I'll need to be present, would you mind watching the kids?"
"Sure, I'll be home for dinner every night this week."
Betty let out a small laugh. "That is some promise."
"You don't think I can do it?" Don asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Let's start with tonight and go from there," Betty suggested, relieved to have tomorrow night settled. "I'll have tomorrow night's dinner ready to go early for Carla."
Don settled into the Pierre suite, watching Lane frantically pace the floor. "You're going to wear out the carpeting," Don smirked.
"News is breaking everywhere," Lane blustered.
"Good," Roger noted from the corner table.
"We need to strategize and strike while the iron is hot," Bert Cooper advised. "Set up meetings with all current clients."
"Pete and Peggy are working on that," Don noted. "And Harry is speaking with advertisers."
"When he isn't hacking up a lung," Joan remarked.
"Crane is sick?" Bert asked dubiously.
"Who knows," Roger finished.
"Clearly the day is right on track," Don said under his breath, perusing the business section of the paper.
Betty wiped her forehead as she pulled the roast beef out of the oven. She figured if Don was wagering on coming home, she could have one of his favorite dishes ready for him if he deigned to show up. "Bobby, Sally, wash up for dinner!"
"Dinner sounds great, I am starving."
Betty jumped at the sound of Don's voice. "Your timing is uncanny," she said, bracing herself on the counter. "I just cut the strings. I didn't even hear you come in."
"I just got here," Don assured her. "A promise is a promise after all."
"For day one this week," Betty noted as the kids came bounding down the stairs.
Don hugged Sally and Bobby to one leg. "Gotta start somewhere."
Betty nodded. "If you two will let go of your father, he can help bring the plates to the table."
Don sent a nod in Bobby and Sally's direction. "You heard your mother."
Betty struggled to listen as Sally went on about the newest pencil case a classmate got, and that it would be great if she could use the same one.
"You can always ask Santa about it when you see him next week at the children's hospital," Don winked.
Betty lowered her head to hide a smile as Sally's eyes lit up with possibilities. "I'll need to think about what else to ask him for."
As the family dug into their meal, Bobby asked Betty what she wanted for Christmas this year.
Don raised an eyebrow at his wife as he waited for her to respond.
Betty took a long sip of her drink to buy time. "I would have liked to see the family house in Pennsylvania one more time before it's sold," Betty finally answered, acknowledging her childhood home.
"Santa can't fit that in his sleigh," Sally said wrinkling her nose.
"No he can't," Betty agreed. "Which is why if Santa brings me a new blender, I will be very happy." The Draper family dinner continued with everyone making small talk at the table.
Betty cleared the plates and deposited them into the sink, thanking Don for the last dish. "It was nice to have you home at dinner," she commented.
"It was nice to be here," Don echoed, going into the fridge for a beer.
"I'm surprised work didn't keep you late. You always seem to have late meetings during the holiday season."
"Work is a little different this year," Don ventured, testing to see if now was the time to tell Betty about his new company.
"Different isn't always bad," Betty reminded him.
"No it isn't," Don agreed. "Why don't you join me in the living room?"
Betty eyed the kids in the playroom. "Can I have one of your beers?"
"Of course," Don said, handing her a bottle from the fridge.
Betty joined Don in the living room, intrigued by his offer.
"You're going to find out eventually, so I may as well tell you know," Don began. "I left Sterling Cooper."
Betty nearly dropped her drink on the carpet. "Are you working at all?" she stammered, stunned by the news. "You just signed a contract with them a few short months ago."
"Sterling Cooper was sold to McCann Erikson and I had no intention of going with them," Don stated. "Bert Cooper, Roger Sterling, and Lane Pryce have come with me, along with a few other associates."
"What do you call yourselves?"
"Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, or SCDP."
"Where are you working?"
"We're working at the Pierre Hotel at the moment; it's where we conduct business until we find something more substantial."
Betty blinked her eyes. "As long as you have a plan."
"I always have a plan," Don assured her. "And I always land on my feet."
"I know you do," Betty said quietly. "When did this happen?"
"Last week." Don saw Betty's body tense up. "I was always going to tell you, I just didn't know when."
"I suppose I should be grateful to be kept in the loop," Betty commented.
"We're going to be fine – you, me, and the kids."
Betty wrinkled her brow.
"Financially I mean," Don clarified quickly. "I plan on holding up my end of the bargain in the New Year."
A small smile formed on Betty's mouth. "As long as you aren't reneging, and the children have everything that they need."
"They will always have what they need," Don promised.
"What made you do it?" Betty asked. "You were working for Sterling Cooper; you couldn't work for another company?"
"A bigger company than the one I'm already at. And I was already feeling that Sterling Cooper was getting so big with all of the British interference. This gives me a chance to create something on my own, from scratch."
"You've done it before," Betty said. "Reinvented yourself, made something from nothing."
"I want to do it again, a fresh start."
"Then you'll succeed, you always do in the end."
Don raised his eyebrow at Betty, wondering if he would have such success at home. "So I'd like to be able to be home for dinner more this month, our last month with the kids together."
"I won't deny you time with the kids," Betty assured him. "You'll always have access to them, no matter what happens with us."
Will I have access to you, Don desperately wanted to ask. Am I losing you in a month? Unable to speak, he sat in silence, watching her drink her beer daintily from the glass.
"I can't wait to see what happens," Betty said as she stood to leave the room.
Biding her goodnight, Don watched her go tend to baby Gene, Sally, and Bobby, storing the memory for a later date.