Part 3
After she had finished her work in the kitchen with the pancakes already waiting in the oven in order to stay warm and the tea and coffee also ready in its mugs, Cal went back to the living room; and stopped dead in her tracks. As she had imagined before, Horatio and Aaron were lying on their stomachs, totally unaware of their surroundings. Smiling she sneaked around the corner, got her cell phone with the mini-camera, because she wanted to preserve that beautiful picture she saw. As quietly as she could she got closer, started the camera and had to smile when she heard Aaron mumble: "That's the best Christmas ever!"
Horatio, with his chin resting on his hand, just smiled on Aaron's comment and helped one of the small Playmobil figures into the train. "You know what the best is? That the train has a light," he grinned at his son, who was closing the railroad crossing.
"Really?" The boy asked surprised.
"Yes, the train driver needs to see his way at night, right?"
"Oh...yes right," The boy smiled and grabbed the small remote control. "Everyone inside?"
"Everyone inside, Sir," Horatio replied and rested his chin on both hands. He loved trains, always had. But he never got one when he was younger and when he became older, it had felt too awkward to buy one. So the minute Aaron had mentioned a train for Christmas, Horatio had been all over the Internet to find the perfect one. It was his chance to get something back from his own childhood.
Being close enough for a good shot, Cal still smiled and took a picture. The "klick" made both of them look around, with an almost identical frown on their faces. "I couldn't resist," she explained and took some more photos. "You're looking too cute."
"Mommy, look! The train driver has a light. So he can see his way at night," the boy repeated the words from his father and pressed a button so the train started to move slowly.
"The train has," Horatio smiled softly. "Do you see the small button underneath the big one? Press it."
Confused, Aaron looked at the remote and pressed the yellow button. Immediately, the train's headlight started to shine. "Coool!!"
"Very," Horatio grinned and rolled onto his back. "Breakfast is ready?" he asked his wife.
"Yep. Do you think you two can leave the train alone? I'm afraid we can't take it into the kitchen," she teased him a bit.
"Alone? Here in the living-room?" Horatio asked shocked. "I'm not so sure about it," he shook his head. "Aaron, what do you think?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Now, that's a surprise," Horatio laughed about his son's reply. "But I guess mom will be angry with us, if we don't eat something, right Cal?"
"Indeed," she nodded. "Especially since I made your favorite pancakes, love. You know, the ones with the chocolate sauce," Cal winked at Aaron.
Unsure of what to do, the boy looked at his Daddy. "Maybe one."
"Yeah, I think we could eat one," Horatio nodded after he had thought about it. "Or maybe even two", he added and started to stand up slowly. "Ohh...I'm getting old," he groaned when his muscles and bones didn't want to comply with his movements.
Calleigh chuckled. "No comment."
"What does that mean, Daddy?" Aaron wanted to know, taking his fathers' hand in his while they walked toward the kitchen.
"That means, that your mommy agrees with me and thinks I'm old, but she's too polite to tell me," Horatio answered his son and winked at Calleigh. "Women do that a lot, that's why you always have to listen to them closely," he continued as he walked hand in hand with his son into the kitchen.