"Mama...maaaama...up...pease!" Abby opened one eye and peeked down at the end of the bed where Lauren's crib was stationed. Her daughter was standing up with her arms hanging over the crib's rail watching them. Her long hair was tousled and laying over the shoulders of her yellow sleeper.

"Maammaaa..." she said again. Abby pulled the comforter closer around her shoulders and started to jostle Luka. She stopped as she heard the bedroom door open quietly and Lauren rattling the crib walls excitedly. Abby smiled a little as she heard Tata whispering and then lifting his granddaughter out of her crib.

"Shhh...halo dijete djevojka," he murmured. "Baby girl...volim tee..." She heard the door close again and then snuggled closer to Luka to go back to sleep.

"Think we can talk him into moving in with us? I could get used to him doing that for us," Luka whispered. Abby grinned and wrapped his arms around her.

"How long have you been awake?" she sighed.

"All night long..." Abby shifted to look at him. Luka shrugged sleepily.

"I can't stop thinking about it," he said.

"Christmas?" He shook his head. He grinned and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"Going to the chapel...and we're gonna get maaaarrried..." he sang softly. She giggled and covered her ears.

"Not again..." she cried and stifled a laugh. Luka chuckled and drew her back against his chest and held her there. They relaxed and enjoyed the feel of having one another close. He started to drift off again.

"Luka," she said quietly as she opened her eyes.

"Hmmmhmmmm..." he mumbled.

"I can't get married in the church yet," she said. "You know that, right? Because of my divorce."

"Ummmhmmmmm..." he mumbled and sighed.

"So the priest and the chapel..."

"It's a civil ceremony, Abby," he said quietly without opening his eyes. "There is a priest from the Presbyterian church that's going to bless it for us..."

"You mean a minister?" Luka's eyes opened.

"A minister? Yeah...I guess, I do." He sighed and closed his eyes again. "We can do the other...later...if you need to."

"You've thought of everything," she said. He smiled.

"Yeah..."

"How did you know that I would want to do this now?" He grinned and sighed as his eyes stayed shut.

"Can't tell you that right now...but soon," he said. They were still for a moment and then he started laughing again.

"What?" she moaned softly.

"I just want to hear it one more time..." Abby sighed and then opened her eyes. She waited.

"Will...you...marry me?" he asked softly. She rolled her eyes, grinned and then turned around to face him. Luka opened his eyes as she studied his face for a moment.

"Yes..." she whispered. "Yes." He grinned and then bent to take a nip at her neck. Abby giggled and pulled the coverlet over their heads.

And it was that way for him all day long. She helped with the breakfast dishes and he nudged her hip with his and drew a smile from her. They wrapped packages together and he teased her with the tape and ribbons. They took Lauren for a walk in the park and were soon rolling in the falling snow stuffing the white stuff into each other's faces. He nuzzled a few of his favorite places as they were getting ready for Christmas Eve church services and never stopped smiling as they sat with his family ...holding hands...during mass.

Zoran and Jelena hosted them all for Christmas eve dinner after church. There was bean stew with spicy sausage, tender cooked cod with mashed potatoes and Luka's honey glazed Badnji Kruh. And then there were the desserts to be dealt with. Everything looked almost too pretty to eat. Abby was a bit overwhelmed with the food and the laughter and banter that flew all around her.

Luka was at his jovial best handing out the gifts they'd brought. He put Lauren to work and Abby was surprised at how quickly the little girl had picked out who was who in the crowd. She wasn't shy with anyone and was absolutely adored by everyone. That was the best thing. Her daughter was surrounded by a loving, adoring family.

Tata had given them a painting. A beautiful painting in a simple frame. Lauren's face was in a top corner and a messy colorful handprint in a bottom corner. In between was a series of slashes and smears that could only have been her very first attempt at painting on her own. Tata had laughed as he told about sneaking her into his studio while Luka was baking bread and being very proud that his son hadn't even suspected. Tears bleared her eyesight as she studied the gift in her lap again.

'Abby..." Luka shook her from her thoughts and held up a tiny pair of black and white soccer cleats. Abby laughed and shook a finger at Zoran. He nodded and shrugged. Lauren was already in the middle of the floor with Javor and Natasya rolling a mini soccer ball back and forth, teaching her to kick it. Lauren collapsed in giggles as Javor 'missed' the ball and fell backward as Natasya shrieked 'skor!'. Abby laughed as Lauren could hardly stand up with laughter and then ran to get the ball from her cousin. She carried it to Luka and waited for him to roll it to her. She kicked the ball and promptly fell on her bottom. She stopped and then looked around as everyone clapped and cheered for her. She ran to Abby and buried her face in her mother's lap for a moment. Abby picked her up and kissed her before setting her back on the floor and nudging her toward the ball. Luka chuckled and slipped an arm across her shoulders as they leaned back and watched their daughter with her cousins. They were a happy, rowdy bunch and yet, even in the middle of all of it, she still felt a little lonely.