December 25th, 2010

"Don't dance while you chew young man."

Kerry winced as Henry practically swallowed the rest of his cookie whole. "Henry Guillermo Lopez Weaver."

He grabbed his mother's hand and pulled until she stood. "Dance Mama. The presents are open and there's room, dance Mama..."

She bobbed her head as the woman on the recording sang that all s he wanted for Christmas was you, to a bouncy beat. Juliana stood, a bit wobbly and held her hands up. Kerry swooped her up and all three danced around the wrapping paper strewn living room until the song ended.

Henry sank to the ground. Kerry put Juliana down and sat next to him. "I love you Mama..."

"'Cause of all the amazing presents I got you?"

Henry pushed at Kerry's knee, "Mama..."

Kerry smirked and ruffled his hair, "Hey, had to check buddy. And I love you too. And you too Juliana, but young lady, do Not touch that package Juliana Catherine."

Kerry scooted backwards and grabbed the surprisingly heavy mid sized package. She read the tag. "From Kim? Don't you want to open this Henry?" Henry stared at the carpet and shook his head, "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to Mama. Okay? I don't wanna." He stood and slowly stalked down the hall.

Kerry watched him go and felt a little hand on the package. She turned her gaze to her daughter, who smiled and laughed as Kerry shook her head, "Oh, you think you're funny huh little one? This is for your brother. Hey, you want to play with your bristle blocks?"

"Yes Mama." Kerry pulled over the large circular cardboard container and reached in. She pulled out a couple of colorful plastic brillow pad looking things and stuck them together. "So, what are we going to build."

"A house Mama."

The doorbell rang and Kerry stood, "Start without me, maybe Joe will help you if that's him."

She opened the front door, "Abby, Randi... hey Joe. Juliana's in the living room, but Henry's taking a little break from the fun." Joe escaped past the adults and into the living room. Kerry glanced behind Randi before she closed the door, "I thought Maggie was coming?"

Abby sighed, "Still is, had to pick up her plus one. So, where's the Egg Nog? If I can't have booze while my mother cavorts with a man I need fat and horribly bad for me carbs."

Kerry chuckled, "Fridge, and could you turn down the turkey twenty degrees or so while you're in there?"

Abby gave a faux salute and went into the kitchen. Randi hung up both their coats. "Are you aware that your Mrs. Kingsley's across the street, probably trying to decide whether to come into the den of sin or not."

"I wasn't, no... well, she has to make her own decisions. I'm not going to go out there and force the issue. So, is... you know who running on time?"

"Amazingly, yes. He just should have landed and hopefully is sloshing his way over here as we speak."

Kerry let go a breath, "Good."

The doorbell rang again. Randi turned and pulled open the door, nearly causing Carlos to fall on his butt, "Damn that was fast."

Kerry rolled her eyes as Randi took his coat. Kerry gave Carlos a hug as Randi escaped to the kitchen. "I thought you'd be with your family today Carlos."

"I am." Kerry narrowed her eyes at the younger man and he shrugged, "I spent the morning there, but then Dad and I... and Mama's still feeling the death of Aunt Natalia. I needed to get out of there to somewhere with... with my favorite nephew." He paused, "And, speaking of dust ups, I heard you and some guy named Ramos got into it. Want me to set him straight?"

"No."

Carlos gave Kerry a look up and down, "Who is he anyway?"

"My ex husband."

Carlos winced, "Ah, right. Are you sure?"

Kerry put an arm around Carlos' waist, "I'm sure. Thank you though. Now, I have no doubt that Juliana has made a brilliant bristle block creation, you need to go in there and see it."

"Whoa... you got her Bristle blocks? That's so retro. Where did you find them?"

"Trade secret." They had just gotten to the living room when the doorbell rang again. Everyone looked up, but Kerry put a hand up, "I'll get it."

She went back to the entrance way and opened the door. Hell stood in front of her. To her left stood Todd Ramos, her ex, with way too a happy look on his face, and next to him stood Maggie. Finally, next to Maggie stood an uncomfortable looking Helen Kingsley.

It was Todd who broke the silence, "Who knew you actually had a real mother. A mother that doesn't breathe fire and doesn't feel the need to remind me that she hated my guts."

Kerry but her tongue and took a step back, letting them inside and out of the flurries that had started. "You must be Maggie's plus one."

Todd flashed a smile, "Oh yes. I didn't know we were going to an Christmas feast though."

Maggie opened her mouth to speak, but Henry appeared in the entrance way and Todd cut her off. "Holy shit."

"Language Todd." Kerry put a hand to her head to calm herself, then spoke to her son. "Did you need something Henry?"

"I'm sorry Mama... I'm sorry."

Kerry knelt down in front of Henry, "It's okay. Hey, Uncle Carlos and Joe are here. Oh, that reminds me." She turned her head towards the kitchen and called, "Abby."

Abby stuck her head out of the living room, "You bellowed Chief oh my Chief?"

Kerry rolled her eyes, "That fat's already gone to your head. I believe you've forgotten something in the car."

Abby's lips pursed, "Oh... da-schel hound." She put down her glass of Egg Nog, then picked it back up when Kerry pinned her with a look, "First I'll find a coaster." A hand appeared and put down a coaster on the end table next to Abby. "Thanks Randi..."

She took her coat as she passed by the hooks and was out the door.

Maggie finally got her chance to speak, "Kerry, I didn't kno..."

Kerry held her hand up and spoke with a glance at Todd. "It's okay Maggie. He's just as much family as your daughter is in some ways. Not to mention my mother would roll over in her grave if she knew that I turned someone away on Christmas Day. It was her favorite holiday. Please, please, come in, make yourself at home." She took their jackets and hung them as they moved into the living room.

Helen didn't move, "Helen?"

Helen met Kerry's eyes, "I shouldn't have come. I..."

Kerry gave a short laugh, "My ex-husband is here. Even you have more a right to be here than him." Kerry glanced over where Henry was till standing quietly. She held out her hand and Henry took it. "Would you like to meet your grandmother Henry?"

Henry frowned, "I thought Grandma Catherine was my other Grandma?"

Kerry nodded, "She was. Grandma Catherine and Grandpa Henry adopted me. They weren't my birth parents, they adopted me because they wanted a child so, so much. This is my birth Mom. Helen."

Henry looked up at Helen for a long moment, then he held his hand out. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Henry."

Helen was only thrown off for a moment before she took Henry's hand and shook it gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you too Henry."

Henry took back his hand and turned to his Mom, "Is it almost dinner Mama?" Kerry nodded, "I'm gonna play 'til then," and he was off to join everyone else in the living room.

"He's so..." Helen shook her head, "Thank you for introducing us."

"Would you like to stay?"

"Are you sure?"

Kerry shrugged, "Yes. I can introduce you to my daughter as well." Kerry held out her hand for Helen's coat and waited. It was a long moment, but Helen finally put her coat in her daughter's hand.

Helen carefully made her way to the living room. Kerry shook her head as she watched her. She mumbled to herself. "She's a swimming pool toe dipper... how in the world are we related." She nearly jumped out of her skin as the doorbell rang again. She opened it. Abby stood there with a pie in each hand and Luka next to her.

Kerry smiled, "Luka." They hugged. "Finally, a bit of positive for this party. I'll take those." She took the pies from Abby. "Go, go, surprise your son. It's nearly time for turkey."

Kerry took the pies into the kitchen and smiled to herself when she heard Joe's excited voice. The smile left her face as Todd appeared. "Kerry."

Kerry didn't turn, "Todd."

"Need any help?"

Kerry stopped moving and didn't move for a moment, finally she spoke, "Mash the potatoes. Orange pot on the stove."

Todd clicked his heels together and gave a nod. "Yes ma'am. So, Henry doesn't look like your kid. He mine?"

Kerry shook her head, "You're pathetic, you know that? He's six. I know you suck at math, but we've been divorced for twenty years."

Todd took the potato masher off its hook and plunged it into the pot. "So, will the father be joining us?"

"No."

Todd smirked, "Ah, so you cut off his balls too."

Kerry sighed, "No, no, that would have been hard to do to Henry's other parent. What do you want Todd? I'm sick of your word games."

"Two exes can't just talk, we were married once, remember?" Kerry opened the stove and Todd spoke up again, "Need help getting it out."

"I've never needed any help from you Todd Ramos. So, no." She pulled the turkey on its pan from the stove and put it on the burners. "And yes, I remember we were married. Two years of work, yelling matches, and sex. I repeat, what do you want?"

Todd finished mashing the potatoes, put their lid on and put them back on the still warm but turned off burner. "You said yourself, it's been nineteen years. I thought perhaps we could put it behind us."

Kerry finally turned it around, "Fine. Abracadabra, it's behind us." Henry appeared, "Would you set the table please Henry?"

"Yes Mama."

Todd watched the interaction and shook his head as Henry went into the dining room, "Always thought you'd suck as a mother. Guess I was wrong huh?"