A/N: Sorry for the long-winded chapter. You gotta do Christmas right. Right? ;)
Chapter 19
Sean, true to his word, arrived Christmas Eve in the morning. Zach picked him up at the Metro station closest to the house. He walked in the home to have Jack nearly tackle him and Aaron there as well. After he greeted Jack, he pulled Aaron into a hug. "You're not working today? Are you sick?" He pulled out of Aaron's hug and put his hand to Aaron's forehead.
"Good to see you too Sean; get rid of the cooking gig and find a stand-up comic store," Aaron smiled. Both the boys laughed at the exchange. Sean pulled his coat off and put it on one of the hooks as Zach set his bag down on the steps to the upper sleeping level and then hung up his own coat.
"Uncle Sean," Jack said, nearly bouncing, "We got the box you sent down. All the presents you put in there are under the tree. Come look Uncle Sean," he said pulling at Sean's hand while Sean slipped off his shoes. Sean smiled at Aaron, who followed them into the living room, along with Zach, after taking his sneakers off as well.
"Whoa Jack," Sean said looking at all the presents under the tree. "That looks like a haul!" Just then the doorbell rang. Zach went to the front door and looked out through the side window to see Dave standing there and opened the door.
Dave walked in with an armload of presents, slipping his shoes off as well. Zach helped him get them under the Christmas tree. Jack bubbled with excitement. Dave pulled Jack into a hug, greeted Aaron, and shook hands with Sean. "So what's the plan today?"
"Jack sings in the Christmas Eve Children's service at seven. Sean is making the Hotchner traditional Christmas Eve dinner of oyster stew for dinner at five." Zach rolled his eyes.
"I'll have something for you guys as well," Sean smiled.
Dave looked at Zach. "Don't know what you're missing out on kid. I'll be here with bells on at 4:30. Mind if I bring Mudg?"
Zach piped up. "Why don't you just stay the night Uncle Dave? You can bunk in with me downstairs. Jack says the futon is really comfy." Jack nodded his head at Dave, still in his arms. "And then you'll be here tomorrow morning to open presents with all of us." Jack and Zach exchanged large grins. "Rumor has it there's more than one under there with you name on it," he smiled, pointing at the tree. Jack beamed.
Dave smiled back. "It's a date. See you all later." He set Jack down on the floor, climbed back into his shoes and left.
Dave showed up at the time he promised, with Mudg, and the five sat down at the nook table to have the traditional Hotchner Christmas Eve dinner. But it was much more than oyster stew. It also included what Dave called nibble food: Aaron had bought a meat and cheese tray at the local food market, part of him and Sean's plan to go back to their own childhood, along with an assortment of crackers. Sean made a large batch of little cocktail wieners in a special sauce that he cooked in the crock pot. Jack was silently waiting on them to be served. He also prepared a batch of chicken wings and drummies in a Dijon mustard sauce with Wortershire and brown sugar. Zach had nearly stood by the oven and salivated as they cooked.
As usual, Aaron's sons forged like no tomorrow, while the three adults enjoyed the delicious stew and the other nibbles. The five of them went to church together, with Aaron getting Jack where he belonged with his Sunday School teacher to be part of the service. He smiled proudly as Jack handed Ms. Martha, his teacher her Christmas present. As he rejoined the group, they found seats in the church, quickly filling up to capacity.
It was a wonderful service with Zach, part of the teen group, re-enacting the Christmas story. Aaron got Jack finally settled and in bed around nine. The remaining four played three games of cribbage, with Zach and Dave trouncing Aaron and Sean while Zach worked on the leftovers from dinner. The other three just shook their heads. Zach headed off to his room, giving good night hugs all round and the three adults enjoyed a glass of scotch in the living room around the tree with the radio station playing Christmas music on again. It was a special time for Aaron, needing this while thinking of Haley. They all turned in.
Dave walked into the rec room to see his bed made. He poked his head into Zach's room to see him sleeping soundly. Contended, he used the bathroom, changed and climbed into the bed. Mudg was already circled around Jack's legs upstairs, snoring contently.
Dave smiled. The boys weren't pulling my leg. This is pretty comfy. He quickly fell asleep.
Zach slipped by a snoring Dave a little after seven Christmas morning. He silently padded up the steps and pulled the pan of cinnamon rolls from the fridge as he got the oven going and started the coffee brewer. The recipe was Haley's, actually Grandma Brooks' recipe, but the one he had found in Haley's special cookbook she had worked to put together diligently on the home computer. She had compiled all of her, Jess's and her mother's favorite recipes into a three ring binder, with each page inserted in a plastic sleeve. She knew cooking could cause things to splash on recipes. Zach cherished it. Jess had a copy as well.
Mudg came into the kitchen from Jack's room and gave him "the" look. Zach smiled. "Gotcha my friend" he said, leading him out the garage door and let him out the side door of the garage.
When Zach let Mudg back in and fed him, the oven had warmed to the right temperature. He put in the pan of rolls and went downstairs to take his shower. As he stepped out to get dried off, he heard footfalls upstairs. The aroma of the rolls had rolled some folks out of bed. He smiled and finished. As he walked out, wearing only his boxers, Dave was waiting to get in, standing in his boxers and t-shirt. "Merry Christmas Uncle Dave," he smiled.
"Merry Christmas Zach; I'd hug you but I've got to go; the joys of being an old man." Zach laughed as Dave flew into the bathroom. Zach threw on a t-shirt and a pair of cotton sleep pants and went up the steps.
Sean was standing in the kitchen. "What the hell did you do Zach?"
Zach smiled. "Followed mom's recipe." They exchange hugs. Aaron came in thirty seconds later, already showered and shaved, in the same grab as Zach. Zach looked at him. "Jack's not up?"
"He's starting to rustle." He reached for Zach, pulling him into a hug. "Merry Christmas son," he said, giving Zach a strong embrace, knowing this holiday was going to be tough on his oldest son.
Zach matched it. "Merry Christmas dad; I love you."
"I love you too son." Sean smiled at the both of them.
Sean said, "Do I have time to hit…" when Jack flew in at the sound of light.
"Merry Christmas everybody," he said excitedly. Aaron pulled him into a hug and Zach wrapped a long arm around Sean.
Pulling away, he said, "Nope, I think your time just expired on getting an early shower." Sean just beamed.
"Where's the old man," Sean asked.
Dave walked into the kitchen. "Right here," he said grabbing Jack from Aaron's arms. "Merry Christmas kiddo," he said giving Jack a hug, "do you really think Santa showed up?" After Aaron got Jack to bed last night, they all pulled out the hid presents for Jack from "Santa" and had placed them under the tree.
Jack bobbed his head up and down. "Yup, Uncle Dave, I think he did. I've been a really good boy." They all smiled, Sean grabbed Jack from Dave and they headed into the living room.
Jack could hardly contain his excitement as Zach pulled the presents out from under the tree and passed them around the room, looking at the gift tags. Jack, of course, had the biggest pile. When Zach finished, Aaron looked at his youngest son and simply said, "Go." Chaos ensued, with wrapping paper flying. Sean laughed and Dave smiled largely, taking in the memory.
Jack got everything he wanted, of course, starting with a new DS that "Santa" had bought him, with his oldest son helping him make the online purchase. The one Zach had bought him, with the money from Dave while they were in New Jersey, had died. Zach, Sean and Dave added to the bounty of the system with more games, having sent emails and texts to compare notes. Zach had used his own money in his account to buy his, which pleased Aaron, and Dave, to no end.
Aaron smiled at his gifts, thoughtfully chosen by his sons. He sported two more shirts and ties for work, as well as one handsome sweater that Zach added a note inside the box. "Dad, it's OK to dress down every once in a while. Uncle Dave and I talked." Aaron smiled brightly at the gifts. Sean added another sweater, with a smile at his brother. Dave smiled at the very generous gift certificate he received from the two older Hotchner brothers to his favorite cigar store. Dave gave Sean two tickets to a wonderful off-Broadway play. For Aaron, he pitched in a gift card to the store where Zach got the sweater.
They have more than one, the note read in Dave's flourished handwriting. It was taped to a bottle of 18 year old scotch.
Dave and Sean opened the same gift from the boys at the same time. In the box was a framed 8x10 picture of the two boys around the fireplace at the new house. Dave's contained one with the boys and Mudg. Zach looked at them, and shrugged. "I'm a Hotchner. I have no imagination."
They both smiled. "I love it," Dave said, with a tear in his eye.
"So do I Zach. It's perfect," Sean added.
Aaron looked at the pictures. "Who took them Zach?"
"Lisa, Pete's girlfriend; they stopped over one night a couple weeks ago when you were out. She's a really great photographer. She wants to be a photojournalist." They all opened more presents, with Jack getting books, coloring books, puzzles and a huge set of cars from Dave.
Aaron looked at Dave. "Thanks," he said sarcastically.
Dave looked at him with a question.
"Have you ever stepped on one of them in the middle of night trying to get to the bathroom? My instep had a bruise for a week." They all just laughed at him.
Yet it was Zach that scored the largest. Aaron and Sean, aka Santa, pooled together and bought him an Xbox 360 gaming system to hook up to his TV downstairs. Jack's present, which he and Aaron wrapped together to Zach, was "MLB 8". He also received a gift card from his dad, with the advice to get some more clothes. Sean chipped in on that bounty as well.
But the one that blew them all out of the water, was the one Dave gave to Zach. As he opened it, Dave smiled like a Cheshire cat. After opening the paper, he pulled open a box to reveal a new laptop computer.
Aaron looked at Dave. "I appreciate it Dave, but that's a little over the top."
"No it's not Aaron, because number one I can afford it; number two Garcia scored me a huge deal and has it all set up for him; and number three, he needs a computer around here for his school work. He can't run to the library like the rest of the kids. He has a big responsibility around here in the form of a short kid," Dave smiled at Jack. "And Garcia has guaranteed me that baby will last into college. Plus she and Kevin got the Wi-Fi set up in the house the day you moved in when they got you set up."
Zach sat on the couch, praying that Dave's argument was getting through to his dad, which Aaron noticed. Aaron just shook his head, giving up and Zach smiled broadly. "Thanks Uncle Dave; this is huge."
"We'll talk later about the rules with that," Dave said, pointing at Zach. Zach nodded, knowing he was going to get a Dave sermonette, with Garcia backing him.
They finished and got the great room cleaned up from the paper, with Aaron and Zach saving the bows like Haley did to be re-used the next year. Then they all sat down in the kitchen and enjoyed Zach's cinnamon rolls, the boys nearly polishing off a gallon of milk. By the time the crew finished, there was one roll left.
The four Hotchner's attended the 10 am Christmas Day service at Aaron and the boy's church, which included communion. Sean, still technically a member of their long ago church of their mother and step-father, and having never moved his membership to a church in New York City, joined Aaron and Zach. Becky, one of the members of their church friends, sitting a few rows back, moved up to sit with Jack while the three of them went forward so Jack wouldn't be alone.
After the service, they went to the cemetery and laid a wreath that Aaron had bought to put on Haley's grave. It was tough on the boys and they both cried. Sean wiped his own tears as he put his arm around Zach. Aaron held Jack to his chest. Yet Aaron knew it had to be done. Sadly, this would now be a part of their Christmas. Aaron just inwardly prayed that it got the boys "over the hump" so they could enjoy the rest of the day. When they returned home, Mudg was waiting at the door, with a happy bark of greeting. That seemed to brighten Jack. Mudg followed him into his room.
Dave had left to attend 10 am Christmas Mass with Father Jimmy officiating. After they all had changed, Zach looked at Sean. They were both standing in the kitchen and Aaron was sitting at the lunch counter. "You're gonna help me with this Christmas dinner thing, right? I want to do it myself, so I can learn, but you've got my back?"
Sean just smiled. "I've got your back. And I'm sure Grandma and Aunt Jess will pitch in." Aaron smiled that Haley's family would be here for the holiday.
"The big thing I still mess up Uncle Sean when I'm cooking big; its getting it all to come together at the same time."
Sean smiled. "That comes with practice Zach. But I'll give you some pointers along the way."
"I'd say you're doing pretty good Zach," Aaron commented. "But I've been meaning to ask. When did you get into being in the kitchen?"
"Mom was working and I was home during the day in the summer with Jack or even after school. She'd get something out and leave me a note on how to get it started over her lunch hour. It saved her some time." He shrugged. "I liked it."
Sean shoved Aaron's shoulder. "See, a cooking Hotchner isn't such a bad thing." Aaron smiled and shook his head at his brother.
Zach looked at his watch. "I've got to get the stuffing made," and started diving for the ingredients.
"What's the menu Zach?" Sean asked.
"Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, mom's stuffing and corn are on my list. Aunt Jess is making a broccoli casserole and Jack's favorite strawberry jello. Grandma is making sweet potatoes for all you old folks," he said, giving them his devilish smile that Aaron missed seeing. "Uncle Dave has got the rolls and pies from Mama Stan."
Sean smiled appreciatively at his oldest nephew. "That's a lot on your plate Zach." Zach just shrugged again. "Let's get a game plan together and I'll show you how to make a meal come together." In less than two hours later, Zach and Sean had the turkey roasting in the top oven. Zach had the stuffing made and he and Sean had the potatoes peeled. The three of them worked together on getting the dining room table put together as Jack played happily with his cars in the nook, Mudgie at his side.
Shortly after that, the door bell sounded, announcing the Brooks' family arrival. Mudg barked a warning. "Easy Mudg," Aaron said. "It's family." Mudg looked at Aaron and wagged his tail as Aaron moved to open the front door and welcome them. Jack flew to door.
"Merry Christmas Grandma and Grandpa! You too Aunt Jess!" he said. The three walked in, with Zach and Sean grabbing the dishes they had brought for dinner. Aaron helped Hannah and John out of their coats. John recently had hip replacement surgery and was still hobbling with a cane. They all hugged Jack and Aaron and Aaron hung up their coats in the closet. Zach and Sean returned from the kitchen as the group entered the great room and exchanged hugs as well. Jack looked around which Jess noticed.
"The presents are still in the car," she said, smiling as she pulled Jack into a hug.
"I've got just the person for that job," Aaron smiled. Zach grabbed his coat, pulled on his sneakers by the door and headed out.
John looked at Aaron. "You got the boys a dog for Christmas?"
"No,' he smiled. "Mudgie is Dave's. The boys take care of Mudg when we go out, so he's pretty comfortable around here. Dave spent the night so he could be here this morning. He went to Mass and then had a few things to take care of. He should be back soon." The Brooks' family knowing how much Dave had been a rock to Aaron after Haley died smiled.
On cue, Zach walked in with an armload of presents from Jess' car, with Dave helping him.
Aaron and Sean took the presents and put them under the tree so Zach and Dave could get their coats and shoes off. As Zach walked in, Hannah grabbed his elbow. "It smells good in here," she smiled. Yet Dave noted a bit of tension in the air. He knew Aaron had as well.
"Thanks gram," Zach smiled. "I've had some help," he said nodding at Sean.
"I'm still proud of you," Hannah smiled, pulling him into a hug.
"Me too grandma," Aaron smiled. John clamped Aaron on the shoulder. They enjoyed a marvelous family time together as the turkey cooked. Aaron gave them a tour of the house. The Brooks' marveled at his wise choice. As they re-entered the great room, Aaron dug a key out of his pocket and handed it to Jess. She looked at him with a question.
"Jess, in ten weeks, Zach starts baseball practice. You said you'll be his back-up. And I need him to have a back-up."
Zach looked at her smiling and pointed at her. "That's you." He walked to her and engulfed her in the wide wing span of his still growing, muscled arms. What tension that was around, simply vanished. Dave and Sean smiled at each other.
Working off Sean's timetable that Zach had written down, by three in the afternoon, the kitchen was alive. Zach had chosen four for dinner time. Sean patiently worked with him, letting him do most of the work. Jess got her casserole in the oven and then just sat at the lunch counter to watch Zach and Sean in action. She enjoyed a glass of wine from the bottle that Dave had brought over. Hannah was in the kitchen as well; slowly cooking the sweet potatoes on the range top that Aaron loved. He was hovering between the kitchen and great room, with Dave shaking his head at him. The guys were all drinking a beer. John and Jack were watching a football game on TV, sharing some "bud time" as Grandpa called it.
Precisely at four, Aaron called them all to the table in the dining room. The table was set to Haley's immaculate standards by Zach, with Aaron helping him earlier. Zach, Sean and Jess laid out the feast. As Zach went to sit down in his place, Sean looked at him, with pride in his eyes. "You did it Zach." They shared a massive high five, followed by a hug. They enjoyed a wonderful meal together as a family. When they finished, everyone pitched in to clean up, including Jack, now part of his job around the house. Less than an hour later, the entire kitchen was cleaned up, with the Aaron and boys getting the leftovers.
Afterwards, Sean and Dave got to witness the second round of Jack ripping through presents. Grandma and Grandpa had followed Aaron's suggestion for more clothes for both of the boys. While Jack opened packages of shirts and jeans for school, Zach gathered gift cards. Grandma Brooks looked at him. "You use them, and soon," she smiling said, shaking her finger at him. Zach beamed. The grandparents and Jessica got prints of the pictures of the boys as well.
Zach smiled. "I'm not back in school for ten more days. I think I can burn them up. With the after holiday sales, I should make a haul," he smiled. Yet he smiled his bright Haley smile at his gift from Jess. On a day that Aaron knew his oldest son was inwardly hurting, that smile made him feel ten times better, as he was going through his own private hell.
Zach pulled out Madden NFL 9 for his Xbox from the Jess. He and Jess shared a deep smile and she nodded. Zach flipped the game over and noticed the post-it note. Thanks Zach for helping me move on. Zach beamed his big smile at her and moved to give her a hug. Dave noticed Zach's reaction and smiled at Aaron. Aaron caught it. Dave just smiled bigger and nodded at him. They all had a wonderful family time together.
As he lay in bed that night, Aaron took a deep breath and then relaxed. We're finally home and a family, he thought. But he couldn't resist the next thought.
Take that you bastard George Foyet. In the end, my sons and I won. You couldn't defeat Haley and you haven't defeated us. Aaron slept soundly that night, getting his own personal Christmas gift.
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A/N1: MLB 8 is Major League Baseball, version 8; a video game. Madden NFL 9 is the American football version. And a thank you goes to my mentor and her hubby extraordinaire for helping the old girl through the gaming stuff. She's so good to me, she pulled in the "real" expert! Luvs to ya both!
A/N2: Oyster stew, by my German family heritage, is slowly warmed whole milk with butter while the oysters are warmed in separate pan with their "juice". When both are to soup temp, they are combined. It is served with oyster, or soup crackers, as in the small ones. I still make a very scaled down version for my dad on Christmas Eve, him being the only one that eats it. I can't get the smell past my nose, but to each, their own. But I get the cocktail wieners and chicken wing recipe!