Christmas tree

"Uncle Harm, how about this one?"

"That one?" Harm stared up at the massive evergreen in disbelief. The trunk was thick and sturdy – its height completely dwarfed his six-foot-four frame – and the span of the branches and needles was nearly as wide as it was tall. "A.J., how are we going to fit that tree through the front door?" he asked sensibly.

"It'll fit," A.J. said confidently.

"Only if Mom and Frank want to knock out the side of the house," Harm said. He ruffled A.J.'s hair affectionately. "Try again, buddy."

"Aunt Mac, pick me up," Jimmy demanded, raising his hands to his godmother. "I wanna see over the tree."

Mac laughed as she bent down and tapped Jimmy on the nose. "I'm not that tall, little guy. I don't think even your Uncle Harm is that tall."

Luckily, Jimmy seemed undeterred as he ambled after his brother, searching for another Christmas tree in the long, neat row of evergreens.

"Harmon Rabb, Junior, is that you?"

The friendly voice belonged to a short, plump, older gentleman with white hair, a beard, and a round face. Mac thought he looked a little bit like Santa Claus.

"Bill, how are you?" Harm smiled and shook hands politely. "Mac, this is Bill, the farm owner."

"I've been running this Christmas tree farm as long as I can remember," Bill said proudly. "Known Harm's parents almost as long, too." He looked pointedly at Harm. "Although I haven't seen you in ages, Harm. Glad to see you brought the whole family out to find a Christmas tree."

"Found one!" A.J. yelled from a short distance down the path.

"Only if it fits through the door, A.J.," Harm reminded him.

"It will! Come on, let's chop it down!"

"All right, I'm coming."

"You're going to let A.J. and Jimmy chop it down?" Mac asked. "With an axe? Harm!"

"We'll be careful, Marine!" Harm called over his shoulder.

Mac let out an exasperated sigh and put her hands on her hips.

Bill gave a deep, jolly laugh. "Those are two strapping young sons you've got there."

Mac looked up in surprise, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn't make the words come out to correct him. With her wedding only a few days away, it was something she had been thinking about a lot lately.

You and me…have a baby together?

With your looks and my brains, he'll be perfect.

And what if she has your looks and my brains?

That could work, too.

And then the wave of sadness would come – the regret that she had waited too long – and reality would cruelly slap her in the face. Although she and Harm loved their godchildren, it still hurt to accept the fact that they would never have children of their own.