Christmas Day 1994

"Oh, she's precious!" Joanie exclaimed as she held one-week-old Chloe Grace Holland. Matthew and Lisa had just arrived with their new daughter. Little Chloe wore a baby pink sleeper made of terry cloth. She was wrapped in a white blanket with pink polka dots and wore little pink booties on her feet. She stared up at her grandmother with puzzled dark blue eyes.

"We thought it would be kind of nice if she came on Christmas Day, but as it turned out, she couldn't wait that long," Lisa laughed. "Not that I'm complaining," she added quickly.

"Has she been to see her other grandparents?" asked Joanie.

"Not yet," said Matthew. "We were planning to take her over there later today."

"Well, I know they're gonna fall in love with you just like I have!" Joanie said to Chloe.

Matthew and Lisa stayed with Joanie and Chachi for several hours and ate ham and rolls and cranberry sauce and sweet potato crunch. Lisa fed Chloe, and then Matthew drove to David and Ellen's to find their car gone.

"I'll bet they're at your grandmother's," Lisa suggested, so Matthew drove to Beryl's house, where they saw David and Ellen's car in the driveway.

"Bingo," said Matthew. He parked the car, and they went inside to find David, Ellen, Jack, and Abigail sitting on the sofa while Beryl sat in the rocking chair.

"Oh, there she is!" Ellen exclaimed, jumping up and rushing to the door. "There's my baby!" Matthew and Lisa were hardly inside before Ellen was reaching for Chloe, gushing over her. Jack saw how sad Abigail looked and squeezed her hand.

Ellen, carrying her new granddaughter, returned to the sofa and sat down beside her husband. David's face became animated as he smiled and made cooing noises at Chloe. Abigail was lost in her own world until she heard someone speak her name and turned to look into David's face.

"Would you like to hold the baby?"

"Why, of course!"

Abigail took Chloe into her arms and carefully held the warm little bundle. The infant sucked on her fists as she stared up into her great aunt's face for the first time, her brows wrinkled in a puzzled expression.

"Look, Jack!" Abigail turned to her husband with a smile.

"Well, hello there!" Jack offered Chloe a finger, which she grasped tightly.

After a few minutes, the baby began to fuss, and Jack handed her back to her mother.

Abigail was quiet for the rest of the visit, and for the ride home afterwards.

"What's on your mind?" Jack asked her as he drove along.

"I just realized I'm old enough to be a grandmother!" Abigail replied. "Ellen is a grandmother, and she's younger than me!"

Jack chuckled. "Are you jealous?"

Abigail frowned. "Not jealous, exactly. It just hits home to me what a late start I got in life."

"That wasn't exactly your fault, you know."

"I know." Abigail sighed. "By the time Jackson graduates high school, I'll be fifty-six!"

"And I'll be sixty-two. So what?" He gave her a quick glance. "You don't regret having kids, do you?"

"Oh, no, of course not! A thousand times no!"

"Well, then, what difference does it make?"

"None, I suppose." She was quiet for a long time. "Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you and Karen ever have any kids together?"

"She didn't want them." He didn't feel like going into detail.

It was a cold day, and when the family got home, the kids eagerly ran to their rooms to play with their new presents while Jack lit a fire in the fireplace and Abigail sat on the sofa. She stared into the fire while Jack brought two cups of steaming apple cider and handed one to her. Then he sat beside her and put his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's not so bad," he remarked. "Our kids are lucky. They have two parents who are mature and settled, who know what they want in life and how to achieve it. Think what an advantage that is!"

"I never thought of it quite like that before," Abigail mused. "But I suppose you're right."

Jack laughed. "Of course I am!"