Perry and Della were spending Christmas morning in his mansion. They had just had a special breakfast, and were now opening their gifts.

"I have a very special gift for you," said Della, "so I would like you to give me mine, first."

He smiled. "Sounds intriguing!"

She also smiled. "Trust me, it is!"

"Well, all right! Here's yours."

He gave her a large cardboard box. "Sorry, I'm not that good at Christmas wrapping!"

"No problem!"

She opened the box. Inside was a mink coat!

She looked at it with the expression of a boy who had gotten a bicycle! "Oh, Perry! OH, WOW!"

She gave him a bone-crushing hug and a fat kiss on the lips!

He laughed. "Hey, don't kill me, Della!"

"I wouldn't want to do that!"

Then she took it out of the box and put it on. "How do I look?"

"Like it was made for you! Does it fit? If not, I can have it exchanged."

"No, it feels wonderful! Thank you, Perry-darling!" She hugged and kissed him again. "And now, it's time for me to give you my gift. I'll need to go out to my car, to get it."

"Ok. This will give you a chance to wear your coat for the first time!"

"Yes, Perry!"

She left the house-coat on. A couple minutes later, she came back. She carried a painting, which she gave to him.

"Merry Christmas, Perry!"

It was a painting of a girl on a bed. She was lying on her stomach with her bare feet in the air. But she was not only barefooted, she was, in fact, completely naked. And she looked very much like...Della!

He stared at it, then he looked at her. "Is this..."

She nodded. "Yes, it's me!"

"I'm...speechless!"

"That's something you're often not!"

He chuckled. "You're right about that!" He continued to look at the painting. At the lower right-hand corner was a signature Hodges.

"That's Robert Hodges, isn't it?"

"That's right."

"I defended him, earlier this year."

"Yes, you did. I went to him with the idea of posing for this painting, and he readily agreed to it."

"Della, this is the best, most special gift anyone has ever given me!"

He hugged and kissed her. Then, he looked at the painting some more. "This was painted in your bedroom, wasn't it?"

"It sure was."

"What made you choose this particular pose, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Remember I once posed this way on the bed, when we were at the Miller Hotel? You said that I looked really sexy."

"Oh, yes! Well, Della, I shall prominently display this painting in our office!"

"PERRY!"

"Just kidding, Della! I shall put this painting in my bedroom!"

"That's more like it!"

They laughed together.

"Merry Christmas, Perry!"

"Merry Christmas, Della!"