Day Five: Is Stealing A Crime, Even In Rhyme?
"Let's roll, Cindy Lou," Cam said, tapping on Sam's window in the parking lot of Cheyenne Mountain Elementary School. "It's time to quit worrying about quarks and crab nebulas and go read about furry green naked people-ish things who hate Christmas to kids who probably know the story by heart."
She deliberately almost hit him with the car door, but stopped before she'd end up needing to get his service dress uniform dry cleaned. Feeling slightly irritated that she had to wear a skirt in the below freezing temperatures while he got to wear pants, she adjusted her jacket and started toward the building."I wasn't thinking about quarks and crab nebulas, though thank you for listening to my presentation last week."
"You're welcome," he said with a nod. "What were you thinking about, then?"
"I'm trying to decide what to get Jack for Christmas," she admitted, having shared more of her slightly against regulation romance with Cam over the last few months than she'd intended to but having no regrets.
"Ah. Well, don't look at me for help. Ask Daniel."
"He said cake and fishing gear," she laughed.
"Is there something else that, er, Jack likes?" He hit the button at the door, telling the woman who responded that they were as part of the program of community groups helping kids celebrate. Crossing his arms over his chest to keep his hands warm while they waited to be let in, he shrugged. "You could take a vacation at a fishing destination with him. Like how I'm going to Hanoi in February for Tet with Carolyn. Bright side for you, his parents wouldn't also be on your vacation."
Sam gasped, the copy of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas that she'd bought at Target on the way to the school tucked under arm. She assumed the school had a copy but it seemed more professional to show up with their own. "Oh no, General Landry and… I never know if I should call her Mrs. Lam… are going too?"
Cam grimace-nodded. "Indeed," he said, quoting Teal'c because sometimes the succinctness of the word just worked. "And if you think it's bad trying to figure out what to call her, think about me. I don't know what to call either of them and now I'm going on vacation with them."
"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you expect," she said, trying hard not to laugh.
He scowled at her, then rearranged his face into a neutral expression as the secretary opened the door. "Colonels Carter and Mitchell," he said, gesturing to Sam first. "We're from Cheyenne Mountain and here to read to the first graders, I believe."
"Yes, sirs, this way." She led them to the library and left them there, alone save for a quartet of older students and a teacher in the far corner.
"Maybe you're right," Sam whispered while they waited for the kids. "A fishing vacation, and me fishing with him without complaining, might be just the thing. And maybe I can find one somewhere near a fancy bakery."
"Look in the Willamette Valley, my sister-in-law's parents have a bed & breakfast there and they get a lot of fishermen."
She bumped her elbow against his as the classes started filing inside. "Thank you. I wonder if they have a room…"
Cam rolled his eyes but also smiled. "I'll ask my sister-in-law for information. Maybe that'll be my Christmas present to you."
"I'll accept that," she laughed. "Hi, guys, I'm Colonel Carter. Are you ready for a story?"
