December 1923

...

Nathan nimbly buttoned the baby's sweater, ensuring she was snug and warm. "How's that, Gracie? Are you nice and toasty? I don't want you to be cold today." He slipped some knitted booties onto her feet before lifting her from the bed. "We're going to pick out our Christmas tree today, and then we'll bring it home and decorate it. Are you excited for that? I know Allie and Jack have been looking forward to this. I think it's becoming one of our favorite Christmas traditions."

She cooed, the corner of her lips turning up slightly.

He smiled at his baby girl, still in awe that she was his. After loving Elizabeth from afar for so long, he never dared dream that his life would look like this, never dared dream that he would one day be holding this perfect baby, a product of their love.

Staring into her face, he was amazed. It had been two months since she was born, but he didn't think he would ever get used to seeing bits of him and bits of Elizabeth in the baby's tiny features. Her nose, his mouth, her eyes. She was theirs. There was no doubt in his mind, Grace Grant was a little miracle.

"Don't forget her hat," Elizabeth said quietly, leaning against the door frame as she watched her husband.

"Oh, that's right." He gently lowered the baby back onto the bed and reached for her little knitted hat, tugging it down over her dark curls. "We wouldn't want your ears getting cold, Gracie."

Once more, he lifted her to his shoulder, kissing her soft cheek. Elizabeth stepped into the room, sliding her arm around his waist. She looked first at their daughter, then shifted her gaze to meet his eyes.

"I don't know how it's possible, but every time I see you with her, I fall more in love with you. Our children are the luckiest to have you as their father."

"Not half as lucky as they are to have you as their mother." He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "I love you, 'Lizabeth."

"Mom! Dad!" Jack called from the front of the house. "We're ready!"

Nathan chuckled. "We should get going before he decides to try to drive himself to find a tree."

"Allie wouldn't let him do that." She laughed. "But yes, we should get going."

...

Jack ran into the trees ahead of everybody with Scout on his heels. Nathan followed close behind, calling out for him to slow down.

Elizabeth and Allie stayed back, in no hurry to catch up to the boys. Grace was tucked into her mother's coat, sleeping soundly against her chest.

"Mom? Do you remember the first Christmas after dad and I moved to Hope Valley? You took us to find a tree and then helped us decorate it."

Elizabeth smiled at the memory. "I remember."

It had been a beautiful day, traipsing through the woods in search of the perfect tree, and then joining them in the row house to decorate. Heat rose in her cheeks at the memory of Nathan standing behind her as he helped her hang an ornament, how close he was when she turned to face him. Her smile fell when she remembered how scared she felt in that moment, scared of what it could mean to let him into her heart.

Allie dropped her gaze to the ground, wondering if she should divulge the rest of her thoughts, worrying that they could bring up past hurts.

"Allie? Sweetheart?"

"I just…I remember wishing that could be how every Christmas was. It had been me and dad for so long, and then we had you there, and Jack, and I could see how you made dad feel. I'd never seen him like that before…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I know that you weren't ready to be with dad yet back then."

"Allie." She shifted the baby so she could put a hand on her daughter's arm. "It's okay to share those memories with me. I loved spending that time with you and your dad, and you're right. I wasn't ready to be with him back then. But that Christmas did help me realize that I could move on, eventually. I'm sorry that we missed out on so many Christmases together after that, especially now that I know what it's like for us to be a family, but I'm grateful we're here now."

A smile played on the teenager's lips. "So am I. I think this might turn out to be the best Christmas yet."

"I think you might be right about that, Allie," Elizabeth agreed, squeezing her hand gently. "Now, why don't we go catch up to the boys? Who knows what sort of trouble they're getting into without us."

...

"Grace, I think our brother found the perfect tree this year." Allie smiled down at her baby sister in her arms, then glanced back up at Nathan and Jack as they lifted the tree into place.

"It's heavy!" Jack groaned, stepping back to let Nathan finish setting it upright.

The tree was tall and full, nearly reaching the ceiling. Jack had been thrilled when he spotted it, and was even more excited when Nathan had handed him the saw, letting him make the first few cuts.

"Well, this is the biggest one yet." Nathan cautiously moved away, keeping his arms out in case the tree started to sway. "Do you think we'll have enough decorations?"

"Oh, we have plenty," Allie assured him. "In fact, I think you might need to help mom with all of the boxes." She gave him a smirk, raising her eyebrows.

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "What are you up to?"

She just shrugged. "I don't know, but this tree won't decorate itself."

"Come on, Sergeant." Elizabeth waved him over. "Let's get those boxes before she has time to actually plan something."

He followed her up the stairs, shooting a quick glance back at Allie, who was still giving them a mischievous smile.

"I don't care what she says. She's definitely up to something."

Elizabeth laughed as they reached the doorway. "I think I know what she's up to." She pointed to something above her.

Nathan followed her finger, rolling his eyes playfully when he noticed the sprig of mistletoe hanging above the door. Sliding his arms around her waist, he pulled her close. "She thinks we need help with this?"

"To be fair, you were the one who hung mistletoe all around the house last year. So did you think we needed help?"

"Well," he leaned in, finally pressing his lips to hers in a sweet kiss, "I like to think all that mistletoe last year is part of the reason we have Gracie with us this year."

"Nathan Grant!" She gave him a little shove. "Let's just get these boxes downstairs."

Elizabeth paused when she reached the bottom of the stairs a few moments later, her heart warming at the sight in front of her.

Allie and Jack had moved to the sofa, Grace still snug in her sister's arms. The siblings were speaking quietly, telling the baby about their Christmas plans.

"If we get some more snow, we can have a snowball fight!" Jack explained. "Last year, mom and Allie and I all beat dad at our snowball fight."

"And on Christmas Eve, the town has a dinner. Sometimes there's dancing, sometimes we all sing Christmas carols."

"And then we come home and have cake for my birthday! I'll be eight this year." Jack enthused. "But I think you're still too little to have cake."

She started to squirm in Allie's arms. "I think all this talk of cake is making her hungry," she joked, turning toward her parents. "Mom?"

"I've got her." Elizabeth set down the box she was carrying and took the baby from Allie. "You all go ahead and start decorating. I'll join you when she's done."

Taking the seat Allie vacated, Elizabeth covered herself and settled the baby in to nurse. She smiled at the activity around her. Jack and Allie were eagerly pulling ornaments from the boxes, sharing stories about their origins, laughing and smiling at the memories.

Nathan held up a particular ornament and grinned. "I'll save this one for mom." He turned to Elizabeth and gave her a wink before setting the cardinal ornament aside.

She let out a quiet laugh, her cheeks warming yet again at the memories conjured up by the small bird.

"Uh oh, Jack." Allie rolled her eyes playfully. "We forgot to warn Gracie about the bird."

"Why do you two get all mushy about that bird, anyway?" Jack asked, looking between his parents.

"You'll understand when you're older," Nathan stated, holding Elizabeth's gaze.

Jack groaned. "You always say that. I'm going to be eight soon!" he reminded them. "I'm older!"

Elizabeth chuckled, adjusting her blouse and shifting Grace to her shoulder. "Older than that, honeybear."

Nathan crouched down to the boy's level, ruffling his hair. "The bird ornament just reminds us of how far we've come since we met. How much we love each other. Someday, you'll fall in love with someone, and there will be plenty of simple little things that hold memories from when your relationship was first beginning."

"Oh," he replied, nodding in understanding. "Are you two going to kiss now?"

"Maybe a quick one," he teased, wiggling his eyebrows at his wife before joining her on the sofa. "Avert your eyes, son."

Half an hour later, the tree was covered in ornaments, one hanging on nearly every branch. Elizabeth stepped back to take it all in.

"What do you think, sweetheart?" Nathan slipped his arm around her waist.

"I think it's perfect."

"Almost perfect," he corrected, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a small, cloth-wrapped object. "This was Allie's idea."

Elizabeth looked at him curiously, then at her daughter. Unwrapping the object, tears sprang into her eyes. She rubbed her thumb across the tiny handprint, imprinted onto the wooden ornament in red paint, 'Grace Grant, 1923' printed in Nathan's careful script across the bottom.

Jack tapped her on the leg. "Look on the back, mama!"

Flipping over the small circle, a smile played on her lips. The backside of the ornament boasted three distinct thumbprints, labeled with the names of her three children. She set aside the ornament and pulled Allie and Jack into a hug. "Thank you so much. I love it."

As she hung the ornament on the tree a few moments later, she marveled at her children, all with different parentages, but equally important to their family. Allie, her first daughter, nearly a woman now. Not her own by blood, but hers in every way that mattered. Jack, her sweet boy, the one who kept her from drowning in grief, the tangible evidence of her first love. And her amazing Grace, her proof that taking a chance on love would always be worth it.

She took a shuddering breath, and Nathan was immediately at her side.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, turning to burrow into his chest. "Sometimes I just can't believe that this is our life."

His arms wrapped around her. "We do have a pretty amazing life here, don't we?"

...

Nathan sighed into the phone. "Are you sure there's nobody else who can do it?"

"Nobody I trust as much as you. If there was any other option, I would've chosen that. Believe me. I really hate to take you from your family right now, but I promise you'll be back in Hope Valley with them in time for Christmas."

Resigned, he sighed again. "Okay, Lucas. I'll leave first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, Nathan. I owe you for this."

"You sure do, Governor," he replied, a hint of teasing in his tone. "I'll be there soon."

After ending the call, he leaned back in his chair, running his fingers through his hair. How would he tell Elizabeth that he had a new assignment a week before Christmas? And the children? They had nearly every moment of the next week planned out, wanting to ensure that Grace would get to experience all of their family traditions during her first holiday season. He hated to miss a single second of it.

"Nathan?" Elizabeth's soft voice broke through his thoughts.

"Sweetheart." He glanced up, seeing her standing just inside the doorway, Grace cradled in her arms. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm not surprised." She approached the desk, passing the baby to him when he held out his arms. "You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"I just got a call from Lucas."

"Oh?" Elizabeth took a seat, waiting for him to continue.

"He's throwing a Christmas party in Capital City, and with the tensions they've been feeling up there, he wants extra security. He specifically requested me."

"Well, you are the best Mountie around." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I don't blame him for wanting you there."

"It'll just be the one evening, and then I'll leave the next day to come home. He says I'll be back in time for Christmas. I just hate to leave you and the children, even for a few days."

"We'll be just fine, my love." She reached over to take his hand. "You just be safe."

...

Elizabeth rolled over, expecting to find an empty space in the bed that was usually occupied by Nathan. Instead, she found Allie lying there, looking up at the ceiling.

"Allie?"

She turned, meeting her mother's eyes. "I couldn't sleep, and I just…I needed my mom. I hope it's okay that I came in here."

"Of course, Allie." Elizabeth sat up and embraced her. "I'm always here for you."

"I'm worried about dad. Robert said there are some people who aren't happy with Governor Bouchard, and that's why they need extra security at this party. I remember what happened the last time people were angry with the governor, when they came here. You and dad were both in danger." She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall.

"It's just a precaution, Allie. They don't have any proof that someone is going to try to get to Governor Bouchard at this party. Besides, your dad isn't one to take risks. He has a whole houseful of reasons to play it safe." She squeezed her hand. "And we don't have to worry long. He promised to call after the party this evening."

Allie leaned her head on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I love you, mom."

She smiled, putting an arm around her girl. "I love you, Allie."

"Mama?" Jack poked his head through the door.

"Come here, honeybear." She patted the spot on her other side, inviting her son to join them. "You couldn't sleep, either?"

He shook his head as he climbed onto the bed, a frame clutched in his arms. "I had a dream about my dad in heaven." He moved the frame to his lap, revealing the photo of Jack Thornton, Sr. that had sat on a shelf in his room since he was born.

"Was it a bad dream?" Elizabeth ran her fingers through his hair, marveling at how much more her boy looked like his father with each passing day.

"No." He touched the picture lightly. "We were fishing. He told me he was sorry he left and that he was proud of me."

"Oh, sweet boy." She sniffled, pulling him into her arms. "He would be so proud of you. You remind me so much of him."

"Really?" The boy beamed.

"Really," she confirmed. "Now," she wiped her eyes, "since we're all awake, shall we go have some breakfast before we begin our busy day?"

...

Lucas clapped Nathan on the back. "Thank you for being here tonight. I know you would've rather been at home with your family."

"All part of the job." He loosened his tie. "I chatted with some of the other Mounties here tonight, and I'm going to keep looking into those rabble-rousers for you. Just because they didn't show tonight doesn't mean they don't have something planned."

"You don't have to do that. I didn't mean for you to make a whole case out of this."

Nathan gave him a smile and grabbed him by the shoulder. "I've got your back, Lucas. Just like I know you have mine. Now, go spend some time with your girl." He nodded toward the door that Fiona had disappeared through moments before.

A smile stretched across Lucas's face. "Thank you, Nathan."

"But you two behave," he teased, giving his friend a shove. "I wouldn't want to have to arrest you for impropriety."

"Very funny. You'd better go call your wife like you promised."

"On it."

Minutes later, he sat at the desk in Lucas's den, waiting for his call to be connected.

"Nathan?"

His smile grew at the sound of Elizabeth's voice. "'Lizabeth."

"Is everything okay? Is everybody okay?"

"Everyone is just fine. The party went off without a hitch."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. And you're still leaving tomorrow?"

"I'll be on the first train out in the morning, along with Lucas and Fiona. I'll be sure to call you from the station before I leave. How is everything at home?"

"Good, but we all miss you. The children wanted to talk to you tonight, too, but they couldn't stay awake. We had quite a busy day here. Allie went ice skating with Opal, and Jack had a playdate with Lily, and then we spent the afternoon making cookies for everyone."

"You saved some for me, right?"

She chuckled, the sound warming his heart. "Yes, we did. We wouldn't dare forget about you and your sweet tooth."

He leaned back in the chair. "And how's Gracie?"

"Perfect, as always." The smile was evident in her voice. "But she definitely misses you. She's made it very clear that she prefers it when you sing her to sleep."

"You tell her I'll be back to sing for her soon. I should let you get some rest now." He glanced up at the clock. "I didn't realize how late it was."

"I love you, Nathan."

"I love you, 'Lizabeth. Good night."

He wandered up to one of the guest rooms after ending the call, grinning when he heard Lucas and Fiona speaking softly on his way. He quickly went through the steps of his nighttime routine before sinking into the plush bed, wishing he had Elizabeth beside him. Soon, he thought, just before drifting off to sleep.

...

Rosemary held up her clipboard, pen hovering over the page. "Minnie, you're providing a roast?"

The pastor's wife nodded. "And a ham."

"Florence is bringing roasted potatoes, Molly is baking bread, and I've got the vegetables covered. Elizabeth?" She looked over at her friend. "Are you still able to bring a pie or two?"

"Of course. Allie and Jack are very eager to help. But there will be other desserts there, too? Just in case?"

Rosemary chuckled. "Gustav has promised to create the best Bûche de Noël this side of the Atlantic." She glanced over her list. "We have all of the basics, so as long as everyone else brings a side dish or two, we should have plenty of food."

The door to the café suddenly burst open, revealing an out-of-breath Ned Yost. "Elizabeth. We have Nathan on the telephone for you."

Her heart dropped. "I'll be right there. I'm sorry, ladies," she apologized, turning to Rosemary and Minnie.

"Don't worry about it. We'll watch Grace for you," Rosemary offered, reaching for the baby who had been sleeping soundly in Elizabeth's arms. "Go, find out what's going on."

"Thank you." She hurried over to the mercantile, wondering why Nathan would be calling urgently. He was supposed to be on his way home, having called earlier when he was leaving Capital City.

She wasted no time in picking up the receiver. "Nathan?"

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

"What is it? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, I'm safe. It's just…" he paused, "I'm stuck in Buxton. A blizzard blew in out of nowhere, and they've cancelled all outbound trains."

"Oh. Well, as long as you're safe. You'll get here when you can." She tried to disguise the disappointment in her voice. "You said it's a blizzard?" Glancing outside, she noted the clouds moving in, the wind picking up.

"It's likely to hit Hope Valley, too. You might want to get home with the children before it gets worse."

"I will," she promised with a sigh. "Call the house this evening? I'll make sure Jack and Allie are awake. They'll want to hear your voice, too."

"Okay. I really am sorry, Elizabeth."

"You couldn't have helped this."

"I know. But still." He cleared his throat, lowering his voice. "I love you, 'Lizabeth. I'll see you soon."

"I love you, Nathan. Be safe."

...

"This is all my fault," Lucas said as Nathan returned to his seat. "I asked you to come to Capital City, and now you're stuck in this train station instead of spending Christmas with your family."

"It's okay, Lucas. It's not like you caused this blizzard or shut down all of the trains."

He smacked his knees. "We're going to find a way to get you home. I'm not letting you miss Grace's first Christmas."

"How? We don't have a car, or a horse."

"I'll make some calls." Without another word, he stood, making his way over to the phone.

Nathan leaned back in his seat, rubbing a hand over his face. "I suppose this isn't how you planned to spend your Christmas either."

Fiona chuckled. "Not at all. I was hoping for a quiet Christmas in Hope Valley, spending time with friends, with Lucas." A flush rose in her cheeks as she glanced over at him. "He said he had big plans for us."

"I'm really happy for you, Fiona. You two deserve all the happiness."

"Well, if we can be half as happy together as you and Elizabeth are, we'll count ourselves lucky."

Nathan smiled, thinking about his wife. They certainly were happy together, weren't they? He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he prayed that Lucas would be successful in finding a way for them to reach Hope Valley soon. He missed his family, missed having Elizabeth at his side.

Figuring he had a while to wait, he got comfortable, closing his eyes and dreaming of being beside Elizabeth once more.

...

Elizabeth lowered Grace into the cradle before moving to the window. It was dark, the light of the moon just barely peeking out from behind a layer of clouds that was still dropping snow across the landscape.

"Something happened to him," Allie insisted, joining her mother at the window. "He would've called otherwise. What if he's lost? Or hurt?"

"I'm sure he's fine. He probably just lost track of time, and now it's too late to place a call." She put a comforting arm around her. "Your dad is smart, and capable. He wants to get home, but he wouldn't put himself in danger to do that."

Allie leaned into her. "You're probably right."

"There's no sense in waiting up any longer. He'll be home when he can." She kissed her daughter's temple. "I'm going to get Jack and Gracie to bed, and then I'll be in to say good night."

Hours later, the front door opened, a cold wind blowing through the dark house. Scout let out a low bark that was quickly shushed.

"Nathan?" Elizabeth sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "You're home?"

He quickly shed his coat, shaking the snow from his hair. Kneeling in front of the sofa, he took her hands. "I'm home, thanks to Lucas."

She kissed him, suddenly feeling very awake. "Thank goodness. I love you, Nathan." She touched his cheek, his chest, feeling his heartbeat, proving to herself that he was really in front of her.

He took her face in his hands, kissing her soundly. "I love you, 'Lizabeth." He reached for the blanket that had fallen off of her, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Let's get you back up to bed. Why are you down here, anyway?"

She shrugged, letting him lead her to the stairs. "I woke up to feed Grace, but couldn't sleep after, so I came down here. I must've fallen asleep on the sofa."

They paused in the doorway to their bedroom. Elizabeth leaned into him, inhaling deeply.

"I just can't believe you're really here."

"Believe it, sweetheart."

...

Elizabeth placed a ball of dough on the counter in front of Jack and another in front of Allie. "Roll those out. You want it to be thin, but not so thin that it gets holes in it."

"Okay, mama," Jack replied dutifully, immediately starting to roll out the dough.

"So tell me again how exactly dad got home if the trains were all cancelled?" Allie asked as she slowly flattened her ball of dough.

Nathan was still asleep, weary after his journey from Buxton, but Elizabeth had told the children of his unexpected middle-of-the-night arrival.

"You know, we didn't really talk about how he got home," Elizabeth answered, realizing that she and Nathan were so caught up in being together again that she hadn't bothered to ask the particulars of how he made it back to Hope Valley.

"We have Governor Bouchard to thank for that."

They all turned at the sound of Nathan's voice.

"Dad!" Allie and Jack shouted in unison, abandoning their task in order to greet their father.

He laughed, pulling them both into a hug. "I missed you two."

"So how exactly did Governor Bouchard get you home?"

"It's really not an exciting story. He just used some of his connections to procure us a sleigh with a team of horses, which I'm now realizing we'll need to return to Buxton at some point." He chuckled. "I think he was just as eager to get back here to Hope Valley as I was."

"How was the party, dad? Was it marvelous?!"

He shrugged. "You know me. I don't like those big celebrations. I very much prefer a Hope Valley Christmas party. And speaking of that…" He ruffled Jack's hair. "We should get back to these pies. What can I help with?"

Minutes later, he was elbow deep in a bowl of sliced apples, feeling happier than he had been in a long while. This is what he lived for, this is what he loved. Hearing his wife and children laugh and joke as they worked together to make the pies for their town's Christmas Eve dinner.

Elizabeth slipped her arms around him from behind, leaving a trail of flour across his shirt. "Mm," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I know you were only gone for a few days, but it's so good to have you home."

"It's good to be home."

...

"Dad, I'll hold Gracie for a little while. Why don't you go ask mom to dance?" Allie held out her arms, eyebrows raised.

He passed his youngest daughter to his oldest. "Thanks, kiddo." Crossing the room in a few long strides, he tapped Elizabeth on the shoulder.

"Nathan." Her face lit up with a smile she reserved only for him.

"'Lizabeth, may I have this dance?"

"Of course." She slipped her hand into his, and he led her to the middle of the room. As she fell into step with him, she said a silent prayer that she would never tire of dancing with him, never tire of being in his arms.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Just thinking about how much I love dancing with you."

"I could say the same, sweetheart." He pulled her closer, the pair lapsing into comfortable silence as they swayed.

Nathan glanced around the room, smiling at the sight of their friends dancing with their loved ones. Rosemary and Lee, Florence and Ned, Minnie and Joseph, Mei and Michael. Even Lucas and Fiona were out on the dance floor, her new ring sparkling in the lights strung throughout the room. He caught Lucas's eye, giving him a slight nod.

"I'm really happy for them," Elizabeth stated quietly, following his gaze.

"So am I." He met her eyes again, his smile widening. "Between you and me, I think he just used our family as an excuse to get back to Hope Valley. He really just wanted to propose to her here."

"I don't blame him. Hope Valley is a magical place."

He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, the sensation new and familiar at once. "That it is."

...

"Good night, birthday boy." Elizabeth kissed her son on the forehead, then made sure his blanket was pulled up to his neck. "Sleep tight."

"Night, mama. Night, daddy." He looked over at Nathan with a smile.

"Good night, son." He switched off the light, taking Elizabeth's hand as she stepped out of the room. "I can't believe our boy is eight now." He shook his head, thinking back to the little baby he met when he moved to Hope Valley all those years ago. It seemed like yesterday and years ago all at the same time, and he counted himself incredibly blessed to have the privilege of being the boy's father.

"He's growing up far too quickly," Elizabeth agreed, making her way across the hall to their bedroom. "They all are," she added, referring to the incident earlier in the evening when they had caught Allie and Robert trying to sneak out of the Queen of Hearts for a moment alone. She reached up to touch his cheek. "I'm proud of how you handled that whole situation, my love. I know it's hard to see her becoming a young woman, knowing we'll have to let her go soon. And just think, you'll get to go through all of this again with Grace in a few years," she teased.

"No. Gracie is staying with us forever," he insisted, peering into the crib to find the baby wide awake. He lifted her to his shoulder, kissing her soft cheek. "Isn't that right?"

Elizabeth smiled as she watched them. "Since she's awake, why don't we go back downstairs for a little while? I can heat up some cocoa."

"I'll change her diaper and meet you down there."

They settled on the sofa, the room lit by the twinkling lights on the tree and the last of the embers burning in the fireplace.

"Last year, you said maybe we'd be putting up another stocking this Christmas," Nathan reminisced quietly, cradling Grace to his chest as Elizabeth snuggled up beside him.

"I did say that, didn't I?" She took note of the five stockings hanging above the fireplace, the pile of presents lying beneath the tree, with tags boasting their children's names. How blessed were they to have her dream become reality.

"This is exactly what I imagined then." He shifted to rest one arm across her shoulders. "You and me, with our amazing Grace."

She leaned up to kiss him. "I love you, Nathan. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, 'Lizabeth."