Home for the Holidays
Clay recovered from his rabies prevention treatment which, as Trent had assured him, was not painful or scary. And as his doting uncle had promised, Clay had company for the rest of his two day stay in the hospital.
On Monday when Bravo needed to be on base for a special weapons training, Derrick's wife Catherine took a day off work to stay with her favorite neighbor so he would not be left alone. She arrived early with Rice Krispie Treats and spent the day with Clay watching TV and chatting with Katie when Brock's young wife showed up after school with Corey and his chess board which kept him and Clay busy and quiet for the rest of the afternoon until Jason and Trent showed up after their training with pizza for the boys.
Derrick arrived not long after Jason and Trent to pick up Catherine who needed to do some Christmas shopping and had made reservations for dinner out with her husband who had returned from a two-week long mission, just in time for Christmas.
"I'm taking off, Sweetie," Catherine told Clay, kissing his messy curls. "Jason says they are springing you tomorrow, so I will see you back at home."
"Thanks for staying with me today," Clay said, reaching out to hug his surrogate aunt from where he was sitting on the bed, careful not to bump the chess board which was on the table attached to his bed. "Are you still going to wait for me to decorate your tree?"
"Absolutely," Catherine promised, smiling at the kid who had quickly stolen her heart when Jason brought him home to his apartment across the hall from her and Derrick. "The ornaments are waiting in the living room. Derrick put the lights on for us, but I am not hanging a single ornament until my baby is there to help me with the decorating duties."
"Can we do the ornaments tomorrow when I get home?" Clay asked. This was his first Christmas with a real family, and he was pumped up for all of the holiday traditions and in hyperdrive as if he was six instead of sixteen.
"Apparently Clay is considering a career as a Christmas elf if this Navy thing doesn't go anywhere," Corey teased him. "Saturday, before the unfortunate hypothermia adventure, he teamed up with my mother, and the two of them bullied me, Brock and Katie, and my sister Jenny into spending the afternoon decorating Christmas cookies and listening to The Colonel's Frank Sinatra Christmas album on his vintage record player."
"Your attendance was not required," Clay scoffed at his first real best friend. "Mama Margo and I were perfectly fine on our own. And I totally heard you singing along with Frank to Luck Be A Lady, so don't try to act like you weren't participating in the Christmas sing along."
"How do you know the lyrics to Luck Be A Lady?" Jason laughed, messing up Corey's hair, surprised to see Brock's usually quiet little brother by marriage so animated.
"Believe me," Katie interjected from her seat by the window where she and Brock were sharing a piece of pizza. "If you grew up with Colonel and Mrs. Myers, you would know the lyrics to all the hits of 'Ol' Blue Eyes'. They are seared in our brains."
"And on New Year's Eve," Corey added, "The Colonel turns on the ball drop in Times Square, calls Ryan Seacrest a punk kid, complains that he couldn't hold a candle to Dick Clark, and forces me to watch him dance with my mother while belting out New York, New York at midnight."
"Aw, that's so sweet," Catherine said, grabbing Derrick's hand. "You could learn a thing or two about romance from Colonel Myers."
That cracked up both Katie and Corey along with Brock.
"Oh yeah," Brock laughed. "The Colonel is a true romantic."
"It borders on child abuse," Corey said.
"Can I come this year, Corey?" Clay asked. "I want to see The Colonel dance and sing New York, New York at midnight."
"No offense," Corey shook his head at his best friend. "But I think you might need some extra sessions with Dr. Jeff. Some kind of holiday detox may be required."
"Oh, leave him alone Corey," Katie came to Clay's defense. "Just because we've been traumatized from years of listening to Bing Crosby and forced viewing of 'White Christmas' we can't let our holiday PTSD impact others."
"Katie," Corey deadpanned. "I know that you and Jenny still like to put on your 'magic elf hats' that The Colonel bought for his two special princesses back in the day at the base canteen or whatever they call it, but Clay clearly has a concerning obsession with all things Christmas. He actually asked dad if we could watch 'It's A Wonderful Life' last week because he'd never seen it."
"It's a commissary, not a canteen, Grinch," Clay scoffed. "World War 2 is over. And if you didn't want to watch 'It's A Wonderful Life' with me and Mama Margot and The Colonel, you could have found something less festive to occupy yourself - like maybe stealing your neighbors' Christmas lights to stop Christmas from coming."
"Brock," Corey turned to face his much-loved new big brother. "You know this weirdo Christmas thing he's got going is not in any way normal. Back me up on this. Katie always takes his side, no matter how ridiculous it usually is. He and mom cried together at the end of the movie when everyone shows up with the money to save George. And why would someone who is supposedly the only one in town with half a brain ever put his drunk uncle in charge of taking cash to the bank in the first place?"
"I did not cry," Clay grouched. "Mama Margot shed a few tears, but I definitely was not crying."
"Your eyes were watering when Little Fan or whatever her name is said the part about the bell meaning the special needs angel got his wings," Corey laughed.
"Little Fan is the sister in 'A Christmas Carol', which maybe you should re-watch to learn what happens to mean Christmas haters, dipshit," Clay snapped back. "Juju is the kid in 'It's A Wonderful Life'".
"Watch your mouth," Jason said, smacking the side of Clay's leg. "And enough bickering. Behave and finish your game like nice boys or Brock is taking Corey home and you, Shorty, can go to bed while the adults eat your pizza and enjoy the peace and quiet."
"Sorry," Clay said, softly. "I just really like Christmas this year."
"I was just kidding," Corey said, handing his best friend another Rice Krispie Treat. "Have another one of these before Brock eats them all. Catherine even used the special Christmas Rice Krispies. And, I like Christmas too. But I refuse to give The Colonel the satisfaction of knowing I don't hate his Christmas playlist."
"He's not that bad," Clay said, perking up and enjoying the treat while making his next move on the board, boxing Corey in. "I like your dad."
"I know you two have bonded over your love of all things Christmas - and of course World War 2," Corey said. "But I think everyone in this room who knows The Colonel can agree that if you had to actually live with him, you would be permanently grounded and eating your dinner standing up at least once a week."
"I have to agree with Corey on that one, honey," Katie said. "Daddy does not find naughty in any way amusing. But I think it's nice that you two have hit it off in small doses. You are the only friend Corey has ever brought home that he can even tolerate."
"We need to get going, sweetheart," Catherine said, packing up her purse. "And 'yes' to answer your earlier question. I will not let Derrick put even one ornament on the tree until you are home and Trent gives the okay for Christmas fun across the hallway at our place."
"Can I at least hang my stocking on the fake fireplace?" Derrick asked, wrapping his arms around his wife and kissing her temple.
"You can hang your stocking," Catherine swatted his ass on the way out. "But absolutely no tree decoration until my baby arrives."
"Someone should have promoted you to colonel," Derrick said to his no nonsense wife as they were leaving.
"I'm not playing chess with you anymore," Corey sighed, packing up the game. "I literally never win. We need to stick with PlayStation."
"Don't be a sore loser," Clay laughed. "Do you want me to let you win occasionally? That's what I do with Brock, and he seems to enjoy it."
"I know you let me win, smart ass," Brock said, taking the last Rice Krispie Treat and ignoring his little brother's pout. "Just like I let you win occasionally at SkeeBall so you don't whine like a little girl."
"Okay," Trent said, rolling his eyes and standing to start cleaning the accumulated mess in Clay's room before the nurse showed up for his bedtime vitals check and meds. "It's almost bedtime on the kiddie ward. Uncle Sonny texted he's on his way up to say goodnight to his favorite kid. How about I cue up the Hulu and us senior team members will introduce you youngsters to what we consider to be the best Christmas special ever shown on a Sunday night in December and watched by all the cool kids in the late seventies."
"Is that the 1970s we're talking about?" Brock chuckled, helping with the room clean-up.
"Hey, wise ass!" Sonny barked at Brock from the doorway, entering Clay's room with his hands full of coffee for the adults and hot chocolate for the kids, straight from Dunkin', along with a bag of donuts to share with all.
"Keep smart mouthing the grown-ups," Sonny ranted on, unloading his bedtime treats on Clay's bedside table. "I will not hesitate to put you over my knee and embarrass you in front of your pretty wife and the children who think you are some kind of big shot."
"Don't spank him now, Sonny," Clay said. "Trent was just about to unveil what he says is the best Christmas special ever."
"Well, there is absolutely no question about that, Trouble," Sonny said, kissing his boy's head and handing him and Corey both hot chocolates. "The undisputed best Christmas special of the nineteen seventies is none other than the 1974 classic 'The Year Without a Santa Claus' featuring the best feuding, singing brothers ever - Heat Miser and Snow Miser."
"No contest, brother," Jason said, high-fiving Sonny.
"Damn straight, no contest," Trent concurred, finding it on Hulu while Sonny passed out donuts and Jason dimmed the lights.
"I never heard of it," Clay said, licking the frosting off of his favorite chocolate frosted. "I thought you were going to say 'Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer'."
"I was thinking the Charlie Brown one," Corey said, taking a chocolate glaze. "Thanks Sonny."
"No way," Sonny squinted, giving the boys his best fake glare. "No Christmas season is complete without at least one showing of 'The Year Without a Santa Claus'. Sit back and enjoy a real classic, boys and pretty girl."
"We love you, Sonny," Katie kissed his cheek, taking donuts for herself and Brock who was keeping his distance from Sonny on the off chance his much older brother decided to start handing out warning smacks.
The under-25 crowd had to agree that the old grumps had indeed come up with a great way to settle everyone down and end Clay's last less than pleasant night in the pediatric ward.
The highlight was Sonny and Jason doing their own sing-along version of the Miser brothers while Trent and the kids cheered them on.
"This was way better than The Colonel doing New York, New York," Corey said, packing up his backpack to head home with Katie and Brock. "Thanks for the pizza and donuts."
"You know you are welcome anytime, son," Jason said, sincerely. "Just have The Colonel drop you off or call Clay and someone will pick you up if you need a ride. And tell your parents we said Merry Christmas. And I appreciate everything they do for Clay."
"Yes, sir," Corey answered respectfully, following Brock and Katie to the door before turning back to face Clay. "I'll tell my parents you might be joining us for the New Year's countdown if it's okay with your dad and you don't get called in to work."
"Can I go, Jase?" Clay asked, hopefully.
"We'll see how it goes and what Trent and The Colonel think," Jason said, looking over at Trent for back-up. "It's still a couple weeks off."
"The boss is right," Trent said. "We need to talk to Dr. Jeff and come up with a plan that everyone is good with before you take off on any more overnight stays. And maybe Katie can check in with her parents to see how they feel about another sleepover. They may need some time to recover from this most recent adventure before you and Corey make plans for them."
"I agree," Katie said. "I am absolutely sure mom and daddy will be happy to have Clay visit again, but sometimes they do that fancy dinner thing at the Officer's Club on New Year's Eve. We'll figure it out once we get through all the Christmas fun."
"Let's get going," Brock said, anxious to get Corey home. "I don't want your father all hostile with me because we brought Corey back late on a school night."
"Relax, Brock," Katie rolled her eyes at her nervous husband. "It's not that late. And I can handle Daddy."
"Yeah right," Brock snorted. "You can handle The Colonel because he is literally never mad at either you or Princess Jenny. Corey and I are not on the 'Daddy's Perfect Little Girls' list."
"Brock is right about that, Katie," Corey said. "We better go."
"Oh calm down," Katie laughed. "I won't let The Colonel spank either one of you tonight. And Corey, if Daddy is grouchy when we get there, don't worry. We'll just blame Brock for being slow."
"Very funny, Princess Kathleen," Brock said. "Let's go or I'm telling your mother that you and Jenny broke her favorite cookie mixing bowl drunk and screwing around in the kitchen after Thanksgiving and then hid the evidence by dumping the broken dish in the garbage can outside McDonald's so you wouldn't get caught. Then we'll see who's on the shit list."
Corey and Clay both gasped covering their mouths.
"The hundred-year-old special mixing bowl that great-grandma whoever brought over with her from Ireland that I'm not even allowed to touch is broken?" Corey squeaked. "And you dumped the remains at McDonald's without even trying to see if The Colonel could come up with someone to salvage it?"
"Mama Margot was looking all over for that bowl when we made cookies last week," Clay said solemnly. "Remember Corey? She called your sister Janet and accused her of taking it home to make cookies with your nieces. And this whole time it's been in broken pieces in the trash. Great-great Grandmother Helen's bowl she carried wrapped in a blanket all the way from Ireland."
"How the hell do you know the great-great grandmother's name?" Sonny said, shaking his head at Clay.
"Because I pay attention when Mama Margot is talking," Clay said. "Unlike some other people in this room."
"Because you are Nosey," Trent laughed.
"Exactly," Jason said, sternly. "Nosey and minding other people's business. You better just stay out of this one."
"Believe me," Clay said, raising his hands. "I don't want any part of this one."
"Mom is going to lose her mind when she finds out about this, Katie," Corey said, shaking his head.
Katie slapped Brock hard on his arm.
"Are you insane, Brock?" She snapped at him, pointing at Corey and Clay. "You told Motormouth and The Weakest Link about the bowl from Ireland. Are you out of your damn mind? Neither of them can be trusted with a secret."
"Well, I guess someone should have thought about what I can bring to the table before she suggested throwing me under the bus with The Colonel," Brock said. "You know he already barely tolerates me."
"Fine," Katie said, lightly.
"Ooh, Brock," Sonny grimaced. "That does not sound like a good 'fine' for you, son."
"Okay, Katie," Brock said. "Calm down. Corey and Clay are not going to rat you out with your mother about the bowl."
"We won't tell," Corey promised. "Right Clay?"
"I won't say a word," Clay promised. "She already thinks Janet has it and is afraid to bring it back. The Colonel told her to just let it go for now, and eventually Janet will return the bowl. Maybe when it never shows up she'll just assume one of Janet's kids broke it and have to forget about it."
"They do break a lot of things," Corey offered. "And mom and dad are obsessed with Janet's kids so they will get over it."
"Maybe," Katie continued with the scary voice. "Or maybe I will confess to Daddy in private that Brock dropped the bowl on Thanksgiving and made me and Jenny help him dispose of the evidence."
"Okay, okay," Trent intervened, calmly. "Katie, sweetheart, in my experience, when dealing with parents, honesty is generally the best policy. But, that is up to you to decide. I will say that inciting your father to be more annoyed by Brock than he is now probably is not the way to go on this one."
"Definitely not," Brock said. "It's late, Katie. Let's just drop Corey off and go home. We can worry about the bowl after Christmas. Maybe we can find something special to replace it and you and Jenny can give it to her and confess."
When Katie looked skeptical, Brock shrugged and said, "Or maybe we continue to let them think Janet took the bowl. Whatever. Let's just go home and call it a night."
"Okay, let's go, Corey," Katie sighed, turning to Clay. "Goodnight, honey. We'll see you when you get sprung. As soon as Trent gives the okay, you can come over and we'll have a wrapping party."
"Okay, bye guys," Clay said, clearly worn out by the night's excitement. "I won't say anything about the bowl, Katie. I promise."
"I know you won't, baby," Katie said, going over to kiss her adopted little brother's cheek. "We're not going to get worked up over the bowl. I'm not going to blame it on Brock, tempting as that might be. I don't want you to worry about it. Jenny and I will take care of it."
"That's a comforting thought," Corey mumbled to Brock who rolled his eyes and pointed him towards the door."
"Text me when you're home," Corey said, waving to Clay before thanking the adults again for the dinner and movie night.
After Katie and her little brother had left the room, Brock turned to look at his brothers, shaking his head helplessly.
"Boy," Sonny said, "I hope you sleep with one eye open. That one is cute as hell, but she's brutal."
"Not helpful, Sonny," Trent said.
"I wasn't trying to be helpful," Sonny snorted. "I'm genuinely concerned for your first adopted kid's safety. You spend all your time and effort trying to keep the runt alive and in one piece. I think it's the dog-boy who is in harm's way this time. Damn."
"Really, Sonny?" Jason said, shaking his head.
"I'm just saying," Sonny sing-songed. "That girl means business. And I surely hope you aren't stupid enough to take the bullet and the blame for great-great-grandma Helen's busted bowl. Her daddy may temporarily be out of sorts with his little girls, but I spent some time with that man when Clay was MIA, and I can spot a guy who is willing to kill and dispose of an unwanted body when I see one. I have no doubt Colonel Klink could give Metal a run for his money."
"Sonny," Clay said, sitting up in his bed. "Don't say that. The Colonel would never kill Brock over a broken old bowl. Do you want me to tell him I broke it?"
"What?!" Sonny said.
"Did you break it?" Trent sighed.
"No," Clay said. "I wasn't even there when it got broken. But I don't want the Colonel to beat up Brock. I think he likes me more than Brock."
"He definitely likes you more than me, Squirt," Brock laughed, kissing his little brother's head. "And I appreciate your offer to take one for the team. But Jase is right about this. You need to keep your nosey little tail out of it. This is Katie's mess and she will figure out how to fix it. She always does. And I do not want you to spend one minute worrying about this or me. I'm fine. Everything is fine. And you need to go to sleep."
"Absolutely," Jason said, rolling his eyes. "I'll see you in the morning, Brock."
"Copy that, boss," Brock said, heading out the door.
"One eye open, kid," Sonny said, winking at their second youngest. "I know about this kind of shit."
A few days later, while Clay was still recovering at home with a rotation of babysitters that included Catherine, Naima, and kids from Bravo's support team, Bravo was having a relatively quiet, Trouble-free lunch with Alpha on base. Sonny was entertaining the troops with his animated tale about the demise of great-great Grandma Helen's Irish cookie bowl.
Metal shook his head, slapping his hand down on the table.
"I got fifty bucks says Bravo's Baby convinces Brock's gullible little brother that the two of them should confess to breaking the bowl to save their hero Dog Boy," Metal said, pointing at Brock. "Followed by your little troublemaker once again causing Brock's completely innocent kid to lose the ability to sit until the new year after The Colonel blows his stack and dishes out a Christmas ass blistering to his very sorry boy, who let's face it, needs to find himself some friends with better judgement."
"You know I love our kid more than top shelf whisky and all my girls at Foxy's combined and doubled," Sonny whistled. "But I have to agree with Metal. I'm still shocked Brock's kid didn't ditch our runt after the Great Liberia Fiasco. Trouble stole Jason's truck, broke the kid's nose when he tried to save Shorty from himself, and somehow Corey ended up being the only kid to get his little ass whupped, while our brat was drinking slushies on the pediatric ward."
"Corey is a truly good kid," Brock said. "And he's loyal. I've been all over Clay since he got home from the hospital, and so has Katie. We've both told him that under absolutely no circumstances should he even mention the broken bowl or come up with any crazy schemes to sort out this mess that my wife and her drunken sister created."
"Brock," Trent said, giving the kid his patented disappointed mama glare. "You know exactly what you and the Kardashian sisters need to do. You three created your own mess, and you need to be the ones to take care of it."
"Trent," Brock whined, sounding like Clay when he knew he was in trouble. "I don't know why you and Jason keep saying 'you three'. I had nothing to do with this. Katie and her sister broke the bowl and let their mother think Janet took it home. This is not my mess."
"Really?" Jason said, leaning back in his chair. "You are innocent in this stupid-ass, immature caper?"
"Yes, boss," Brock doubled down, trying to avoid eye-contact with Trent who he never wanted to piss off or disappoint. "We all know that I've made questionable decisions in the past. But, I'm not an immature kid anymore. The busted bowl is not on me."
"Oh, you are the picture of grown-up maturity," Ray chuckled, watching their second youngest wash down his fifth cookie with a large Mountain Dew.
"Just to refresh my failing old memory," Trent said, shaking his head. "Who drove Thelma and Louise to McDonalds and disposed of the evidence?"
"I did," Brock rolled his eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me, boy," Trent said, deadly serious.
"Yes, sir," Brock looked back at him. "I'm sorry."
"You should be sorry," Jason lectured. "You are almost twenty-four and damn well old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. You've been lying every time you walk into The Colonel's house and act stupid like you have no idea where your mother-in-law's family heirloom could possibly be."
Trent tagged in.
"And you decided it was a good idea to rat out your wife in front of Clay and Corey who worship you, making them part of this deception and cover up as well," Trent bitched at his boy. "And if it didn't occur to you on Thanksgiving when you were apparently drunk and disorderly, you surely know now that you and your two accomplices have dug a hole that's getting deeper. Now you've got Katie's parents upset and thinking their older daughter and possibly her children are lying to them, just in time for Christmas dinner."
Jason continued when Trent took a breath, while the rest of Alpha and Bravo looked back and forth amused between Bravos One and Four like they were watching an episode of old-school Jerry Springer.
"And Metal is right about Clay," Jason said, sternly. "I've warned him multiple times to stay out of this, and threatened a full electronics ban grounding, but if he gets it in his impulsive head, he could most definitely decide to confess to save you and Katie, and take Corey down with him. And then you and Katie both know that poor kid will be spending his Christmas break unable to sit or leave the house because even if Katie and her sister fess up, The Colonel will know that Corey has been lying every time his mother brings up the missing bowl - because you decided to bicker with your wife in front of the boys and tell them exactly what happened to old granny Helen's magic fucking bowl."
Brock looked like he might puke up his Mountain Dew. He adored both Jason and Trent, and he hated nothing more than disappointing them, which clearly he had managed to do big time.
"You're right," Brock rambled. "I totally fucked up. I should never have gone along with dumping the bowl and lying all this time. Katie and Jenny know too. But now it's a huge mess and we don't know how to fix it."
"Son," Trent said, firm and gentle. "You know exactly how to fix it. And so does Katie."
"You think we should confess everything to her parents before they find out from Corey or Clay," Brock said, looking pitiful and very young to the table of grown men, all old enough to be his father.
"You don't need me or the boss or anyone else at this table to tell you what to do, Brock," Trent said. "You have known the answer to that for almost a month now. You dug this hole. And you need to get this situation sorted out."
Later that night, after Jason arrived home from work, Catherine texted that both he and Jason were invited across the hall for lasagna, garlic bread and tree decorating. Derrick's wife had promised Clay that he could consider their tree his own when Jason gave him the bad news that due to the fact that they could be spun up any day for an undetermined amount of time, a full-size tree was not a good idea.
Jason knew that his kid was very excited for his first Christmas with a real family who loved him. He felt guilty remembering the real tree, decorating, cookies, shopping and family gatherings that Emma and Mikey had growing up when Alana was alive. And he remembered his own big family Christmases back in Buffalo when he was a kid. There were a lot of kids, and not a lot of money, but his mother and grandmother loved Christmas and it was always a special and happy time, usually complete with piles of Western New York snow. Jason had shared his desire for Clay to have his first real Christmas with his brothers, and they were all doing their part to give their kid a Christmas as traditional as possible considering their jobs.
They all knew a last minute Christmas spin up was not out of the question. They were not next on deck, but Bravo was third in line after Charlie and Echo Teams, so being on the plane or on a mission God knows where was a possibility. Jason had a special guardianship of Clay and final decision making power on his participation level in any mission. He and Trent discussed with Dr. Jeff the possibility of leaving him home with Derrick and Catherine if Bravo was spun up, but after Clay had a monumental meltdown complete with a hospital stay when he was left home from Liberia a few months earlier, Dr. Jeff recommended talking it over with their boy and letting him decide if he wanted to stay back should Bravo be called up.
"It's up to you, Clay," Jason had told him in their cage room surrounded by his teammates who had morphed into his family - an adopted dad, three grumpy old uncles and a big brother he adored and depended on for love, care and protection 24/7. "You know we never want to go anywhere without you, but we also know this is your first real Christmas, and we want it to be special and a happy time."
"Honey," Trent said, calmly. "We want you to be happy. We hope that we will be here for Christmas - especially Ray who we all know wants nothing more than to be with Naima and his babies. But you are old enough to understand that's not a promise we can make with our jobs. If we get suddenly spun up, and you want to come with the team, then we need to drop everything and focus on the mission like we always do."
"But, son," Jason said. "If you would rather stay back, Derrick and Catherine are more than happy to have you be their temporary kid for all the Christmas fun. And we can do something special together when we get back."
"Just keep in mind, Squirt," Trent said, "Whatever you decide. if we're called in, it could be just a few days, or it could be an extended time. We never know for sure in advance. We don't want any nonsense like what happened when we were away in Liberia."
"Trent is right, Sunshine," Jason said, seriously. "Derrick and Catherine will be one hundred percent in charge. You will most definitely be expected to follow whatever rules they establish with zero pouting, backtalk, or questionable behavior of any kind. And we all know Derrick is the fun uncle, but I promise that he will have no problem bringing down the hammer and dishing out any punishments you might decide to earn yourself."
In the end, Clay decided he didn't want to be separated from Bravo, even if that meant postponing Christmas until they returned. As much as he loved Derrick and Catherine, he wanted to be with Jason and his family no matter what day it might be.
"What happens to Emma and Mikey if we get called in?" Clay had asked Jason when they were sitting in the living room watching the end of 'Christmas Vacation' which happened to be on when they returned to their own apartment after dinner and tree decorating with Derrick and Catherine.
Jason sighed. They were relaxing on the couch, Jason leaning back with his feet propped up on the coffee table and Clay laying next to him with his legs across his chosen father's lap.
"Emma and Mikey know that with our jobs, nothing is set in stone," Jason explained. "That's why they are spending Christmas in New York with Grandma and the rest of the family and driving down to visit us the day after Christmas. They are both off work until after New Year's Day, so if we get spun up they'll hang out in Buffalo. Uncle Joey will take them to watch the Bills play in the snow. They'll get to spend time with their cousins."
"I hope we don't have to go anywhere," Clay said, quietly. "I want them to be able to stay with us. And I don't want to miss Christmas."
"I want them to stay with us too, Sunshine," Jason said, holding Clay's ankle and rubbing his calf to help him settle after the Christmas fun across the hall. "This life can be really hard during the holidays, and I wish I could promise you that we'll all be together here at home, but being Bravo means I can't make those kinds of promises. But there's a good chance we won't need to take off anywhere until January. We'll just have to hope for the best."
"Emma said that if it doesn't work out next week, when Bravo has official leave, she'll plan something special for all of us," Clay said. "Like a family vacation. And she says she'll make Mikey get off work to be there too."
Jason chuckled, shaking his head. "I have no doubt if Emma puts her mind to it and plans a Hayes family adventure, Mikey will be in attendance whether he wants to or not. My baby girl is an organizer and director like both her mother and my mother. She learned from the best."
Jason already knew about Emma's back-up vacation plan. His feisty first born had called him a few days earlier after Clay was in bed to tell him in no uncertain terms that he had better keep in mind that Clay was his son now and still very much a kid. It was going to be hard for him, just like it had been for her and Mikey growing up, if they had to miss being together as a family at Christmas. And she fully expected that Jason would do whatever was necessary to make it up to Clay if they got called away.
Emma hadn't said out loud that he had plenty to make up to her and Mikey as well, but it was definitely implied. And when his mother had called from Buffalo the following night, she had no problem saying the unsaid, loud and clear.
"Jason," his no nonsense mother had said with an edge in her voice. "We all know the importance of the job you do. We are all proud of you. Your father bragged about you to anyone who would listen, and your brothers all think that you walk on water."
She took a breath before continuing.
"But Jason," she went on. "We both know the toll it took on your children. Emma and Mikey love you so much, but they lost their mother who was their rock growing up, and they need you to show them that they matter. And now you took in this young boy, who is running around God knows where doing things I don't even want to think about. And he needs you to remember that he is a child, your son now. He needs to know that he's more than just another member of your team. I have no doubt it won't be easy, but you are the only parent your children have, and you need to make time to be together as a family. If not at Christmas, then soon after. The Navy and your team are not your only responsibility."
"Staying back with Derrick and Catherine if we get spun up, that's perfectly okay." Jason reminded his boy, not forgetting the message sent by both his daughter and his mother. "And if we are away more than just a few days, I can get Mikey or one of my brothers to come pick you up and drive you back to Buffalo to be with the whole crazy family until Bravo gets back."
"No Jase," Clay said, maneuvering himself to curl up next to the man he loved so much, resting his head in his best protector's lap. "I'll be sad if we can't be here on Christmas. But I will be more sad and scared if I can't be with you. I love being Bravo, even though it's hard sometimes. And I'm glad I can go with you and not get left back home like Emma and Mikey were growing up. And I want to be with Trent and Sonny, I think we're their family now. I know Ray wants to be with Naima and his kids so bad, and Brock doesn't want to leave Katie their first Christmas together, but if we can't be home, then I want to be together wherever the team goes."
"And I always want you with me." Jason said, holding him close. "You're my baby now, forever. I just know that you are really excited about this Christmas. And I don't want you to miss out on the festivities."
"I'm already having the best Christmas ever, Jase," Clay smiled up at him. "I got to decorate the tree and go shopping with Catherine. And I made cookies with Corey and his family and sang Christmas songs. Katie let me wrap presents with her and Brock drove us around to look at Christmas lights. You guys came and rescued me when I was lost, and Trent never left me alone at the hospital. Sonny came to visit every night and watched Christmas movies with me. I never had a real Christmas and a real family until Bravo took me."
"Okay, Sunshine," Jason said. "No matter what happens next week, you're going to have a family who loves you close by. And Emma is in planning mode, so the Hayes clan is sure to have a fun-filled family vacation to look forward to this spring when Bravo finally gets the leave we've been looking forward to."
"Where do you think Emma is taking us?" Clay asked.
"I haven't got a clue what Emma has up her sleeve," Jason said. "But I have no doubt we will hear more about her plans for us when your brother and sister arrive next week."
"Are Emma and Mikey really my sister and brother now?" Clay asked softly. "For real?"
"Absolutely for real," Jason said, kissing his head. "Forever."