Merry Christmas (A short story FF)

“No Mama…really…I’ll be fine…. mmhhmmmm…yes mama, I know it’s Christmas Eve…yes Mama…Sam would be here with Matthew if he could…the storms in the pacific northwest have all the flights cancelled…no mama…I won’t be alone…Ben and Vicki invited me over tonight, so did Hank…mama, listen, I celebrated Chanukah with Matt, and this was Sam’s turn to celebrate Christmas…no mama…he did not do this on purpose. Sam has no control over the weather…really mama, I will be fine…I have all Matt’s presents waiting…I know mama, I didn’t want to celebrate both either, but he is Sam’s child also, and Sam celebrates Christmas…yes…. ok…yes…. tell daddy I love him too…alright mama, yes, I will try to get to Vicki’s, it’s snowing pretty hard, but I will try…yes, no one should be alone on Christmas Eve, even if they are Jewish…love you to mama…bye”

Nora hung up the phone and grabbed the TV remote. Looked as if she was going to spend the evening quietly alone. Sam had taken Matthew to visit Melanie in Seattle and they inadvertently got snowed in. Last thing Nora wanted was a lecture from her mother, but when she called to reluctantly wish her only grandson a Merry Christmas and found out he wasn’t there; she just had to remind Nora how terrible it was to spend the holidays alone.

Nora flipped through the channels, trying to find something to watch. She stopped on the local news and sighed.

“And it looks as if the upper half of the country will be blanketed for a truly white Christmas” the reporter cheerfully informed the viewers “But fear not, Santa Doppler has the big guy himself on radar” the screen changes to an animated radar with a tiny red sleigh blipping across it “If you look closely, he’s making his way eastward at 35 knots…fear not…the snow will not keep Santa from his yearly rounds…looks like he’ll be hitting Pennsylvania, Llanview and moving into Pine Valley sometime around midnight, so all good little girls and boys should be tucked in…”

Nora clicked off the TV and walked to the window, “All good little girls and boys” she pressed her nose against the cold glass and stared out into the night. The snow was coming down pretty hard. “Well, Hank…looks like I’m gonna be a no show…you too Ben and Vicki…this is one red head that does not do a snowmobile” she walks over to the phone and calls Hank

“Hank…yeah, its me…no, afraid I’m not going to make it…its snowing pretty hard and me and slippery driving are not a good combination…no…I’ll be fine…yeah, probably going to watch the gazillionth airing of It’s A Wonderful Life and the let the sugar plum fairies take over…yeah…have an eggnog for me…ok…goodnight…yes…Merry Christmas”

Nora walked to the front door to latch the security lock. She stopped and looked at the tree Matt and Sam had cut down and all the handmade ornaments and decorations Matt had filled it with. All the lights twinkled and cast a warm glow across the room. Nora smiled as she locked the door. As she turned to walk back to her companion for the evening, the TV and the couch, a loud knock on the door startled her. She turned quickly and instinctively grabbed the baseball bat. She looked through the window on the door and blinked twice in disbelief. Before her door stood Santa. Still holding the bat, she cautiously opened the door.

“Ho ho ho!! Have you been a good girl tonight?” Santa asked.

“Santa…” she looked a little closer at the sparkling blue eyes “Bo! What the…”

“Ho ho ho! If you’ve been a good girl, I just might have a present in my bag here, for you”

Noticing the bag in his hand, Nora invited the snow covered Santa-Bo in. “Bo…what are you doing?” she smiled and looked to the ground.

Pulling the beard down from his mouth and blowing the stray hairs off his lips “I had a feeling you would be a no show at Ben and Vicki because of….”

“The snow…” Nora finished his sentence and smiled.

“Yeah” he smiled and it lit up the room, rivaling the lights from the tree “so I hitched up the sleigh and brought you over a care package from the party and a little something from me…”

“Bo… you didn’t have to do that”

“I know…but I wanted to…besides, Ben told me Sam called and they were going to miss the party, so I knew you would be alone…and no one should…”

“Be alone at the holidays….you sound like Selma…and I’m not alone at the holidays…I’m Jewish and we’ve already celebrated Chanukah…”

“But we always celebrated both…” Bo added, then regretted mentioning the memory “I’m sorry…”

“That’s ok Bo…really…so…what’s in the care package…Vicki didn’t happen to make burgers and fries for Christmas dinner, did she?” she laughed a little.

“Um…no….but the did have an awesome crown roast….seasoned potatoes and….”

“Let’s eat!….that is, I mean…you probably have to go…I see your playing Santa for Andrew again this year” she pointed to his suit.

“ Ah…no…actually, I am finished…they had the party this afternoon…I’m all yours…” he looked down embarrassed, realizing how it sounded.

“Well…ok…let’s go eat” she says as they head to the kitchen.

Nora sets out the plates and gets out some wine glasses while Bo puts some Christmas music on in the living room.

Bo returns to the kitchen to see the table set and a couple candles burning “Nice touch” he says as he looks at her

“What’s that?” she says as she rummages through the drawer for a corkscrew…

“The candles…nice touch…” noticing the wine glasses “I didn’t bring any wine…”

“That’s ok…I’ve got a bottle…if that’s ok with you” she turns to see him standing in the door way, he had taken the Santa coat off and had on a black tee shirt with the red pants and big black boots. The site caused Nora to giggle.

“What are you laughing at?” Bo said half laughing himself.

“Nothing…it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“It’s been a long time since I saw Santa on a coffee break.” She placed the corkscrew on the table and walk to the small wine holder on the counter.

“Santa on a coffee….oh yeah!! I remember!!” They both started laughing at the reference.

They sat and ate dinner and talked of the past year, trying hard to refrain from such taboo topics as Melanie, Lindsay, Colin, Troy…they wanted to share a happy Christmas and really nothing that happened to either of them the past year was a happy reason to celebrate.

Bo lifted his wine glass “Merry Christmas, Red”

The way he said that, “Red” never has that word had such and effect on her as when he says it.

“Merry Christmas, Commish” Nora said as she tipped her glass toward him.

It had been a long time since he’d heard that pet name, and it sure felt nice to hear, especially coming from her.

They finished up dinner and went into the living room. Nora walked over and looked out the window, the snow had picked up considerably.

“You better get going, Santa…it’s getting bad out there and I don’t think your sleigh is equipped…” Nora smiled.

“Ah don’t worry…you know…just because you can’t drive in the snow…”

Nora shot him a look.

“Oh come on now” Bo scolded “don’t give me that look…why aren’t you at Hank’s? Why aren’t you at Ben and Vicki’s?… because you won’t drive in the snow…tell me I’m wrong…tell me…come on…uh huh….cuz you know I’m right”

“Ah shut up…you’re not all that smart….I’m not there because…because…well…why aren’t you there, hhmmmm?” turning it back on him.

“I am not there because…” Bo looked around the room trying to figure out a way to answer her “I’m here because…”

He walked over to her and stood behind her. The lights from the tree caused a reflection of them both on the window. Nora looked at them, together, standing there…was she seeing something there that wasn’t? She turned to look at him. His eyes sparkled. She closed hers tightly and opened them again slowly. He was still there, his eyes still sparkling. A small smile began to creep across his face, causing tiny wrinkles to form near his eyes. At that moment it all made sense. Nora felt a wash of warmth fall over her.

“I guess I’m here because…” they stood inches apart, the room glowing and their hearts beating, “Nora…I…”

She held up her finger to silence him.

“I know why you’re here”

“You do?”

She nods her head and brings her hands on either side of his face “yes, I do” a single tear falls from her eye as Bo places his arms around her waist and gently pulls her to him.

Nora’s hands glide from his face to follow around to the back of his neck. They kiss gently as another Christmas song begins. They begin to sway to the song, neither breaking away from the kiss that has become deeper and more passionate.

As they begin to be swept away in a flood of emotion, the phone rings. Nora tries to pull away from Bo, but he refuses to release her from his arms. She reaffirms her hold on him and continues to kiss him. The machine picks up.

“Nora…it’s your mother...are you home or did you go to Vicki’s? I hope you’re are not sitting there alone on Christmas Eve…I was thinking…maybe you should call Matt…just to make sure….” The machine beeps before Selma can finish….

“You wanna call her back?” Bo asks as he momentarily pulls away.

“I can call her back after you leave.”

“Who said I was leaving?” Bo smile slyly “I did say I had a little something for you from me”

“So you did….so you did” Nora smiled as she hugged him tightly.

"Merry Christmas, Red" Bo brought his lips to hers again "Merry Christmas."