TWENTY-ONE

“A surprise?”  Cate gave Jon a faux-wary smirk.  “A good one or a bad one?”

Jon grinned.  “A good one, of course.”  He stepped back from the door, crooking a finger and beckoning Cate inside.  “But you’re gonna need to get outta those clothes.”

Cate rolled her eyes and snorted a soft chuckle as she wheeled her suitcase into the suite and past her husband.  “Well there’s a surprise,” she teased sarcastically.  “It’s only been a week and you can’t even wait for me to get through the door before you’re ordering me to get naked?”

“Well, it doesn’t work very well if you have your clothes on.”

“You manage to work around them other times.”  Cate smirked brashly.  “Like back at the Center, on the hood of that cruiser?  Hell, my gear and my gun didn’t even stop you then.”  She threw the challenge over her shoulder as she strolled into the suite’s airy living room.

Cate stopped dead in her tracks when she found herself confronted by a solemn-looking, middle-aged Asian man dressed in a dark shirt and pants.  Several steps behind him stood a demurely smiling Asian woman.  Both gazed silently at Cate, registering no reaction to her revealing comment.  Despite their stoicism Cate felt her cheeks flame as she realized they had clearly heard every word.

“Oh! I… uh…” Cate stammered.  She heard Jon’s throaty chortle behind her as she closed her eyes and took a breath, willing herself to gather some semblance of composure.  She waited a second, then opened her eyes.  The strangers gazed placidly back at her.

“Sorry,” Cate said meekly.  “I didn’t know my husband had… guests.”  She shrugged apologetically, then cringed as she felt Jon move up behind her.  She could plainly sense his smug glee at watching her sputter and blush after being caught in this embarrassing predicament.

Jon chuckled softly and reached for his wife, settling his hands on her hips.  He felt her immediately relax, his touch having the intended bolstering effect.  “Baby, this is Doctor James Xiu, and his wife Lin.”  He nodded toward the couple.

“How do you do, Madam?”  Dr. Xiu’s quiet, melodious voice held only faint traces of a Chinese accent.  He gave Cate a small smile and bowed slightly at the waist with his greeting.  His wife added a soft “Hello” and her own little bow.

“Nice to meet you,” Cate replied sheepishly, making her own awkward half-bow of response.  She swallowed hard, hoping the rosy flush was receding from her cheeks.  Her gaze dropped from the Doctor’s quizzical expression, briefly scanning the room as she took another breath.

For the first time she noticed two long, tan-upholstered waist-high tables positioned side-by-side near the suite’s broad windows.  She half-turned to look over her shoulder at Jon, her expression silently conveying her question.

Jon chortled and gave Cate’s waist a little squeeze.  “I know you’ve had a rough week, Baby.  So, I thought you wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a little pampering.”

Cate smiled, touched by his gesture.  “A massage sounds wonderful.”

“Who said anything about a massage?”  Jon grinned and gave Cate a little wink.  “We can get one of those at the spa.  Nah, I thought maybe you’d appreciate a little ‘special therapy’.  Something that might be beneficial in more ways than one.”

Again Cate’s cheeks heated as her blue eyes widened.  Surely he couldn’t mean…

“Jon!” Cate hissed quietly, hoping her voice was low enough that the strangers in the room couldn’t hear.  “What the… Oh My God!  You mean, this is a… like a… a 'Happy Ending' kind of thing?”

Jon gaped at Cate for a moment, caught off-guard by her assessment.  Then he burst out laughing.  Clearly his wife was both exhausted and distracted after her grueling week. Her cop-brain had automatically leapt to the seedy conclusion that he had arranged an illicit rubdown.

“No, no.”  Jon shook his head and grinned down at his adorably befuddled bride.  “Cate, Dr. and Mrs. Xiu are holistic healers.  They come very highly recommended by some extremely credible physicians.  Including Dr. Seuss.”

Cate’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “What?  Jane?”

Jon nodded, his blue eyes twinkling.  “Yes, Jane.  I talked to her this morning.  I was thinking maybe we’d try this back in the City, but when I got your text that you were coming down…” His smile gentled.  “Well, I thought maybe we’d give it a shot here, to start with.  If you like it we can continue back home.”

“Continue what?”

“Acupuncture.”  Jon’s voice softened.  “Dr. Xiu is one of the foremost fertility acupuncturists in the nation.  He works with all the top programs here in DC.”  His hand slid to Cate’s middle, his palm pressing lightly against her belly.  “Maybe this can give us a little extra edge.”

A soft smile curved Cate’s mouth as her heart melted at Jon’s thoughtfulness.  “Jane said this would be okay, with the drug therapy?”  Her voice betrayed her hesitation; in her research she had read that pharmaceutical and holistic treatments were not always compatible.

Jon nodded.  “And Dr. Klein agrees.  He said since you’re just starting on the drugs your body may be a little wacko for awhile.  This can help smooth out the edges.”

Cate mirrored Jon’s little nod, then turned to look again at the Xius.  She gave the Doctor another sheepish smile.  “Actually, it sounds wonderful,” she conceded quietly.

Dr. Xiu tipped his head at Cate, a small smile turning his mouth.  “If you have any questions, Mrs. Bongiovi, I am happy to answer them.”

“Umm... Not at the moment.”  Cate felt Jon’s hands slide from her body as she turned to fully face the Doctor, then took a step toward him.  “I’ve used acupuncture before, so I know the process.  And I’ve read about it as a therapy for… for infertility.”  She could almost feel Jon’s silent wince at her use of the word he hated.

“You have used acupuncture?”  Dr. Xiu’s smile widened.  “For?”

“Healing.  Coupled with physical therapy.”  Cate relaxed a bit, now that she was able to form full sentences in conversing with the Doctor.  “I was shot in the back a few years ago, in the line of duty.  Acupuncture was very helpful.”

“But you do not use acupuncture for health benefits?”

Cate blushed slightly at the question, which felt like a mild scold.  “No.  My husband is a devotee, though.  He uses it quite frequently.”

“Because I’m old and decrepit,” Jon added playfully.  He stepped up beside Cate and gave her a little grin.  “Dr. Xiu and I had plenty of time to talk while we were waiting for you.  He knows my whole sad story:  creaky bones, weak knees, bad back…”

“Your husband is in excellent health,” Dr. Xiu interrupted, for the first time showing a real smile.  “As are you, from what he has told me.  But I believe my wife and I can help you both, on your fertility journey.”

Cate’s eyes moistened as she smiled gratefully.  “I hope so.”  She looked past the doctor to the woman standing quietly in the background.  “You are a healer as well, Mrs. Xiu?”

“Yes.”  Lin’s answer was soft, the serenity of her voice matching the calm assuredness of her demeanor.  “I have helped make many women mothers.”

“Oh.  That’s… good.”  Cate paused awkwardly and shot Jon a sideways glance.  She didn’t know what else to say.

“Mrs. Bongiovi, I can start your treatment now, if you will please disrobe.  There is a sheet on the bureau you may use to cover yourself.”  The male doctor quietly but firmly directed Cate to the bedroom.  “Please be sure to remove your bra; it is restricting.  You may leave your panties on if you wish, but I may need to arrange them for treatment.”

Jon couldn’t help but snicker at Dr. Xiu’s “panty-arranging” comment.  Cate’s eyes widened, silently warning him not to be rude.

“Go ahead, Baby,” Jon prompted, trying to hide a little smirk.  “You want some help?”

Cate obediently turned toward the doors to the suite’s master bedroom.  “No, I think I can manage to undress myself,” she replied, more than a little sarcastically.

“Okay, okay.  Sheesh.  Just trying to help.”  Jon grinned and watched Cate wheel her case to the open double doors, then close them after her.

“Mr. Bongiovi, Lin can start your treatment now, as we wait for your wife.”  Dr. Xiu’s statement to Jon was in the same calm manner as his directive to Cate, more order than request.

Jon took a step toward the tables, then hesitated.  “Actually, Doc… I’d rather wait.  I’d like to watch what you do for Cate.”  He gave a little shrug.  “I’m curious.  I may be a veteran pincushion, but I’ve never seen anything like this.  For fertility, I mean.”

“You would like to watch the entire treatment?”

“No, not all of it.”  Jon shook his head slightly with his reply.  “Just the part that will help her… you know, her ovulation, I guess.  What zones you use.  I’ve always found the science of acupuncture interesting.”  He grinned.  “After all these years I still can’t figure out how my guy can stick a needle in my ass and make my neck feel better.”

Dr. Xiu’s solemn countenance softened at Jon’s wisecrack.  “It is as much nature as it is science,” he commented quietly.  “But as you said, you understand Qi.  So, you understand the need for balance.  For your wife to produce eggs, just as for you to heal your painful neck, the Qi must be in balance.  When it is so, the human body is capable of many things.  Even a thing science says it should not be able to do.”

Jon’s grin gentled.  “Like a woman in her 40s having a normal, healthy pregnancy.”

“Yes.”  Dr. Xiu returned Jon’s smile. “It happens many times, even though the best fertility specialists in the world will tell you the odds are astronomically against such a thing.  Too often modern medicine, with all its wonders and capabilities, relies too much on ‘modern’ and not enough on ‘medicine’.”

“Amen, Doc.” Jon agreed, nodding slowly.  “You’re preachin’ to the choir here.”

“Yes.”  Dr. Xiu nodded, then gestured toward the treatment tables.  “But while we wait for your wife, please.  You may lie down and prepare yourself for your treatment.  Lin will not begin until you are ready, when you have seen what you like.”

Jon nodded his silent agreement, then moved slowly over to the table.  He sat on its edge and turned, swinging his legs up onto the upholstered surface.  With a soft groan Jon leaned sideways, then rolled onto his stomach.

He felt the towel around his waist loosen as he wiggled himself into a comfortable position.  It wouldn’t matter in a few minutes anyway; Jon knew the acupuncturist would adjust his covering, revealing his gluteal muscles to insert the thin needles.  He propped himself up on his elbows and looked expectantly toward the bedroom door.

Less than a minute later Cate emerged.  She had pulled her long hair up into a messy knot at the nape of her neck, leaving several auburn tendrils floating to her bare shoulders.  As instructed, she had draped a creamy sheet modestly around her. She clutched at the tuck between her breasts as she shuffled slowly into the sitting room and around the furniture.

Cate gave Jon a little smile as she followed Mrs. Xiu’s quiet direction to take her place on the treatment table.  Her cheeks pinkened a bit as she adjusted the sheet, loosening and gathering it in front of her as she prepared to sit.  Jon’s mouth curved into a little smirk as he got a flash of his wife’s bare backside.  She had clearly decided against the panties.

“Hey there, Gorgeous,” Jon purred softly as Cate settled onto her back beside him, on the twin table.

Cate fidgeted a bit, further arranging the sheet as her covering, then turned her head to give her husband a grateful smile.  “Thanks, but I know I look like crap,” she chastised gently.

“Naw.  You look beautiful.  Tired, but beautiful.”  Jon returned her smile with his own tender look.  His only regret for arranging this surprise for Cate was that he hadn’t had the privacy to welcome her properly.

Dr. Xiu stepped up beside Cate, interrupting their quiet conversation.  “Good, Mrs. Bongiovi.  We can now begin.  Are you ready?”

Cate drew in a breath and gave Jon a private little smile, then nodded.  “Yes.”  She tried not to blush as Dr. Xiu pulled the sheet down past her waist, uncovering her nearly to her thighs.

Jon’s sly smirk at the sight of her bare breasts made Cate chuckle despite herself.  She watched his sparkling blue eyes as they slid unabashedly downward to the faded tattoo on her hip.

“Your husband would like to observe your treatment,” Dr. Xiu commented quietly as he placed his hands palm-down against Cate’s flat belly.  He pressed gently, then repositioned his touch.

“Okay,” Cate agreed softly.  “Will you treat him too?”

“Yes.  But for his neck, not for fertility.  I do not see a need for that at this time, from what he has told me.”

The doctor’s quiet statement caught Cate unprepared.  The unspoken implication stung.  She blinked, then swallowed hard.  “Oh.”  She turned her gaze to the ceiling, not wanting Jon to see the hurt she knew would show in her blue eyes.

She wasn’t quick enough.  “Cate,” Jon breathed softly, reaching for her hand across the space between their tables. He curved his fingers over hers, squeezing reassuringly.  “It’s just not the right time, now. To… uh… stimulate… me.”

Cate blinked rapidly, then forced a little smile.  She turned her eyes back to Jon’s.  His tender expression comforted her.

“Okay,” she agreed weakly.  Tonight of all nights she didn’t want to be hurt or sad or down.  She didn’t want to think or plan or worry.  She just wanted to be here, with her husband.

After a swift, gentle palpation of Cate’s abdomen, Dr. Xiu turned to his wife.  Lin stepped forward, rolling in front of her a small tray-topped cart.  Dr. Xiu took a pair of latex gloves from the cart and slipped them onto his hands, then looked down at his patient.  He gave her a calm smile.  “We can begin.   Are you ready?”

Cate nodded, swallowing again.  “Yes.”

“Good.  Relax and breathe.  If you wish, close your eyes and focus on something that calms you.  Music.  Poetry.  Art.  Nature.”

“Okay,” Cate agreed softly.  She let her lids drift shut and took a deep breath.  Her mind filled with a peaceful vision of crystalline waters, white sand, and blue sky.   She felt Jon give her hand another gentle squeeze before his touch pulled away.

Cate slowly blew out the breath, counting to ten.  As she reached the final number she felt a tiny twinge near her navel as Dr. Xiu inserted the first needle.  The corners of her mouth curved upward.

*****

“Aww, c’mon.  You can’t be cold.”  Jon grinned as he teased his shivering wife.  “It’s like, thirty degrees.  Barely below freezing.”  Despite his joshing he slowed his pace and slipped an arm around Cate’s shoulders.  She immediately snuggled close beside him, seeking his warmth.

“You know I hate winter,” she grumbled halfheartedly.  “God, I can’t wait to get to St. Barth.”

“Yeah, about that, Baby.  I was thinking maybe this year we’d go skiing in Vail instead…”

Jon automatically flinched as his wife smacked at his torso.  Her gloved hand made a muffled pop against his shiny black down-filled jacket.  “OWW!” he protested whinily, though he barely felt the assault.

“Not funny, Jon.”

Jon chuckled.  “You know me better than that,” he admitted ruefully.  “All I want to do after Christmas is lay on a warm beach with a beautiful woman in a bikini and a good book.”  He gave Cate’s shoulders another squeeze and tipped his head toward a brightly-lit shop.  “Wanna duck in here for something to warm you up?”

Cate nodded and turned toward the coffee shop’s entry.  Jon pulled open the glass door and waited for her to enter, then followed her inside and up to the register.

“What do you want?” Cate asked Jon, a little sigh of relief in her breathy voice.  “Coffee?”

“Sure.  You having tea?”  At Cate’s nod Jon turned his attention to the wide-eyed brunette barista behind the register.  He gave her a charming smile before placing their order.

“One Grande Tazo Calm with honey and one Venti Nonfat Caramel Macchiato, please.”

The young woman nodded and grinned as she touched the register screen.  “That will be eleven seventy-nine, please.”  She giggled softly as Jon pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to her.  “Thank you, and your change…”

“Keep it.  Thanks, Doll.”  Jon flashed the now-swooning coed a cheeky grin and turned to stroll to the other end of the counter, where Cate awaited their beverages.

“Flirt,” she teased gently as Jon stepped up close beside her.

“Uh huh,” he replied, giving her a wink.  “Works every time.  No matter what age.”

Cate rolled her eyes at her husband’s cocksure boast, but giggled softly.  Of course he was right.

“So, why exactly are we wandering the streets of Georgetown in the freezing cold when we have a perfectly warm hotel room just blocks away?”  Cate arched a brow at Jon before reaching to accept her freshly-poured tea from the barista.

“Because it’s hard to hail a cab from the twenty-eighth floor.”

“And where are we going in this cab we have yet to hail?  You said you wanted to fly under the radar, remember?”  Cate smiled and took a cautious sip of her steaming beverage.  She winced as it singed the tip of her tongue.

“I do.  Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere I intend to be noticed.”  Jon smiled cryptically and looked straight ahead, rocking slightly on the balls of his feet.

After Dr. Xiu had completed their acupuncture sessions, Jon and Cate had both felt relaxed and refreshed, but not sufficiently rejuvenated to brave a Friday night dinner in one of Washington’s tony restaurants.  Instead they had opted for a quiet dinner in, delivered to their suite from the hotel's own five-star steakhouse.   It had been just what they needed, a dinner date away from the public eye, where husband and wife could catch up on the week’s happenings and talk about the coming week’s eventful schedule.

But once dinner was done Jon had, like clockwork, grown restless.   Recognizing the nightly involuntary adrenaline spike that Jon referred to as his “stage call,” Cate had suggested they get out of their suite for a little while, for dessert or a drink.  As the couple stepped off the elevator into the hotel’s festive lobby, the idea had occurred to Jon.

What they needed was a little Holiday Spirit.

“Thanks, Man.”  Jon reached to accept his coffee from the barista, then gave Cate a wink.  “Ready?”

“God, I hope so,” Cate replied warily.

Jon chortled and reached for his bride, resting a hand at the small of her back and nudging her toward the door.  He took a sip of his beverage as he followed her out of the shop and onto the brick walk.  Even he couldn’t stop an involuntary shiver as a strong, icy breeze swirled around them.

Cate swore quietly at the chill, then took charge of matters.  She didn’t know what Jon had planned, but she wasn’t going to stand out in the cold all night waiting for him to explain.  Raising her free hand, she stepped to the curb.  “Taxi!”

Jon grinned at Cate’s initiative.  He casually strolled the three steps to where she stood, looking anxiously into oncoming traffic, trying to spot an in-service cab.  “Where we goin’?” he queried teasingly.

“At this point I don’t care.  We can just drive around, as long as the cab has a working heater.”  Cate waved her hand vigorously, having spotted a potential ride for hire.

“Mmm.  I kinda like that idea.”  Jon took another sip of his coffee.  “We could repeat our little tour of the monuments, from last winter.”  He smirked at the memory of the lusty limousine ride Cate had arranged during their last tour visit to D.C.

Cate shot Jon an amused look.  “I’m sure the cabbie would love that.”  She quickly turned her attention back to the street, waving her hand again at an oncoming cab.  Cate cursed bitterly as the taxi she had targeted changed lanes, then whizzed past.

“Here.  Let me.”  Jon stepped in front of Cate on the curb, raising his hand and beckoning to another oncoming taxi.

“Jon, I’m perfectly capable…”  Cate’s protest came to an abrupt end as a yellow cab drifted to a halt in front of her.  Jon grinned smugly and waved a hand at the vehicle.

“See.  That’s how it’s done,” he teased, thickening his Jersey.  "You wanna get a cab?  Ask a New Yawker."  He leaned to pull open the door for his bride.

Cate growled but quickly climbed inside the car, careful not to spill her tea.  She slid across the seat to allow Jon to sit  beside her, then snuggled close to him again when he was settled.  She sighed at the welcome blast of warm air from the taxi’s heater against her chill-pinkened cheeks.

“Washington Monument,” Jon instructed the driver with a little grin and a sly wink for his wife.

“What?” Cate blurted, caught off-guard by their alleged destination.  Surely Jon wasn’t really expecting her to…

“You want side of Tidal Basin, or side of Constitution Avenue?”  The cabbie’s thick Middle Eastern accent interrupted her surprise.

“Constitution.  The side the White House is on, right?”  Jon clarified his direction.

“Yes.”

“Okay, then.”

Without further comment the cab driver guided the car out into the heavy evening traffic.

“The National Mall?” Cate asked skeptically when Jon turned to give her a little grin.  “It’s a little cold for sightseeing, dontcha think?”

“Nah.  We got coats and coffee.”  Jon chortled to himself, pleased that Cate hadn’t made the connection between their destination and why he was taking her there.  She knew this city so well that she often forgot to view it through the eyes of a tourist.

“Okay…” Cate sighed.  “You just better hope it doesn’t  start snowing.”

“Well if it does, I’ll just have to keep you extra-warm.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that.”

“You can hold whatever you want, Baby,” Jon leered playfully.  “Especially when we get back to the hotel.”

They spent the rest of the short cab ride engaged in flirtatious banter and close affectionate contact.  Despite her playful grumbling about the weather, Cate couldn’t help but enjoy their little adventure-in-progress.  Her heart always melted at the bright sparkle in Jon’s indigo eyes when he pulled these little schemes.  He loved surprising her.

“Okay, you want here.  Yes?”  The cab driver’s question pierced Cate and Jon’s quiet conversation.  Jon ducked his head to look through the windshield for the landmark, then nodded.

“Yep, this is great.  Thanks.”  He reached for his back pocket.

As Jon counted out the cab fare and tip from his wallet Cate turned her gaze out the taxi’s window.  Her eyes widened, then she chuckled softly at the brilliant sight, their not-so-secret destination.  She should have known.

“Alright, Baby.  After you.”  Jon prodded Cate into action.

With a thank-you to their driver she pushed open the taxi’s door and climbed out, then waited for Jon to follow.  He did, closing the door behind him and giving the cabbie a little wave before turning and taking Cate’s hand.  They shared a smile and started down the cordoned trail to the bright, festive symbol of the season.

“A little Holiday Spirit, huh?”  Cate softly voiced Jon’s thoughts as they wandered toward the towering, spectacularly-lit National Christmas Tree.

“Uh huh.” Jon grinned.  “Just felt like the right night for it.  There’s a magical chill in the air, I’m with my Best Girl in our Nation’s Capitol, spent my day doing my part toward peace on earth and goodwill to men…”

Cate’s heart squeezed at her husband’s sentiment.  “I think you’re right.  It’s the perfect place for us to be tonight.”   She pulled her gloved hand from Jon’s and slid her arm around his waist, giving him a little hug and snuggling close to his side as they strolled slowly along the path.

Other couples and families moved around and past them as they approached the giant Christmas tree and the small throng of onlookers that surrounded it.  Cate and Jon hardly noticed; they chatted quietly as they ambled along the trail.  When they drew near, the sweet, melodious sound of a carol-singing choir filled the night air.

Silently Cate and Jon stepped into the small crowd gathered around the tree.  Jon slipped into his favorite stance behind Cate, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling his chin on her shoulder.  They stood together for a few minutes, listening to the remainder of the choir’s beautiful rendition of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”  When they were done, Jon maintained his pose while Cate applauded for the both of them.

Jon smiled and pressed a soft kiss against Cate’s cheek before speaking softly in her ear.  “So, I was thinking maybe this weekend we would decorate our tree.”

“Oh, Jon…” Cate’s soft reply was chagrined.  “I’m sorry… I already had the staff decorate the house for the holidays.  We’ve both been gone and the party’s only two weeks away…”

Jon chortled at her sweet apology.  “No, Baby, not that one… I figured you were trying to get all that stuff set up, out at the Jersey house.”  He smiled and gave her a little squeeze.  “I thought maybe we’d spend this weekend in the City.  I want to see the boys, thought maybe I’d take ‘em Christmas shopping or something.  And you and me… well, we could go to one of those Christmas tree lots on the corner, find some scraggly little Charlie Brown tree, then take it back to our place and wrap it in a blanket and hang some big-ass glass ball on it and call it Christmas.”

Cate laughed musically at Jon’s sweetly-silly description of his plan.  “That sounds nice.   But I think we need a little more in the decoration department.”

“Well, we could pick up some ornaments…”

Cate shook her head slowly.  “Nah.”  She smiled gently.  “We could make our own.  You know, string popcorn, make paper chains, cut snowflakes out of paper…  Did you ever do that as a kid?”

Jon nodded, his heart warming at her suggestion.  “Yeah.  And Mom used to bake gingerbread cookies for the ornaments.  You know, the ones like gingersnaps?  We hung them on the tree from ribbons.”  He chortled softly at the memory.  “Of course, by the time Christmas rolled around the tree was pretty much bare, ‘cause Anthony and I ate most of ‘em.”

“My Grandma used to do that too.”  Cate turned her face to Jon’s, giving him a loving smile.  “I think that sounds like a perfect way to spend our weekend.”

Jon leaned forward to brush a tender kiss across her mouth.  When he pulled away he grinned and licked his lips, which now tasted of Cate's cherry lip balm.  “An old-fashioned family Christmas tree.  I love that idea.”

“Well…”  Cate hesitated, realizing she wasn’t completely sure she wanted to vocalize the idea that had immediately sprung to her mind.

“What, Baby?”

Cate looked into Jon’s gleaming blue eyes and felt a pang of selfish guilt.  Her initial reaction to their newly-hatched idea had been to include Jon’s youngest sons in the holiday decorating ritual.  Almost as quickly, she had felt a stab of resentment at the idea of sharing Jon or their precious time together with anyone… even his children.

Cate swallowed hard, then smiled.  She couldn’t deny Jon time with his children, especially during the holidays.

“I was just thinking… Maybe the boys would like to help with the tree.  Picking it out, making the decorations… I could even bake gingerbread cookies.”

Jon’s face lit up at her proposal.  “Cate, that’s a great idea.  I don’t know about Jess, but Jakey and Romey would love that.”  He chuckled.  “It wouldn’t be quite like the old days when Anthony and I used to go out in the beat-up old station wagon to get the tree with our Old Man, but…”

“Why don’t you call Dorothea when we get back to the hotel, and ask her to let the boys stay with us tomorrow night,” Cate suggested quietly.

Jon’s grin gentled to an adoring smile.  “You know what?  You’re the best StepMama ever.  And a pretty fantastic Wife, too.”  He ducked his head forward to playfully rub his nose against Cate’s.

Cate chortled huskily, his words touching her heart.  “These are the memories you should make with your children, Jon,” she explained quietly, as much to herself as to him.  “Before you know it they’ll be gone.”

"Seriously, Cate..."  Jon gave his wife a meaningful look, ensuring he had her attention.  "The way you are with my kids... My boys, especially..."  His voice took on a husky note.  "It's one of the reasons I love you so damned much.  You're wonderful to them, to Dorothea, to me..."  He swallowed the lump of emotion forming in his throat.  "And I know you're going to be an amazing Mother, Cate."

"I hope so, Jonny."  Cate's reply was a soft sigh.  Automatically her gaze turned to the brilliantly-lit symbol of the season that towered before them.

Jon’s arms tightened around Cate’s waist as he gave her an affectionate squeeze.  “You know, Cate… we’ll have our own memories to make next Christmas, with our Little One.”  His soft voice in her ear made Cate’s blue eyes mist with emotion.  “And we’ll start our own family tradition.”

Cate nodded silently, hoping with all her heart and soul that Jon’s prediction would come true.  She smiled as Jon pressed a kiss against her hair, then she tipped her head to rub her cheek to his.  Nearby the choir again started to sing, the soft strains of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” floating across the velvety night.

As they stood close together, bathed in the soft glow of the magnificent tree and warmth of the holiday spirit, sparkling white flakes began to swirl on the night air.  Jon and Cate didn’t even notice, wrapped up in each other and their hopeful vision of holidays to come.