by Angela Drake
“Geeze, you guys.”
They smiled at Kimberly’s mock irritation. “Keep that up and Devlin won’t be the baby any longer.”
“What do you think, angel? Shall we add to the family?”
“I don’t think so. Play all you want buster but I’m not going through labor ever again.”
“You guys are gross. I’m going to take Becky’s Christmas present to her. I won’t be long.” Kim was already reaching for her coat on the hook by the door.
“Not tonight.”
“Mom, why not?”
Stephanie smiled knowingly as the bell over the front door jingled.
“Granny! Pop!”
“Hey there, kiddo.” Bill grabbed her in a bear hug.
“Pop Pop.” Max ran across the room, propelling himself at the older man.
“Hi there, tiger.”
“Where’s the baby, Steph? Is he sleeping?” Betty draped her coat on a hook as she spoke.
“No, Mom, Devlin’s there in the cradle by the tree watching the lights.” She hugged her mother-in-law. Had it really been a year since they’d stood in this very room introducing the kids to their grandparents?
“My heavens, what a big boy.” Betty picked up the cooing infant and snuggled him to her shoulder.
The cradle was the most precious baby gift they had received. Whiskers delivered his most recent piece of handiwork the day they brought Devlin home from the hospital. Through tears of love, she had watched as the old man gently took the newborn child from Brendan’s arms and laid him in the cradle. The man stopped by often to see them. Brendan had even convinced him to join them for Thanksgiving dinner.
“Glad to know I’m loved.” Brenda moved to slip an arm around his mother’s shoulders, kissing her forehead.
“I believe my loving you is how we got this little guy.” Stephanie joined them as they looked at their three-month-old son.
“So it is, angel.”
The bell jingled again, followed by a chorus of Happy Holidays from the foyer as David and Jennifer came in.
“Hi Pop, Gran. When did you get in?” Jennifer moved slowly into the room with the obvious cumbersome weight.
“Late last night. We checked in to the hotel but didn’t want to disturb you. You need all the sleep you can get while you can.”
Stephanie took Devlin and placed him back in the cradle. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she watched Brendan’s mother cross the room to Jennifer and gently placed a hand on the protruding belly holding her first great grandchild.
“And my first grandchild.” The thought had passed through Stephanie’s mind multiple times over the past few months. She still had trouble relating to that one.
“Just a bit ago, dear.” Betty placed her hand against Jennifer’s tummy. Her smile broadened as little one gave a kick.
She moved to stand next to Brendan. As he talked with his dad and David, she silently slipped her hand in his. He winked, squeezing her fingers lightly.
“That boy of yours is really growing.” Bill motioned towards Devlin.
“They all are, Dad. Max got a bike with training wheels for his birthday. Kimberly will be able to letter in track next spring just chasing him up and down the street. He wants to go everywhere, fast.”
“He’s a lot like you already.” Raising their entwined fingers, Stephanie brushed a tender kiss across them.
“Speaking of my oldest son, can we give him and Kimberly one of their presents now?”
“Brendan, Christmas is tomorrow.”
“I know, honey, but this is special.”
“Presents? Where are they? Kimberly began peeking in her still-empty stocking and under the tree.
“You just can’t wait any more than they can.”
“Sue me. I love Christmas. So can we?” His tone cajoled her into submission.
“Oh, all right. Everyone over by the tree.” Stephanie went to her desk. Opening the bottom drawer, she withdrew two gifts.
“Don’t open this just yet.” She handed a box wrapped in glittering purple paper with a gold tinsel bow to Kim. She handed one simply wrapped in striped paper of red and white to Brendan.
“Now?”
Now.” Stephanie nodded. Perching on the edge of the sofa, she watched her daughter’s face.
Tearing at the paper, Kimberly lifted the lid then removed the folded piece of paper from the box, her face held a puzzled expression. You could have heard a snowflake fall in the stillness. The anticipation was almost more than Stephanie could bear.
“Read it.”
Mom, Dad. This says my name isn’t Douglas anymore.” Astonishment covered her face as she looked at Brendan. “Is this true? Am I really Kimberly Ann Keane?”
“Well, that depends on you.” Stephanie handed him a pen. “We’d talked about it but you never said how you’d feel. Matthew Douglas was your father. He raised you long before I came into the picture.”
“Dad, I think he’d understand. I mean, I still love him and miss him but from the moment you and mom made me, I was a Keane.”
“Then you’ll need this.” He handed her the pen and pointed to the ‘X’ on the paper.
Kimberly out-shown the tree lights as she signed her name.
“Is that it? Is it official?”
“Close enough for me.” Brendan kissed the tip of her nose. “That isn’t the official document. We’ll need to do that with a notary but I wanted to make sure we were on the same page before we took that step. You can put this copy in your scrapbook.”
“Is that Max’s present?”
“Yep. Effective January fifteenth, both of you are officially adopted.”
“Can I please go to Becky’s? We need to exchange gifts and I just have to tell her the latest.”
“Let her go, Mom.” Brendan grinned, elbowing her.
Stephanie threw up her hands in resignation. “Go. But be back in an hour. Your Dad and I have to leave in a few minutes. I’d like you to help your grandparents with Max.”
“Okay.”
“Is everything in the car?” Brendan pulled himself to a standing position.
“Yes. Alan called a few minutes ago. The carriage is loaded and ready. All we need to do is get dressed at the hotel.”
“Good. Think we can find that copse of trees again this year?” His devilish grin flashed with mischief.
“Let’s take an extra quilt just in case.”
“I’ll grab one and meet you in the jeep.”
Stephanie watched as the love of her life took the stairs two at a time before turning her attention to the rest of the room. Pop and Max had moved to sit on the floor where they played with a truck the four-year-old received for his birthday. Betty, Jennifer and Dave sat on the sofa facing the fireplace, chatting. She looked in the cradle to see her newest son sound asleep. What a difference a year made. Everything seemed so right. This was the most perfect Christmas Eve Stephanie remembered ever having and it was all because of Brendan. She had the family she had always wanted with the man she had always loved.
THE END
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