Chapter Ten: Christmas In Your Heart
On Christmas Eve day, JC dropped the Martins off at Nikki’s parents for lunch. They had made plans for after dinner so he could drive them back to the hotel to change before Midnight Mass. He spent most of his day at his grandparents’ house. Everyone there of course wanted to meet Nikki and the children. He couldn’t make any promises but assured them they could all meet her on a later trip.
Before they dressed for mass, Nikki put the children down for a brief nap, knowing without their usual afternoon nap they would be fussy later. On the trip back to the hotel they had been too wound up to fall asleep, regaling JC of every detail since they had seen him last.
“Mom and Dad couldn’t believe how much they had grown,” Nikki told JC when she joined him in the big bedroom. “I wish we could get out here more often.”
“We’ll make a point of it.”
“We?”
Taking her hand, he led her to the chair close to the Christmas tree and urged her to sit.
She frowned when he got down on one knee. “JC…”
He pulled a ring box from his pocket. Presenting it to her, he asked, “Nikki, will you marry me?” It was a simple request with no flourishes. He opened the box to reveal a plain platinum band with a lovely, square-cut diamond. Understate elegance.
“Oh, JC…”
“Don’t say it’s too soon. We both know what’s in our hearts. Hell, the four of us all want it.”
“Yes,” she whispered. Throwing her arms around his neck, she cried happily, “Yes!”
Laughing, he grabbed her up as he got to his feet and swung her around. “Thanks, honey! For a second there, I thought you were gonna turn me down.”
Once her feet were firmly on the floor again, she said, “It never occurred to me.”
Taking the ring from the box, he slid it on her left ring finger. He’d gotten the size right. “Its more beautiful on your hand than it was in the box.”
“Thank God you didn’t get some huge rock. It wouldn’t be me.”
“I knew you wouldn’t like a lot of bling-bling. I just couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning…”
“My answer would have been the same.”
He kissed her gently, treasuring her. “My sweet baby…”
“What are your plans for tonight?”
“To miss the hell out of you.”
“Come with us?”
“To church?”
She nodded. “I didn’t ask before because…Well, I didn’t want to get the children’s or Mom’s hopes up.”
“But now we are formally engaged…”
“You’re family – and church is a family thing.”
He winked at her. “And I even packed a suit. Guess I’d better get it down to the valet service.”
Nikki’s parents weren’t exactly shocked when the young man with longish hair accompanied her into the church that night. Kimmy had often referred to JC during the day – and from Dylan, they had heard there was a special man in their lives. What did surprise them was the diamond engagement ring on her hand that hadn’t been there earlier. John Montgomery measured the young man up. All he wanted to know was if JC could provide for his daughter and her children. JC was ready to hand over a bank statement. Nora Montgomery only had to see how her daughter, who was a younger version of herself, glowed with happiness around the man to gain her approval. The very fact that her grandchildren adored him was a bonus.
During mass, Kimmy clung to JC, not wanting him to put her down. Though the sit, stand, kneel, genuflect of the Catholic ceremony was difficult with a five year old glued to your hip, JC managed without complaint. The added incentive of Nikki’s adoring eyes made the trouble more than worth it.
“You have a lovely voice for hymns,” Nora told JC as he helped Kimmy button her coat after the service.
Nikki smothered a smile as JC thanked Nora.
“Kimmy seems quite taken with you,” John stated as Kimmy reached for JC to pick her up.
“He’s gonna be my new daddy,” Kimmy announced, her arms going around JC’s neck.
Eyebrows raised on the Montgomery parents. Their suspicions were now confirmed.
Nikki held out the hand with her new ring. “He asked me this evening.”
“My! Congratulations are in order.” Nora hugged her daughter. “Have any idea when the wedding will be?”
“No, we haven’t really discussed plans,” Nikki said.
“Soon.” JC added, “Well, I’d like it to be soon.”
Dylan leaned against JC. “He’s pretty cool for a new dad. He and Mom are happy and goofy all the time.”
John noted the rapidly wilting Kimmy. “Looks like someone is tired.”
“She’ll be asleep before we get out of the parking lot.” JC stroked the tired girls hair tenderly. “This trip has worn her out.”
“Will you be joining us for Christmas dinner?” Nora asked.
“That’s the plan. Lunch with my folks. Dinner with you.”
“Lovely! It’s good the families live in the same area.”
“Very lucky for us.”
“Mom. Dad.” Nikki kissed their cheeks. “We’d best be getting Kimmy and Dylan to bed. Christmas morning comes early when you have kids.”
“Don’t we know it?” John winked. Offering his hand to JC, he said, “Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you, sir.”
After a chorus of ‘Merry Christmas!’ they all left for their cars.
At the hotel, Dylan and Kimmy begged to sleep in the ‘big bedroom with the tree’. Unwilling to refuse them, JC tossed a regretful glance Nikki’s way. So much for making love that night.
So they all nestled down in the big bed to await Christmas morning.
Dylan was the first one to wake at the sound. He nudged his sister awake, putting a finger to his lips to silence her. Pointing to the tree, he indicated the large man in a red suit trimmed in white fur beside the tree. It was the old man from the accident.
“Santa!” Kimmy whispered excitedly as she scrambled from the bed, closely followed by Dylan.
Santa turned and smiled broadly. “Hello, Kimmy. Hello, Dylan.”
“Thank you for our new daddy!” Kimmy said.
“Is he what you wanted?” Santa inquired.
“Oh, yes! He is a real daddy!”
“How about you, Dylan?”
The boy nodded. “He understands I love my real dad. He says it’s okay to love both of them.”
“And that it is.”
Dylan added, “Thank you, Santa. Mom is really happy again.”
The old man nodded wisely. “A selfless Christmas wish is always the one thing that gives us the most. Ask JC’s mother.”
“JC!” Nikki hissed as she shook the sleeping man beside her.
“Wha?…” JC bolted up in bed. Before Nikki could indicate the visitor, JC saw him. “Santa?”
Three pair of bright blue eyes went to the couple in the bed.
“I’ll be damned…” JC recognized the face as that of the old man he had hit with his car.
“We told you,” Dylan announced. “You just didn’t believe us.”
“Oh, my…” was all Nikki could manage.
Santa and the children moved toward the bed.
“I am glad you discovered the gift of each other.” Santa’s eyes twinkled merrily. “It saves me from having to slap a bow on JC’s head tonight.” Then he laughed his booming laugh.
Kimmy, Dylan and Nikki giggled at the thought.
“Just in case any of you should ever forget.” Santa handed Nikki a small white box with gold ribbon.
“Th-thank you,” Nikki stuttered. It wasn’t every day – or even every Christmas – Santa Claus gave you a present in person.
“I must be off! Merry Christmas to all!” Then laying a finger along side of his nose, Santa was gone.
The four of them rushed to the balcony to watch as a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer moved across the moonlit sky. In the distance they could hear the bells of the reindeers’ harnesses. They watched until the sleigh disappeared, then slowly moved back into the room.
“What’s in the box, Mom?” Dylan looked anxiously at the present she held.
Nikki glanced to JC. “Should I?”
JC shrugged. “He gave it to you.”
“Let’s see, Mommy,” Kimmy urged.
Nikki lifted the lid and peeked inside.
“Well, Nik?” JC asked.
She pulled out a white card engraved with gold lettering. “Always keep Christmas in your hearts,” she read. “You are the gift to each other. Santa Claus.”
“He’s right. You’re all the greatest gifts of my life.” JC pulled them all to him.
A Martin-Chasez family hug.