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For the Man Who Has Everything
“For the Man Who Has Everything” was
written for one of my favorite authors in the whole world, the lovely Susansuth, for the Jix Authors’ Christmas exchange. This
story takes place a few years down the road in my “Glimpses into the Future”
Universe, so there may be a spoiler or two. So, without further ado, I
happily present this romantic comedy featuring Susan’s favorite couple. (Gee,
I wonder who they are…?) Christmas
Eve morning… “Good
morning, sunshine.” Jim had to bite back a chortle as he
was rewarded with something between a growl and a groan from his wife. At the
present, she more closely resembled a storm cloud than a ray of sunshine.
However, this was just the response he’d been expecting. After their wedding
day two years ago, he’d learned quickly that Trixie wasn’t what one could
term a morning person. Therefore, he wasn’t surprised when she yanked the
blankets over her head instead of eagerly jumping out of bed. Undeterred, he
gingerly pulled down the comforter, revealing a set of angry china blue eyes.
He reached out and brushed a stray curl from her forehead. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” he told her cheerfully. “You’ve
got a big day ahead of you.” “I should get my gun out and shoot
you,” Trixie muttered sleepily. “Lucky for you, it’s Christmas Eve, and I’m
feeling generous.” With an amused smile, Jim leaned
down and kissed her pert nose. “How charitable of you,” he teased. “Well, it is the holiday season…” she managed through a yawn. “What time is
it, anyway?” “Time for you to get out of bed.” “This is a switch.” Trixie sat up in
bed and, after rubbing her bleary eyes, cast her husband a wicked grin.
“Usually you’re trying to get me into
bed, not out of it.” “Guilty as charged,” he admitted,
chuckling. “Unfortunately, on this fine morning, I’ve been threatened within
an inch of my life to make sure you’re awake and out of bed by the time I
leave for school.” “Honey was afraid I’d oversleep and
make her late, huh?” Jim nodded crisply. “Indeed she was.
Apparently you two have a date to go shopping, and she wants to get to the
mall as soon as it opens. She must know how many presents you still need to
buy.” Groaning, Trixie slunk back under
the covers, childishly hoping she could hide from all her troubles. “C’mon, Trix.” Jim tugged at the
blankets in an attempt to reveal her face. However, the more he pulled, the
more she squirmed. “But I don’t wanna go shopping with
Honey.” The bedding muffled Trixie’s voice, but it was obvious she meant
business. “She’s mean, and I’m afraid of her.” “Honey isn’t mean,” he corrected gently. “She’s just very
organized when it comes to shopping, and unfortunately for you, she won’t let
you leave the mall until you’ve bought everything on your list.” “She is mean. And you
know as well as I do that she’s going to yell at me for waiting until the
last minute to finish buying gifts.” Jim gave the blankets
another jerk and finally succeeded in releasing them from Trixie’s grip.
Instead of the scowl he’d been expecting to see on her face, he was surprised
to find a doleful expression. “So, why’d you agree to go to the mall with
Honey if you knew she was going to yell at you?” “Same reason you’re so determined to get me to the mall on time—
pure, unadulterated fear.” Trixie smirked up at her husband in a knowing
manner. “Let’s face it, Jim; underneath that cultured, socialite exterior,
there’s a monster who won’t rest until I’ve shopped until I’ve dropped.” “She’s not that bad,
Trix.” Trixie glared up at him through narrowed eyes. “Have you ever gone Christmas shopping with
her?” “Not since we were teenagers.” “Then don’t even try to argue with me,” Trixie shot back
testily, waving her hand in protest. “You have no idea how traumatic
Christmas shopping with Honey can be. She might be my best friend and your
sister, but during the holidays she starts acting like Martha Stewart on
crack. I swear, that girl has her shopping done by Thanksgiving just so she
can deck every hall between here and Connecticut with garland and bows. She’s
not human.” “Trix, I hate to tell you this, but with your tendency to
procrastinate, it’s going to take a crack-smoking Martha Stewart to make sure
you get your shopping done. Lord knows I
don’t have the patience for it.” “This is why you should’ve done all our shopping to begin with,”
Trixie stated matter-of-factly. “No, this is why I never should’ve agreed to split up the list
between us to save time,” Jim amended. “I should’ve known you’d wait until
the last minute to get the presents on your half of the list.” Trixie inhaled
dramatically and then released that breath with equal gusto. “No, I never should’ve told Honey that I
had to go to the mall today. I tried to tell her that I could handle it by
myself, but when she insisted on going with me, I was too afraid to say no.” “Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a bit, Trix?” Jim
questioned with a laugh. “It’s not like Honey’s going to stick a homemade shiv in your gut if you haven’t purchased a certain
number of gifts by a certain time.” Trixie propped herself up in bed for the sole purpose of
enabling herself to cross her arms in defiance. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who’s
going to be dragged around by the scruff of the neck to every single store in
the Sleepyside Mall.” “Well, I’m not the one
who waited until the last minute to get my half of the gifts,” Jim gloated.
He laughed as Trixie’s expression grew even more despondent. “Sweetheart,
it’s just a day at the mall, not the end of the world!” “It may as well be,” she groused. “Honey’s like Mussolini with a
MasterCard. If I don’t move fast enough from store to store, she’ll probably
squirt me with pepper spray and beat me with her purse strap. She’ll have me
goose-stepping to Crate and Barrel in record time.” The corners of Jim’s lips twitched with the effort of
suppressing a grin. “At least you’ll finally finish your shopping.” “Humph, don’t even start bragging,” Trixie muttered with a toss
of her unruly curls. “When we came up with this plan to split up the names, I
thought it’d make things easier, but you
got all the easy people. If I had the names you picked, then I’d be done, too.” Jim snorted. “Yeah, right. You call Brian, Honey, your dad, my
mother, and Bobby the ‘easy people’?” Knowing her argument had just failed miserably, Trixie forlornly
buried her face in her hands. “Why, oh, why am I such a procrastinator?” she
bemoaned. “I always vow to start buying presents the day after Thanksgiving,
yet every December twenty-fourth ends up being a suicide mission to Macy’s.
You’d think I would’ve learned my lesson by now.” In spite of his wife’s obvious turmoil, Jim couldn’t help but
chuckle. “You don’t procrastinate; you just delay the inevitable to add to
the thrill of the hunt. Waiting until the last minute makes it more
exciting.” “Nice try, Jimmy.” Trixie smirked over at him, a twinkle in her
china blue eyes. “As much as I appreciate your attempt to justify my tendency
to dillydally around, the fact is that I’d rather scrub the toilet with a
toothbrush than go to the mall. Now I’m doomed to a day of marathon shopping
with the Fϋhrer.” “Lucky for you, I have the perfect thing to perk you right up.” “So you are coming
back to bed?” Trixie inquired hopefully through lowered lashes. “Although there’s nothing I’d like more than to provide you a Trixie inhaled softly as she appraised the tray on her lap. One
of their Christmas plates held one of her favorite breakfast treats…
blueberry croissants filled with cream cheese. A festive oversized mug
contained a frothy concoction of espresso, chocolate milk, whipped cream, and
cinnamon. As if the food and cappuccino wasn’t enough, a single red rose,
complete with a holiday-inspired spray of holly and berries, stood in a
delicate crystal vase on the middle of the tray. Trixie looked up at her
husband, her eyes glistening with happy tears. “Have I ever told you that you’re the most wonderful boy in the
world?” “A minute ago you were ready to shoot me,” Jim teased. Trixie batted her eyes coyly. “That’s before you brought me a
cappuccino.” To show her appreciation,
she took a sip from the mug, and looked up at Jim with a satisfied smile.
“Yummy yum yum,” she murmured, oblivious to the
whipped cream that now coated her upper lip. Unable to resist the urge, Jim leaned down and used his tongue
to rid Trixie of her cappuccino mustache. “Now that’s yummy,” he whispered huskily in her ear before standing
upright. “Are you sure you
can’t stay and have breakfast with me?” Trixie cajoled in her most charming
manner. “Surely the school could survive for just a few minutes without you
there.” “I wish I could, Shamus. Unfortunately, I have several things to
take care of in the office before our special Christmas Eve assembly this
afternoon.” Trixie released a dramatic sigh, and then pooched
her lips in a pout. “All right. I guess I’ll just have to wait until tonight
to thank you for my breakfast.” “I’ll hold you to that,” Jim promised as he flashed her one of
his lopsided grins. “You won’t be disappointed.” She countered his lopsided grin
with a sultry smile and one-upped him with a slight waggle of her eyebrows.
“I’m just glad we’ll have the entire evening to ourselves. After how hectic
the holiday season’s been for us, I’m thankful we reserved Christmas Eve for
just us.” “Me too,” he agreed. He bent down to apply a final kiss to her
lips. “Don’t forget; you’re meeting Honey in a little over an hour, so don’t
go back to sleep.” Trixie looked down at her tray and chuckled. “I don’t think you
have to worry. Thanks to my genius husband, I’ll have so much sugar and caffeine
in my system that I won’t have any trouble keeping up with Honey at the
mall.” She paused briefly, assuming a thoughtful expression. “How on earth
did I end up with such a wonderful husband?” “I’m the only man on earth who has enough patience to put up
with you; any other man would’ve killed you a long time ago,” he teased,
winking. “Now, eat your breakfast so you can skedaddle out of here. I don’t
want Honey coming after me with her pepper spray.” “Aye, aye, captain.” After giving him a crisp salute, she picked
up her croissant and enjoyed the view of Jim’s retreating form. She pondered
what was more delicious— her pastry or her husband’s firm backside. A devilish grin parted her lips. “Definitely Jim’s butt,” Trixie
whispered lustily as she took a bite of her breakfast. Less
than an hour later… With the stealth of a jungle cat,
Trixie snuck into Jim’s office at Ten Acres Academy. Creeping on her tiptoes,
she stretched out her arms and prepared to leap on her unsuspecting prey.
However, before she could launch her attack, her hapless would-be victim
pulled the rug out from under her. “I thought you were supposed to meet
Honey so you could finish our Christmas shopping.” “Jim!” Trixie wailed. She stamped
her foot and slapped her arms against her thighs. “I thought you were
working. How’d you know I was sneaking up behind you?” Jim swiveled around in his desk
chair and offered her a conciliatory smile. “I always know when you’ve
entered the room, Shamus. It’s been my special gift since I was fifteen.” “Well, you’d better not share this
gift with anyone, or my days trailing unsuspecting criminals are over,”
Trixie retorted, her mouth pinched with irritation. “Three years as a private
detective and I can’t sneak up on a civilian. I’m pathetic.” “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
Chuckling, Jim pulled her onto his lap and nuzzled her neck. “It’s not your
fault that I’m so keenly aware of your presence.” “I guess it’s not so bad when you
put it that way,” she said with a giggle. She snaked her arms around his neck
and snuggled close to his chest. “And to answer the question you asked
earlier, Honey’s picking me up here in about twenty minutes. As you can see,
I managed to get out of bed and make myself presentable with time to spare.
Miracles never cease.” Jim smiled fondly as he brushed back
a wayward curl from her forehead. “I think you’re more than ‘presentable’,
Mrs. Frayne.” He tipped his head back so he could admire her shining curls,
sparking eyes, and rosy cheeks. “I think you’re downright gorgeous.” No matter how many times Jim
commented on her beauty, Trixie always blushed with pleasure. Nobody would
ever mistake her for a beauty queen; however, any time Jim looked at her,
Trixie felt like one. “And I think you’re in for a very
festive Christmas Eve,” she remarked, her voice taking on a sultry quality.
She laid her hand on her husband’s chiseled jaw line and caressed his
cheekbone with her thumb. “Just you, me, and the twinkling white lights of
the Christmas tree. What more could anyone ask for?” “Don’t forget the Johnny Mathis
holiday CD.” Jim’s green eyes twinkled merrily as he waited for her reaction. Trixie scrunched up her pert nose
with disgust. “Excuse me, Mr. Frayne, but I think you mean the Bing Crosby holiday CD.” Jim just threw back his head and
laughed. “My mistake.” “Humph,” Trixie snorted with feigned
insult. “That’s what I get for dropping by to spread a little Christmas
cheer. Bing’s the only man I want singing holiday songs
to me, so don’t even tease me about listening to someone else.” “Sweetheart, if you want to listen
to Bing, that’s fine with me. We’re going to be breathing too hard to hear
the music anyway.” Pulling her so close that their hearts met, Jim’s smoldering
gaze left Trixie catching her breath as she read his unspoken intentions. “Is that a threat or a promise?” she
asked in a breathy voice. “It’s my Christmas wish,” was his
simple response. Gathering a fistful of sandy curls, Jim gently nudged her
lips closer to his and then captured them in a leisurely kiss. Even when the
kiss ended, the lovers seemed reluctant to part, remaining in a close
embrace. “So, what brings you to Ten Acres?”
Jim murmured, his voice still husky from the heat of
their kiss. “Not that I’m not enjoying your company, mind you.” “Well,” Trixie drawled out slowly,
“since Honey will force me to make a shopping list anyway, I thought I’d beat
her to the punch. As I was writing stuff down, I couldn’t remember what we
discussed getting for Moms. I know we talked about gift ideas for everyone
when we split up the names.” “As I recall, we decided to get your
mother one of those stand up mixers,” he answered. “Didn’t she say that she
wants one?” “O-oh, yeah,” Trixie mumbled rather
unconvincingly. She then assumed a thoughtful expression, which seemed a bit
exaggerated. “And what did we decide to get for your dad?” “A set of bronze bookends for his
study.” “That’s right,” she acknowledged
enthusiastically. Jim cocked a single ginger-colored
brow in speculation as he carefully studied his wife’s face. “Is there
anything else you wanted to ask me?” Trixie’s eyes suddenly doubled in
size. Although she appeared to be the epitome of innocence, Jim knew her
better than that. “Whatever do you mean?” she inquired weakly. “Didn’t you really pop by so you
could ask what I wanted for
Christmas?” “Don’t be ridiculous.” Trixie gave a
sniff of indignation and a haughty toss of her curls. “I finished shopping
for you weeks ago.” “Oh, really?” Jim tried to keep the
twinkle from his eyes as he challenged her, but it was impossible. “Really,” she retorted in her most
definitive tone. Jim, however, wasn’t buying it. He
honed in on Trixie with his laser-like glare, his emerald orbs more revealing
than a lie detector test. In spite of her attempts to withstand the pressure,
Trixie finally buckled under intense scrutiny. “Okay, fine,” she groused. “I still
need to pick up another thing or two for you. Happy?” Being the gentleman that he was, Jim
resisted the urge to gloat. “Why didn’t you just come right out and ask what I wanted?” “Because I thought with my superb
interrogation skills, I could extract the necessary information without
revealing my sinister intentions.” Trixie gave a loud snort. “Little did I
know that I’d be subjected to the glare of truth.” Jim chuckled. “Yes, as headmaster of
Ten Acres, that ability does come in handy from time to time.” A slight smile parted Trixie’s lips
as she played with Jim’s festive poinsettia tie. “So, what do you want for Christmas?” she
practically purred. “Hmm, let me think… What do I want
for Christmas?” Jim scratched his chin thoughtfully as he contemplated the
question. “I’ve got a beautiful wife, a wonderful family, the best friends in
the world, a job I love… What more could a man ask for?” “Hopefully something that I can wrap
and put under the tree,” she responded dryly. “Now, what do you want?” “Peace on earth and goodwill towards
all men,” Jim replied with a wide grin. Trixie rolled her eyes in
exasperation. “That’s great, Miss America. Now while we’re finding your sash
and crown, how about you tell me what I can pick up for you at the Sleepyside
Mall?” “I don’t know, Trix,” Jim said
through a laugh. “I honestly can’t think of anything.” “Why can’t you be more
materialistic?” she fumed, waving her hands in frustration and almost
knocking him on the head in the process. Thankfully for Jim, she hopped off
his lap, stomped over to another chair, and plopped down in it. “It certainly
would make my holiday shopping a lot easier if you had a three-foot long wish
list. Why can’t you be more considerate of my feelings and be more selfish
this time of year?” “Sorry, babe. Next Christmas I’ll
try to be more hedonistic.” Trixie cocked her head sideways, her
eyes shooting icy daggers at her husband. “You know what I mean. I go through
this agony every single year with you. You don’t need anything, and there are
very few things that you want. And even if I do think of the perfect gift for you, one of our
less-procrastinating family members buys it before I have the chance.” She
sighed dramatically before adding, “It’s hopeless.” “Sweetheart, as far as I’m concerned
you don’t have to get me anything.” Although she was almost a foot
shorter than Jim, somehow Trixie managed to look down at him. She scooted her
chair next to him in an intimidating fashion. “You’re going to get something
for Christmas, and you’re going to like it!” she ordered huffily, poking him
in the ribs to accent her words. “Christmas is a time for giving, and giving
is fun when you’re giving people the things they want. Unfortunately, giving you presents isn’t fun because you don’t have a materialistic bone in your
body and you don’t want anything. Just once, could you not be so honorable and tell me what ridiculously expensive gift
you’d like to find under our tree? Please?” “All right,” Jim agreed
half-heartedly. “I could really use a new cabinet for my tools.” Trixie sighed wearily, knowing with
one-hundred percent certainty that a top-of-the-line Kobalt
11-Drawer 40” Wide Ball-Bearing Cabinet had already been purchased for Jim by
his parents. “Is there anything else you can think of?” she inquired weakly
as she massaged her throbbing temples. “Preferably something that you’ve always
wanted and that nobody else can get you…” A secretive smile played at the
corners of Jim’s full lips— a smile that Trixie immediately picked up on. “What?” she urged. “I know you
thought of something. What is it?” “It’s nothing,” he denied. However, the
smile remained. Trixie bounced up and down in her
chair, hoping her actions would somehow force him to spill the beans. “What
is it, Jim? Tell me!” “Well, it’s something that I’ve
always wanted,” Jim began with a grin, “and it’s something that only you can
give me.” She looked at him sternly. “If this
‘gift’ involves a red garter belt and a Santa Claus negligee, you’re going to
be in big trouble, mister.” “I promise that this particular gift
doesn’t involve anything from Victoria’s Secret,” Jim replied. “Of course, I
have to admit that it wouldn’t hurt anything…” Trixie exhaled noisily, bracing
herself for the bombshell. “Oh, this should be good. What is it?” Jim paused dramatically before he
made the big announcement. “A baby.” “A baby?” she repeated in her
quietest voice. “Are you serious?” Jim looked at her, his eyes full of
hope as he waited for her response. “Of course I’m serious.” His hopeful
vigil ended abruptly as he perceived Trixie’s reluctance to even discuss the
subject. “Does it bother you that I’d like to for us to start family?” “No,” Trixie denied emphatically.
“I’m just surprised. Isn’t this kind of out-of-the-blue?” “Not really. It’s not the first time
I’ve told you that I wanted us to have a baby. I’ve mentioned it a couple of
times in the past few months.” “Yeah, but I thought you mentioned
you wanted a baby like I mention that I want to backpack through Europe,”
Trixie murmured. “It’s something you want to do someday, but not in the immediate future.” “I thought you wanted kids,” he
said, disappointment creeping into his voice. Trixie reached over and clasped his
hands in a reassuring manner. “Oh, I do, I do!” she insisted. However, after
a brief pause, she added, “But not for another year or two.” “Why so long?” “Honey
and I have finally started getting a steady stream of cases,” she explained
rather unconvincingly. “I’d hate to take off for a few months just when the
agency’s doing so well.” Jim shrugged his shoulders. “I’m
sure Honey would be more than willing to shoulder the load for a few months,
especially if you were providing her with a niece or nephew.” “Yeah, I guess she would.” The smile Trixie had plastered on her face somehow didn’t reach her
eyes. Since Jim had become an expert on everything Trixie years ago, he
noticed immediately that her enthusiasm was feigned. Instead of pursuing the
topic further, he plastered on a smile of his own. “Well, we have plenty of time to discuss this in the next couple
of years,” he conceded. “Honey’s going to be here in a few minutes and we
still need to talk about tonight.” This time, Trixie’s smile was genuine. She twirled a curl as she
looked at Jim through gold-tipped lashes. “And what exactly do we need to
talk about?” she asked, her tone suggestive. “How I’m going to repay you for
my breakfast in bed, perhaps?” Jim squirmed in his chair, silently reminding himself that there
were children nearby, children who had excellent hearing and would likely
notice any “funny” noises coming from Mr. Frayne’s office. He cleared his
throat, hoping it might help him focus on thoughts that weren’t so X-rated. “Actually, I wanted to make sure that you were coming home
tonight.” His green eyes twinkled mischievously. “I was kind of worried you
wouldn’t finish your shopping by Christmas morning.” Trixie made a face at him. “Very funny. For your information,
with the little handy-dandy list I made, I should be finished by five or
six.” She giggled suddenly. “Well, at least I’d better be. The mall closes at
seven.” “Just as long as you don’t stay there all night.” Jim gave her a
wink as he reached for her, scooping her back into his arms. “We have a
date.” “Indeed we do,” she whispered huskily. She lovingly brushed back
a thick shock of dark red hair as she admired the rugged lines and creases of
her handsome husband’s face. “Miss me.” “Visions of you in that Santa nightie
will dance in my head all day,” he teased.
“And they’ll dance for you in person tonight,” Trixie promised.
After a quick peek at her watch, she abruptly hopped to her feet. “Ohmigosh! I was supposed to meet Honey five minutes ago!
I’d better head out to the parking lot before she comes
hunting for me.” “Be sure you tell her that I got you out of bed on time,” Jim
instructed with feigned fear. Trixie hastily leaned down to kiss him good-bye, almost conking
his head in the process. “See you tonight,” she called as she hurried out the
door. A
few hours later… The foot traffic lanes of the Sleepyside
Mall were cram-packed with frustrated shoppers who were pushing and shoving
their way through the crowds to make their frantic last-minute purchases.
With mere hours until their Christmas morning deadline, desperation had
replaced the usual holiday cheer. Instead of decking the halls with boughs of
holly, the multitudes were decking each other with their shopping bags in an
attempt to beat the masses to the best remaining bargains. All the caffeine, chocolate, and
sugar in the world couldn’t have prepared Trixie for the pandemonium around
her. Arms laden with purchases, she cringed as she fought her way through the
bloodthirsty mob. After muttering, “ ‘Scuse me” at
least a hundred times, she finally followed the lead of her peers, gave up
all pretense of etiquette, and satisfied herself with merely making it out of
the mall alive. Ever aware of her surroundings,
Trixie appraised her situation. Sweat began to bead on her forehead as she
took in all the chaos compassing her. If the throng of foolhardy consumers
wasn’t enough to bring on a panic attack, the thundering noise level around
her would. One couldn’t even hear the holiday Muzak with all the shoppers
yelling, babies crying, and bells clanging. Out of the dismal abyss of
commercialism, a light shone in the distance. Several feet away, high in the
ceiling, the bright outline of a giant pretzel outlined in blinking pink
lights offered a glimpse of hope in the otherwise desolate horizon. Trixie gave a hasty sideways peek in
Honey’s direction. “Can we stop a minute for a pretzel and something to
drink?” “We just had lunch less than two
hours ago,” Honey pointed out. “I know, but I need a break.” Trixie
assumed a miserable expression to hopefully match the whine in her voice.
“Have a heart, Hon. You wouldn’t let me visit Santa
so I could tell him what I want for Christmas.” “Trixie, that line was a mile
long.” Honey rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Besides, I think there’s some
sort of age limit to do that.” “Well, there’s no age limit on
buying pretzels,” Trixie retorted. “C’mon, Honey! Can’t we just take a little break? My feet and legs are
killing me.” “I’m kind of tired, too,” Honey
admitted, albeit reluctantly. She glanced down at Trixie’s packages. “Who do
you have left to shop for?” “Only Jim and Diana. And I already
saw a purple cashmere sweater in Macy’s that would be perfect for Di.” Honey gave a smile of concession.
“All right. How about you go find us a table and I’ll get us a snack? My
treat.” “Feeling guilty about almost
shopping me to death?” “Actually, with all those bags
you’re carrying, it’ll take too long for you to get out your wallet to find a
few bucks, and we can’t waste any time.” Honey grinned as she nodded her head
in the direction of the tables designated for the pretzel stand patrons.
“Now, go grab that table before somebody else does. It’s the only one left.” “It’ll be my pleasure,” Trixie
agreed enthusiastically. She forced herself to hustle over to the unoccupied
table, set down her purchases in one of the extra chairs, and then plopped
down wearily in a seat of her own as she waited for Honey to return. Groaning
slightly, she loosened the laces of her tennis shoes and freed her aching
feet from their leather prison. Her groan was quickly transformed into a sigh
of contentment as she enjoyed the brief respite from her holiday torture. “You’d better not get too comfortable,” Honey commented as
she handed Trixie a warm pretzel and a glass of tart lemonade. “We’re not
staying here long.” “You’re such a dictator,” Trixie
teased as she nibbled her treat. She planned to make it last as long as
possible, an action which didn’t go unnoticed by Honey. “Someone ought to
report you to the North Pole.” “And don’t even try to milk that
pretzel for an hour or two,” Honey remarked sternly. “We’re leaving this
table in twenty minutes.” “Shew-ee,”
Trixie mumbled under her breath. “Someone’s
really cracking the whip.” Honey giggled as she made the motion
of snapping a whip in Trixie’s direction. “And don’t you forget it, either.
The Grinch has nothin’ on
me.” “You have to admit that sitting down
sure feels good. We’ve done so much walking that my blisters have blisters.” “At least you’re almost finished,”
Honey declared brightly. “We’ve made good time.” Trixie nodded in agreement. “Thanks
for coming with me, Hon. I know I did a lot of griping this morning, but I
couldn’t have gotten so much done without your help.” “Hey, what’re best friends for?”
After taking a sip of her cola, Honey asked, “So, you only have Diana and Jim
left on your list, right?” “Yeah.” “You’re getting that sweater for Di,
but what’re you getting for Jim?” Trixie shrugged as she popped a
piece of torn-off pretzel into her mouth. “I don’t have the faintest idea.” “Did you ask him what he wanted?” “Yes.” Honey pursed her lips in a
thoughtful manner. “Well, what does he want?” “Something he isn’t going to get,”
Trixie answered with a definitive snort. “Why aren’t you getting him what he
asked for?” Honey inquired quizzically. “Is somebody else giving it to him?” “For Jim’s sake, I certainly hope
not!” Honey’s golden-brown eyebrows
knitted to express her confusion. “What on earth did he ask for?” For several seconds, Trixie kept her
lips clamped shut. However, after releasing a troubled sigh, she murmured, “A
baby.” “A baby?” Honey repeated excitedly.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you two were talking about starting a family?” “Because we aren’t talking about it,” Trixie corrected. “Jim is.” Honey’s gaze softened as she studied
her best friend. Aside from Jim, there was nobody who knew Trixie better than
Honey, and it was obvious to the honey-haired girl that there was more to
this situation than met the eye. “You’ve always wanted children,” she
pointed out gently. “Is there some reason you’ve changed your mind?” “I haven’t changed my mind,” Trixie
argued. “I do want kids; I’m just
not sure if now is the right time.” “If you’re worried about the
agency—” “It has nothing to do with work,”
Trixie interrupted. “Then what is it?” Trixie exhaled deeply, almost
wishing she were shopping instead of discussing this particular subject.
“It’s kind of complicated.” “We’ve still got fifteen minutes,”
Honey replied after a quick peek at her watch. “Start talking.” Knowing it was futile to argue with
her stubborn sister-in-law, Trixie began pleading her case. “Do you remember
that goldfish I had on my desk a few months ago?” Honey was completely dumbfounded.
“Umm… yeah, but what does that have to do with you having a baby?” “Do you remember how I forgot to
feed that poor fish for a yet-undetermined amount of time, and it died?” “Uh, yeah.” “Well, how am I supposed to take
care of a baby when I can’t remember to dump a few dried up worm flakes into
a bowl every day?” Trixie demanded huffily. Honey had to force herself not to
chuckle at the absurdity of the comparison. “Remembering to feed a baby is a
little different than feeding a fish, don’t you think?” “That fish floated upside-down two
weeks before I even noticed something was wrong!” Trixie blustered. “It’d
probably still be doing the
dead-fish float in the bowl if you hadn’t informed me of Mr. Fishie’s unfortunate demise.” “Trixie, a fish is nothing like a
baby,” Honey replied calmly. “I’m sure any child related to Mart won’t sit by
quietly with an empty belly. If you forget to feed him or her, you’ll know.” “But it’s such a huge
responsibility.” Trixie’s shoulders slumped as she fought an internal battle.
“There’re diapers to change, baths to give, fingernails to clip, bottles to
sterilize… It’s too much for me to handle.” Honey smiled encouragingly. “You did
that stuff with Bobby.” “Yeah, and look how he turned out,”
Trixie joked. “Seriously, there’s so much to consider before having a baby.
I’ve only mentioned the physical responsibilities; I can’t even fathom the
emotional ones.” “It is a lot to think about,” Honey conceded. “You bet it is!” Trixie slapped the
table so vigorously that she almost knocked over her drink. “Have you ever
watched Jerry Springer? There are people on his show every day who’ve been completely screwed up by their parents.” “Trix, I don’t think any child of
yours and Jim’s will end up on the talk show circuit,” Honey said, chuckling.
“Your mom and dad set a wonderful example for you, and although Jim’s
biological parents died when he was young, they left a lasting impression on
him. I’ve always thought that after all he’s been through, Win and Katje
Frayne are the reason Jim’s so normal today.” Trixie nodded, her gaze focused on
the tabletop. “And you’ve just hit the nail on the head,” she observed
quietly. “What do you mean?” “Moms is
the perfect mother,” Trixie explained. “And so was Katje. How in the world am
I supposed to be the kind of mother they were? With my job, I don’t have time
to bake homemade cookies, knit scarves, or drive in the soccer mom
carpool.” “Sweetie, you don’t have to do all
that stuff to be a good mom,” Honey encouraged. “I’m sure your little boy or
girl would be just as happy to eat store-bought Oreos after school, as long
as you’re there to eat them with him.” Trixie still looked unconvinced. “Besides, no mother is perfect,”
Honey continued. “No matter how wonderful Moms is,
she hasn’t done everything right. I’m sure she’s burned a roast once or
twice.” “I doubt it,” Trixie snickered. Honey decided to take a new angle.
“Well, Trix, even if you do
occasionally mess up, it doesn’t mean your child is necessarily ruined. Look
at me and my mom. We barely spoke when we first moved to Sleepyside, but now
we’re very close. You don’t have to be perfect to love and to be loved. Your
baby will think you’re the best mother in the world.” Trixie nodded slowly as she digested
Honey’s words of wisdom. “Besides, it’s not like you’re going
to have to do this alone,” Honey added. “Any baby Bob-White is going to have
several uncles and aunties, waiting in the wings to help. We’ll all be nearby
to lend a hand.” “That’s definitely true,” Trixie
said with a laugh. “When we said that we were one for all and all for one, we
meant it— even when it comes to changing dirty, stinky diapers.” Honey smiled as she reached over and
patted her friend’s hand. “Listen, it’s none of my business whether you have
a baby now or not; that’s for you and Jim to decide. However, if I were you,
I wouldn’t let these worries we’ve discussed be the deciding factor. Both you
and Jim have always been able to do whatever you put your minds to,
especially when you work together. I know that includes being terrific
parents.” “Thanks, Hon.” Trixie returned the
smile as she squeezed Honey’s hand. “Now, as much as I’ve enjoyed our
little break, we still have shopping to do,” Honey announced as she stood up
from the table. “And unfortunately, you still have no idea what you’re
getting for Jim.” Trixie’s expression grew thoughtful
as she put her shoes back on. With a new resolve, she tossed their trash into
a nearby trashcan and then began gathering her bags. “Actually, I just
thought of the perfect gift for the man who has everything.” She paused
momentarily, and then added, “I need to stop at Home Depot...” Christmas
Eve night, at Jim and Trixie’s… The weather outside was frightful,
but the fire in the Fraynes’ hearth was most definitely delightful. Flames
crackled merrily in the stone fireplace, casting shadows on the stockings
hanging from the oak mantle. Several candles around the room had been lit,
causing the smell of cinnamon and apples to linger in the air. In front of
the window, a stately blue spruce stood proudly, colorful ornaments and
twinkling white lights adorning its boughs. The velvety smooth voice of Bing
Crosby crooning “Silent Night” filtered from the sound system and helped to
create a festive atmosphere. In front of the tree, Jim and Trixie
sat, surrounded by mounds of discarded gift wrap, bows, clothing, books, and
assorted other gifts. Trixie excitedly ripped the paper from her final gift.
She whooped with joy as she saw a top-of-the-line cappuccino maker. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried. “It’s exactly what I wanted!” “Now you can have a cappuccino
anytime you want,” Jim said, his emerald-colored eyes twinkling as he beheld
his wife’s happiness. “I can’t wait to try it out,” Trixie
murmured as she briefly inspected the box. It didn’t take her long to put
down the present and shift her attention to the one who had presented it to
her. She wrapped her arms around his well-formed bicep and snuggled against
his shoulder. “I love it, Jim.” “Surely you can do better than that,”
was his teasing response. Never one to balk from a challenge,
Trixie slid her hands up her husband’s chest, a sultry smile on her face.
“You know how I love a good cappuccino, but it can’t even compare to how much
I love you.” Jim’s breath grew ragged as he
anticipated the kiss he knew was coming. “Is that so?” “Yes, that’s so.” Her lips trembled
as they traveled to Jim’s. No matter how many kisses they had shared before,
each subsequent one made her tingle from head to toe. As long as she lived,
she’d never tire of the feeling of Jim’s mouth on hers. Pulses racing, hearts
pounding, hands exploring, tongues dancing… Each kiss elevated the lovers to
a new high. She was slightly surprised as Jim
pulled away. “Let’s go upstairs,” he whispered huskily, desire causing the
green of his eyes to deepen. As if functioning on autopilot,
Trixie wordlessly stood to her feet. Just as she was about to lead him to
their bedroom, she gave a yelp and covered her mouth with her hands. “Wait!” she yelped. “You have one
more present to open!” Jim reached up and clasped one of
her hands in an attempt to pull her down to him. “I’ll open it later.” “After all the trouble I went
through to get it?” Trixie concluded her rampage with a snort. “I’ll be right
back!” “Hurry.” With a grin that was a
mixture of amusement and bemusement, Jim watched her departure, hoping her
return would be hasty. Several minutes later, Trixie came
back into the living room, sliding a large box across the hardwood floor.
“The lady who was working at the gift-wrapping counter officially hates me
now,” she joked as she tugged on the gaily wrapped package. Jim deftly hopped up from his spot
in front of the tree to help her. “What in the world…?” he began as he picked
up the box and carried it back to where they were sitting. “Special delivery for the man who
has everything!” Trixie announced gaily. Although she hated shopping for
gifts, there was nothing she loved more than giving them. Her eyes sparkled
as she anticipated Jim’s reaction to the present she had chosen for him.
“Open it!” Jim’s ginger brows were drawn
together in a crease of puzzlement as he studied the large present. However,
he didn’t need to be told twice to open it. Anxious to see what was inside,
he ripped the wrapping paper from the box, revealing a ready-to-assemble
woodworking bench. “Oh, babe,” he gasped. “This is
great!” “It’s much better than that
makeshift thing you’re using now,” Trixie told him, smiling. Suddenly, out of
the corner of her eye, she saw moisture on Jim’s cheek. Her smile faded as
she stated flatly, “You don’t like it. Did I get the wrong one?” “No, no!” he emphatically denied.
Jim turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I love it, sweetheart;
I promise I do. I just had a memory of watching Dad work at his woodworking
bench, and it made me think of him.” “I hope it was a happy memory,” she
whispered. “It was,” he answered with a
sentimental smile. Trixie couldn’t help but hope that
someday, Jim would be able to work at that same bench with his own son. “I
know it’s not exactly what you asked for,” she apologized. “Oh, Trixie.” Sensing her
apprehension, Jim pulled his wife into his strong embrace. “I do want to have a baby, but not until
you’re ready. I never want to push you into anything.” Trixie looked up at him through a
thick fan of sandy lashes. “So, you like your bench?” “No, I love my bench!” “I’m glad.” A mischievous grin
parted Trixie’s lips. “Because it could take a while for your other gift to
get here.” Jim inhaled sharply. “What do you
mean?” Instead of answering his question,
Trixie asked a new one. “Why don’t you ask me why I got you that particular
present?” “Why did you get me this particular
present?” he repeated, numb from surprise. Grinning like the Cheshire cat,
Trixie made her case. “Well, you once told me that your father made your baby
bed, and I thought that maybe you would want to make a crib for your child.” “For my child?” Jim paraphrased
weakly. “And since it takes nine months for
a baby to be born, you’d better get started on that,” she said
matter-of-factly. Jim’s mouth fell open, but it took
several seconds until any words were able to come out of it. “Does that mean
you’re…?” Trixie shook her head. “Not yet. But
since it’s a well-known fact that anything worth doing, you do well, I
thought you’d better start on that crib as soon as possible because it
probably won’t take long for you to get me pregnant.” She applied a quick
kiss to his lips, and then purred, “Of course, it wouldn’t be a tragedy if
you didn’t get this right the first time and we had to try a few more times…” Jim shook his head in disbelief as
if he were trying to make sense of Trixie’s change of heart. “Are you sure
about this, Trix?” he managed to choke out. “Because if you aren’t—” “The only thing I’m surer about is
my love for you.” Judging by the obvious love in her eyes as she looked at
him, she was positive. “What changed your mind?” he asked,
shock still causing him to speak slowly. “You seemed pretty reluctant to even
talk about it this morning.” Trixie smiled secretly. “Actually it
was your sister. She helped me work through some of my issues.” “Issues?” Jim’s forehead creased
with concern. “What kind of issues did you have, Trix?” Trixie reached up and ran her
fingers through his hair. “It was silly really,” she hedged. “What was it, Trix? Talk to me.” “I started worrying that I wouldn’t
measure up to Moms,” she reluctantly admitted. “Being a mother is a lot of
responsibility, and I wasn’t sure I was up for it.” Jim chuckled. “That’s ridiculous,
sweetheart. You’re going to make a wonderful mother.” “I’ll never be as good as Moms, but
I can try.” “Moms was
the perfect mother for you and your brothers,” Jim told her, “but you’ll be
the perfect mother for our kids.” “I never thought of it that way,”
Trixie remarked. “And it’s not like you’ll be doing
the parenting by yourself,” Jim pointed out. “We’ll do it together, Shamus.” “Indeed we are,” she agreed,
smiling. “Now, speaking of ‘doing it’…” Her smile suddenly grew quite
mischievous. “Yes, I believe we have some
unfinished business,” Jim said, his green eyes pulsating with desire as he
caressed the soft skin under the collar of her sweater. “Do you want me to change into that
red nightie?” she asked with a waggle of her
eyebrows. Jim shook his head. “I’d just be
taking it off anyway,” he murmured as he lowered her onto the rug in front of
the fireplace. Before he leaned down to kiss her, he whispered in a husky
voice, “Thank you.” “For what?” “For giving me everything.” The white lights of the Christmas
tree twinkled as the lovers slowly melded into one. As Trixie enjoyed her
husband’s caresses, she came to the happy conclusion that Jim wasn’t the only
one who had everything. The End
When I first learned that I had been
assigned to Susan, I almost threw up because I felt so inadequate for such
monumental assignment. I might as well have been assigned to write for Julie Campbell
herself. Creating a story special enough for one of my favorite authors (one
of my favorite people, to be more precise!) in the whole world proved to be a
daunting task. Not only is she a gifted author, she is also a precious
friend. I thought and thought about what I should
write. I tried to include lots of Susan’s favorite redhead, a few private
jokes, a healthy dose of friendship, and most of all, a whole bunch of smush! Although the final product fell short of my
expectations, this story was written with genuine admiration and affection
for the recipient. A thank you the size of Texas going out
to my faithful editor and cherished friend, Steph
H. Steph, I love you, and I stand unworthy of the
gift of your friendship. Thank you so much for all you do. For the record, Martha Stewart does not
smoke crack. Well, not that I know of… Crate and Barrel is a home goods store
that I can’t see Trixie shopping at, no matter how desperate she is. In case there is any question, Honey is
not the evil overlord that Trixie makes her out to be. I just enjoyed
exploring Trixie’s dramatic side. *veg* The best blueberry croissants in the
entire world can be found in a little shop on Monhegan
Island. They are truly to die for! I couldn’t resist a mention of the Bing
Crosby/Johnny Mathis war that always takes place at Jix this time of year.
And Susan, I’m with you; Bing is the man. For additional holiday stories not found
in my regular universes, go to the Special
Features page at The Cameo. And last but certainly not least, merry,
merry Christmas to all from The Cameo and Dark Orchid Productions!
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