Chapter 60

Christmas was fast approaching. Brianna was looking over her gift list at her desk when her phone rang. Her thoughts on the holiday, she answered without looking at the screen. "Hello."

"Bianna? You take me chopping? Pease?"

"Hey buddy! Shopping for what?"

"Kissmass pesents!"

"Ummm...."

"Jake, who are you talking to?" Jon spoke in the background.

"Bianna."

Jon frowned. He hadn't heard the phone ring. "Does she need me?"

There's a loaded question. Brianna grimaced.

"No. I need her take me chopping."

"What for?"

"Kissmas pesents."

"You don't need to bother Bri. I can take you."

Jake sighed in exasperation. "I can't buy you Kissmas pesent if you der Daddy!"

Listening to their conversation, Brianna chuckled.

"Oh. Right. Okay. Let me talk to her for a minute."

She could hear mumbling and rattling.

"Hi."

"Hi." Amusement still coloured her tone.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Don't you know anything Daddy?"

"Brat!"

She laughed. "Seriously though, I'd be happy to take him shopping. The others too if they want to go. Unless your mother or one of the aunts was going to take them."

"Nothing planned. And I think they'd rather go with you."

"Okay, what about Saturday? I could pick them up around nine-thirty."

"Sounds good. See you then."

Hanging up, Brianna rubbed a hand over her face. This was going to be a very difficult holiday for all of them. It had been Dorothea's favourite holiday and she'd always gone all out. Brianna had a feeling it was going to take all the strength the family had to get through it.

"Bianna!" Jake was out the door before Brianna even came to a complete stop.

"Hi buddy!" She bent to hug him. "Ready to go shopping?"

He nodded. "Uh huh. Stephie and Jesse tomin too!"

"Not before you pick up your toys and get your coat on." His father reminded him from the doorway, a grinning and waving Romeo in his arms. "Come on in Bri. Have a cup of coffee before you go."

"Looking for a little adult company?" She guessed.

Jon grimaced. "I love my kids, but..."

She patted his back, took Romeo from him for a hug and started for the kitchen. "I understand."

Ten minutes later, Jake had run out of patience. "Bianna, come oooon!"

"Okay buddy, I'm coming." Draining her mug, she stood.

Stephanie and Jesse were waiting in the foyer.

"You guys ready?"

"Yep." Jesse answered.

"You've got the credit card?" Jon asked quietly.

"Yes." She pulled her car keys out of her pocket. "Okay gang let's go."

"Call me if you're not going to be back for dinner." Jon called after them.

Brianna waved to acknowledge she'd heard him. "So what's the plan?"

"Head to the music store in Redbank first." Jesse instructed.

It was a laughter filled day - something Brianna had a feeling the kids hadn't had in a long time, but desperately needed. As they got closer to the house, the car became quiet. Brianna's heart went out to them.

Turning in the driveway, all three kids sat up in their seats.

"Looks like Dad got Ramon to put up the outside decorations." Jesse noted.

Two huge wreaths and a swag of ivy adorned the gates. As they passed through, several trees and bushes covered in white lights became visible. Another wreath hung on the front door with more ivy, lights and ribbon bows tastefully displayed around the entryway.

"Unka Wemma here!" Jake had identified the car parked next to Brianna's usual spot. He barely waited for Stephanie to undo his car seat before he was out of the car and running for the house.

"Hey! Help us carry your stuff in!" Jesse called after his brother. "Brat!"

Hands full, they made it about halfway to the door when Jake ran back out. "Huwy up! Daddy gotted a Kissmas twee!"

Stephanie and Jesse exchanged surprised looks, then grinned and rushed towards the house.

Brianna entered the house loaded down with bags in both hands and almost tripped over the ones Stephanie and Jesse had dropped in the foyer. "Hey! A girl could break her neck here!"

"Holy shit Beautiful, did you leave anything in the stores?" David came to investigate.

"A little bit. I didn't want to be greedy." She forged a path to the stairs. "Make yourself useful and help me get this stuff upstairs would you please? STEPH! JESSE! COME HELP CARRY STUFF UPSTAIRS PLEASE!"

Upstairs, Brianna cornered David. "What's going on down there?"

"He finally was able to face the decorations. He said it was for the kids, but I think it's helping him too." He squeezed her shoulder. "It's all good Beautiful, I'm here to help."

"Good."

Returning downstairs, Brianna stuck her head in the living room. "Nice tree. Okay, everything's hidden, so I'm going to head out."

"NO!" Jake frowned.

"Why don't you stay for dinner? The least I can do after you ran my kids all over today is feed you." Jon invited. "You can help us decorate the tree after."

The pleading in his eyes had an edge of desperation.

"Okay."

Dinner was a noisy hour. Thanks to David, by the end of it, Brianna was wiping tears of laughter from her cheeks. Even Jon cracked a few smiles.

Returning to the living room, Brianna took a seat on the couch to watch the tree decorating process. Romeo climbed into her lap and leaned back against her, mesmerized by the lights and shiny ornaments.

"Bianna hep me!"

Brianna glanced up to see Jake enter the room slowly, carefully carrying a container full of water for the tree. She jumped up to help before it got dumped on the floor. She'd just about reached him when Copper came barreling in, sideswiping Jake as he passed. The container flew out of his hands.....and drenched Brianna from the waist up.

The instant hardening of her nipples testified as to how cold the water was. She gasped.

"Uh oh! I sowy!" Jake's eyes were huge.

"It's okay buddy. It was an accident. It's only water." She patted his shoulder with one hand and plucked at her saturated sweater with the other. Hearing muffled snickers, she looked up to see grown men acting like pubescent school boys.

Jon sobered somewhat at her glare, but it was a battle to keep the grin off his face. He waved a hand towards the stairs. "Come on. We'll find you something to change into while that dries."

In his bedroom, he led the way into his walk-in closet and pulled open a drawer containing sweatshirts. "Help yourself."

Grabbing the blue Giants sweatshirt off the top of one pile, Brianna hesitated, then almost laughed at herself. He'd seen her undressed before - more than once. Modesty now was ridiculous.  She peeled of her sodden sweater, spread it over a chair to dry, then hesitated again. But there was no help for it. Her bra was as wet as the sweater. With a mental shrug, she removed it and tossed it beside the sweater. Pulling the sweatshirt over her head, she hugged herself for warmth and turned towards the doorway where Jon stood waiting.

Even though he knew he should turn his back, he hadn't been able to look away. Obviously he was a glutton for punishment. He'd had to fight his body's reaction every time she got close enough for him to smell her perfume. He had a permanent semi hard-on when she was around.

But she also made him feel less.....alone. Aside from her physical attractiveness, he enjoyed her company. She was easy to talk to and fit right in with his family and his friends. She didn't push him to talk about his feelings like some did, but he knew she was there to listen if he wanted to, although she seemed to know without him saying a word. She made him feel....comfortable and...at peace. More so than he had in years. His favourite days were the ones Brianna came over. He looked forward to them so much, he'd started looking for reasons to call her out to the house. She made him.....content.

Then he thought of Dorothea and felt guilty.

But it didn't stop his body from hardening at the sight of her in his sweatshirt. "Better?"

They both ignored the huskiness of his voice.

"Yes." Brianna told herself the shiver than ran through her body and the swirling sensation in her core were from being wet and cold, not from his voice caressing her nerve endings. "We'd better go see what Lemma's done to the tree." Her lips twitched. "I've never seen a Jew decorate a tree before."

"He comes every year. Says he's making up for not having one as a kid."

David stood back and watched the family scene in front of him. More accurately, he watched his friend and his assistant. While Brianna laughed with the kids and helped them decorate, Jon watched her. The look of yearning, followed by quilt that crossed his face made David rethink his opinion of Dorothea's plan. Maybe she wasn't as crazy as I thought.

When the tree was finished, Brianna stood in front of it and lifted Romeo into her arms. "See? Pretty."

Jake stood beside her and Stephanie and Jesse moved to stand on her other side. They all stared at the tree, lost in their own thoughts. When she felt Jake lean against her, Brianna reached down with her free hand to sift through his hair. "Your mom would be pleased."

Seeing the expression on Jon's face as he looked at the group in front of the tree, David had to agree. Yes, I think she would be.

Romeo blew a kiss to the angel on top of the tree.