It was so nice to have a tree at Christmas time, and the surgeon considered how long it had been since she could call one hers. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen decorated trees or even hung an ornament on one every year she had, usually as part of the program that she was in or in the Navy when each sailor had to place their own symbol on the ship’s tree. She thought about that and how she had always used some piece of medical bric-a-brac to represent herself. Now that just didn’t seem like her at all. She was finding out that there was so much more to life than just medicine.


The gentle ding of her wristwatch alarm pulled her out of her daydreams. It was 1720. Time for her to get her duffel bag and head on out to the Blazer. She got up from the couch and placed the gift that the nurse had given her into the top of the duffel. It was meant for her desk and there is where she was taking it.


Pulling on her own leather flight jacket, she looked around the house that had come to mean so much to her. It was feeling more like home than any place she had ever been before. Sighing, she grabbed her bag and went out the door. At the bottom of the steps, she turned slightly to look over her shoulder to see the twinkling lights of the tree that now acted like a beacon in the window waiting for their return.



* * *

It had taken her less time to arrive at her parents’ house than she had thought. The roads had been kept fairly clear, even after she had gotten out of the city limits. The slowly falling flakes of snow gave the scenery an almost magical appearance as Danni drove the last two miles of the county road. Her mother had always liked the stately driveway leading up to the house but her father simply thought of it as getting closer to the country that he loved while keeping the city folks at bay.


The nurse thought about how different as night and day her parents were. Sometimes she even wondered what it was that had brought them together in the first place. ‘I guess that it had to be love.’ Her mind brought forth images of stolen moments that she had seen between the two. Ones that they thought would not be seen by their children, like the tender embrace of two hearts that were devoted one unto the other.


Danni’s mind drifted to the country with its fresh air and open spaces. Her father always seemed bigger than life when he was at the cabin, but that could have been merely due to the fact that her mother was never around to cast a shadow over his spirit. She loved the memories that she had of the times spent with her father up there. The only thing that was better was the addition of her grandpa to the mix. I guess that was why she and her mother never seemed to agree on summer activities. Her mother wanted Danni to cultivate her social standing, while all that Danni wanted to cultivate was a good day of fishing and the warm laughter that she and her grandpa would share.


The glowing orange of the dashboard readouts made the young woman think of the bobber that she always used when fishing, just so that she could daydream. She hadn’t used that the last time she was at the cabin fishing. She didn’t have to. Her mind had been totally engrossed in the activity, not to mention the friend who was with her. Thoughts of the tall, dark-haired surgeon casting out into the creek that fed into the lake now took over her mind’s eye. The graceful movements had captivated her, holding her attention on the fishing as she tried to impress the woman with her. The bond that they had built from that weekend was now stronger than any she had ever had before. Giving her friendship to this woman was something that she found to be as natural as breathing itself.


Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the smell of the leather from the jacket she wore. It was funny how some smells just triggered your senses to conjure up the image of someone. This smell was definitely Garrett to her. Danni brushed her cheek against the soft leather of the collar and instantaneously could picture herself earlier today in the surgeon’s powerful arms. Her mind focused momentarily on that image until it started to fade from her sight, the last wavering glimpses fleeting like a mirage with her sigh.


It was at that moment that the seasonal music on the car radio was interrupted by the mellow voice of the announcer. "For all of you holiday travelers and last minute shoppers, let me just remind you that it is now five twenty and time to be making your way home."


The rest of the message was lost from that point on. All that the blonde could think about was the home that she left with its twinkling tree in the window and the tall figure that had waved to her from the door. Danni looked up over the steering wheel at the large house with the huge wreath hung on the door. It’s bright red ribbon proclaiming the excitement of the season. ‘This used to be home to me, but not any more.’


She turned off the engine and removed the key. ‘Okay, Danni, you can do this. You’re here to see everyone else, not just her.’ Taking a deep breath, the nurse opened the car door and started gathering the brightly colored packages into her arms. ‘It’s only sixteen hours, not sixteen years,’ she chastised herself as she walked to the door. ‘Just keep thinking of what’s waiting for you when you get back home.’


As she stepped onto the landing, the door opened and there, waiting to greet her, was the warm smile of her father with his arms out stretched to welcome her.


"Merry Christmas, Danni!" His arms wrapped around her as his cheek brushed pasted hers, planting a kiss as he hugged her tightly. "I’ve missed you lil’one," he whispered in her ear. He gently rocked her as he savored the moment with his daughter in his arms.


"Dad, I’m the oldest of your children. You can’t keep calling me lil’one." The nurse looked up with big green eyes to her father.


The man’s face, etched with years of worry about his children, became drawn and serious. "You’ll always be my lil’one, Danni. Brie is still two inches taller than you and Matt. Well, he was taller than a wild weed when he was born. Face it daughter, the title is all yours." He winked and kissed her again, this time on her forehead.


The embrace faded as he started to take some of the packages out of her arms. "Here, let me help with those." He looked over her shoulder, half expecting someone else to be behind her.


Danni noticed that her father was searching for something and turned to look, thinking that one of her siblings had also just arrived. Seeing no one, she turned back to her father with a puzzled look on her face. "Who are you looking for, Dad?"


"Your mother seemed to think that you might have someone with you this year." His eyes were hopeful. Sensing his mistake, he quickly countered his thought. "Hey, I see you got a new car. Malibu, is it?"


His daughter nodded. "Yeah, I got a good deal when Garrett needed to buy a car. I traded in mine and we each got what we wanted."


"So you finally got one big enough for more than just yourself, a sensible around town car."


"Yep, and Gar got the full-size Blazer, four wheel drive, of course." She laughed. "Now, we’re set for any style of transportation or road condition."


"Henry, what are you doing with the door wide open? You’re letting all of the…" the voice trailed off as Danni’s mother stepped into view. "Oh, Danni! I’m glad that you could make it home for this holiday."


Her mother’s words brought an end to her excitement of being home. Some things never changed as much as you wanted them too. "Hello, Mother. Merry Christmas to you and Daddy both." She hated the fake kiss that her mother was planting on her. "I guess I’m a little early." Danni had always dragged her feet when coming to the family functions. She didn’t hate everyone. It was just that she had never really felt all that much a part of their world.


"Nonsense! It will help make up for the time you missed with us at Thanksgiving." Her mother looked out to the driveway.


"If you’re looking for Garrett, Mother, I told you surgeons have responsibilities to the hospital. Besides, with all the coverage that Nathan and Rene have done for us. They deserved some time off with their families." She watched as the woman, whose looks she remotely mirrored, turned a sour face.


"I thought that perhaps being such a great surgeon that the hospital could pull some strings…"


"Mother, the only strings that Gar will be pulling are the tails on the suturing material after a round of stitching up a patient tonight."


"Well, let’s go in and wait for the rest of the family to come by." She turned and walked away leaving Danni and her father to follow.


The young nurse rolled her eyes and looked to her father.


"You know your mother. She thinks that the world should move for her wishes." He shrugged his shoulders as he shook his head. "Come on, let’s get these under the tree before your brother and sister get here."


With her father in the lead, Danni followed into the Great Room of the house, its cathedral ceiling made it feel open and airy. As usual, the towering Douglas Fir was situated in the corner. The petite nurse stood at the base of it deciding that it was at least three times her height if not more to the large gold star that adorned its upper most branch. She let her eyes follow lazily down the tree looping right along with the intricately ornate metallic garland that made its way around the branches. There didn’t seem to be an empty spot for a single ornament to be hung if indeed one was needed. In fact, she didn’t even remember really seeing any pine needles at all.