The blonde woman cast her eyes to the table as she felt the blush starting up her neck and fought to keep it at bay. "I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, Brie."


The congratulations came to a halt as the sound of someone clearing their throat was heard, bringing everyone back to the ritual of the holiday.


"Now, if we can continue, please." Mrs. Bossard closed her eyes trying to regain her air of dignity. She opened them when the room was once again quiet, letting them meet her son’s. "Matthew, a toast please."


Danni’s brother rose, holding a wineglass in his hand. Nodding in acceptance to his mother, he then turned slightly to offer the same courtesy to his father at the opposite end of the table. He brought the glass up in toast fashion and slowly began. "Well, since my nephew is too young to imbibe, I guess I’ll have to wait for his help in this duty."


There was a chuckle that escaped from just about everyone at the table in response to the comment. The only one not to laugh being Mrs. Bossard.


"Okay, here goes." Matthew announced causing the family to listen. "May the season of Christmas, with all of its love stay with us always." He thrust his glass into the air. "Merry Christmas, everyone."


The rest of the table followed suit, each turning to the people beside them and wishing the greetings of the season. The clinking of the glasses in toast rang merrily in their ears as they sipped from the swirling liquid in their glasses.



* * *

With dinner over and the table cleared, everyone sat around the living room content from the huge meal. The only persons missing were the wives of the clan, who were busy in the kitchen with the leftover food.


Danni found herself sitting by her brother and soon became engrossed in small talk with him. Their conversation coursed through the many years that they had grown up together. Each one remembering just a little different than the other the events that had taken place each Christmas morning. They each laughed as they thought about the past and how they had planned their life for the future so many years ago. Danni noticed that her brother was growing silent in thought after she had teased him about his wish to be married and have ten kids by the time he was thirty.


"What’s the matter, Matt?" Danni had stopped laughing. "You didn’t really believe that, did you?"


Her brother became somber. "At one time I did. I guess we never really know what the future will hold for us, do we?" He shrugged. "I’ve spent so much of my time becoming a lawyer that I’ve forgotten about that dream until now."


"It can still happen. I mean not by the time that you’re thirty, but you can still find someone and settle down. Heck, I expected you to come waltzing in today with a girl on your arm, ready to show her off to the family." Danni watched as her brother bit at his lip.


"I’ve been seeing someone that I think I’d like to really get to know." Matt looked to his sister. "But I’m not sure that Mother would approve of her. She’s not exactly what Mother thinks of as wife material."


Danni leaned back to get a better look at her brother. The astute lawyer now reminded her more of the clumsy, young boy she had cared for every summer at the cabin. "What gives? Is she some alien or does she just have seventeen kids?" The blonde teased him.


"No, nothing like that. It’s just that…she…well…she wants to make her own way in the world and not rely on anyone else for support."


The petite woman looked out to the kitchen as she thought about how her mother would handle such a prospect for her son. "Matt, you can’t let Mother rule you heart. You know what it is that makes you happy and if there is even the remote chance that she is the one, you have to go for it."


The siblings’ eyes met and the unspoken words told each one how the other felt. The closeness of their relationship had held strong over the years even with the distance that their careers had placed between them. The silence was broken as Danni took the lead. "Let’s make a promise to each other right here. Next year we each bring the one person in our lives that makes us happiest, whether we think Mother will like them or not."


"I guess that it couldn’t hurt if we both did it. You got a deal, Danni." He reached over and circled his smaller sister in his arms. Suddenly this Christmas was looking up on his part and all because of her. "I love you, Sis. I’m sure you know that Garrett does, too."


The sound of the soft whisper made Danni’s heart beat faster with the thoughts that they provoked. As they released the embrace the insistent tugging on her sleeve captured her mind and she looked to her side to see her nephew.


"Auntie Dan, I think that its time for my belly to sleep."


Brother and sister both giggled at the comment as Danni turned her attention to Gunny. "You want me to take you upstairs for a nap?" She held her arms out to the tyke, who nodded dutifully and climbed into them. "Matt, let Brie know that I put him down for his nap."


She rose from the couch with him in her arms. "I’d tell Mark, but he and dad look like they’re in a good discussion."


"I’ll let them know, Danni."


"Okay, Dumpling, it’s off to nap time for you. I might even be tempted to join you if you ask me nicely." ‘That might not be a bad idea with how tired I’m starting to feel. I’ll never understand how Gar can be up over twenty-four hours and still function as a surgeon.’


"Pleaz, Auntie Dan, pleaz."


"All right, but only for a little while." The nurse carried her nephew up the stairs, her soft voice lulling him into his dreams by the time they reached the top.



* * *

The family had returned from the candlelight services to the warmth of the roaring fireplace. The rest of the evening was a continuation of storytelling and the singing of seasonal carols. Their parched throats were easily taken care of with glasses of eggnog that had been passed around. One by one, the family members excused themselves and retired to bed.


Soon the only ones left were Danni and her father. They sat silently watching the embers of the fire slowly die out, each one deep within their own thoughts. Danni looked down at her watch. It was nearly midnight and soon, she too would retire to her old room upstairs. ‘Only twelve more hours and I’ll be back home.’ The woman noticed that her father was now studying her. He had been for some time, she just hadn’t noticed it.


Danni sighed, then spoke softly. "Dad, how did you know that Mother was the one for you?"


Her father smiled. "I was wondering how long we were going to sit here before you finally got around to talking about what was on your mind."


The blonde nodded her head and smiled. "You were always the one that could read my moods. So tell me, how did you know?"


"There’s no real explanation for it. Love just happens, lil’one. One day someone walks into your life and your world just changes. Things that were important no longer matter and all that you can think about is that one person out of all the ones that you know."


"But what if it’s someone that you never expected to love. Someone that you don’t even really know everything about."


"Danni, you never know everything about a person. Why, everyday I find something new out about your mother. That’s what makes it last. There is always another facet to look at and learn."


"Will I know enough to be sure when it happens?"


"That’s assuming that your heart doesn’t already know. Love is a funny thing. It doesn’t always come knocking at our door and announcing itself. Sometimes it comes from places that we least expect it to." He looked his daughter squarely in the eye. "Listen to your heart. That’s how you’ll know."


Danni thought about that for a moment. ‘I can’t believe that my father is such a romantic. I would have never guessed it when I was growing up. I guess we see them in a different light the older we get.’ The young woman opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.


"I think that you should get that, Danni. I’m afraid that anyone who would be calling me this late at night, is already here." He motioned to the phone in the hallway. "I’m betting that it’s for you. I’m going to head up to bed now, anyway."


The nurse walked briskly to the phone as it rang the fourth time. "Hello, Bossard Residence."


Mr. Bossard passed by his daughter as she greeted the incoming phone call. "Night, lil’ one. Tell Garrett that I said, ‘Merry Christmas,’ too."


"Danni, is that you?" The voice on the other end had a familiar sound to it.


The blonde nodded to her father and answered. "Yeah, Gar, its me." Her voice turned soft. "Night Daddy." Danni waved her hand to the man starting to ascend the stairs. "Hey, my Dad says, ‘Merry Christmas’."


"Wish him the same from me. Maybe one year I’ll get to do it myself."


Danni called to her father at the landing of the stairs in a hushed voice. "Gar, wishes you a ‘Merry Christmas’, too." She watched the man smile and nod his head approvingly. Then she turned her attention back to the phone. "So what’s your night been like so far? Did you get to the O.R. yet?


"Yeah, Nathan was kind enough to leave me with a hot appendix in a twenty year old. It felt good to be back in there. Other than that, it’s been pretty quiet. How was your drive today?"