"Maybe! Thanks." Danni was pensive for a moment, then spoke what was on her mind. "You know, Dad, I really miss grampa but I’m glad you’re able fill his shoes."


Her father tipped his head in appreciation of the compliment. He knew that his oldest daughter had spent many a long summer day talking to his own father during her childhood. The man had given her all of his time while his son was busy building a business. They had been almost inseparable when she was not in school. Now, it made her own father happy to be there for her in his father’s absence. "If you ever need to talk, I’m here."


Danni nodded in response. Taking in a deep sigh, she went out the door.


Her father watched as she loaded the trunk of her car and drove off down the driveway.


The car was slowly driving off of the property when Brie noticed the movement outside of the window. She stopped undressing her son for his bath as she thought about the impressions that her sister had left her with. ‘All of the things from yesterday I could let go, Danni, but this morning. Now that was the clincher! You with a queasy stomach, not likely unless…’ Then Brie knew that her earlier suspicions were true. ‘She’s pregnant!’


She had wanted to confront Danni before she left, but not in front of the rest of the family, especially their mother. Brie saw no reason to ruin Christmas for the rest of the family. Perhaps if she gave it a little while longer, Danni would take the matter into hand herself and not disgrace the family with a bastard child. ‘Danni, I hope you know what you’re doing. Raising a child is tough work with two parents, but with just one…I hope this Garrett is the one for you, at least for Mother’s sake.’



* * *

 It was several miles before Danni came to a stoplight. Her curiosity was peaked now by the presence of the second bag. ‘Hmmm…I wonder what Brie packed for me?’ The nurse opened the sack revealing a sleeve of crackers, a can of ginger ale, and a sealed baggie with a moist paper towel inside it. The brows of the young woman furrowed deeply. "Huh?" Then she chuckled to herself and opened the sleeve of crackers. Taking a bite out of one, she thought. ‘Well, she’s had enough queasy pregnancies to know what it takes to feel better. I’m sure glad she knows what will sit well on an unsettled stomach.’ She shook her head in disbelief. The light changed to green and Danni pushed her foot down onto the gas pedal, urging the car to carry her back to where it was she wished she never had left.



* * *

Not feeling that much in a holiday mood, Garrett had brought her tray of food for lunch to her office. There, maybe she could eat in peace. The Cafeteria, although not as crowded today because of the holiday, was just not the place for her with it’s sentimental music. The song that helped her to make her mind up was an old familiar one entitled "I’ll Be Home For Christmas." The hospital and her work had always been her home. Well, that was until she let this town and its friendly inhabitants get to her. Now, when she thought of home, her mind conjured up images of a small, blonde nurse and her passion for life.


Garrett looked down at the tray of food before her. She wasn’t really that hungry but she had felt a need to have more than enough food at her disposal. ‘Well, it didn’t cost me anything.’ Whenever she felt like this before, it was usually her sixth sense telling her that she wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near food for a long time. ‘Well, you did say that you missed the O.R., didn’t you?’ Her mind thought about the random lengths of time that she had been in surgery, going from one patient to another on a busy trauma schedule. ‘Let’s just hope that whatever comes my way today, only good comes from it. Yeah, right!’


The surgeon picked up half of the sandwich and bit into it. Her eyes looked for a focus point and found it in the new addition to her desk, the photograph of Luc and her. Letting her mind wander, she almost didn’t hear the soft knocking on the door. Swallowing rather quickly she took a sip of her coffee before she answered. "Come in." The seated woman waited as the door slowly opened, first revealing soft blonde hair.


"Hey, Doc!" It was John. "We’re going to eat…and Nan sent me to…." He looked at the food in front of the surgeon. "Oh, I guess you’re doing that already. Would you like to have some company?" His eyes perked up as he glared at the large desk in the small office.


"I don’t think so, John." Garrett had a dead serious look on her face, knowing how his mind worked. "But tell Nan that I said ‘thanks’."


"Okay, but just remember, I don’t go out of my way for just anybody. Sorry, I won’t bother you then…" He excused himself then left muttering to himself as he closed the door again. ‘Damn, you’d think she’d be grateful for my help in that present. Oh, well.’


The surgeon took another swig of coffee before biting once more into her sandwich. Her mind fell back into its memory and she was again reliving a day with her brother, out fishing on the lake. A few minutes went by before the soft knocking was heard again on her door. Garrett shook her head. ‘When will he learn that I’m just not interested and finally give up?’ She got up and lunged at the door, pulling it open as she began to speak. "John, when are you finally going to…to…Danni?" Her eyes grew wide as she gazed at the petite form of the nurse standing meekly on the other side of the door.


"You told me to let you know when I got in. If it’s a bad time, I’ll go." Danni watched as the ogre that had ripped open the door become dormant, retreating back into its hiding place deep within the surgeon. The stunned face now showed signs of welcome.


"Come on in. Hey, did you eat yet, I’ve got some extra food." She ushered in her friend, closing the door behind her.


The nurse looked down at the array of food on the tray. It was more than she had ever seen the tall woman eat at one sitting. "Were you expecting me or what?" She settled into the chair in front of the desk.


"I don’t think so…but it is a nice surprise. Care to help me with all of that?" She picked up the plate with the other half of the sandwich on it, offering it to Danni. "I’ll share."


The words were too enticing to the younger woman. She smiled and reached for the proffered food. "Thanks! I didn’t feel like eating this morning. I guess that I had other things on my mind." She bit into the sandwich, nodding her approval.


"Yeah, I didn’t feel much like eating earlier, either."


"Oh, Brie wrapped you up a piece of my Stollen." She sat the bag on the desktop. "Dad thought that it might give you a boost of needed energy."


"I wondered if I was ever going to get a taste of that…Stollen, I mean." The surgeon swallowed a bite as she watched the young woman across from her smirk in surprise. ‘But the only boost that I needed was to have you here.’


"Umm…" Danni swallowed, trying to get her thought out. "It looks nice on your desk, Gar." She pointed to her Christmas present that she had given the surgeon. "I’m glad that you liked it."


‘How could I not like it?’ Garrett looked to the frame and then to her friend. "It’s definitely something that I’ll cherish for life. Thank you, again for thinking of it."


There was silence between the two for a few moments when the young blonde looked over and locked the taller woman in her gaze. "Gar, that jacket…it kept me pretty darn warm against even the coldest of chills. Thanks." The image of her mother flicked across her brain as she made her statement.


"I hoped that it would."


The two women were content to spend the remainder of the time eating in each other’s company. The silence shared between them was one of comfort and familiarity, each one realizing that they were finally at home and at ease with the other.



* * *

What was left of the daylight shift soon came to an end. The E.R. had been slower than usual with everyone enjoying the holiday, even the staff. It was as though sickness and injury had called a truce until the end of the day.


The arrival of the evening shift was a welcome sight for the surgeon. She had been finding herself constantly wanting to hang around the E.R. but kept her visits to a minimum. Aside from Danni, she knew the other nurses by name but didn’t really feel that friendly with the daylight crew. Garrett found her anticipation of the evening shift’s company quite surprising. She rounded on the patients in her care as she waited, giving them a little more time for their exchange of report.



* * *

Karen sat at the desk looking over the information on the computer screen. The E.R. basically was empty except for the homeless man that was sleeping in the only occupied room. Dr. Potter didn’t see the need to release him into the cold when the room would have been empty anyway and Karen was in agreement with her. ‘Everyone needs a little warmth and comfort on Christmas.’


Her attention turned to Danni. The nurse sat silently at the computer, reviewing an article on helicopters. Her face serious, lacking any emotion.


"Say, I hear that you and Garrett did one heck of a rescue on Saturday. I bet everyone was excited about that." Karen watched Danni’s face come alive with emotion.


"Mom, excited isn’t even close. I thought that Garrett was going to pulverize Dr. McCormick when he grounded me."