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Chapter 11 – Blame It On The Mistletoe

“C’mon, Jillie! Smile for Daddy! C’mon! Don’t be shy! It’s for our Christmas tape. Yeah… Ah… Ah… Oh… Woah… Almost! C’mon, Sweetheart! Daddy will buy you a brand new Lexus!” Howie encouraged dramatically, sitting back on his legs with the camcorder poised for action. His entire family had just left after Christmas dinner, showering Howie and Jillian with tons of lovely gifts. Though, as special as each one seemed to be, Howie had become instantly attached to the new camcorder, which his mother bought to catch prized family moments of Jillian. Now, Howie allowed Jillian to play on the floor with her bundles of colorful toys in hopes to catch something adorable.

Yet, Jillian didn’t seem to care about her camera debut. Instead, she quietly fumbled and nibbled on her various Christmas presents, obviously pleased with her first Christmas. Howie chuckled softly with defeat, zooming the camera onto the growing infant. He couldn’t believe he had been a father for exactly two months. Never had he imagined God doing such a miraculous transformation with the tiniest package. He loved her more than life itself, even if she wouldn’t smile for the camera.

“Jillie, is this a hopeless cause?” Howie finally groaned, preparing to set the camera down, but the opening door caught his attention.

“Merry Christmas, Doroughs!” Keveney’s voice sounded.

Howie felt his heart skip at Keveney’s voice, the same reaction he always had whenever she appeared. He had invited her over for Christmas cookies and was overly impressed that she had actually accepted. He quickly tried to busy himself so he wouldn’t seem so pathetic, but noticed Jillian’s emerald eyes frantically search for Keveney. Howie offered a bright grin, leaning over to his daughter’s wiggling form. “What’s the matter, Jillie? Do you hear our Kevie?”

“She better hear her Kevie,” Keveney chuckled with a playful grumble, leaning over Howie’s shoulder to wave at the little girl. Howie noticed Jillian’s eyes shift immediately to the sound of her favorite voice. Keveney offered a bright smile, moving to sit beside Jillian’s blanket. She immediately started to rub Jillian’s back while speaking. “Hey, Jillie Bean! How’s my favorite candy cane?! Did Santa visit you last night?”

Howie watched through his camcorder in awe as Jillian sparked like a bright candle. She furiously kicked her tiny legs with delight, smiling with a variety of pitched coos. Howie laughed in surprise as Jillian actually rolled to Keveney’s lap. “How’d you get her to do that?!”

“Do what?” Keveney questioned, bringing Jillian into her arms.

“Roll!”

“She wanted to do it.”

“But she’s never done that for me!”

“Then it’s her first time,” Keveney praised, pressing a warm kiss to the child’s forehead as Howie continued to tape. She shifted the cooing child to sit in her lap for Howie. “Tell Daddy Merry Christmas, Jillie Bean—”

“Jillie Bean?” Howie laughed further, arching his dark brows. “Isn’t that the wrong holiday?”

“Awe, Daddy’s trying to use his gift from Santa – Humor… Guess he didn’t get the directions,” Keveney cooed sweetly, causing Jillian to squeal as if she were laughing at her father.

“Point taken,” Howie groaned, finally turning off the camera.

“I still love you and I brought you gifts,” Keveney announced with a sweet smile, grasping her messenger bag, and cradling Jillian in her lap.

“We got something for you, too,” Howie approved.

“Hopefully Jillian picked it out.”

“Ouch, that was definitely aimed at the heart.”

“Better than below the belt…”

“You’re on fire tonight, you know that?”

“Sorry,” Keveney laughed with yet another beautiful smile. She clicked her tongue while opening her bag, retrieving the gifts she had spent so long acquiring. She first freed a velvety soft, violet colored teddy bear, offering it to the child. Jillian immediately reached to grasp the large bear and chewed lovingly upon its ear. “Glad you like it, Sweetheart.”

“It’s adorable, thank you so much,” Howie replied, listening to Jillian offer a pitch of coos and grunts to the teddy as if she were discussing something quite intellectual. She had received so many teddy bears throughout the day, but only seemed to respond to Keveney’s bear with her sweet coos and gurgles. It awed Howie, knowing that Keveney continued to offer motherly affection to Jillian. And, so desperately Howie already wished she were.

“No problem. I’d give her the world if I could.”

“My sentiments exactly.”

“Except, you can give her the world, Mr. Dorough,” Keveney chided with an impish glint glittering within the depths of her violet eyes. She carefully shifted Jillian again to retrieve the other wrapped package in her messenger bag. She offered it to Howie with a surprisingly shy smile, almost as if she were nervous about his reaction. “And with that in mind, take it easy on me when you see what I bought you.”

“Keveney,” Howie sighed, loathing her last statement in the very pit of his heart. He would love whatever she gave to him, because it was given from her heart. Money didn’t matter and never would.

“Just open it,” Keveney encouraged quietly, seeming to understand silently.

“I just want you to know…” Howie trailed as he peeled back the layers of bright colored paper, almost preparing to reveal the depths of his feelings. Though, he became enraptured, gasping softly in surprise when he revealed a hardback baby book. A little girl on the front was pictured lying in the pink and blue tinged clouds with beautiful tear-drop-shaped eyes gazing up at the viewer with hope. The heading read: My Beautiful Baby Girl.

“This is absolutely gorgeous, Kevie.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Keveney approved, scooting close to Howie with Jillian in her lap. She leaned over his shoulder, peering at the blank pages where he would record every memory of Jillian in his life. “Every Daddy needs a baby book. You record her entire life with you right here so you’ll never forget a thing. Plus, she can look back at it and see how much her Daddy will always love her. It’s also a Precious Moments book, so it’ll have Bible Passages. I was raised on Precious Moments. I hoped you’d like it.”

“I love it,” Howie enthused, flicking his eyes upward to catch himself falling into her deep violet eyes with little warning. His heart started to thump with anticipation as he nervously licked his lips. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied, her voice catching just below a whisper. The romantic magnetism of their initial meeting seemed to rise with every passing moment they spent together. Her eyes smoldered with a heated passion as she leaned closer than ever before. She found herself focusing on the idea of his lips against hers with the rarest heat she had never experienced. “Howie?”

“Yeah?”

“I just…” Keveney let her voice drop as Jillian’s coos ceased into a silent wonder. It was almost as if Jillian expected the union and welcomed it fully, just offering the smallest yawn and closing her eyes. Keveney leaned forward as she moistened her lips, fully prepared for what awaited. She decided to finally let her body speak for her heart, wanting everything Howie could possibly offer. Anticipation rose to the highest levels as their lips were mere centimeters from connecting.”

“AWE! LOOK AT THE PRE-MADE FAMILY! IT’S THE CLEAVERS IN A BOX!” AJ’s voice cackled, shattering the romantic heat filling the room. Keveney and Howie instantly pulled away with embarrassed blushes, obviously regretting the unlocked door. AJ seemed oblivious as he hurried the other men into the room with cheery smiles. “Merry Christmas!”

“Likewise,” Keveney murmured, easing Jillian back into her car-seat while acting as if nothing had happened. She blew a kiss to the smiling infant, handing over the teddy bear, and grabbing her bag. She anxiously brushed her fingers through her straight golden locks as she scrambled to her feet. It had been far too close of a call. She took the intrusion as an appropriate omen, instantly backing from her feelings. “But I should be going—”

“Why? I just got here!” Nick exclaimed with a pitiful pout, enhancing the sorrow of the other four.

“You’re breaking my heart,” Keveney sighed with an affectionate smile, patting Nick’s cheek. “But, you need your time with Howie. Plus, I’ve got to get back to my family.”

“Are you at least going to give us Christmas hugs?” Nick continued to protest.

“Would that be the very least I can do?” Keveney teased, squeezing the older man affectionately.

“The very least,” Nick agreed, hugging her close. “But a kiss would—”

“Woah! Next person!” Keveney sang, moving toward Brian.

“Yeah, I get nervous when he dips me for a kiss, too,” Brian shivered. “Merry Christmas, Kevie.”

“Thanks, you, too,” Keveney responded as she was passed to AJ. “I think I might get dizzy.”

“Get used to it with this family. Merry Christmas, hope you have a great New Year and maybe we’ll see you during it?”

“Maybe…” Keveney agreed mysteriously, moving to hug Kevin. “Finally, I can leave!”

“Oh, that’s sweet,” Kevin grumbled.

“Down-right adorable,” Keveney teased, squeezing him. “Merry Christmas.”

“Likewise,” Kevin returned, watching her move out of the living room.

“Kevie! Wait!” Howie blurted as she opened the door, finally making his body react to the turmoil in his heart. He couldn’t allow her to leave so quickly, not after he had spent such a large time toiling over what to buy her. He retrieved a small box and rushed toward her. “Your present! Please, open it before you rush out of here!”

“Sorry,” Keveney laughed, immediately taking the box into her hand. She pulled on the box to free the purple ribbon wrapped around the length of the small box. She then opened the velvet box and her eyes instantly widened with wonder. It was a small, silver, heart-shaped locket with Celtic knots engraved perfectly into the silver. She eased the locket open to find Howie and Jillian’s pictures nestled sweetly within the locket as a precious memento for her heart. Keveney sighed, she was utterly speechless.

“You’re part of our family now,” Howie whispered, helping her with the locket.

“Thank you so much!” Keveney enthused, hugging him tightly without thought.

“You’re welcome!”

“DAMNIT!” Nick immediately cursed, ruining the sweet moment.

“Shut up,” Brian hissed.

“I should have caught her under—”

“Um… D?” AJ called, interrupting both the bickering and the hug.

“Hmm?”

“Look up.”

Howie and Keveney slowly parted and glanced upward. Keveney’s eyes widened when she finally understood – the Mistletoe. As tradition, Howie had hung the fabled mistletoe in within the threshold of his front doorway. He didn’t exactly think it would work to catch anyone into a kiss. And Keveney wasted no time, deciding to indulge in the sweet Christmas tradition. She smiled softly as she cupped Howie’s face in her hands, sending warm sensations flooding through both their bodies. She then tilted her head ever so slightly and pushed onto her tip-toes for their lips to meet in the sweetest of holiday kisses.

“Merry Christmas, Howie,” Keveney whispered when they parted, slipping out the door.