“Ack! Hang on…forgot to set the security thing.” Solana ran back into the house and quickly pushed her code in and closed the door again, sliding into Nick’s truck with an apology. “Sorry…still not used to it, yet.”

“She forget every morning.” Rosalie was content as content could be, buckled into the back of Nick’s big truck sandwiched between Kitty and Ben. The only better place would have been up front with Nick. But she wasn’t allowed.

“Hush you…I’m trying.”

“How’s that going…nothing from Steve?”

“No, in fact, he’s being sickeningly sweet lately.”

“It’s an act!” Ben had seen the act in action at the center and wasn’t amused. It made him sick that he got away with the mess at Nick’s house all for the price of playing with a bunch of little kids. Hardly costly. Although to overhear Steve bitching about it in school, you’d think he had potty patrol or something.

“Well good. Maybe my hunch was wrong.”

“I’m glad…and you’re right…I do rest better with that stupid thing.”

“Good. I do too.” They shared a glance, both somewhat oddly relieved at the interruption in their moment. They weren’t going to force this any longer. Timing was everything and if her job was on the line if they started dating, then the timing was wrong. End of story.

“Okay, so where are you taking us?”

“Actually, to the center. Barry let me keep everybody’s stuff there.”

Now Solana was the one questioning and Nick was in the know. He much preferred it this way.

When they got to the center, Nick stopped them all before they got out. “Now, guys…I have stuff for each of you…but we’ll do that later. This is kinda for everyone, okay?”

Doors flew open, brothers bopped sisters on the head, Rosalie jumped dead into a puddle and Nick and Solana could do nothing but stand and watch the fiasco unfold. Shaking his head at the clan, Nick took Solana’s hand as they walked in. “I have no idea how my mother did it…five of us. It’s a miracle she’s not dead.”

“What’s the miracle is that she didn’t kill any of you!”

“You got that right…we sure tempted her enough.”

“I think we all have a death wish as kids…I know I pushed every button my mother had…probably found a few she didn’t know about either.” Solana unlocked the door and quickly punched in the security code. “And see what you’ve done…we reactivated the thing here too.”

“Good…now you’ll definitely want ‘em.”

“Why?”

Nick flipped on the light and uncovered his surprise.

“Computers!?”

Three were out on a table, hooked up to a printer and scanner, equipped with headsets, stacks of educational games and of course game-games…kids need to be kids. Two were still in boxes. Solana stood in shock and the kids all grabbed chairs or spots around them and went to work clicking, opening, playing and squealing.

“These stay here at the center.” Nick pointed to the boxes, “One goes home with the Casey’s and one goes home with you.”

“Nick…”

“Shh…I got you both a year of cable internet service…and I’ll do it here too if you want. Didn’t know for sure with security and all of that. You’d have to watch the older kids.”

“Nick…”

“What?”

“Why…we already have…you didn’t have to…wow.”

“Yours is a dinosaur. Rosalie is getting to the point where she’s gonna wanna use it more…just hush.”

“Nick…”

He looked at her firmly and pointed to the kids, reminding her what this was about. They were having the time of their lives. “Merry Christmas. End of story.”

End of story. She opened her mouth to say something else, but quickly closed it when she saw Ben lean over and bring Rosalie up to his lap, showing her a game that was geared for the preschool set. He could have done something for himself, but instead, he took these few moments and showed her things she would enjoy. Computers…they were just the symbol of what Nick had really given them this year. He had given them all so much more. He had given himself so much more.

Ben tucked Rosalie in bed that night, and walking out of her room he groaned and wiped his face dry. “My God, she kisses wet.”

“Aw, bud…that just means she likes you.” Solana gave Ben a kiss too…a drier one and on the cheek. He much preferred that to Rosalie’s over-pucker on the lips. “Thanks for doing that though.”

“Eh, no problem. She’s a riot.”

“That she is…I think Nick’s ready to go. You’d better find your shoes and head on out.”

“Thanks for everything tonight, Miss Romero.”

“Thank you! It was a special night, huh?”

“Yeah…sorry we, uh…broke up your moment in the kitchen.”

Solana blushed and giggled low and deep, looking to the floor, hoping for a piece of fuzz or something so she didn’t have to look up at the ornery teen. Brat. “Yeah, well…” Voila! She found one. “…it needed to be broken up. We can’t do that right now.”

“Whatever you say, Miss Romero. I just wish you two would get on with it. If I’m frustrated, I can’t imagine how you two must feel.”

“You’re right…you can’t imagine!” She stood up straight and shoved the fuzz into his hand, kissing his cheek again. “You can’t push these things, though…it’s a good lesson for all of us to learn.”

Ben nodded, knowing she was talking about Erin too. Timing. Waiting. Patience. Sucked. Necessary.

He kissed her cheek, something he had never done before, and met his family out in the truck.

“God, man…what were you doing in there!?”

“Shut up, Jack…I was puttin’ Rosalie to bed.” Ben looked at Nick for a bit of support and definitely got it.

“She tends to fart around, Jack…the Queen of Dilly Dally.”

“You got that right. God, she knows every trick.”

Nick started the truck, looking to make sure everyone was buckled in and then chuckled to himself…since when did he care about seat belts? Since he started carting around meaningful cargo.

“She try to teach you Spanish?”

“Of course. And I suck at it. I can’t do the d’s and t’s right.”

“Soft…almost like a ‘th’.”

“Yeah, yeah…whatever. She’s in bed and I’m headed there. I’m dead.”

And so was the rest of the family. In the short drive back, Liz and Jack had both fallen asleep and Kitty wasn’t too far behind. “Okay, guys…we’re home!”

“Huh? Oh…” Jack woke up first, kicking Liz in the foot to stir her. “We’re home.”

“Mmm…okay.” She stretched out, unbuckled her seat belt and laid down in the seat that Jack had just vacated.

Kitty scooped up her sister, groaning under her weight. “You could try a little here, Liz…jeez.” Looking up front to Nick and her brother she offered a strained smile. “Thanks for everything, Nick. Need help getting that thing in the house?”

“Nah, Ben can help. We’ll be up in a minute.”

They watched everyone go inside and sat quietly for a few moments. Nick would visit for a bit tomorrow and give his more personal gifts, but after that, he’d be gone again for a few more weeks. Christmas and New Year’s shows called, and Ben was already missing him.

“So, you coming to Chicago to see me?”

“Yes! Your manager chic…whoever called Mom and they arranged it all last week. Twelve days!”

“Is that all? Cool. You can come to the show and then we can just hang out there for a few days.”

“Yeah, it’ll be cool.”

“You okay with flying alone?”

“I think so…not so sure Mom’s okay with it.”

“Yeah, I bet. Well, I’ll talk to her tomorrow…let her know you really won’t be alone except on the plane.”

Ben nodded and looked out of the window over to Erin’s house, and heaved a sigh. “I have a gift for her, but…”

“…is she even talking to you?”

“Yeah, kinda. Sorta. When Steve’s not around. He was sick last week, so we ate lunch together.”

“Maybe…you’re just supposed to be friends.”

“Maybe. She’s not happy, Nick.”

“I know, but you can’t fix everything. She’s gotta do it herself.”

Ben nodded and looked back to Nick. “So that photo album was okay? I know it’s not much, but…”

“Are you kidding? It’s everything! I love it. Been trying to figure out how I can get it on my carry-on without breaking my back. I wanna take it with me.”

“Make Tony carry it.”

“Ah…now that’s a plan!”

“Hey, um…I have something for you, but I don’t wanna give it to you in front of everyone else.”

“You didn’t have to…”

“Yeah, yeah…but I…well, it’s just something I want you to have. Can I give it to you now?”

“Yeah, sure…want me to come in?”

“Nah, wait out here…I’ll be right back.”

Nick leaned back in his seat and let his mind wander back to the scene in the kitchen that night…to Solana. To that dress. To her hair, her face, her legs, her lips. To that damned look in her eyes. Three months until the year was up…and god knew what could happen in that length of time. He didn’t want to lose her, but had to trust fate. And if it did happen…damn, they were going to be good together.

“Okay, I’m back.”

“Huh? Oh…yeah…sorry.” Nick sat up in his seat, hoping Ben didn’t notice the tent forming in his pants. Thank god for dark fabric and a dark car. Jesus.

“Oh, and uh…I apologized to Miss Romero already, but uh…sorry we interrupted y’all there.”

How did he know that’s where his mind was? Damn. “Eh, that’s okay…I’ll pay you back some day.”

“You guys are driving each other crazy.”

“Yeah, I know…probably a good thing I’m gone so much. I’m just always afraid I’ll come back and she’ll have met someone.”

“Aw, man…no way! She’s probably afraid of the same thing.”

Nick shrugged and wanted to change the subject. Too depressing. “So, uh…whatcha got for me?”

“Oh, yeah…well…” Ben handed him the wrapped box and immediately blushed. “All of my money went to the photo album stuff, but I wanted you to have this…”

“You pitched in for that?”

“We all did, yeah. I’m saving for something else now though.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“A stereo for my room.”

“Your room? You guys moving?”

“I hope. Saw some house books on the kitchen table last month. I overheard mom talking about it to someone…guess we have to fix up a bunch of shit at our house before it goes on the market though.”

“Yeah, probably…”

“But someday I’m gonna have my own room…and I want music. So, that’s what I’m saving for.”

“Sounds good…sounds good.” Nick looked down at the package and started to open it, remembering Rosalie’s excitability only a few hours earlier. “I can’t imagine what Rosalie’s gonna be like Christmas morning.”

“She’s gonna be wild, huh?”

“Yeah…wish I could be there.” He slowly removed the paper and lifted the lid to the box.

“You’ll be home though, won’t you?”

“Yep…gotta see my fam-“ Nick stopped talking when he saw what was in the box. “…Ben…this is your…”

“…baseball trophy. I know. I want you to have it.”

“No, man…no, no, no. You earned this…it’s yours!”

“And I want you to have it. Please? I just…you…I mean…” Ben ran his hand through his hair, frustrated at his lack of mastery over the English language. “Damn, maybe I should stick to Spanish.”

Nick waited silently for Ben to get his thoughts together, pulling the trophy out of the box and reading the plaque. “First place champions. Pony League 2002. Dairy Queen. Benjamin Casey, pitcher.”

“I pitched, but you…you did that, Nick. I couldn’t…I mean…” Ben sighed and looked to Nick with a tear threatening to slide out of his eye. “Just keep it, please?”

Seeing the sincerity in Ben’s eyes, Nick couldn’t argue any further. “Yeah, okay. It’ll go in my cabinet, alright?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought…with the stuff from the other fans…”

“Yeah, front spot. Although, you’re not a fan. Maybe I’ll find someplace else for it.”

“No, in the cabinet…”

Nick looked back to Ben and used his knuckles to gently wipe away the tear that had escaped from Ben’s eye. “Okay…”

“Cuz you know…I am a fan. The biggest one you’ll ever have.”