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“Don’t underestimate me, lady. I’ve made a gingerbread house or two in my day.” Ian rolled up the sleeves of his button down shirt and cracked his knuckles one by one.

“Oh please. I think you’re all talk,” said Kate.

“We’ll just see about that!” said Ian, grabbing a square piece of cardboard covered with foil for his base and getting to work. “And besides, I’ve seen you try to build things. I haven’t forgotten about the bookcase.”

“Not fair! Those instructions were totally confusing. Besides, this is more about creativity than anything else.”

“Kate, sweetie, what kind of house are you going to build this year?” asked Olivia, chuckling at the competition between the two young people.

“Well, let’s see. I can’t repeat anything I’ve done in the past, so that obviously leaves out a Barbie dream house and a princess castle. Then there was that one year in high school that I made the love shack, and I was so upset when it fell over. And then my boyfriend broke up with me a week later. I think the gingerbread house was trying to tell me something. Oh, and remember the year that I was dying to go on a Disney vacation, so I made a gingerbread version of Disneyland?”

“Um…wow. I guess you mean business,” said Ian. Kate raised an eyebrow at him and said, “Told you so.” Then, turning to her mother, she said, “I think I’ll make a gingerbread nativity scene. Unless you think it’s sacrilegious to make a baby Jesus out of marshmallows.”

“Maybe a little,” said Olivia. “But I always say if it’s gonna make Jesus chuckle, then it’s okay. What about you, Ian? What are you going to build?”

“Well…I thought I was going to build a gingerbread
house
, but clearly this group is much more advanced. I’ll think I’ll build my office tower.”

“What about you, Mom? What are you going to build?”

“My favorite thing, of course,” said Olivia. “My own house and my garden.”

The three spent the next two hours bent over the table in what looked like an intense surgical procedure. Kate used shredded wheat for the straw in her manger; Ian used black licorice bites for all of the windows on his office tower, and Olivia used all sorts of sprinkles to represent the different flowers she had growing outside. When they had finished building their masterpieces, Olivia set them up on the mantle and they all stood back to admire their work.

“Nice job, kids,” said Olivia, looking proudly at the finished product.

“This was fun!” exclaimed Ian.

“It really was,” said Kate, giggling as she wiped some frosting off of Ian’s forehead with her thumb.

“That’s what you get when you come to the Henry household, dear,” said Olivia.

“Fun? Or frosting on my face?”

“Both.”

~~~~~

“Okay Ian, who was the vice president under Lyndon Johnson?”

“Kate, I do not care. Can we please stop studying? Let’s go out and do something.”

“Hubert Humphrey. You can thank me when that question is on your test and you get it right.” She was lying on Ian’s bed in his dorm room with her head hanging off the side and feet up on the wall.

“Fine,” said Ian from his seat at his desk just next to the bed. “Thank you, once again for helping me study. But it’s so nice outside. Can we please put away those flashcards and go out? I’m starving.”

“Works for me!” she said, hopping up from the bed. “You don’t actually think that I enjoy sitting here quizzing you for your history final, do you?” She suddenly fell onto both knees dramatically. “I do it because I believe in you, Ian,” she said with such intensity that he immediately knew that she was poking fun at him. “The world needs you as a lawyer. It will positively crumble without you. And besides, I can’t wait for all of the nice presents you’re going to buy for me on your lawyer’s salary.”

“Get up, you goofball,” he said, sticking out his hand to help her up from the floor. “Let’s go out for Italian food. I know a place downtown that gives a student discount and has an outdoor patio.”

Kate and Ian jumped into Ian’s old car and set off for the restaurant. Before long they were seated and enjoying the perfect late April weather and some french bread dipped in olive oil.

“So what are your plans for the summer?”

“Well, I’ve gone home for the last two summers, but I think I’m going to try something a little different this year. Rick’s parents own this beach house over in Virginia Beach, and Amy said that her parents are going to let her and Rick use it for the whole summer. Apparently it’s a pretty big house, so they’ve invited me to spend the summer there. There’s another girl that Amy knows from home, Brooke, and she’s coming too. Which I’m thankful for. I don’t think I could handle a whole summer with just me and the newlyweds.” Kate made a gagging noise.

“So you’re just going to bum around at the beach all summer? Must be nice.”

“Well I’ll get a job, of course! I’m sure lots of places will be hiring seasonal help. But yes, I plan to do plenty of bumming around. It’s our last summer before we are really and truly adults. Can you believe that?”

“I don’t think I’ll feel like an adult until I’m done with law school.”

“You’ve got everything all lined up for you internship this summer?”

“Yes, I can’t wait! I can’t believe I’ll actually be interning for a Congressman.”

She put down the forkful of pasta she was holding and looked at Ian. “You’re really going places, Ian Rutherford. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks. I probably don’t say it often enough, but your encouragement means so much to me. You’re such a big support to me.”

“What can I say? You’re the smartest person I know, and I believe in you.”

Ian smiled and sighed. “Okay fine, we can go back to the dorm for more history flashcards.”

“Good decision. Because not only do I believe in you, but I believe that you are not ready for this final yet!” she said.

Ian picked up the check, asked Kate for fourteen dollars to cover her part of the meal, and the friends resumed their earlier positions in Ian’s room to continue their study session.

~~~~~

“Are you happy?” asked Ian, staring at Kate’s face glowing in the light of the crackling fire. They were sitting on the couch, not paying much attention to A Christmas Story that was playing on television, but enjoying their giant mugs of hot chocolate and the quiet of this Christmas evening. Her legs were slung over Ian’s lap, and her feet were adorned with brand new reindeer socks, complete with jingle bells. She had always had a hard time keeping her feet still, and he chuckled every time she wiggled her feet and her socks made noise.

“I am. I really am. This was the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time. I love my mom to pieces, but it’s been so nice to have someone else here to share it with. I could tell she was just tickled by how much you enjoyed building gingerbread houses with us.”

“Good.” Ian smiled and took a long drink from his mug. “I like spending time with you and your mom. Your mom is a hoot!”

“You bet I am!” said Olivia, who had suddenly entered the room.

Ian chuckled and looked at his watch. “Well ladies, I know it’s Christmas, but I’d like to answer a few work emails before I go to bed. I’ll be in the guest room on my computer for a while. Feel free to gossip about me.”

“Like we needed your permission to do that,” said Kate, lifting her legs off of his lap.

Olivia took Ian’s spot on the couch while Ian set off down the hall. “I think this is the first time we’ve been alone since he got here,” said Olivia. “You two have been attached at the hip.”

“I really like him, Mom. He’s a good man. I mean, can you believe he flew all the way out here at a moment’s notice?”

“He’s a wonderful man, Katie. I’ve always known that. He’s always been an amazing friend to you. And I would absolutely love to see the two of you end up together.” Olivia smoothed her daughter’s hair. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course you can.”

“Is there any passion between you?”

“Mom!” cried Kate, looking embarrassed. “What kind of question is that?”

“Oh don’t be such a ninny. You know what I mean. I know the two of you have never kissed – at least, that’s what you told me” (Kate shook her head quickly to confirm her mother’s statement), “but that’s not what I mean by passion. I know your father has been gone a long time, sweetie, but there was a time when we were very much in love. Passionately in love. We never wanted to spend a second apart. I remember one time your father snuck out of his house when we were just teenagers to come knock on my window just to kiss me goodnight. He said he wouldn’t have been able to make it through the night without seeing me. I know it all sounds very dramatic, but that kind of zealous love is out there. And I want that for you. I want someone who would do anything just to be with you.”

“Well, Ian flew across the country. Don’t you think that counts?”

“That’s for you to decide, darling.” With that, Olivia kissed her daughter on the forehead and headed off to bed.

~~~~~

Ian awoke early the next morning and padded down the hall towards the kitchen in search of coffee. To his surprise, Olivia was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a magazine and sipping hot tea.

“You’re up early, dear,” said Olivia.

“I have to head off to the airport in a couple of hours, so I thought I’d get up and make the most of the time I have left here. Have I thanked you yet for your amazing hospitality?” Ian poured himself a cup of coffee and grabbed a muffin before joining Olivia at the table. “You’ve really made me feel at home here.”

“It’s my pleasure. Any friend of Kate’s is always welcome in my home.”

They both sipped in silence for several minutes and enjoyed the beautiful sunrise over the garden. “So Kate tells me you both had a good time with your folks for Thanksgiving.”

“Oh my goodness, we had the best time. My parents were absolutely raving over the food, especially the broccoli puff.” Olivia smiled at the mention of one of her favorite recipes, remembering the first time she taught her daughter how to make it. “Yes, Kate was amazing,” he said.

“My girl is a treasure. And she thinks very highly of you, Ian. So do I.” Olivia put down her cup and looked him directly in the eyes. “If my husband were still around, I think this would be the appropriate time for him to have a man to man talk with you. I know I can’t step into that role, but understand that my number one priority is protecting my daughter. I know the two of you have gotten very close, and I want you to treat her right, Ian. That’s all I can ask of you. Just treat her right.”

Ian nodded and looked down into his cup of coffee. “I’m trying,” he said softly.

“If you’re honest with yourself and with her, then you won’t make the wrong decision.”

“That’s good advice. The last thing I want to do is hurt her, Olivia. I mean that. I’m just trying to figure everything out.”

“I know, dear. I know you’ll make the right choice.”

Dear Mom,

I miss you! It was so great to spend a whole week with you last month. I’m wearing the pearl earrings that you gave me. I know I told you that I don’t need anything and that you shouldn’t spend lots of money on me for Christmas, but I’m definitely glad you decided to splurge this time around. The earrings are so gorgeous.