Our Merry Christmas

Chapter 7 - The Birthday

Percy found it extremely difficult keeping details of her job from her husband. There was no one that she trusted more than Christopher LaSalle even before she married him. Ever the planner, she made sure that they had both a Plan A and a Plan B as they prepared to return to Alabama to celebrate Charlotte LaSalle's 60th birthday. Unfortunately, it was to be Plan B when she drew an unexpected mission. That plan called for them to fly to Alabama the week before Charlotte's birthday.

It actually worked out better for Percy as them being there early allowed a lot of one-on-one time with Mother LaSalle and Lynn. One afternoon Charlotte and Percy walked to the clearing with the benches. "Sonja, you look wonderful and so does my son. I guess married life is going well for you."

"Yes, Charlotte it is. I never knew that I could love anyone as much I love him."

"Now I do not want you to take this as pressure, but have you decided if you are going to have children?"

"Yes, we will try in another year. I told Chris I want to be realistic. We know that I will always be deployed so he would be the primary caregiver. We were glad that we had the opportunity to finish out the quarters for a nanny when we bought the house. We plan on two children right now. Of course, I will need to see how my body responds to carrying a child. My mom told me that she inherited wide hips from her grandmother so I am hoping any pregnancy will be as easy as hers. Doctors are so good with monitoring the mother and baby nowadays, but I would only do a C-section if it was just impossible to deliver the child naturally."

Percy would be unaware that Charlotte would have a similar conversation with her son later. She let Chris know that she was only a phone call and a two-hour plane ride away. "Christopher, raising a child is not easy nor is it a 'routine' she told him. "You are rarely prepared for the curves that life will throw your way."

Lynn hosted dinner for her brother and his wife with her own family on Saturday. Mother LaSalle insist on cooking the pheasants. Young Charlotte was now old enough to wash dishes. Sonja helped her wash and dry and return everything to its proper place.

LaSalle dropped his wife off at the airport late Sunday evening for the short flight back to BMI. He did not let his wife know how concerned he was. He had quickly learned to discern all the 'tells' that she had always exhibited but tried to hide when they were in New Orleans. He was not sure if she even realized how opaque she was to him the last three days that she was in Alabama. This was his wife he thought to himself as he reasoned that she would not be this clingy if she were not afraid and if she did not trust him as much as she had professed. He had been the last one in their bedroom when they left D.C. He had found an incredibly unique locket and left it for her on her nightstand. Sonja was deeply touched that he had remembered the date that she officially joined NCIS and this gift to acknowledge it.

Charlotte's birthday celebration was as special as her children could have wanted it to be. All her children and grand children were present. Her younger brother surprised her when he flew in from his duty station in Europe. Jack had been her mother's surprise baby. He and Charlotte were born 21 years apart. She had felt more like his aunt than his sister while he was growing up. She had already married and had just found out that she was pregnant with Lynn the same day her mother's water broke.

The day after the party, Charlotte had more time to speak with her son one on one. "You were awful quiet yesterday son."

"Yes, Momma. I hope that I did not upset you."

"No, not upset but I am concerned."

"It is my wife. I always worry about her when she is not in D.C. Whether she says it or not, I know she is constant danger."