Christmas past to present!

8-Warm

Stepping into Keaton's personal space I am taken in by the potent smell of him. We take off all of our wet things and the two of us make our way to the kitchen while the kids run off too I assume Maddy's room. His house is cozy a bit manly except the pink and purple dolls, and dress ups I spot on the couch and the shiny Tira I find on the bar stool. 

"Sorry about that. I wasn't really expecting people over today." He says a small blush creeping over his cheeks.

"No problem. It's cute." I smile,  watching as he grabs a large pot and fills it with milk. "How often do you get to have her?" I ask I had wanted to ask all night but had thought it rude; curiosity obviously won out in the end however. 

"Everyday; I have full custody." He informs me matter of factually. Oh I hadn't expected that. "We've been on our own since before Maddy could sit up." 

"And Shanna?" I ask not wanting to bring back old pain.

"Shanna; Never wanted to be a mother. Not really. I don't think she wanted to be a wife either for that matter."

"What do you mean?" I question as I start pacing around the room. Keeping my body moving and my eyes from focusing on him. 

"When we got together it was mostly by convenience. She knew me; I knew her. I didn;t really have to try. To put a lot into it. That may not have been fair but she never seemed to mind as long as she got the things she wanted."

"The wedding?" He shrugs and I nod. On his walls are pictures of his parents and brothers. Him and Maddy over the years and just as I see a small gold frame on top of his mantle, I hear one of the girls scream.  

"I'll check on them." He calls, leaving me there. 

Stepping close I see the picture is of us. The one we had taken together on the side of the river the summer before I left. The summer before, he broke everything. Next to the gold frame is a black one; this one of just me. I don't recall this one being taken, but there I am, swinging on that old tire swing my hair floating behind me, and happiness on my cheeks. He had these in his home ten years after he pushed me away? 

"Holly; I can use a hand." He yells, and I run after his voice to find him holding a sobbing Maddy on his lap, a bloody hand towel pressed against her forehead. "I can't get it to stop." He says in a panic.

"Oh no. What happened?" I coo stooping down to get a better look. 

"They said she tripped on something. Hit her head on the dresser. I need to take her to the hospital." He panics

"Don't be crazy. Maddy honey; do you want to know something really cool?" I ask, and she nods while I lift the washcloth just off the cut to get a better look. "You got so super lucky. Want to know why?" Again, she nods the tears slowing down. "Your daddy is my friend, and I happen to be a doctor who works with kids. That means that you have to be super cool for me to work on you. Are you super cool?" 

"Yes." She squeaks

"Are you brave?" 

"Yes; i'm brave."

"Alright then, I am going to need you to hold Daddy's hand okay because he is a little scared. Can you do that?"  she clutches his hand, and I give her my warmest smile. "Very good. Give me just a minute." I pat her cheek and stand looking under the sink and in the medicine cabinet until I find what I'm looking for. his first aid kit. 

"Alright, strong Maddy, let's look at this owie shall we?" Her breath hitches but she doesn't move an inch. "Good girl." I praise running an alcohol wipe across it she hisses at the sting but stays strong. Carefully, I pat with gauze before spreading on some nesborne and placing a butterfly bandage over both sides of the cut, pulling it closed.

"Daddy, this is the lady who watches your money!" She announces. 

"Maddy shh."He whispers while I wet the wash cloth again in the sink, then wiping away the bloody evidence. "There we go all done." I announce hearing the claps from the doorway. I turn to see both my children thrilled to have watched me work.  Watches his money? What did that mean, I wonder.

"Good job, Mama!" Daniel smiles when I feel small arms wrap around my shoulders. Maddy hugging me.

"Thank Holly, doctor!" She rings

"You are very welcome, Little miss Maddy!" I hug her back before she releases me, turning back to her dad. "See, Daddy, don't be scared." She says sweetly, turning to show her new friends her fixed head before they run back to play. 

"Walk, please!" I shout after them, turning back to Keaton, who is looking at me carefully. 

"Here you go." I say awkwardly passing him the bloody towel."I'm going to check the milk." I get out moving to vacate the bathroom. 

Washing my hands in the kitchen I splash a little water on my cheeks. I find a wooden spoon in the drying rack next to the sink and use that to stir the cream slowly. Keaton joins me a few moments later, pulling out the hot chocolate and placing it on the counter.

"How does it look?" He checks his face, leaning close to mine. 

"Good. I think we are just about good to go. Cups?" 

"Right. Here." He reaches up, grabbing out a few small mugs and two larger ones. We stand there in the quiet for some time, not speaking until he takes the pot from me. "Thank you. For back there. It means a lot."

"My pleasure. I was glad to help." I smile at him, and he moves along, pouring the milk into the cups. I grab ice from the freezer and drop one cube in all of the kids' cups while he calls them in. 

We sit in the living room together the two of us, a cushion away from one another and our kids laying sprawled across the floor, The Santa Claus staring Tim Allen playing. Twenty minutes in all three are passed out, and it is only the two of us. I can feel his eyes on me and feel the heat from his gaze. 

"I'll just take these in the kitchen." I call picking up three of our cups and almost running to the kitchen. Taking a breath and placing things in the sink and garbing onto its ledge. I only have seconds before he is with me staring at me from the doorway. 

"Holly." He says in a sexy low voice. I can't take it anymore, letting go of the sink and launching myself at him. He catches me, pulling my head close and kissing me hard. Wrapping my hands around his neck, I kiss him back, allowing my body to press to his. 

I push away all of the worry, all the doubt and pain of the past, and allow him to push me back and up onto the counter. His mouth drops down to my neck. I allow him the access as he kisses and nibbles there, making me shiver under his breath. 

"The kids..." I breathe. "They could..." I start. He stops me, pulling my bottom lip into his mouth and wrapping my legs around his waist, pulling me from the room.