Ready to Run

Chapter 43

Christmas was a complete success. Mary and Dan were as excited as Lexi to have Jack back with them, and they came up two days early to do some last-minute shopping. Lexi was particularly grateful that they could take Teddy out without attracting attention while she did some shopping on her own.

They all decided not to tell the boy that his father would be there, just in case, for some reason, it didn't happen. Lexi did talk about Jack often and showed more of the tour footage and played old, happy video messages.

She was secretly worried that the boy wouldn't recognize his dad with shorter hair, so she pulled out older photos as well and put Fantine's beautiful sunset photo of them from Florida in his room.

Jack was so eager to see Teddy that he arrived just after dawn on Christmas morning, before the rest of the house was awake. He didn't know that Lexi had changed the codes on the doors after he tried to get in while high a few months earlier.

He had to call Lexi from the front stoop and ask her to come down. Although she knew it would pain him, she explained why he no longer had access; things were so much better, but she still wanted him to know how his actions had affected their lives.

She let him in and helped arrange the gifts he brought under the tree. When he asked why there was an extra shoe, she told him that Teddy had put it there in case he came. Jack looked as though he might cry, and Lexi steered the conversation in a more cheerful direction as she filled his shoe.

Mary came down next. She had seen Jack twice since he came home on the hiatus, but still got teary when she looked at him. He followed her into the kitchen where she started preparing breakfast. They heard Teddy long before they saw him. "Uncle Dan! Wake up Uncle Dan! It's Christmas! I bet Santa left you coal!" Even two floors down they heard Dan's groan; just a few minutes later the two boys appeared, Teddy in his uncle's arms.

"Happy Christmas, Mummy!" He was scrambled down and gave her a hug before running to the shoes. "Mummy! Daddy's shoe is filled! Santa put things in Daddy's shoe!"

Jack, waiting just around the corner, appeared. "Happy Christmas, Teddy." His voice was quiet; Lexi knew he was trying not to cry. They all were.

"DADDY!!!"

*****

It was the best Christmas of Lexi's life.

The entire day was magical. It started to snow as they began breakfast, and by the time presents had been opened the ground was covered. The boys went to play in the park while Lexi and Mary prepared Christmas dinner, Lexi doing prep work and Mary the actual cooking. They had become a happy team in the kitchen, and this day was happier than most.

"He seems himself again," Mary said as she checked the goose, "but I'm still wary."

"Me too. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, though. I think having his family now will be the best thing. You've seen their faces, both of them looking at the other like they're the best present of the day. I hadn't realized how much Teddy looks like him, their eyes and dimples are the exact same."

"Teddy is the perfect combination of the two of you. If anyone sees the three of you in public, it'll be all over. You've done well to keep him out of the public eye, Lexi, but once he goes to school..."

"I know. I'll tell you something, Mary, I don't think we're going to have to hide it much longer. Has Jack told you...?"

"About the band? Yes. And you're done with Spiral as well, so... Well, I'd like nothing more than to be his gran all the time, and I know both you and Jack want to be a family, even if you're not together."