tree, Katy caught a
glimpse of Mark. He looked good in his black suit. He wore a pale mauve dress
shirt with the collar open. He's very secure in his manhood , she thought
and grinned. He was talking to Matt and as she started to take a step towards
him, she froze. He stood next to a blonde woman, his hand on her back. She was
laughing and looking at him like she was a cat about to eat the cream.
"Are you okay, dear?" Maureen asked.
"Um, yes, thank you. I need to check on the
roast." Katy turned and all but ran to the kitchen, heart beating against
her ribs.
This is ridiculous! she thought. I have no claim
on him and he obviously isn't interested in me!
Janie followed her into the kitchen and saw her leaning
against the pantry door.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yep!" Katy smiled. "I just wanted to see if
the beef was ready to carve."
Janie lifted the aluminum foil off the meat. "Looks
delicious. Let's eat." She called for Matt and he arrived with his mother
and they began delivering the platters of food to the table. Peter went to get
the men watching the basketball game, and in just a few moments everyone was
seated around the table drooling over the spread laid out in front of them.
"Looks like Janie is going to give you a run for your
money," chuckled Peter to Maureen.
"Nonsense!" Janie spoke up. "Maureen is a
fabulous cook. I hope this is half as good as hers."
Matt winked at his wife from the other end of the table and
everyone held hands as he said grace. The food platters began shuffling around
the table and Matt wondered why they couldn't all go one direction.
“For Pete’s sake!” he said as food was coming at him from
both sides.
Katy was scooping brussels sprouts onto her plate as she
looked up and caught Mark watching her from across the table and down a few
chairs. She attempted a weak smile and went back to focusing on scooping up the
little bacon pieces. Janie watched the quick exchange and frowned as she
wondered what was going on.
The food continued around as plates were piled high and the
chatter lowered as the eating began.
"This is delicious Janie," Mark commented as he
took another bite of the scalloped potatoes.
"Thank you," Janie smiled. "But Katy did the
potatoes."
"Well then, this is delicious Katy," Mark said.
Katy tried to smile and looked down at her plate.
*****
After dinner, the family gathered in the family room in
front of the massive television to watch ‘It's a Wonderful Life’. It was one of
Janie's traditions that she wanted to keep. The movie started and Janie grabbed
her box of tissues. Several people laughed at her but she didn't care. She
loved the movie and snuggled into Matt to get full benefit.
Mark and Sandra shared the loveseat and Janie noticed Sandra
place her hand on Mark's thigh. His reaction was not one Janie had expected. He
cleared his throat and offered to bring everyone a drink and jumped from the
couch and headed for the kitchen. Janie turned back to George Bailey.
Katy was in the kitchen folding a dishtowel as Mark entered.
"Oh," she jumped. "I thought you were
watching the movie."
"Just came to get some bottles of water," he said.
"Can I help with something?"
"No, thanks," Katy replied. “The roasting pan
didn't fit in the dishwasher, which is surprising seeing as though they have
two!" she chuckled. "I just figured I'd get it done now instead of
waiting ‘til morning."
"So, how've you been?" Mark asked.
"I'm good."
Mark tilted his head.
"No, really. I am," she insisted. "I am
actually enjoying my therapy and work is good."
"I'm glad," Mark smiled.
"So, Sandra? How did you guys meet?"
Mark shuffled his feet a little, not wanting to talk about
Sandra. If he had known Katy was going to be here he would have never asked her
to come with him. He had all but choked when he'd seen her talking to his mom.
But it was too late now. All he told Katy was that he’d met her on his flight
from Sydney and that she was all alone for Christmas so
glimpse of Mark. He looked good in his black suit. He wore a pale mauve dress
shirt with the collar open. He's very secure in his manhood , she thought
and grinned. He was talking to Matt and as she started to take a step towards
him, she froze. He stood next to a blonde woman, his hand on her back. She was
laughing and looking at him like she was a cat about to eat the cream.
"Are you okay, dear?" Maureen asked.
"Um, yes, thank you. I need to check on the
roast." Katy turned and all but ran to the kitchen, heart beating against
her ribs.
This is ridiculous! she thought. I have no claim
on him and he obviously isn't interested in me!
Janie followed her into the kitchen and saw her leaning
against the pantry door.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yep!" Katy smiled. "I just wanted to see if
the beef was ready to carve."
Janie lifted the aluminum foil off the meat. "Looks
delicious. Let's eat." She called for Matt and he arrived with his mother
and they began delivering the platters of food to the table. Peter went to get
the men watching the basketball game, and in just a few moments everyone was
seated around the table drooling over the spread laid out in front of them.
"Looks like Janie is going to give you a run for your
money," chuckled Peter to Maureen.
"Nonsense!" Janie spoke up. "Maureen is a
fabulous cook. I hope this is half as good as hers."
Matt winked at his wife from the other end of the table and
everyone held hands as he said grace. The food platters began shuffling around
the table and Matt wondered why they couldn't all go one direction.
“For Pete’s sake!” he said as food was coming at him from
both sides.
Katy was scooping brussels sprouts onto her plate as she
looked up and caught Mark watching her from across the table and down a few
chairs. She attempted a weak smile and went back to focusing on scooping up the
little bacon pieces. Janie watched the quick exchange and frowned as she
wondered what was going on.
The food continued around as plates were piled high and the
chatter lowered as the eating began.
"This is delicious Janie," Mark commented as he
took another bite of the scalloped potatoes.
"Thank you," Janie smiled. "But Katy did the
potatoes."
"Well then, this is delicious Katy," Mark said.
Katy tried to smile and looked down at her plate.
*****
After dinner, the family gathered in the family room in
front of the massive television to watch ‘It's a Wonderful Life’. It was one of
Janie's traditions that she wanted to keep. The movie started and Janie grabbed
her box of tissues. Several people laughed at her but she didn't care. She
loved the movie and snuggled into Matt to get full benefit.
Mark and Sandra shared the loveseat and Janie noticed Sandra
place her hand on Mark's thigh. His reaction was not one Janie had expected. He
cleared his throat and offered to bring everyone a drink and jumped from the
couch and headed for the kitchen. Janie turned back to George Bailey.
Katy was in the kitchen folding a dishtowel as Mark entered.
"Oh," she jumped. "I thought you were
watching the movie."
"Just came to get some bottles of water," he said.
"Can I help with something?"
"No, thanks," Katy replied. “The roasting pan
didn't fit in the dishwasher, which is surprising seeing as though they have
two!" she chuckled. "I just figured I'd get it done now instead of
waiting ‘til morning."
"So, how've you been?" Mark asked.
"I'm good."
Mark tilted his head.
"No, really. I am," she insisted. "I am
actually enjoying my therapy and work is good."
"I'm glad," Mark smiled.
"So, Sandra? How did you guys meet?"
Mark shuffled his feet a little, not wanting to talk about
Sandra. If he had known Katy was going to be here he would have never asked her
to come with him. He had all but choked when he'd seen her talking to his mom.
But it was too late now. All he told Katy was that he’d met her on his flight
from Sydney and that she was all alone for Christmas so
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