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"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly. "You, uh — You caught me off guard. I thought your nurses told me you weren't due to be released until after tomorrow?"
"Out early on account of my good behavior," Ethan beamed down at him, his hand warm on Jakob's hips. "Said my tests all checked out, no reason to keep me over the holiday.Ithink it was the cookies your daughter bribed them with before she sprung me."
"Just call me Santa's Little Helper," Cassie laughed as she handed a waiting Alex the bag of groceries she was carrying, as well as the small black duffel they'd brought to Ethan in his hospital room.
She certainly looked the part of Santa's elf; dressed in a green turtleneck, a matching green elf hat trimmed with a spiky red crown perched jauntily on her head.
"Looks like you two put some thought into this escape," Jakob told her, throwing an arm around her shoulders and dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Should I be on the lookout for Nurse Ratched to show up at our door next?"
"If you do, give a yell," Ethan said, widening his eyes to look nervous. "Maybe throw some milk and cookies her way while I flee out the back."
"You two are cute and all, but this elf just drove for three hours today and now I amstarving," Cassie teased, wearing her oh-so-innocent smile. "Where's eats, pops?"
"I was waiting for you to get back," Jakob told her. "Grab yourself a cup of eggnog while I carry everything downstairs and we can get it all going. Everyone alright with eating in about an hour?"
"Y'know, I'm pretty confident I remember how to boil water," Frank told him. "Jakob, how 'bout you and Ethan stay up here setting things up? I'll teach the new kid the finer points of island cuisine while the rest of you grab the fixin's. Bring down whatever drinks you care to, and I bet we can have dinner ready in half that time."
"You sure?" Jakob asked, despite the small feeling of relief he could feel threading through him at not having to repeatedly navigate those stairs in front of everyone after such a long day.
"Naw, go on. We've got it," Owen assured him as he picked up one end of the cooler waiting by the door and waved Nash over to take the other. Together, they picked it up as easily as if it wasn't full of ice and beer and sodas; its contents sloshing loudly as they headed for the door.
"C'mon, Seagull," Frank said, slinging his arm around Alex's shoulders as he turned them to follow. "You and that young back of yours can carry the pot once we've filled it with water."
"I'll find the seasoning mix if you and Mom will get the bowls with the taters and corn?" Cassie asked Reed and her mom. Sophia nodded, turning to trail after Reed as he disappeared into the kitchen.
Jakob caught Cassie's arm before she could disappear, too. "Thanks, kiddo. Not sure how much doing all this took, but…"
"You always said Christmas is a time for family, whatever shape that is," she smiled. "Plus, Ethan still owes me 'loads of embarrassing stories' about you, and I intend to collect!"
Jakob groaned as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, before following after her mom and Papa Reed, her laughter trailing after even over the slamming of the back porch door.
And so the ragtag crew was marshaled, laughing and chatting as they pulled on thick jackets to head downstairs where Jakob had set things up for the crab boil.
They'd bring the whole mess right back up once it was done to do the actual eating, of course. Still, no sense making the entire house smell like crab boil for the next week. Not when half the fun was standing around the fire, jawing and drinking and warming your hands over the boiling pot while they cooked.
Grabbing a handful of the Santa costume, Jakob dragged Ethan out of the way, pulling him over to the doorway that led off toward the living room and into the house beyond.
"Sorry," Ethan grinned ruefully after they'd gone, their excited chatter occasionally drifting up from the back deck below. "Didn't expect so much traffic on the bridge getting in. We had to go the long way."
"Seems we always do, don't we?" Jakob whispered, smoothing his hands over the cheap red fabric and white faux fur. "Nice duds, Santa. Always did say red was your color."
"Yeah, Cassie's idea. You've got a good kiddo there. I, uh — " Ethan swallowed nervously. "Hope it's alright, me surprising you like this."
"Must admit, might give a guy the idea you intend to keep surprising him for quite some time to come…"
"Long as you'll let me, Jakob," Ethan murmured. "I told you back then — I'd give you everything. All you ever had to do was ask."
"'M asking now," Jakob said, fisting his hands in Ethan's costume and pulling him close. "Forkeepsthis time."
He tipped his chin up to indicate the sprig of plastic mistletoe someone had taped over the doorframe, flanked by strings of blinking chili pepper lights and jute twine he and Cassie had once strung with seashells; traditions old and new, hanging just above their heads.
"Careful now, darlin'," Ethan whispered, hands coming up to grip Jakob's hips. "A man could get used to this."
"Good," Jakob told him firmly as he drew Ethan in for a kiss, hisentireheart in the word.
Epilogue
The next morning, it was like something out of a movie. One of those kind Alex could only half remember because he'd watched it so long ago; everything familiar, and yet so very strange at the same time.
