“Are you sure you don’t want me to carry him for a while?” Reyna peeked at her five-month-old son’s sweet face. Parker James Nash was wrapped in a warm red bunting and cradled in a baby sling over his father’s shoulder, sound asleep.
“Nope, we’re good. You could get me another cookie, though.” Her husband gave her such a sweet look, she couldn’t refuse.
They’d lucked out and the first Saturday in December turned out to be almost unseasonably warm, so they’d joined in the town’s Christmas festivities with their infant son. They’d watched the parade, with Brady covering Parker’s ears while she held him. Then they’d wandered around the town square, visiting with people. Christy had managed to get a photo of both of her sons and their families in front of the town tree, although CJ was slightly blurry because there was a lot of sugar and excitement to be had at the holiday festival.
They wandered by the booth that was selling very limited-edition handmade Christmas ornaments—a wreath decorated with blackberries instead of the typical red berries—with all proceeds benefiting the Spurr Memorial Library. Only Brady and Jenelle, who was taking a turn manning the booth, knew that Reyna had made them, and she laughed when her husband insisted on buying one.
“That way nobody will suspect you,” he’d teased.
They sat on one of the hay bales, eating cookies and sipping hot chocolate while they lit the tree, and Reyna sighed when Parker started to fuss. It was past time for him to eat, so she knew it was time to head home.
“Maybe next year we can drive the Chevelle in the parade,” Brady said as he stood up. “I can get some classy magnetic signs that say Nash Electric and Bishop’s Auto Care to put on the doors.”
She laughed. “By the time you’re done paying to make that car pretty, you’re not going to want to stick anything to the doors, magnetically or otherwise. You’ll probably want to sell it.”
“That’s never going to happen. That car’s special to me.” He leaned close so she would be the only person who could hear him. “How many guys show up at a garage to get an estimate and get offered a baby?”
Nudging him away with her elbow, she gave him a look. “You may not tell that story to our future grandchildren someday.”
They walked home, Parker snuggled against his father’s chest, and Reyna smiled when they turned up their walk. Brady had gone full out on the decorations this year, adding a ridiculous amount of lights in addition to his usual electric candles and wreaths. And because he was a dad now, he’d added a few fun inflatables to the yard. The Nash house was definitely not lacking in Christmas spirit.
Parker got fussy during the unbundling process, but he calmed when she fed and changed him. Brady had turned on the Christmas tree lights and he took Parker before settling on the couch. “Come join us. We had a big day and it’s snuggle time.”
“I like snuggle time, but in a minute. I have something for the tree. Well, it’s for you, but it goes on the tree. Stay here.”
It only took her a minute to go upstairs and retrieve the small box she’d stowed in her top drawer, but by the time she walked back into the living room, Parker was asleep on Brady’s chest. Her husband had his head back against the couch cushion and his eyes were closed, but she knew he wasn’t asleep.
She paused in the doorway, savoring the peaceful scene between father and son. Sometimes she’d think she was as happy and in love as it was possible to be, and then there would be a moment that the love swelled so much she could hardly breathe.
As if he could sense her watching him, Brady opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. Whatever he saw on her face made him smile, and he patted the cushion next to him. As she sat, he slouched a little more so the baby was secure on his chest with just Dad’s arm under him so he could take the box she handed him. Because he had the baby, she lifted the lid and peeled back the tissue paper.
“Oh, wow,” he whispered, and then he had to clear his throat because he was a little choked up.
He lifted the polymer clay ornament out of the box by the string so it dangled in front of them. It was a tiny red Chevelle with a bare Christmas tree tied to the top. It had been the most challenging piece she’d ever made because the naked branches were so thin, but she’d persevered and the look on Brady’s face made it all worth it.
“I thought it would be a good way to kick off a new tradition of family ornaments for our tree,” she whispered.
“You’ll have to come kiss me, because my hands are full.”
She laughed softly as she swiveled to her knees so she could lean down and kiss him. “Merry Christmas, husband.”
“Merry Christmas, wife. Here’s to a lifetime of Nash family Christmas memories,” he said, and he kissed her again.
* * * * *