I’ll be home for Christmas

Elizabeth Morgan set the last present under the tree and shifted the telephone to her other ear. “You’ve never missed Christmas before,” she sighed.

“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry,” her husband Jason apologized. “I thought I was gonna be home but the planes are all grounded–“

“I just…it’s her first Christmas, Jason. We should be together.” Elizabeth pushed her hair out of her face. “I’ll see you when you do manage to get home.”

You can plan on me

Jason hung up his cell phone and slid it back into the pocket of his leather jacket. He should have refused this assignment but the chance to finally nail mob kingpin Sonny Corinthos had been too tempting and he’d flown off after Thanksgiving.

The job had been done but now Jason would miss his daughter’s very first Christmas. He glanced at the clock on the wall and then to the car rental counter. Maybe not.

Please have snow and mistletoe

Elizabeth tucked their six-month-old daughter Noelle into her crib and set her stuffed teddy bear next to her. She smoothed her hand over the soft blonde downy hair and sighed. “Don’t worry, honey, next year you won’t even remember that Daddy wasn’t home,” she promised.

And presents on the tree

“You’ll be home in time for Christmas right?” Elizabeth asked as she watched Jason pack to for the South America trip from her seated position on the edge of the bed.

He nodded. “They don’t think it’ll take more than two weeks to get this case wrapped up.” He zipped his duffle bag and kneeled in front of her.  “I know I promised I’d be on vacation this month but I’ve been working the Corinthos file for three years.”

“You don’t have to explain it to me–just promise me you’ll be here.”

He kissed her forehead. “I promise.”

Christmas Eve will find me

Jason leaned towards the windowshield, eyeing the thickly falling snow. The roads were dark and he was almost worried he’d get lost.

He was almost three hours from home–his last plane had gotten held up in Delaware. But he’d never missed a Christmas with his wife since the day they’d met and he wasn’t going to start now.

Where the love light gleams

“Oh…was I supposed to get you a present?” Jason laughed as she looked at him with a glare in her eyes. “You didn’t mention that.”

“Oh–dont be such a guy,” Elizabeth huffed. “You know very well that it’s Christmas and it’s also our four month anniversary so just…stop playing around and give me my present.”

“I’m serious, Elizabeth, I don’t have anything.”

She slugged him in the arm. “After I went through God knows how many applications to get approved so I could buy you that stupid gun you were always drooling…” her tirade was cut off abruptly when he finally handed her the department store wrapped jewelry case. “Well, then…that’s better.”

I’ll be home for Christmas

Elizabeth stood on their sun porch–safely glassed in and climate controlled–and watched the snow falling. God this didn’t seem fair. His stupid job had disappointed her again.

She should have known better after he missed Noelle’s birth.

If only in my dreams

“I’ll be there for the next one.”

Elizabeth sniffled, her hormones still out of whack. “But she’s our first born, Jason. You knew the labor was near–and you took the assignment anyway.”

“We had a lead about Corinthos–”

“Oh screw Sonny Corinthos.”

I’ll be home for Christmas

The car ran out of gas an hour away. A mere hour. He slammed his fist on the steering wheel and sat back in the seat, defeated. He’d done all he could to get home.

Except stay home like he’d promised in the first place. Now that the Corinthos case was closed, he get promoted to a desk job and he’d never have to leave home again.

Not that it would really help his case tonight.

You can plan on me

It was almost four in the morning when the phone roused her from her sleep. She came out from a pile of covers and grabbed it. “Yeah?” she asked sleepily.

“I’m outside the state line. I tried–I tried to get there, I really did, but the car–“

“Jason?” Elizabeth sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Where are you now?”

Please have snow and mistletoe

“About an hour from home. I rented a car and now I’m stuck just outside of the state line in Jersey. I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I tried to get there but the car ran out of gas and I can’t see four feet in front of my face in this snow.”

She curled up in her bed and brought his pillow to her face, breathing in his scent. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.”

And presents on the tree

“It really is,” she assured him. “I know how important this case was to you–”

“You and Noelle are more important and I should have sent someone else in–“

“But you closed the case and after three years, you deserved to be the one to arrest him. It’s okay, Jason. I mean–yes, I’m angry but I forgave you six months ago, this is no big deal.”

Christmas Eve will find me

“They’re promoting me.” He stared down at the bracelet hed bought her in Brazil. In the sunlight, light streamed through the prism-like stones and reflected all kinds of colors. Exactly the type of gift she’d adore.

“Thats great news,” she smiled.

“A desk job. In PC.”

Elizabeth hesitated. The part Jason had loved most about his job was the investigations, the intrigue, the places he’d go. Depending on the type of case, she used to go with him sometimes.

He’d hate being chained to a desk.

Where the love light gleams

“You don’t have to take it though, right?” she asked.

“Elizabeth, I’ll be home all the time–we can spend more time together, I won’t miss anymore of Noelle’s major milestones or any holidays–“

“But you’ll be miserable at your job and I don’t want that either.” She fingered the edge of the comforter. “I understand it takes a lot of time and patience to do what you do and it might not always seem like it, but I’m proud of you Jason, and I want you to be happy.”

I’ll be home for Christmas

Marveling at the wonderful woman he’d married, Jason shook his head. “God, I wish I were there right now.”

“I do, too,” she sighed. She closed her eyes. “But you’re here when it counts so its okay.”

“I love you, Elizabeth. I’ll be home tomorrow.”

“I love you, too.”

If only in my dream