Without a Trace of Mistletoe

EPILOGUE

Friday, December 27, 1985

Like Santa's sleigh landing on a rooftop, the BMW zoomed up the driveway, coming to a sleek stop not far from Maddie's front door. The car windows were rolled down. The music was turned up. Just the way David Addison liked it. And it was David who was behind the wheel. In fact, he could be heard singing along with the song on the radio... one of Stevie Wonder's festive holiday classics.

Candle's burning low
Lots of mistletoe
Lots of snow and ice
Everywhere we go
Choirs singin' carols
Right outside my door

He hopped up and out of the car when he remembered he had a hot pizza to deliver. Then he ran around to the passenger side and opened the door. He reached in and grabbed one large pie and a small bag of groceries. Then he made his way to Maddie's front door, still singing the tune.

All these things and more
That's what Christmas means to me, my love...

He rang the doorbell once and waited. Even though his hands were full, he glanced down to make sure he looked presentable. He may have been fresh off from work, but it was a casual Friday after Christmas when most of the employees weren't even there, and so his dress shirt was untucked, and the top three buttons were undone. Relaxed, not wrinkled. That's good. He sensed something in the air. For some reason. He felt different. Equally excited and nervous. Though he didn't know why. Or maybe he did. Must be the holiday spirit still lingered in the air.

He heard the doorknob rattle and then the door opened. The sweet face he saw looking back at him smiled. He smiled, too.

'Hi Agnes,' he said.

'Mr. Addison! Come on in!' She stepped to the side, making room for him to walk by. 'We've been waiting for you!'

'Yeah? How's everybody doing?' He sounded like he wasn't so sure.

'Everybody's doing great,' she gushed.

Just then, Maddie appeared in the entrance to the foyer, holding baby Andrew in her arms. 'Oh David, I didn't hear you come in.' She was dressed casually in a pale blue knitted top and pants. For a moment, he was mesmerized. He'd never seen her look so... maternal. She looked beautiful. The baby, on the other hand, did not look very happy. His face was wet with tears.

'Yeah, remember? I said I'd come bearing pizza. Like Santa, only with dinner.'

Maddie looked at Agnes. 'Could you set that up in the kitchen? I'll be right there. I just need to change the baby before Mary gets here.'

Mary Goodman, Andrew's mother, had asked Agnes to babysit when the police requested she come down to the station to meet with the Justice Department's three Kings: Reuben, Saul and Jim. They needed to speak with her about her husband's tragic murder.

'Oh, Ms. Hayes, I'll do that,' Agnes said, referring to changing Andrew's diaper. She glanced over at David. 'I'm sure Mr. Addison would like to fill you in on his workday.' Agnes was very good at reading the room. She threw a wink David's way.

David put the food he was carrying down on the piano bench and walked over to Maddie. 'Dirty diaper, huh, Andrew?' With outstretched hands, he took the baby from her and placed him with Agnes. 'Well, you're in good hands with Auntie Agnes here, okay, little fella?'

'He sure is,' Agnes agreed enthusiastically, and then she walked up the stairs with the baby.

'So... Maddie, come with me.' He handed her the pizza and picked up the bag of groceries. Then he smoothly slid his arm around her waist and led her towards the kitchen. 'Let's go prepare the feast.'

'It's only pizza, David. I'd hardly call it a feast.'

'I know.'

'And we'll have to take turns feeding Andrew.'

'Kid likes pepperoni, huh?'

She gave him a playful scowl.

As soon as they made their way into the kitchen and David was certain Agnes was preoccupied with the baby, he took Maddie by the elbow and turned her, so she was facing him. Maddie's initial reaction? To look up.

'What are you doing?' David asked.

'Well,' she said, looking up and all around, 'there must be mistletoe up there somewhere.' This is just how it's been over the last week. Mistletoe everywhere. Like it grew on trees. Oh wait, it does grow on trees.

He gave her a lop-sided grin. 'Maddie, honey, you know you don't need mistletoe if you wanna kiss me...'

'More like poison ivy…'

'That's not nice…'

'I do not want to kiss you, Addison,' she stated emphatically with a grumble and a sneer.

He looked hurt for a split second, but then he turned serious. 'Maddie, there's something I need to discuss with you. Something work-related.'

She took a step back, a little skeptical about where this was going. 'Oh. Okay, what is it?'

'You know Santa's hotline, right?'

'Yes,' she said with hesitation.

'Now, I know you didn't approve, and I know I may have set it up for selfish reasons, but I've thought about it and I really do wanna do something good. Gotta get back on Santa's nice list for next year... get back in God's good graces. So, I asked myself, WWSD, what would Santa do? And so today, while I was at work, I ran some reports and I determined that after paying the employees and the phone company... well, I realized what that "something good" should be.'

Maddie raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to go on.

'Andrew,' he said.

'Andrew?'

'Well, Mary... and Andrew, yeah. After everything horrible that happened to them... at Christmas time. I just think... they could use a little help right now from Santa. From us. So, I'd like for us to give Mary the profit we made from the hotline. If that's okay with you, boss.' His green eyes pleaded with her.

'Yes,' she said quickly, and then she considered it for a moment longer, 'Yes, David, I think that's a really wonderful, thoughtful gesture.'

Maddie looked impressed, and so David stood there, glowing a little, like the boy done good and teacher noticed. He smiled and nodded his thanks to her.

Maddie turned away from him and went to the counter. She began taking the items he'd brought out of the grocery bag. A bottle of wine, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, a pre-made tossed salad, Italian dressing. And then there was something small and unexpected... a holiday pin on a plain white backing card. A shiny silver reindeer with a red bow around its neck. She held it up. 'What is this, David?'

'Oh, yeah, I saw that on one of those spinning racks at the market while I was waiting on the line,' he answered, as he reached in the cabinet for dinner plates. 'Caught my eye. It's no big deal.' He looked at her and saw those beautiful blue eyes staring back at him. 'And listen, I don't want you thinkin' it's a present or a gift or anything like that. I don't want you feelin' like now you gotta go out and get me a gift. It's not a gift, just something I saw there...'

Though David tried to downplay it, Maddie seemed genuinely touched to receive this "non-gift"... this simple piece of Christmassy costume jewelry, and she wasted no time in taking it off the card and pinning it to her baby blue top. 'There,' she said softly, as she looked down, admiring it. 'I think it's very nice, David.' Then she looked up at him, and like it was the most natural thing in the world, she touched his face with the palm of her hand. 'Thank you,' she whispered, and without a trace of mistletoe being anywhere in the room, she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

David blushed. He couldn't help it. If he got nothing else this Christmas season, this kiss was all he wanted. And as if she knew this, Maddie smiled sweetly at him.

Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from the living room and both glanced that way.

'Everything's okay, Ms. Hayes,' Agnes called out. 'Andrew just dropped his toy is all.'

Maddie turned to David with a concerned look on her face. 'I really should go check on Ms. Dipesto,' she said and David nodded. But then, just as Maddie was about to take a step, they heard little Andrew cooing and Agnes humming "The First Noel."

THE END

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!