Chapter 23
December 24, 2006
"It's not fair, Brian," Leighanne whispered. "Rachel's the only one who's not attached to anyone-."
"No she's not. Neither is Kevin," Brian grinned back at her. "It works out."
"You know what I mean," she sighed. Sometimes Brian could be so exasperating. "She's going to feel so awkward. It's not like she's his date."
"She should be," he countered.
Leighanne nodded. "Okay, she should be. But she isn't. Please don't do this."
"It's tradition, babe. Can't stop tradition," he said wiggling his eyebrows.
Leighanne gave up and laughed in surrender. "You just want an excuse to grab everybody."
"That's right-everybody. Rachel too," he laughed.
* * *
Rachel came down the stairs and eyed the group standing in the doorway to the livingroom. Tim, Jerry, Brian and Harry abruptly stopped their conversation and looked up at her in unison.
"What's up, guys?" she asked.
"Nothing," Brian grinned. "We were just putting up the last of the decorations."
"You can't be serious," she exclaimed. "I just got things down to a manageable level. If you add anything more, Kevin will have a fit."
All four of them snickered. "I'm sure he will," Jerry chuckled. "But this is traditional with our family, and Kevin knows it. It has to be there."
Rachel headed toward the kitchen and the whispering and chuckling started again. As the afternoon and evening progressed, Rachel discovered what the 'last of the decorations' was all about.
There was now a sprig of mistletoe hanging in the doorway to the living room. Rachel first noticed it when Jerry happened to catch Ellen coming into the living room with a tray of hors d'oeuvres.
"Hot stuff, comin' through," Ellen called out from the hallway.
"Sure is," Jerry chuckled as he caught her around the waist and kissed her. Rachel's eyebrows went up at the intensity of the kiss. Tim, Harry and Harold Sr. applauded. Kevin groaned.
"And Jerry goes on the board first with one point," Harry laughed. Jerry turned and bowed to the room.
"Half a point," Brian cut in.
"What?!?" Jerry exclaimed.
"You cheated. Started with you wife," Brian grinned.
"When did we make that rule?" Jerry asked.
"Last year, Cuz," Harry chuckled. "I forgot."
Jerry looked crestfallen. "Can I make it up if I catch her again at the end?"
Everyone turned to Harold, Sr. for a ruling. "Okay," he said. "But that's the only change allowed for this year."
"What is going on?" Rachel asked.
There were amused glances all around the room, and Harry and Tim both looked at Kevin. Rachel looked from one face to another, but none of the men would answer her question. Kevin wouldn't even look at her. Finally Harold's wife, Jackie took pity on her.
"It's the Richardson-Littrell family aberration, Rachel." That description drew sounds of protest from the men. She glared at them. "Every Christmas Eve when we get together, the 'gentlemen' have this contest. It's been going on for years. The first one to catch every female in the house under the mistletoe, wins."
"Wins what?" Rachel asked in disbelief.
"The title of Family Stud," Harry pronounced with satisfaction. Laughter erupted around the room, and Rachel looked at Kevin. He was frowning at Harry.
Leighanne smiled at Rachel. "The rule book grows every year. Just so that you know-'catching' is the key word. It has to be spontaneous-no dragging someone over there just to be able to pick up points. And we aren't about to make it easy for them. I guess that's most of what you need to know-you're on your own now."
The party proceeded, and Rachel found herself laughing along with everyone else at the lengths the men would go to, to trap someone in the doorway. She got caught the first time by Harold Sr. who gave her a warm kiss on the cheek as he squeezed her around the waist. Jemma and Maddie were included in the game, and they giggled with delight every time they got caught.
Aaron watched quietly for a while and then decided that he wanted to join in too. His boy cousins generally were of the age group that wanted to avoid this kind of thing, so he was the only little boy playing. And the first lady he caught was Rachel. She smiled down at him and bent over so that he could kiss her cheek. "Merry Christmas, Aaron," she whispered.
"I love you, Rachel," he whispered back. Rachel knelt down next to him and hugged him tight. As she stood up again she came face-to-face with Kevin who was coming into the living room.
Kevin had 'caught' Tracy, Ellen, Jemma, Madison, and Margaret during the course of the evening. He had relaxed into the mood of the party and was enjoying himself-until now. He hadn't noticed Rachel kneeling next to Aaron when he started into the room. When he was suddenly eye-to-eye with her, he was startled. Neither of them moved. Jerry looked up at that moment and grinned as he nudged Brian.
"Yo, Train!" Brian called out. "Way to go!" Kevin glanced nervously at Brian. "Y'all gotta actually kiss her to get the point, dude." The glance turned to a glare. Then Kevin looked down at Rachel and smiled tentatively. She smiled back and he leaned down to lightly brush his lips against her cheek.
"Did that count?" Jerry asked with a grin. He turned to Harold. "He didn't even put his arm around her-doesn't he have to put his arms around her?" His uncle just chuckled and shook his head in amusement.
"Come on Kev," Jerry continued. "You can do better than that. I know you haven't won the title recently, but you don't get to be 'Sexiest Male Vocal Star' on that kind of performance! Need somebody to show you how?" he grinned.
And with that, Jerry stepped in front of Kevin and put his arms around Rachel. He rolled his eyes. "Some things you just have to show the baby brother over and over and over again," he chuckled as he planted a kiss full on Rachel's lips, bending her back over his arm. Harry and Brian cheered.
"Jerry only needs one more kiss from Ellen to finish," Harry announced. "Rachel was the hold out on his score sheet."
Jerry broke away from Rachel and wiggled his eyebrows. "Thank you my dear-I'm one step closer to the title. He looked Kevin in the eyes with a grin. "That's how it's done, bro," he laughed. Kevin stared back but said nothing. If anyone had looked, they would have noticed that Aaron was staring at Uncle Jerry with a look that was an exact duplicate of Kevin's face.
Half an hour later, Jerry was declared the winner. Interest in the mistletoe dwindled and people settled in, getting ready to open gifts. Aaron was standing alone near the door, deep in thought when Leighanne saw him and stooped over to talk to him. "What's up, Ari? Are you having a good time?" she smiled.
"Yes, Ma'am," Aaron answered. "Cousin Leighanne-could you help me?"
"Sure Ari," she grinned. "What can I do for you?"
"Is everybody all done with the misa tow?" he asked shyly.
"Yes, honey-the game's all done," she said, ruffling his hair.
"Could I have it-please?" he begged.
Leighanne looked at him. His eyes were pleading with her. "Well-all right. But you have to promise not to put it in your mouth. It's very bad for you if you get it in your mouth." She paused. "Can you promise me that?"
"Yes, Ma'am!" he smiled. "I promise."
"Okay, then." Leighanne took the mistletoe down and handed it to Aaron. "Gonna go find your girlfriend now?" she teased.
"Cousin Leighanne! I don't have a girlfrien'!" he grinned and trotted off. Leighanne forgot about it a few minutes later.
* * *
The party was over and Jerry and Ellen were headed home with the kids asleep in the back of the car. Jerry chuckled softly, and Ellen smiled as she looked over at him.
"What's so funny?" she asked softly.
"I think we've got a matchmaker in the family," he grinned.
"Who?" Ellen asked.
Jerry chuckled again and shook his head. "Ari!"
"What? You mean Kevin and Rachel?"
Jerry nodded. "You won't believe what he asked me to do. By the way-did you happen to look into the den tonight?" Ellen shook her head. "It was decorated for Christmas too-very interesting." Ellen's eyebrows went up. "All soft and romantic-another tree and minimal lighting."
Ellen's eyes opened wide. "You're kidding!" Jerry shook his head. "So-what did Ari ask you to do?" she prodded.
"Well-somehow he got hold of the mistletoe. He asked me to put it up in the doorway to the den! Wouldn't say a word about why-just insisted that it had to go there." He shrugged. "So I put it up." He chuckled again. "God, I wish I was a fly on the wall in that den right about now."
Chapter 24
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