In Love With An Older Man 24

"Five people wished me a Merry Christmas today," Gary told Cindy as he came in through the door. "I just smiled and wished them Happy Holidays."

"They do mean well, Gar."

"Oh, I know that." He laughed, hugged her from behind, and kissed her cheek. "It's my fault, really. I just keep forgetting that I should always wear my Japanese motorcycle this time of year."

"You're never gonna let me forget that, are you?" She turned so that they were facing one another and kissed his lips.

"Never."

Cindy served dinner, and afterwards, she, Gary and the twins went to Uncle Mordecai's to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with him and Alice. Now that the twins were a bit older, their great uncle enjoyed teaching them more about the holiday.

"We light one more candle on the menorah each night for eight nights, until on the eighth night, we have eight candles burning," he explained to Rebecca and Jonathan, who watched him with rapt attention. "This little candle I'm holding is called the shamash, or servant candle. We use it to light the other candles."

Next he told them about dreidels. "See those markings on each side? Those are Hebrew letters: nun, gimel, hei, and shin. They stand for the phrase 'a great miracle happened there.' The place it refers to is the country of Israel, where I used to live, and do you know what the miracle was? There was only enough oil for the lamp to burn for one night, yet the oil lasted for eight nights. That's why there are eight nights of Hanukkah. We play the dreidel game with these little chocolate coins called gelt."

Rebecca and Jonathan were far more interested in the gelt that in any other aspect of the celebration, but Gary was thrilled to see they were learning about their heritage.

Later, after all the smeared chocolate had been cleaned from Rebecca's and Jonathan's hands and faces, Uncle Mordecai mentioned the tradition of exchanging gifts on Hanukkah.

"In fact, I have a gift I'd like to give Alberta right now. I've been waiting for just the right time to give it to her, and now seems as good a time as any."

He removed a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a diamond ring. Alberta gasped. Gary and Cindy exchanged silent glances.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I'm not able to get down on one knee anymore. I would if I could, but I can't. Alberta, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Tears were in Alberta's eyes as she nodded. "Yes, Mordecai, I would be thrilled to become your wife." She beamed as Uncle Mordecai slipped the ring onto her finger.

By now, tears were flowing down Cindy's cheeks, and Gary had to keep wiping his eyes and clearing his throat.

"That was just so beautiful," Cindy said to Gary on the way home later. "After what she's been through, she deserves a chance to be happy."

"He's been through a lot too. I hope they'll always be very happy together," Gary replied.

"We were the ones who got them together," Cindy said. "They never would have met if not for us."

"Hey, that's right." Gary grinned. "So, how does it feel to play Cupid?"

"I'm very happy to have played a part in bringing them together," Cindy replied. "It looks like they're each other's bashert as well," she added, touching the necklace around her neck. Gary smiled and kissed her.

On Christmas Day, the family went to the Bradfords for dinner, like they did every year. It was fun to see how big all the nieces and nephews had grown to be. Peyton was almost four now, and her baby brother Preston was not quite six months. He had a head full of thick black hair. Little Justin was almost two and a half and seemed to be everywhere at once. Lacy looked tired. Peter and Wendy were missing.

"Peter called early this morning," Carla explained. "Wendy was having contractions, so he took her to the hospital. I haven't heard anything from them since then."

"Wouldn't it be something if our newest grandchild was born on Christmas Day," Mick commented.

"It looks like that may well be the case," Carla told him. "So, have Mordecai and Alberta set a date yet?" she asked Gary.

"They're thinking about Valentine's Day," Gary told her.

"That's so romantic," Jessica put in. "I want to get married on Valentine's Day, too."

"You have to find a man first, silly," Nicky told her.

"I've got one." Jessica glared at her younger brother.

"You wish." Nicky laughed and ducked the sofa pillow she threw at him.

"You think you're so smart," Jessica muttered.

"How's middle school coming along?" "Cindy asked Kevin and Penny.

"It's really different," Kevin told her. "Instead of just one class all day like last year, now I have seven different ones. Plus I have a locker to keep my books in and I have to dress out for P.E. now."

"We're learning how to write computer programs in the gifted program," Penny said. "I think it's fun. I think I want to be a computer programmer when I'm finished with school."

"I'm sure you'll make an excellent one," Cindy told her.

After dinner, Cindy and her sisters helped their mother clean up, then joined the others in the living room. It was maybe about two o'clock when the phone rang and Carla answered it.

"Peter and Wendy's daughter was born a few minutes ago," she told the rest of the family when she got off the phone. "Her name is Holly Noelle Bradford and she weighs seven pounds and two ounces. Mother and baby are both doing fine."

That evening Gary watched the twins so that Cindy could go to the hospital to see little Holly. She looked so tiny and yet so perfect. She's the best Christmas present of all, Cindy thought to herself.