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Melissa was in her element. The kitchen counters were filled with racks of cooling gingerbread and sugar cookies. The lasagna was made and waiting in the fridge. She was in her "Make the Yuletide Gay" Christmas sweater that complimented the "Don We Now Our Gay Apparel" one that was wrapped and waiting for Jacob under the tree. Sinatra was singing Silent Night in the background.
She poured a bit more powdered sugar in her mixing bowl and began whipping the frosting mixture with practiced precision. Content with the results, she placed it on the island and moved to get the food coloring from the top shelf of the cabinet next to the fridge.
As she stood up on her tiptoes to stretch a little closer to the box she felt a hand wrap around her waist and an arm shadow her's before reaching the box and putting it into the shorter woman's outstretched hand.
Smiling, Melissa set the box on the counter in front of her before she turned so she was facing her girlfriend. Her smile got even wider when she saw the Santa hat atop her head.
She tightened her grip on the other woman and leaned up to give her a kiss- the familiar and unrushed kind that still made her heart flutter.
"Thank you, sweetheart"
Barbara leaned down to return the kiss then added a kiss to her cheek.
"You are welcome, my love. That icing tastes good, by the way"
Melissa blushed and released her grip on the taller woman so she could wipe off her apparently icing clad cheek.
Once she was confident her face was clear of any icing remnants (she had a reputation to keep after all) she moved to start getting the coffee pot prepped and running.
"Were you able to get the last of the stocking stuffers?" she asked as she hit the brew button.
"Yes, I did. I can't believe we forgot to get them! I also got Santa hats for everyone. I figured we could wear them to work next week too. What time are the kids coming?"
Melissa moved from the coffee pot, glancing around at the kitchen seemingly calculating how much icing she would need for the number of cookies. She nodded to herself then turned back to the island, gently batting the white ball at the end of the hat.
"You look adorable in that hat. And the kids will love it- the grown ones and the ones at school. Taylor and Gina will be here in about forty-five minutes, Janine, Gregory, and Jacob will be here at three."
She glanced at the timer on the oven. "I've got six minutes on this last batch of cookies. How 'bout I help you fill the stockings real quick and then you can help me with prepping the garlic bread before the kids get here?"
Barbara replied with a smile and a chipper "that sounds wonderful" before they made their way to the living room.
Melissa went to the closet to grab the stash of candy she had gotten, smiling a crooked smile at her girlfriend's wide eyes at the amount she had gotten.
The stockings were hung on the stair banister - they had outgrown the mantle a few years ago now. Barbara started at the stocking hung closest to the bottom of the stairs and worked her way up.
The kindergarten teacher carefully placed a set of pens, a toothbrush, and a pair of cozy socks in each stocking. She let out a dulcet laugh when Melissa followed behind her, dumping obscene amounts of candy in each stocking.
When they finished with the last stocking Melissa looked at the floor around them.
"Hey babe, where'd the bag of Santa hats go?"
Barbara turned, looking around the room.
"Hmm, I must have left them in the car" She grabbed the keys from her purse and headed out the front door just as the timer buzzed.
The redhead had just taken the cookies out of the oven and was shutting the timer off when she heard the front door open and heard Barbara scream. She grabbed the baseball bat she kept in the kitchen pantry and ran as fast as she could into the living room.
When she got through the entryway she noticed the front door was still open and the bag of Santa hats was on the floor. Her heart dropped to the floor.
Turning, she saw Barbara standing on the first landing of the stairs and she began to breathe again… but she was still on high alert and Barbara was clearly in a bit of shock over something.
Melissa opened the closet, checking for an intruder, but it was just filled with coats and boots. She glanced at Barb, whose eyes were focused toward the Christmas tree.
Melissa, still having the bat up and ready to swing, quietly walked toward the tree. She carefully inspected under the couch and behind the tree.
Not seeing anything, she turned to Barbara.
"I opened the door to come in and something darted across my feet and went under the tree"
The adrenaline started to ease and the redhead realized that her sense of time had been warped and it had indeed only been maybe a minute since the scream. She took a calming breath.
"So, just to clarify… I'm looking for a something not a someone ?"
"Yes" Barbara replied as she picked up the bag of hats, closed the front door, and moved slightly closer to the tree.
Melissa still held the bat, but she had lowered it from her attack stance.
"Got any description of this something I'm looking for?"
Barbara had moved so she was standing next Melissa now.
"Fast and small-ish"
"Small-ish?"
"Bigger than a rat, smaller than a large raccoon, I suppose it could be a young one."
The redhead nodded and moved closer to the tree. It was decorated with lights and red baubles. The box of special ornaments they had acquired over the years, along with the angel that had been Barb's grandmother's, would be added when the kids were here.
Not seeing anything out of place, Melissa put the bat down completely and gingerly moved the presents that were under the tree. When nothing ran, she began searching the tree.
She saw a bauble bounce from the limb it was attached to moving, and cautiously moved in.
She gasped an "Oh Barb, come here babe" as she brought her hand up to the animal so it could sniff her.
Barbara cautiously moved in closer as she saw her girlfriend put her hand in the tree for a moment before she came out with a black and white ball of fluff.
"Sweet Baby Jesus! Melissa, better not be a skunk!"
Melissa laughed and brought the ball of fluff closer to her chest, allowing the other woman to see the black and white tuxedo cat.
The little ball of fluff let out a tiny "mew" as Melissa began petting it.
The redhead was enraptured by the creature and was talking to it in a voice she used with her students to calm them down.
"Hi there, handsome boy. You gave me quite the scare. I thought someone was after my girl, but you were just coming in where it's safe and warm. Aren't you so sweet?" She giggled at the kitten as he batted at a strand of hair that had fallen out of her messy bun before she continued in her sing-song voice.
"You need a good name. If you are related to the cat that was serenading us through the window the other night you should have a strong singer's name… like Dean, or Frank, or Billie after Billie Holiday" She looked at him closer "you look like a Louis" she informed the kitten with a smile. He purred and bumped his head against her hand to be petted more.
Looking up from the kitten she caught Barbara's gaze.
"Can we keep him, Barb, please?"
Barbara was already feeling a little gooey inside from seeing her girlfriend melt at the kitten's appearance. She knew her resolve wouldn't be as strong as it should be.
As she looked at the pair she saw Mel's pleading eyes and the bright green eyes of the kitten reflecting the Christmas lights.
Knowing she was done for, she sighed.
"With a strong name like Louis and you two giving me those eyes I'm having a hard time saying no."
Melissa's face lit up brighter than the tree next to her. "So... is that a yes?"
Barbara smiled and leaned over to give her girlfriend a kiss on the forehead and the kitten a pet to his head.
"That's a yes."
Barbara grabbed her phone and snapped a picture of the redhead playing with the kitten by the tree and sent it to Gina and Taylor along with the message "Hi girls, it seems we have a new addition. Would you mind stopping by the store to get some basic kitten supplies on your way to the house? Melissa will Pear Pay you for it."
There were two replies, almost simultaneously.
Taylor: Are you kidding me?! I wanted a dog for five years and you always said no pets in the house!
Gina: (laughing face) Mom I think you mean Apple Pay? Of course we can do that. Mama Mel looks adorable in that picture btw!
Barb smiled and put her phone down, joining Melissa and the kitten by the tree.