Work Text:
Karen Simms followed Kermit Griffin into his apartment. The room was lit by the elegant lamp beside the couch and the flashing lights of the Christmas tree in the apartment next door. The neighbors were having a New Year’s Party, and had moved their tree onto the porch.
“Did you have a good trip?” she asked, handing over her coat which he hung in the closet.
“I always go out at Christmas,” he replied enigmatically.
“I know. That wasn’t the question,” she retorted. “What about your trip?”
He smiled. “It was good. Everything worked out.”
She wondered what he meant by that but didn’t question him again. If he wanted, he’d tell her. Or tell Peter. Or she could always check with Bella at Customs, who wouldn’t ask questions. Kermit hadn’t gotten that tan in the US; he had to have gone abroad.
“You missed a good party,” she started tentatively. “A little rambunctious—”
“So, I heard.” He shook his head in amazement. “I’m surprised they thought they would get away with it.”
“We worked it out,” Simms answered wondering who had told Kermit about the attack. Probably Peter. Had he called Peter before he called her?
“I hear you have a baby now,” Kermit said. His hands worked on opening the bottle of wine that sat to one side in a bucket of ice.
She smiled. “A darling baby. I hope that I’ll be able to adopt her but...”
“What about now? I mean tonight,” he asked. The cork popped out of the champagne.
“Kelly Blake is looking out for her. She loves to be around her.”
Kermit’s dark eyebrow went up. “What does the Chief think of it?”
Karen chuckled. “I think he likes the baby but won’t admit it. He smiles at her and she laughs.”
He handed her a goblet of sparkling golden wine and took up his. “So, tonight you are free of baby and work—”
“What is it, Kermit?” she asked, not sipping the wine in her glass. “Is there a problem?”
He choked on his wine. “No! Nothing at all. Why?”
“You sound so reserved. What is it?”
Kermit raised his glass. “To a new year, Captain. May we all have a good year.”
She tapped her crystal against his. “More that that, Kermit. To us. To friendship and understanding.”
“Yes.” His voice softened and he smiled.
She could see his eyes for once. The sunglasses were on the table beside the couch.
They both sipped. “To us, Karen. To friendship and more.”
“You missed the Christmas Club at work,” she said lightly breaking the suddenly intense mood. “We put your name in the bag along with everyone else, and—”
“Who got me?” he asked, interested despite being sidetracked from his original intent.
“Kelly Blake,” Simms laughed. “She had a terrible time trying to find a present for you. She asked everyone. You have everyone intimidated. I believe she found something for your computer.”
Kermit flinched. “What kind of thing?”
“Basic,” Simms said with a laugh. “Peter helped.”
“Oh, good,” Kermit said with a breath of relief. “Under $20?”
“Less. I’m sure that it will be useful.”
“Ah. Useful. Good. Speaking of that.…” He put down his glass and reached for a small wrapped package. The blue ribbon and bow were tied crookedly, as if they had been added at the last moment. “Merry Christmas, Karen.”
She studied it for a second, then set her glass down. “I don’t have yours with me, Kermit.”
“That isn’t necessary,” he replied.
“I knew you’d say that, but I wanted to.” She took the slender box and studied it. The paper was thicker than normal and had exotic green and gold designs on it. It had to come from his trip. What was it? African from the drawings. “I can bring—”
“Please open it,” he said with a trace of command. “Now.”
She pulled off the bow and ribbon, setting them beside her glass. Then she unwrapped one end and slid her fingers inside and pulled out a box. It was oblong, five by seven inches long, and two inches deep. There was no embossing on the top.
She opened the top and folded back the thin white gauzy paper which covered something. She blinked, then caught her breath.
“It’s for your hair,” he said in the silence.
“I know,” she replied, her voice slightly hushed. There was a catch in her throat.
The hair pin had two long prongs connected by a hinge to a front piece. The prongs would fold into the two small U-shaped hinges at the end of the front and hold the pin in place in her hair.
It was the front piece that made her catch her breath. The antique Art Nouveau calla lily was being sipped on by a green and blue cloisonne hummingbird; its eye was a small ruby. It looked like a real ruby. Simms didn’t doubt it for a second. The curving petals of the lily were inlaid with square-cut opals that glimmered when she shifted it in the light. The bird’s long beak was gold. It was very beautiful. And very, very expensive.
“You don’t like it?” he said with a touch of uncertainty.
She had never heard that from him before. It jarred her. Who had refused his gifts in the past? Numerous wives, according to Peter... “I love it. I am just.... Kermit, it’s so beautiful.”
“I saw it in an antique store and had the jewels reset,” he said with patent relief. “It’s for your hair.”
She smiled. “I know.” She reached up and pulled out the small pin that held her golden hair back from her face. It fell in a sweep past her shoulders. “I want one more thing from you, Kermit?”
“What?” There was a trace of a smile on his lips and he looked like he knew what she was going to ask for.
“I want you to put it in my hair. Now.”
He chuckled, and moved closer, taking the pin from her hand. Instead of walking around her so he could set it straight, he reached his arms around her, bringing his face up close, and gently lifted her hair. “Where do you want me to put it?”
She softly laughed. His lips were inches from hers. “I’ll leave it up to you. I’m sure you’ll find a way to figure out a way to make it stay in place.”
A minute later, Kermit set the ornament on the counter behind them to free up his hands. Simms already had her hands full.
She’d pick up the pin tomorrow morning before she left.