Bring Me Home for Christmas

all frosty and rosy-cheeked, with snowflakes clinging to their caps and shoulders, Mel instantly cuddled two-year-old Emma, Jack tossed David in the air, making him screech, and Preacher ran his cold hands up Paige’s back, enjoying her protests.
    “Set us up a couple of shots, Paige,” Jack said. “I don’t think even Jack Frost is going to drag us out again tonight!”
    “Unless someone goes into labor,” Mel said.
    “You’re going to need Santa and his eight reindeer for that one,” Preacher told her.
    “Is everyone safe?” Becca asked. “All tucked in?”
    “Everyone we know about, anyway,” Jack said.
    “But what if there are others out there like Mrs. Crane?” she asked.
    Jack no doubt saw her concern and draped an arm around her shoulders. “It’s a small town, honey. It isn’t often someone like that gets by us. It happens, but not often. People around here are real nosy.”
    She leaned against him. “Man, I’m worn-out!”
    “Worked hard, did you?”
    “I’m worn-out from worrying about everyone! How about the Thicksons?”
    “As soon as the roads are cleared tomorrow, Cameron is going to drive Lorraine and the little boys home from the hospital,” Mel said. “He’s doing rounds at the hospital as early as he can get there in the morning and the boys are in pretty good shape, despite some bronchitis and ugly throats.”
    “But what about Mr. Thickson, at home with Megan and Jeremy?” she asked. “He was in a real mood.”
    “More bluster than anything,” Jack said. “He loves his kids. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll call and check on him.”
    She looked at him with wide, pleading eyes. “Please?”
    “Sure,” he said, heading for the kitchen.
    Denny quickly filled the empty space Jack had left, putting his arm around her. “Come on, honey. I think you should sit down, put your feet up and take a breather.”
    “I can’t!” she said. “I made meat loaf for forty!”
    The place fell suddenly quiet. Finally Preacher said, “Forty?”
    “That’s what your recipe said.”
    “Hmm. What’s Jack gonna eat?”
    Becca just groaned and allowed herself to drop into a chair, while everyone around her seemed amused, chuckling.
    “Everyone is fine out at the Thicksons,” Jack said as he returned to the bar from the kitchen. “Megan is bouncing back and Jeremy’s fever is gone. Something sure smells good in that kitchen. Whatcha got going in there, Paige?”
    “Not me,” she said, getting down the bottles requested by Jack and Preacher. “Becca made meat loaf. I was busy all day!”
    “Thank you, Becca,” Jack said. “I didn’t know you could cook!”
    “You haven’t tasted it yet,” she warned wearily.
    “It could taste like a cow patty and I wouldn’t know,” Preacher said, tossing back a shot to warm his bones. “I’m half frozen and half dead.”
    Denny went behind the bar and poured Becca a short snifter of brandy, pressing it into her hand. Then he sat real close while everyone in the bar talked about their adventures. Jack and Preacher had shoveled, plowed, chopped, stacked, carried logs, rounded up animals, carried old women and old men, emptied portable indoor latrines, cleaned the snow off roofs, pulled a car out of a ditch, jump-started a battery…
    “Preacher damn near stuck to the seat in an outhouse,” Jack reported, bringing laughter out of the entire group.
    “Jack had to be rescued off the top of a porch when he let the ladder get away,” Preacher said. “Crossed my mind to leave him up there. He was a pain in my ass all day long.”
    “Mel, you have a hard day?” Paige asked.
    “Nah,” she said. “Two bronchitis, one strep, one false labor—or at least, false so far—and a little home health nursing.” She looked at Becca and smiled. “The woman and children you found are doing well, Becca. The baby is perfectly healthy. They’re all fixed up with what they need, they’re warm and safe, and I’ll check on them in a couple of days. Thank you.”
    “I didn’t do anything. I mean, I just went with Denny to deliver the box.”
    “She asked me to tell you she’s very grateful,” Mel added.
    “It was nothing,” she said in a small attack of shyness. Then she sighed. “Oh, God, I’m so relieved!”
    “Time to hunker down with some of that meat loaf!” Preacher nearly roared.
    And with that, people started heading for the kitchen to serve their own plates. Denny followed the band. Becca just let out a breath