Beverly's toes still tingled with cold within her fleece-lined cabin socks. New pairs were tradition for her family every year, but hers were typically worn through before April! And they were lucky if any of their children's socks remained a pair before New Year's.
"Greech!" Kaley exclaimed, indicating which video she wanted to watch. To which Ivan quickly retorted. "Jack Frost- Mom, I hardly picked any of our movies last year!"
Kaley mounted herself on the fluffy, coffee brown pillows of the couch. "Grech, Grech!"
Ivan shook his head. "Jack Frost... maybe Frosty... but Jack Frost."
"Grech, Greeeeeccc-"
Beverly chose to ignore it for the moment. Kaley's chanting was a regular anthem around here. She was more interested in getting their tray to the ottoman without dropping it. Doing so would take care of everything.
Sure enough, Kaley's gabbing stopped and even Ivan paused, eyes zeroing in on the food. Grilled cheese, halved peppers and carrots with ranch, and chips. They would be the perfect munchies while their marshmallows roasted over the fire.
Glenn was lighting the kindling right now with Brandon standing dutifully with the logs. Their middle child was even more spit-fired then Kaley, but when it came to 'man's work', he was as silent and studious as an Ivy League student. He carried out even the slightest actions with precision and care. Beverly even trusted him to put away the dishes. Only not today. It begot the point of the snow blocked roads and drifted driveways.
"Daddy doesn't pick often," Beverly tucked a napkin into the collar of Kaley's sweatshirt as she snuggled- or rather stomped- into Beverly's lap to eat. Ivan straddled the couch arm, appealing to his father. "Dad, you want to watch Jack Frost, right?"
Glenn and Brandon held a log between them, ready for the baby flames. Glenn raised a brow at his sons. "The Christmas Village?"
"NOO!" Both boys cried and Glenn shared a grin with Beverly. "Aw, but it's Mommy's fav-"
"The Grinch is a much more fulfilling watch." Ivan defused the idea.
"Winter on Willow Ranch," Beverly suggested, messing at Kaley's tangled ponytail. It was an old black and white that still proved entertaining- and meaningful. Beverly had yet to watch the ending through dry eyes. Besides, horses were always a win! She directed Kaley's fingers from the marshmallows to the vegetables- which all three of them were eating! The fire began its blaze and an idea sparked. "How about The Snowman?"
"Fro'ty?" Kaley tilted her head up.
"The other snowman." Beverly told her lovingly. The living room enjoyed momentary silence as the family considered it. However, Beverly's tone pretty much cemented the choice. So, while Ivan fished out the DVD, she got the others situated with their plates.
"I DON'T want carrots!" Brandon whined immediately. Beverly eased his plate back in front of him. "Yet, there they are."
"I don't LIKE carrots!"
"They'll improve your eyesight." Ivan put in, though he eyed his own veggies in distain.
"Can't let them go to waste." Beverly went on dicing Kaley's grilled cheese. Brandon's carrots were suddenly tossed on her plate, the defiant steel in her son's brown eyes. "No! I'm not eating-"
"You can eat them down here with your family or alone up in your room." Beverly told him. This was a rule Brandon was familiar with; as an attention seeker, it was his worse nightmare. Beverly stared off with him until his shoulders slumped, allowing her to put the carrots back. But he kept his face scrunched, jerking his plate into his lap. "I'm not happy with you."
And he climbed onto the couch, away from his evil mother. Beverly cast a look at Glenn and they shared a shrug. Glenn closed the fire's grate and crossed the room to sit with Brandon as the opening chords of 'The Snowman' strummed into the living room. Ivan, meanwhile, took his lunch with little fuss and Kaley shoved into her mouth with reckless abandon. They became mute, letting the program do the talking- or rather, the telling.
In time, when the program was no speech and all expression took flight, Beverly moved and Kaley by the fire. The water and mugs waited in the kitchen, but they couldn't have plain white 'malkos' in their cocoa. She began sticking marshmallows on their wooden pokers, glimpsing two things as she did. One, the return fo the large, puffy snowflakes outside their windows. Slight condensation edged the panes, but inside was all warm and cozy. And it wasn't just because of her socks and robe.
Second, as Ivan muted away on his crusts, Glenn had gotten Brandon on his lap. And now and then, whispered a few things in their son's angry-red ear. Beverly knew what he was talking to him about. She loved his gentle approach with the kids... gentleness, patience, and a killer jaw! That's my man!
Kaley fought for control of a poker, but her grip was fleeting. Beverly grinned, seeing her ulterior motive working. Sure enough, Kaley was soon asleep and Beverly could cradle her onto her shoulder. She pulled the pokers out, then motioned to Glenn as she stood and walked out. Enjoying the scent of their daughter's weathered hair, Beverly settled her into her crib. She expected the gentle heat to leave her when she had laid Kaley down, but it didn't. Smiling, Beverly carried the warmth back downstairs and warmed the water, soon replacing the plates with mugs. She kissed Ivan on the head, even while his attention remained on the program's end. "Who wants a 'malko'?"
~To Be Continued~
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