Kim shrugged. "Fortunately for both of us, we still have the future to look forward to."
"Yes," he agreed. "And Christmas."
"How about this one?"
Kim shook her head. Tony was standing beside a tree that had to be at least fifteen feet tall. "Too small," she said, laughing. She pointed to a tree that was tucked away in the corner. "That's the one. That's the one I like," she said excitedly.
Tony nodded as he headed over to it. He took out his wallet and paid the vendor. "All right, m'lady, it's yours."
Tony grabbed the tree and hiked it over his shoulder.
Back at the house, he helped her set the tree in the stand. Only after they had wrapped several strings of tiny gold lights around the thick green branches did Tony's beeper sound. He pulled the beeper off his belt and looked at the number. "My service," he said, automatically recognizing the number. He kissed Kim on the lips. "I have a sneaky suspicion I'm going to have to go to the hospital for a while."
She nodded. "The phone is in the kitchen."
She understood. Even before he volunteered to help her pick out the tree he had warned her he was on call.
A few minutes later, Tony reappeared behind her. "Unfortunately, I have to go back in," he said as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close to him. "I can't remember when I've had a better afternoon."
"Will you stop by later?" she asked.
He kissed her forehead before he spoke. "I thought you'd never ask."
"In case I fall asleep," she said, handing him her key. "Let yourself in."
When Kim opened her eyes the house was completely dark with the exception of the lights on the Christmas tree. Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" played softly on the stereo. She glanced over at the fire, which had died down except for a few embers that were still smoldering. She smiled to herself, recalling her day. After Tony left, she had rummaged through the basement and found the old box of Christmas ornaments that she and her mother had always used to decorate the tree. In a box beside the decorations were the old Christmas albums her parents had collected through the years. Kim had spent the rest of the afternoon and evening on a date with Christmas past, listening to Christmas carols as she unwrapped the old, familiar ornaments and hung them on the tree.
She heard the lock turn and smiled to herself.
Tony crept into the room and knelt down beside the couch where Kim lay curled up.
"Hi," he whispered, putting his hand to her cheek.
"Hi," she answered. '
"I thought you'd be asleep by now."
"What time is it?" she asked, yawning as she pushed herself up.
"Close to eleven."
"Did you see my dad?"
"I checked in on him right before I left. He was sleeping and doing just fine."
"Thank you," she said.
He sat up on the couch next to her, picked up her hand, and kissed it. "The tree looks beautiful," he said, wrapping his arm around her.
"Thanks. Do you want something to drink?"
He shook his head. "I didn't want to leave you today," he said quietly, caressing her fingers. "I've had a hard time thinking about anyone--or anything else."
She inhaled slightly as he began to lightly kiss each fingertip. "As a matter of fact," he said, his eyes settling on hers, "I've had a hard time thinking of anything else since I met you."
She leaned forward and kissed him. She slid her fingers inside his shirt as she drew him toward her. "I'm sure you say that to all the girls."
He shook his head. "Never," he said seriously. "I don't play games. I don't have time for them." He kissed her forehead and ran his lips down the side of her face, breathing in the faint, dean smell of her perfume. "I've known what I wanted for a long time. Until recently, I was beginning to give up hope that my wish would ever come true."
"What exactly did you wish for?" Kim asked as innocently as she could manage.
He held her hand to his lips and kissed it. "A woman..." he said, thinking. "A woman that I... well, could never forget"
"And what happened recently?" Kim teased as she leaned back on the couch.
His eyes locked with hers as he slowly began to unbutton her blouse. He whispered, "I met you."
Chapter Six
Harold Risson sat up in bed and impatiently hit the buzzer for the nurse. He had always been self- sufficient, and he found himself resenting the fact that he was dependent upon others for so many things. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he grabbed his robe and wrapped it around his slender frame. Cautiously he stood up and made his way to the door, slightly embarrassed that his staff would see him walking around clad only in a bathrobe and slippers.
The whole experience of being a patient in the same unit that he presided over had been a humbling one. But still, he did not feel sorry for himself. Instead, he felt gratified that his illness had allowed him to be with his daughter once more. Her being there had helped heal his heart more than any of the many medications he was forced to take each day.
Harold shuffled awkwardly into the hall and looked both ways for a nurse. The hall was practically empty. He made his way toward the pantry, determined to get his own water.
Outside the doorway he stopped. There were people inside the pantry. People saying his name.
"... Risson. Imagine my surprise. Who would've even thought he had a heart!" There was the sound of a woman's laughter.
"Well, you've heard the news, I'm sure," a man's voice piped in. "Guess who Hoffman's latest conquest is? Kim Risson."