Just a quick, short Christmas fiction to enjoy before the big day!

Whose Child Is This?

This is the Life

Chapter 1

Teresa stamped muddy feet on the driveway beside her tidy cottage, while eyeing the dull grey sky. Winter was coming fast and with it a change from the short but cool autumn. While Texas got over 300 days of sunshine a year, winter meant rain, damp, fog, black ice and maybe, with a bit of luck, some snow for kids to play with for a very brief time. In a matter of hours any snow that had fallen would disappear, leaving muck and rain behind. Her beautiful baby boy Kieran was much too young to appreciate snow. Maybe one day he'd have the fun of making a snowman and learning to ski. For now, Teresa was happy to get outside, enjoying long walks with Kieran in his buggy. He was just 8 months old, dark haired and wise beyond his actual age, or so his father Patrick Jane believed. Jane was inside, watching Kieran while Teresa ran errands. Once she brought the groceries inside, they would settle in for the night, snuggling with the baby, making their way through homemade lasagne, then bath time for Kieran and once he was tucked up in bed for the night, maybe a glass of wine and a movie for the new parents.

The front door squeaked as Teresa entered the hallway, shrugging off her winter jacket and kicking off her ankle boots.

"Mummy's home!" Jane called to Kieran as he scooped him up from the blanket he lay on by the warm fire.

"Let's see what she brought us!"

Teresa placed a large bag of groceries on the kitchen island and handed a box of oatmeal biscuits to Patrick.

"Oh yum!" he began, before Teresa cut him off.

"They're for the baby. He's teething so hard we need to freeze those biscuits for him to chew on to soothe his gums."

Patrick grinned, pleased that mothering her new baby came so naturally to Teresa, despite all of her misgivings during her pregnancy. Between gathering advice from friends, researching parenting tips online and her own innate good sense, she was a very capable and happy mother.

"Cool cookies...sounds good to me" Jane agreed, reaching for the door of the freezer to pop the biscuits inside. "For you Mister" he smiled, kissing his cooing baby boy.

Patrick helped his wife put away the groceries while holding Kieran, who thought the whole process was fascinating, squealing his delight as each new colorful package passed by his body. Soon it was time for Patrick to start supper, so Teresa took over caring for Kieran, gathering him up in her arms to sit by the fire as she began to nurse him. He looked up at her, captivated by her smile and flashing eyes as she rocked him as he suckled. Jane stood at the island, taking a moment to study Teresa. She loved to breastfeed her boy, marvelling at her ability to give him the nourishment he needed. At times like this, Jane's heart was so full of love and gratitude it almost hurt. A calm cosy home, a beautiful wife, perfect child, financial resources to care for them forever, interesting jobs that they loved, he was sure he didn't deserve such riches, yet here he was, the richest man in the world. He smiled deeply then turned to resume preparing supper, smiling as he chopped onions and grilled the meat.

Two hours later, Kieran was in his bath and Jane was cleaning up the kitchen. Once the baby was asleep, Jane would find a movie and snuggle on the large soft sofa with Teresa in his arms. In the corner of the living room in a large bay window, a tall Christmas tree glowed with tiny crystal lights, casting the room in a warm glow. Kieran was fascinated by it and the multitude of glistening ornaments his parents had placed along the long green boughs. For now the tree was safe from tiny hands. Next year Teresa knew Kieran would be tempted to pull the decorations down to play with, so she was happy to enjoy a calm peaceful household for one more year. As Jane gazed around the living room, eyeing all of Teresa's Christmas decorating, he felt blessed. Blessed. A word he could not use prior to his falling in love with this dark haired beauty. Even when married to Angela, blessings and being blessed were strange concepts. He had Teresa to thank for this new feeling of gratitude. Home meant everything to Patrick. There was nowhere else he wanted to be. An expensive resort in the Caribbean might be someone else's dream vacation, or a trip across Europe, but this, this was heaven for Patrick. If he was lucky enough to father another child with Teresa, perhaps a little girl next time, he felt sure he couldn't ever ask for anything more.

"Was Kieran a good boy today? Besides all the drooling and pooping?" Jane asked Teresa with a grin.

"A very good boy. I'll be glad when some of those teeth break through though. He slobbers like a bloodhound" she admitted.

"That's my boy!" Jane smiled, happy to see his son go through each of the important milestones of babyhood right on time.

"Oh, I almost forgot! We got the funniest Christmas card from Wayne and Grace today, with both the kids on it. Pretty silly" Teresa said as she fished it out of her sweater pocket. Wayne, Grace and their son and daughter were all dressed in beige trench coats, holding large magnifying glasses to their eyes as if they were detectives out of a novel. Grinning with delight at Wayne's growing family, Jane sat back and looked at a picture on the mantle of his son and wife.

"What if we did something silly too? Just for our closest friends. A photoshoot that I could set up here at the cottage, with you, Kieran and I all in costume. We just need a fun idea" he said enthusiastically.

"It's awfully close to Christmas Patrick. Do you really have time to do all that and get the photos sent before the 25th?" Teresa asked sensibly.

"Ah hello...there's this little thing called the internet my dear. If need be we can just send the jpeg of the photo over to everyone, no postage stamps needed" Jane explained.

"Listen to you all techie suddenly" Teresa ribbed him, sure he would tire of the idea by the time the evening was over. "If you really want to take on the challenge of finding a theme, getting any costumes needed and then actually taking the photos, go for it."

"You sure?"

"It's your project Spielberg. Just make it funny."

Smiling broadly at the prospect of creating a masterpiece, Jane clicked on a movie and settled in for the night, his mind not really on the film at all now, but busy spinning ideas to create a truly epic Christmas themed card.

Three hours and one and a half movies later, both weary parents headed for bed before Kieran awoke with either a toothache, a poopy diaper or an empty tummy. Such was their social life now most nights. Like Jane had considered earlier, it was heaven.

The next morning dawned bright and crisp, with a touch of crunchy dew on the lawn. It was a Thursday and Jane had nothing to do at the FBI office today. That gave him time to run over to the mall and scope out some shops for the props he would need for his photo shoot. He could be in and out in under an hour or so if all went well and there were not too many shoppers in the mall so early in the day. Whistling as he prepared a pot of coffee for Teresa and boiled water for his tea, he set out breakfast dishes and assorted pots of jam, honey and butter for Teresa to use on her toast when she came through with Kieran. By the time the toast was crisp and hot, the coffee was ready to pour and Jane had his tea freshly brewed. Teresa came in with the baby in her arms, both looking sleepy.

"Morning Daddy" Teresa yawned as she leaned in for a kiss, Kieran squealing with delight as he got squished between his parents large bodies.

"Morning Mommy" Jane replied, pulling her chair out for her. "Sleep well?"

"Only got up once with this guy, then fell right back asleep, thank goodness. You?"

Jane had long ago gotten over his insomnia, once he knew in every fibre of his body that Red John and his minions were all either dead or in prison for the rest of their lives. It took years for his innate fears and self loathing to finally leave his psyche, but with love and hope for a bright future with Teresa, he was finally able to let go of his demons. And then, finally, sleep came.

"Slept like a baby. Drooling and up to pee twice!" Jane informed Teresa, who pulled a face and laughed.

"Well that was too much information."

"You asked…" he smirked.

Ignoring his smug expression, Teresa took a sip of her coffee then settled down to nurse Kieran.

"So, any plans for the day?"

Jane bit into his toast and after a sip of tea, he nodded. "I was thinking about going to the mall. I have some props to get for the photo shoot. I can be there and back again in under two hours if all goes well" he said, smiling at the idea of the card.

"So you're really doing this, aren't you?" Teresa said in surprise. "Please don't make me dress up as a giant pink rabbit."

"Nothing that cliched my dear. I'm hoping for a masterpiece of photography and seasonal cheer. I hope I can find everything I need."

"Well just wait until I get cleaned up and we can join you Patrick" Teresa said, not looking forward to facing the last minute Christmas shoppers today.

"Do you want to come or do you just think you have to come with me?" Jane asked his wife. "Because if you prefer to stay home, we can zip in and out quickly and then be home in time for lunch. Kieran would enjoy all of the Christmas lights and decorations at the mall."

He smiled at Teresa and knew she was struggling with leaving him with this project all by himself. She felt she had set the whole thing in motion, so the least she could do was go with him to wade through all the throngs of shoppers.

"Teresa, I can see the hamsters running on the wheels in your brain. It's OK. Stay here where it's warm and dry and finish wrapping those presents you don't think I know about. I'll bring some treats back from the French pastry shop in the mall and we can have them for dessert tonight. Kieran and I won't be long, promise."

Teresa smiled at Patrick, happy that he was so happy. And she really didn't want to venture out yet again into the mall with a small baby to amuse. So if he wanted to go with his son, she was happy to let Patrick do his thing.

"Pastries sound yummy. I'll make a pot of chicken soup for supper tonight and then we can attack that huge puzzle Cho bought us while Kieran takes his nap this afternoon."

"Deal. Sounds like a great day" Patrick agreed happily as he attacked another piece of toast, slathered with plum jam. Breakfast was leisurely, then Teresa took Keiran to get washed and dressed. By the time she was done with the baby, Jane was cleaned up and ready to leave for the mall.

"So, just what is this brilliant idea you have for our card?" she had to ask.

"You'll see. It's a surprise!" Patrick grinned, buttoning up his warm wool jacket. As he reached for the car keys, he turned to kiss his wife once again before he left. She leaned in to inhale his fresh scent and handed the baby over to his waiting arms.

"Keep Daddy in line Kieran" she smiled as she kissed her baby boy.

"Oh ye of little faith" Jane smirked. "See you soon Teresa."

"Bye Patrick. Good luck finding your costumes!" she called as he stepped outside and down the front steps. He secured his son in his car seat then waved as he turned on the car.

Watching him back out of the driveway and head down the sloping lane to the main road, she waved bye then turned back to clean up the kitchen and begin her day.

"Daddy has something up his sleeve baby boy. Who knows what I'm going to have us looking like by tonight!" Patrick laughed as he glanced at Kieran in the rear view mirror. Kieran rewarded him with a toothless grin and a gob of slobber.