This
story was created as a challenge for the Holiday GWP (requirements below*). I am not receiving any monetary gain from writing
this story, only much enjoyment from doing so. I have used some lyrics from three different Christmas songs and have supplied
there creators at the end of this story. There is one song, though, that I heard and had in the ‘80’s but I could
not find even the lyrics of this song on the net. There are other "Christmas Without You" songs, but they are not the song
that I used in this story. This story is also a build-on story of Hallie and Dan in conjunction with my finally completed
"Heavenly Iowa" story.
*A
short story, set during the Holiday Season from mid-November to mid-January. The story should contain the following: a gift,
a holiday song, a food associated with the holiday, a holiday decoration, and a family tradition. (Although no one will be
checking to see that you've included all the items...we just want holiday fanfic to read!)
I’ll Be Home
For Christmas
Christmas Eve, 2003…
Dan gloomily
gazed out the frosted window at the snow gently falling from the sky and adding to the accumulation already on the ground.
With a long sigh, he heavily placed his forehead against the frigid pane and looked beyond the snow to the memories flirting
across his mind.
December, 2001…
Dan had
been having serious feelings for Hallie since the first time he met her. There was just a connection and a chemistry between
them that intrigued but scared him. During the Bob-Whites Spring Break trip to Iowa that past April, Hallie and Dan had grown much closer and had even shared their first kiss.
But then came the hardship of a long distance relationship. Yes, they were both in the state of New York for college, but they were more than 5 hours apart from each other. So, they spoke on the phone weekly, chatted online
daily, and traveled to see each other about every six weeks.
Now, eight
months later, Hallie was visiting Sleepyside for a week and staying at her Uncle and Aunt’s home over Christmas. Dan
wanted to make a more serious commitment to Hallie, but he didn’t know how to bring it up. He respected and admired
her, but he also loved her very deeply. Having her so close yet so far away was nearly killing him.
Dan looked
over at his girlfriend, so beautiful in the gleam of the numerous Christmas lights, laughing with her cousins as they were
all together again, decorating the tree. They spoke and laughed over the radio playing Rockin’ Around the Christmas
Tree, having a gale old time just being back together again. Tweenie Bobby was more interested in playing computer games
than decorating a dumb tree with his older siblings.
Dan was
simply leaning inside the door from the dining room, watching his beautiful girlfriend in all her animated glory. She didn’t
know that he had snuck into the Belden residence through the kitchen door. Suddenly, Hallie sensed him nearby and her head
lifted and turned to survey the room. Spotting him, her face beamed with a loving and bright smile and she sauntered over
to him.
She left
the others quietly without announcing his presence as she wanted a few moments with him alone before he could be surrounded
by the rest of the gang. They hadn’t seen him since Thanksgiving either and she knew that she would have to fight for
time alone with him once the rest of the group spotted him.
As Hallie
neared him, she started to serenade him in her beautiful and clear-toned husky voice:
Santa
baby,
I've been an awful good girl, for you
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight.
Santa baby, a drop top
c-o-k too, Light blue.
I'll wait up for you dear,
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight.
Think of all
the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed,
Next year I could be oh, so good,
If you'd check
off my Christmas list,
Boo doo bee doo.
Santa honey,
I've been an angel all the year through,
It’s
true
Santa baby, Please hurry down the chimney tonight.
She finished
the song just as she came mouth to mouth with him and kissed him deeply and hungrily. They became caught up in their reunion
and only broke apart when they heard many exited shouts and catcalls from their friends and family.
As soon
as they broke apart, the rest of the gang came over to Dan and welcomed him home. The men pummeled him on the back with welcome
home thuds and quick side hugs. Trixie came over and gave him a big hug. Bobby was at that odd age of not knowing what human
contact was appropriate and he hovered in the background until everyone else had welcomed him home. Finally, Dan turned to
Bobby and Bobby walked slowly up to him, holding his hand out for a mature, manly handshake. Dan first shook his hand politely
and then snagged Bobby to him for a big bear hug.
"Don’t
treat me like a stranger, kid!" teased Dan of Bobby. Bobby hugged him back and
gave him an embarrassed smile as he pulled away and went back to playing on his hand-held video game on the couch.
"Di, Jim
and Honey are supposed to be on their way," stated Hallie while pulling him by the hand into the festive and noisy living
room. "They are all held up by the snow storm, but they have all called ahead to say that they are indeed still trying to
make it home before the blizzard hits."
Dan squeezed
her hand affectionately and joined her on the small love seat adjacent to the long couch Bobby was sitting on. He pulled a
small wrapped package out of his pocket and handed it to Hallie. Hallie smiled back warmly and told him to hang on while she
snagged his pre-Christmas gift. Dan watched her back as she rushed off and then took in the sites and smells of the Belden
home. As always, excitement and energy was electric in the air, the smell of Moms’ special Christmas cookies baking
in the oven filled the air. Dan laughed to himself as he watched Trixie and Mart squabble in a lovable way about how the lights
should be placed on the tree. Soon, Hallie was walking back to him with a similarly small package in her hand, wrapped in
a deep blue paper with gold ribbon around it.
Dan and
Hallie had decided to make it a new tradition for their relationship to give each other a special ornament symbolic of the
past year on Christmas Eve. With loving smiles, they both started to open their gifts. Dan’s eyes widened as he pulled
out an ornament about 3 inches by 4 inches. It was a scene of the Dubuque, Iowa waterfront
where they had spent such a special Spring Break the year before.
Hallie stopped
opening her gift to look at Dan curiously. "Do you like it?" she asked quietly. "I actually picked it up for myself when we
were in Dubuque last year, but it reminded me so much of our special time in Dubuque together that I thought it was the most perfectly-perfect ornament to give you for our first Christmas together. It
especially reminds me of our moonlit walk along the waterfront before we went back to the Hancock House."
Dan smiled
broadly at her and leaned over to give her a soft, loving kiss. "I absolutely adore it, Hallie!" he affirmed with another
quick kiss on her soft lips. "As you say, it is perfectly-perfect."
"Thank you,"
said Hallie, very happy that he liked it.
"Now finish
opening yours, please," added Dan, anxious to know if she approved of his ornament choice for her.
Hallie carefully
removed the paper and came to a black box that filled her hand. Lifting off the top, she found a crystal ornament about two
inches by three inches, lying in a protective bed. The crystal ornament was a simple quarter note, but it reflected spheres
of light with every movement it made.
"Oh, Dan,
it’s beautiful!" Hallie exclaimed. "You know how involved in music I am at college; thank you!" She threw her arms around
his neck and gave him a noisy kiss upon his lips. Bobby looked on in mild disgust, but the couple didn’t bother to notice.
When their
lips pulled apart, Dan held Hallie loosely in his arms. "I do know how important music is to you, Hallie, but that isn’t
really why I bought the ornament for you," he stated quietly.
Hallie looked
at him curiously but could realize from the seriousness in his eyes that it was purchased for a much deeper reason. "Why did
you get it, then, Dan?" she asked.
Dan kissed
her lips again quickly. "Yes, I do know how important music is to you, especially singing, but there is one special time when
you sang to me that made all the difference." He smiled as he watched the look of consternation on her face. Then, her eyes
sparkled when she realized what time he must be speaking of.
"Singing
karaoke at Mainly Lou’s on the Spring Break trip!" she cried, excitedly.
"You got
it, babe," agreed Dan with a smile, "If it wasn’t for your singing to me and breaking down afterwards, we might never
have gotten together."
Hallie snuggled
lovingly into his chest. "I know, honey, I’m so glad I was a goon that night. Otherwise, I might still secretly be loving
you without your knowing it, or not being able to kiss and hug you. That would be awful!"
Dan held
her close to him and rested his chin on the top of her head, thinking about how empty his life would still be if it wasn’t
for her strong love…
Dan moved
from staring at the blizzard moving outside to the kitchen table, where he snatched a piece of peanut brittle from the abundant
plate sent over by Ms. Trask yesterday, absently crunching it in his mouth. His mind soon turned back to last year’s
Christmas with Hallie.
Christmas Day, 2002…
Dan and
Hallie sat beside each other in Hallie’s family room, surrounded by her father and her two older brothers. All presents
had been opened and everyone was sitting around, just enjoying the company and the atmosphere. The phone rang in the hallway
and Hallie went to get it. Dan had noticed that Hallie was hiding something from him since they had set out for this trip
back to Idaho. He had secretly been wondering if she had met someone else at her university
and if she wanted to break up with him. Her loving actions toward him these last few days could either discredit those thoughts
or they could be an attempt at hiding her true feelings from him. Curiously, Dan turned his ears to the conversation that
was occurring in the hallway.
"Really,
you’re not kidding?" asked Hallie in a wondrous and happy tone. "I just simply can’t believe it, but yes, I most
definitely am interested. Thank you!"
Dan listened
intently as Hallie finished up the call and then screamed in glee upon hanging up. As she headed back to the living room,
Dan’s heart was pounding with dread. Here we go, he thought heavily.
Hallie returned
to the room with a large grin on her face. "You all are not going to believe this," she started. Dan looked down at the floor,
not wanting to hear what she was about to say.
"I knew
that this was a possibility, but I didn’t want to tell anyone until I knew it was real, and now that I know I simply
can’t believe it!" babbled Hallie excitedly.
Cap held
up his hand to silence his sister with a big laugh. "Whoa, little sister, you are starting to sound like Trixie or Honey,"
he teased, "what’s going on?"
Hallie took
a deep breath and sat down in an easy chair by the fire. "You see, about two months ago, I was performing my night act at
the Blue Note Café when a producer saw me and approached me after the show," she started to explain. "I thought he was just
teasing me when he said that he thought I had a lot of talent and he wanted to sign me, but I took his card anyway, just in
case he was serious. He kept calling me and I realized that he was indeed on the level with what he wanted."
"Oh, Hallie
that’s wonderful!" exclaimed Knut to her left. "You have the most awesome singing voice, it’s about time someone
took notice!"
Hallie’s
face flushed lightly under his praise. "Thanks, Knut!" she said and squeezed his hand lightly with her own. "Anyway, Michael
Schultz has been after me for the last two months to sign with his company. I finally agreed to tape a few demo songs for
him and see what the other producers at Sony Records thought of my singing style. I taped those demos about a month ago, just
before finals and I’ve been waiting ever since to hear what Sony thought of me."
Dan had
quietly been taking in her news. "So that was Michael Schultz on the phone?" he asked without revealing any emotion.
Hallie smiled
broadly. "Yes! It was him…and you all are not going to believe this!"
"What did
he say, Hallie?" asked her father.
Hallie jumped
up from her chair in her excitement. "The producers said that I was a mix between Alicia Keys and Norah Jones. They want to
sign me right away and start making my debut album right after the new year!" She was fairly hopping up and down in her excitement.
"That’s
wonderful, Hallie!"
"Congratulations,
sis!"
"It’s
about time they recognized real talent when they saw it!"
All of Hallie’s
family were complementing her and moved over to give her big, congratulatory hugs. Soon, they all noticed that Dan hadn’t
moved from his spot but seemed to be frozen to his seat. His eyes were blank as he stared at the lit-up Christmas tree.
The Belden
men realized that perhaps the couple needed some time alone and slunk out of the room. Hallie slowly walked over to sit beside
Dan and placed her hand on top of his clenched ones.
"Dan, are
you okay?" she asked him quietly.
"What?"
Dan asked her blankly and blinked a few times at her before he clearly focused upon her beautiful face. "Oh, I’m fine."
His tone didn’t quite belay that fact.
"Dan, aren’t
you happy for me?" Hallie asked in a small voice.
Dan moved
his arms to hold her close and breathed in the scent of her hair. "Of course, I’m happy for you, honey," He assured
her, "but I’m also scared for you, for us."
"I know
that it’s a big life change for me," agreed Hallie, "but it is also a wonderful opportunity."
"I agree
with you, baby. I’m just afraid of what kind of people you will be running around with…they are going to be a
lot different from the people you know from Idaho or Sleepyside. They are the movers and the shakers, you know."
Hallie sighed
heavily and hugged him tighter. "I know, Dan, but I think I’m a grounded individual and with the support of my friends
and family, and you, I know that I won’t change that much due to it all."
Dan could
only think of all the fantastic experiences that she was about to have. All the handsome rich men that she would meet. All
the traveling that she would have to do to promote her music. His heart was very heavy when he realized how easily he could
lose her. His self-confidence took a major hit.
"You are
about to have a big adventure, that’s for sure," he murmured softly.
Hallie could
hear his unsaid fears in his voice. She hugged him even tighter. "Dan, don’t worry about us. This career move won’t
change anything between us. I might actually have more time to see you than before as I am going to take a hiatus from school
and I’ll be recording the album in the City. It will only change if you want it to change, okay?"
Dan still
wasn’t sure about what the future would bring, but he knew that he didn’t want to lose her. "Al right, baby, I
know this is a great opportunity for you," he said resignedly, "I’ll stand behind you no matter what."
Hallie moved
in his arms and kissed him passionately. "Thank you, Dan, thank you! I couldn’t do this without you."
(Back
to) Christmas Eve, 2003…
Dan recalled
his phone conversation with Hallie the night before.
"Baby, I
am so sorry!" Hallie pleaded sadly. "They promised that I could come home after the concert for the troops, but the weather
just isn’t safe to travel. I want to be there with you, please believe me!"
This wasn’t
the first time that Hallie had to cancel their plans due to her new found fame and fortune. It had been happening more and
more often lately and Dan was really beginning to feel like their being together at this time in their lives was just a mistake.
Hallie plowed
on when he remained stoically silent. "Baby, I promise you, if there is any way that I can make it home to you by Christmas,
I will be there."
"I understand,
Hallie," he said quietly and sadly, "I’ll see you whenever you get here."
Hallie could
tell that Dan was about to disconnect the phone from her and she didn’t want to say goodbye yet.
"Dan, wait!"
she urged.
"What?"
his voice held no emotion.
"Listen
to me," she stated and then began to serenade him.
I'll
be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree.
Christmas
Eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only
in my dreams!
Dan heard
the emotion in her voice as she finished singing and he swallowed a large lump in his throat, as well.
"I love
you, Hallie, please be safe," he said huskily.
"I love
you, too, Dan," she spoke with tears in her voice, "I’ll be seeing you soon."
With that,
they hung up.
Dan threw
down the piece of peanut brittle in his hand in disgust and stomped over to the stereo. Years ago, he had taped a sad Christmas
song off the radio and he’d kept it all these years for moments just like this. He had no clue of who sang the song
but Christmas Without You certainly matched his dark and brooding mood.
And
Every year at Christmas time
The spirit comes
The cold wind brings back memories
Of the two of us
And when
I get sad of thinking of you,
I pray to God and hope you’re happy, too
And though you are
So far away
I
pray to God that we’ll spend
Christmas
Together, someday!
For it won’t feel like Christmas
Without
You
And the
Colors of Christmas
Have gone from White to Blue
No more holiday cheer
Just tear after tear
Christmas Without
You.
As soon
as the music would stop, Dan would rewind it back to the beginning and listen to the song again. How many times he listened
to it, he was not sure, but the words and music so exactly matched his feelings that he couldn’t help listening to it
again.
Finally,
the ringing of the phone broke threw Dan’s miserable stupor. Hoping that it was Hallie, he ran over to the kitchen counter
and snagged the receiver.
"Hello?"
he asked urgently.
"Dan the
man, how are you holding up?" asked the all-to-happy voice of his best friend, Mart Belden.
"Belden,
get that tone out of your voice posthaste," growled Dan into the phone.
"Whoa, man…you
are really bad off, aren’t you?" asked Mart with a little chuckle. "I bet you have been sitting there for hours day-dreaming
about Hallie and listening to depressing music!"
"Lay off
it, Belden, I’m not in the mood."
"Al right,
then I’m stepping in for an intervention! There is nothing you can do right now to make Hallie show up or not. She’s
snowed in. I don’t like the idea of you being at your apartment all by yourself, so I insist that you come out with
me. We’ll get some drinks, play some pool, and try to forget about women for a while."
Dan really
didn’t want to see anyone. "Mart, I appreciate the offer, but I really don’t want to go out right now. The less
happy people I see, the better!" he confessed.
"Didn’t
you hear me, Mangan? I insist!"
Dan knew
that tone of his best friend, he’d heard it plenty enough over the years. He knew that if he didn’t go along with
Mart’s wishes that Mart would do everything in his power to annoy him into going along with him. He couldn’t help
remembering the last time this happened, just a few months earlier in fact, where Mart had opened up a dictionary and read
the words and definitions aloud until Dan screamed that he gave in.
Hiding his
groan, he grumbled, "Oh, al right, guess I could use some fresh air."
They made
an appointment for Mart to pick him up in twenty minutes. They ended up doing exactly what Mart suggested. They went to a
small bar in town, had two drinks each, played some pool and reminisced about some of the wackier holiday adventures the Bob-Whites
had enjoyed over the years. More than two hours later, Dan unlocked his front door and moved to walk inside.
What he
saw when he opened the door made him literally freeze in his tracks. There by the stereo was a large fake Christmas tree decorated
with beautiful ornaments from Dan’s childhood and those few that he and Hallie had given each other over the years.
All lights were out in the apartment except for the small twinkling lights from the tree. Also, a plethora of white candles
were lit everywhere he looked. Festive Christmas music was playing from the stereo at a respectable level and the smell of
freshly-baked homemade cookies filled the air.
Dan was
very curious and stupefied by the transformation of his home. He entered the house and quietly hung up his coat in the closet.
Suddenly,
Hallie came into the living room from the hallway, wearing a sequined, skimpy red dress, her long dark tresses flowing about
her. She walked up to him with a sexy smile and nonchalantly kissed him deeply on the lips.
"Hiya, baby!"
she murmured before kissing him again and snuggling into his still-cold chest. Dan didn’t know if he was dreaming this
situation or not, but he wasn’t going to wake himself up if he was!
Finally,
he pulled back slightly from her and looked at her with utter curiosity.
"Hallie,
what are you doing here?" he asked dumbly, "How did you get here?"
Hallie smiled.
"That, my love, is a very long story that I won’t go into currently. Let’s just be happy that I am here."
"Well, how
long have you been here?"
Hallie laughed
softly. "About two hours, I should say."
"Two hours?"
Dan was beginning to smell a rat. "Wait a minute, was Mart a part of this surprise."
She admitted
slowly, "Yes."
Dan’s
mouth filled with a brilliant smile and he held her tightly. "Why, you little scamp! What have you been planning?"
Hallie looked
up at him. "Well, I did tell you to plan on my being home for Christmas, didn’t I?"
Dan moved
to take her hand and walk her to the big couch further in the living room.
"That you
did, my love. What I’m wondering is why the entire pretense? You had me feeling pretty lousy there for a while!"
Hallie had
the grace to look sheepish. "I know, honey, but it was the only way that I could truly surprise you." They both sat down on
the couch together.
Dan wrapped
his arms around her. "Well, you certainly did that!" he exclaimed and placed another soft kiss on her lips. They continued
to kiss for quite a while before Hallie pulled back, murmuring for him to please stop.
Dan followed
her request and pulled back from her slightly. "Why baby?" he asked. It had been months since they had last seen each other
and he wanted to make love to his beautiful and wonderful girlfriend.
Hallie’s
smile dimpled at him. "Because I have some things I need to tell you," she stated lovingly.
Dan looked
at her quickly, both hope and fear soaring in his heart simultaneously. "Are you pregnant?" he asked seriously.
"What? Oh,
no! Not anything like that, Dan!" Hallie blushed softly under the suggestion.
"Then what
is it, my love?" He caressed her face tenderly with his hand.
Hallie took
a deep breath and turned to better face him directly. "I’ve made some career decisions lately."
Dan was
surprised by this development. "Oh, really? What would those be?"
Hallie licked
her lips for a second, thinking how to best explain her decisions. "Well, during the USO tour, I realized that I didn’t
care much for traveling so far away from you and the rest of the Bob-Whites," she began slowly.
Dan’s
heartbeat picked up its tempo. "And?"
She smiled
slightly at his anxious tone. "And I have had some other job offers that I haven’t mentioned to you yet as I didn’t
know what I was going to do."
"What kind
of offers, Hallie?" his voice was very serious as he wasn’t sure if what she was going to tell him was something he
would like.
"Well, I’ve
been offered to tour the U.S. after my album went platinum. Also, Sony Records has been pushing me to make another
album right away. Then, I have received offers to be in movies and to act on Broadway."
Dan’s
head reeled at the extent of her offers. "Wow, those are quite some opportunities for you, Hallie! What are you going to do?"
Hallie moved
to snuggle into his arms better. "I had much time to think over the last three weeks with the USO tour and I’ve made
my decision."
"What is
that?" his heart beat harshly against her cheek as he waited for her to inform him of the actions that would so completely
effect his life.
"I figure
that J.Lo has been very successful with her music without touring and I could be, too, if I play my cards right. I might tour
later on, but I don’t see the need to do so now."
"That sounds
like sound reasoning," Dan supported.
"And I don’t
think I’m ready to try screen roles."
"Well, don’t
push yourself into anything you don’t think you will be comfortable doing," further supported Dan, still waiting for
her to tell him what she had chosen to do.
"But one
of the roles on Broadway that I was offered to play is the role of Eponine in Les Misérables which has always been one of
my favorites," Dan could hear her affection and passion for the role in her tone.
"Then I
think you should do it," he stated simply.
Hallie pulled
slowly out of his arms and looked deeply into his eyes. "That is what I intend to do, Dan, that and work on my next album
on the side," she said quietly.
"That sounds
like a great plan," Dan said, though he was confused by her tone as he sensed there was something else she wasn’t telling
him.
"That’s
my plan as long as you agree to do something for me, too," Hallie said these words hesitantly.
"What’s
that, love?" asked Dan softly, now very uneasy.
Hallie slipped
from his arms and off the couch and retrieved a small present from beneath the tree. She wordlessly handed the box to Dan
and kneeled in front of him, expectantly waiting for him to open the present.
With an
arched brow of a question, Dan ripped the silver paper off the present and came to a small black jewelry box. With wide eyes
at Hallie, he popped open the top part of the box and gazed silently at the masculine wedding band inside.
Hallie gently
took the box from his hands and Dan looked to her with wonder in his eyes.
"Dan Mangan,"
Hallie started, "in this last year, I have accomplished much in my young life. I’ve traveled the world and I’ve
achieved things that I never thought would happen in my life." She paused to gather her thoughts. "But I realized that nothing
meant a thing to me unless I had you in my life." She hushed Dan sweetly when he tried to interrupt. "And I don’t just
mean having you in my life every once in a while, or on the phone, or on the Internet. I realized that I need you in my life
always."
Dan’s
eyes filled with happy and disbelieving tears.
Hallie saw
this and smiled beautifully. "So, what I’m asking of you, Dan Mangan, is…will you please make an honest woman
out of me? Will you give me the most wonderful gift in my life by having you to come home to every night? I don’t want
to be away from you ever again!" These last words were spoken tearfully and earnestly.
Dan pulled
Hallie into his arms and kissed her fiercely. Soon, they were both kneeling on the floor and were lost in tender kisses.
Eventually,
Dan pulled back from her and ran his hands wondrously over her face and down her shoulders. Hallie looked at him with a dazed
glint in her eyes. "Dan, you never answered me," she said quietly, afraid of what he might say.
Dan laughed
outright at that. "Baby, of course I’ll marry you! I would be honored to be your husband and spend the rest of my life
with you. I can’t take any more days of being apart from you!" He started to kiss her deeply again. "Thank you for asking
me, honey."
When they
came up for air again, Hallie took the ring from the box and placed it on the ring finger of his right hand. Dan laughed at
the site of him being a kept man and mentioned that he would find a very special engagement ring for her, as soon as the holidays
were over. Then, he picked up his amazing love and carried her towards his bedroom.
It was time
to celebrate his love not only being home with him again, but for her being home with him for good.
The End
Santa Baby lyrics by written by J. Javits and P. Springer.
I'll Be Home for Christmas Words and Music by Kim Gannon,
Buck Ram, and Walter Kent, 1943, revised 1948 William Studwell.
Chistmas Without You originally created by Unknown, song
by Rick Astley, I believe.
