Climbing Jacob's Ladder

"We need to wrap these and then get ready for the party, so I may not see you again until it's time to go," Kristen warned him.

"That seems like a long time to not be able to...see you," he told her.

"Well, it isn't going to be easy for me, either, but I'll at least be able to do something else with Rebecca. That was the most fun I've had in years!" she told him.

"I have to run home to change anyway so I'll be back around 7:45."

"Okay. See you then," she said without moving.

Jake knew she wanted him to kiss her as much as he wanted so he leaned over and kissed her softly then said, "See you soon."

"Bye," she said quietly.

The girls made short work of the wrap-fest thanks to Abby pitching in then went upstairs to get ready.

It was so cold neither of them needed to shower again. They just changed clothes then Kristen got out her curling iron to style her hair.

"Can we do mine, too?" Rebecca asked hopefully.

"I believe we can," Kristen told her. "I'm just not sure we should. I mean, you're already going to be the prettiest girl there. If we make you any prettier it won't be fair."

Rebecca giggled and gave Kristen another hug. "I love you so much, Miss Kristen."

"Hmmm. Guess what? I love you so much, too!" she said. "Okay, come sit down and we'll beautify you!"

When they finished with their hair, Kristen touched up her makeup then had Rebecca stand in front of her as they stood in front of a full-length mirror.

"What do you think?" Kristen asked.

"You look so pretty," Rebecca told her sincerely.

The truth was, she really did look amazing. The winter-white color was perfect and the knit dress showed off her very attractive body in the best way possible.

"So do you," Kristen told her. "I love your hair like this. It's so long and silky and this nice soft wave makes it even prettier. It looks perfect with your dress, too."

"I really like it. Thank you, Miss Kristen."

Kristen bent down behind her and put her hands on Rebecca's shoulders then said, "You're welcome, sweetheart. And you can just call me Kristen from now on if you'd like. I mean, we are best friends, right?"

"Yes, we are!" she said with a big, happy smile.

"Hey? Is there a boy you like at school yet?" she asked all of a sudden to avoid crying and messing up her mascara.

Rebecca giggled then said, "Well, I kind of like Travis Kingman, but don't tell my dad, okay? He says I'm too little to have a boyfriend."

"Oh, okay. Well, I guess as long as you're not kissing him, it's okay to like him," Kristen teased.

"Eeeew! Kissing boys is gross!" Rebecca informed her.

"Yes, it is, but in a few more years it won't be so bad," Kristen assured her.

"Like when you kiss Daddy?" she asked.

"Yes. Just like that," she said smiling happily herself as she put her arms around Rebecca and squeezed her. "Okay, I think we're ready to go."

It was almost 7:45 and Jake was pulling in just as they got back downstairs.

When Jake opened the door, they were waiting for him and he did a double take.

"Oh, my goodness. I thought I was at my mother's house, but this is clearly a beauty pageant," he said as he looked at one girl and then the other.

"Do you like my hair, Daddy?" Rebecca asked.

He knelt down and touched it and said, "It's beautiful, sweetie. Did Miss Kristen do that for you?"

"Yes, but I can just call her Kristen now 'cuz we're best friends."

"Oh, I see," Jake said smiling approvingly. "Well, you look absolutely beautiful."

He stood up and saw Kristen and shook his head.

"Wow. I knew you were beautiful, but...wow."

Jake kept looking long after he should have stopped and Kristen couldn't stop smiling.

"I had no idea I'd be staying for a Christmas party or I'd have brought something a little more...chic," she told him.

"No, you brought exactly the right thing," he told her. "Did I say 'wow' yet?"

He went to check on his mom who was also ready and waiting.

"Wow. I have three gorgeous women going to the party with me," he said.

"Oh, stop," his mother told him. "Listen, I'll drive by myself so you can spend some more time together."

"You'll do no such thing," Jake told her.

"Please ride with us, Abby," Kristen said. "Besides, I would love to sit in the back cab thingy with my new best friend."

Rebecca reached out and took her hand and said, "Please, Grandma?"

"Well, I guess I could do that," she said pretending it was a hardship.

They arrived just a few minutes after eight and every eye turned to look when they saw Jake. They looked again when they saw him holding hands with the woman who was there to buy out the factory.

One after the other they told Jake how good it was to see him then made sure to make Kristen feel welcome.

Jake made a few opening announcements and thanked everyone for coming then told them to have a wonderful time. No one asked about the looming sale and the possible loss of their jobs even when Jake didn't say a word one way or the other. Everyone was determined to have a great together even if this was their last opportunity to do so as a part of the same family.

No one had had any dinner so the four of them went over to a table filled with heavy hors d'oeuvres and loaded them up with whatever looked good. Rebecca loved the little sausages with crackers and cheese and happily munched on them as the adults sat and talked while they ate, as well.

"Where's that watch of yours?" Kristen asked when she noticed a bare wrist.

"I'm afraid it gave up the ghost," he told her. "It's funny but I feel naked without it."

Kristen laughed and said, "Well, maybe Santa will be good to you this year."

Jake looked directly into her eyes and said, "He already has."

Kristen looked back into his and told him, "He's been very good to me, too," as she leaned over and accepted a kiss. Neither of them noticed how many people were watching and neither of them would have cared.

"Daddy? Can we dance again this time? You know, like we used to do when Mommy came with us?"

He looked at Kristen who said, "No, please. Go dance with your beautiful daughter."

He set his plate down, stood up, then offered her his arm. "I believe we can," he told her as they went to the middle of the room.

Rebecca stood on his feet as they slowly twirled around.

"Daddy? Do you love Miss...I mean...Kristen?" Rebecca asked out of the blue.

"Hmmm. I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," she said with a big smile.

When the song ended, she was holding her dad's hand and led him straight back to Kristen. She took her hand and replaced hers with it then said, "Okay. Your turn!"

"I guess it's our turn," Jake said.

"I believe it is," Kristen agreed.

As the next song started up, Kristen stopped smiling and said, "I love this song."

It was called You Take My Breath Away by Berlin. The song had been made famous as part of the soundtrack from the blockbuster movie Top Gun in 1986, three years before Jake was even born. Even so, he'd seen the movie several times and also knew the song.

As he put his arms around her, the words rang out:

Watching every motion

In my foolish lover's game

On this endless ocean

Finally lovers know no shame

Turning and returning

To some secret place inside

Watching in slow motion

As you turn around and say

Take my breath away

Take my breath away

"You do, you know," he told her as they danced.

"I do?"

"You take my breath away, Kristen Richards."

He saw her blinking away tears again before she said, "Did you know I'm falling for you, Maverick?"

He smiled and said, "You should know I don't even have a photo of the MiG or any plane for that matter."

"That's okay," she told him. "I'll take you over Maverick any day."

They danced cheek to cheek and listened:

Watching I keep waiting

Still anticipating love

Never hesitating

To become the fated ones

Turning and returning

To some secret place to hide

Watching in slow motion

As you turn to me and say

Take my breath away.

Through the hourglass I saw you

In time you slipped away

When the mirror crashed I called you

And turned to hear you say

If only for today

I am unafraid

Take my breath away

Take my breath away

As the song came to a close, Jake softly kissed her and Kristen slid her arms around her neck. Both of them were taken by surprise when the entire room burst into applause then whistles and calls of, "Kiss her again, Jake!"

Kristen feigned being embarrassed but was thrilled when Jake dipped her then kissed her one more time.

They talked and danced and even occasionally kissed the rest of the night away and by midnight Rebecca could barely keep her eyes open.

"We need to get her home," Jake said.

"Poor thing," Kristen said as she saw her slumped over in a chair.

They said their goodbyes, wished everyone a Merry Christmas, then got ready to head back to Abby's.

They put Rebecca straight to bed who woke up long enough to say, "When do we open presents, Daddy?"

"When you wake up, sweetie," he told her. "Just like every year."

Kristen also hugged her then went downstairs with Jake after Abby excused herself to go to bed.

"I don't want this night to end," he told her.

"Me, either," she said. "But I have to call Geoffrey before we can take this any further."

"I admire you for having a sense of honor," he told her.

"It isn't easy asking to hold off considering how I feel about you," she admitted.

"I believe I'm feeling the same way about you," he assured her.

"Jake?" she asked. "I...I have some vacation days saved up. I mean...I could...well, if you wanted me to, I could..."

Before she could finish, he pulled her to him and kissed her for a very long time then said, "Yes, please stay. As long as you like."

"I might like to stay a very long time, you know," she warned him.

"I'm counting on that," he told her.

"Then, yes. I'll stay," she said pulling him down for another long, passionate kiss.

"I'm gonna leave Rebecca here tonight, but I need to go."

"I know," she said reluctantly. "Maybe you won't always have to leave me like this."

"I'd like that very much," he told her kissing her one more time. "I'll be back bright and early in the morning."

"Sleep well," she told him still holding him.

"I don't think I'll sleep too much tonight," he said smiling happily. "I'll be thinking about you and that means no sleep."

"I see we have something else in common," she said just as warmly.

"Okay...so...goodnight," he said kissing her again.

"Goodnight, Jake," she said slowly letting her arms fall to her side.

Once he was out of sight, she picked up her phone and hit the first entry on her speed dial. It was no surprise Geoffrey was still up as it wasn't quite 11pm in Seattle.

He took the news so well it would have upset Kristen had she not been so...so in love with this handsome young man she barely knew yet felt she'd known all her life. She wished him well and he did the same to her. And with that, she was now free and clear to pursue the things she realized she truly wanted the most: romantic love, happiness, and a family she could call her own.

Like Jake, she slept very little that night and got up at 6am still wide awake. Abby already had coffee on and Jake arrived twenty minutes later. They kissed hello then sat and talked as they waited for their little angel to wake up. She must have been exhausted because it was almost 7:30 before they heard her coming downstairs. Normally, she was up at least an hour earlier.

She hugged her dad, but asked to sit on Kristen's lap after hugging her.

"Of course you can!" she said lifting her up.

"Tell me when you feel like opening presents, okay, honey?" Jake said to Rebecca.

"Okay. I think I just want to sit with Kristen for a little bit. Is that okay?" she asked.

Kristen put her arms around her and held her tight.

"It's more than okay," she said as she kissed her neck.

A few minutes later, Rebecca announced she was ready and everyone gathered around the tree.

"Okay, honey. Go ahead and pass them out," Jake said.

Rebecca smiled the entire time as she proudly set every gift next to its owner as she told them who it was from.

"You first!" Jake said.

Rebecca sucked in big breaths every time she opened a present before saying, "This is just what I wanted!" and giving the giver a big hug.

"Mom?" Jake said before she opened the three presents in front of her.

"These are all just wonderful!" she told everyone as she set her gifts aside and waited for Jake and Kristen.

"Ladies first," he said.

She already knew what Rebecca had bought her because she'd paid for it at the mall. Even so she pretended to be surprised.

"A cashmere scarf and gloves! I love it, honey!" she told Rebecca giving her a big hug.

Jake pulled out a small box wrapped in pretty paper and said, "This one's from me."

"Don't worry, it's not an engagement ring," he assured her. "Not yet anyway."

The look in her eyes was well worth the cost as she unwrapped it and then opened the box with a pair of diamond earrings in it.

"I know we just met and this is way over the top, but..."

Kristen couldn't help it. She was crying openly as she looked at him before stopping him mid-sentence.

"I love them," she told him. "They're beautiful and they're perfect."

"Just like you," he told her. "You're beautiful and perfect and..." He looked at his mother and then at his daughter before finishing. "And...I love you."

Kristen's hands were shaking as she set the box down. She wiped her eyes with her robe and said, "And I love you, Jake." She motioned for Rebecca to join them then told her, "And I love you too, sweetheart."

Jake looked over and saw his mother was also crying.

"Rebecca? You're not crying?" her dad asked.

She was on Kristen's lap then said, "No. I'm not crying because I'm so happy and I'm so happy because my Christmas wish came true!"

"Oh, I have something for you, Jake," Kristen said handing him a box just a little bigger.

He tore off the paper the way men do then opened the box. Inside was a beautiful silver, Seiko watch.

"I didn't know what else to get you," she told him. "Do you like it?"

"Look! Now Daddy's crying!" Rebecca said.

He wasn't actually crying, but a tear had fallen down his cheek.

"I love it," he told her. He turned toward them then looked at his mom, too.

"I love all three of you." He wiped the corner of his eye with his sleeve then said, "Very much."

That night, after Rebecca fell asleep, Kristen stayed with him at his place making this the best Christmas either of them had had in many years. And the special gift they gave one another that night was definitely the best thing either of them had ever received.

Kristen took a week off and just before she left Jake asked her to marry him at The Machine Shed restaurant with Rebecca watching and hoping. She said 'yes' to the cheers and good wishes from everyone sitting around them and the biggest hug ever from the little girl who loved her.

She flew back to Seattle to resign her position knowing Jake had decided not to sell. She was determined to help him get the factory back on his feet, but even more importantly, she reveled in her new role as Rebecca's stand-in mom and four months later as Jake's new wife.

Within a year, sales were back up and just in time as Kristen gave birth to a baby a baby boy of her own whom they named after Jake's late father.

Kristen never learned to like the frigid cold of winters in Davenport, but no amount of snow or ice could put a chill on the love and happiness she'd found in this faraway place with a handsome young man she loved with all her heart. For Kristen Sanders, climbing Jacob's Ladder no longer held any interest to her. Her life was full and happy and revolved around raising her children and loving (and making love with) her wonderful husband.

She was often amazed at just how much there was to do in Davenport, Iowa, and how happy she was doing it with the people she loved the most.