Kav, the explantion of a snowflake ring is just lovely!!!

Now Jack go Sue and get down on one knee and Sue, honey, say YES!!!

Sam

Kav, my heart is thumping and the tears are flowing - this is absolutely beautifully created, beautifully written, just simply beautiful!!!

And I love that Myles has managed to save his soul by offering to pay for the ring!!!

Joy

I'm off to finish my shopping (husband in tow). I doubt that parents find that Christmas store very often anymore, however our children still manage to produce priceless, one of a kind gifts from it!

That' line really tickled me. You've captured a side of Myles that I really like.

Awww! Myles is going to pay for it all? It's very sweet of him to offer!

So true. So true.

Jack bought a ring!!!!! I am so excited for him to give it to Sue!!!! I just know it is going to make me either or

I can't wait!

Em

oh sue is going to say yes......... she is going to jump up and down and say yes....what a wonderfull post really amazing...i love how mrs C was fuzzing over myles miracle...myles is such a sweety pie...

kav you need to find a good woman for that man.

I never would have thought of a ring like that. But, that's why you're Kav. You think of everything. Makes me wonder if it's just a gift-kind of ring or an engagement-kind of ring. The latter, I hope.

“Snow?” She wasn’t quite awake and was having difficulty grasping why they were clustered at her front door early Saturday morning.

“Snow!” The bundled children solemnly confirmed.

“SNOW!!!” The last of her sleepy haze cleared in a second and her eyes widened in delight as she looked past them and out onto the street. Their first real snow storm. She had hoped it would escalate into something substantial over night and here it was, the landscape a level white making it impossible to tell where the sidewalk ended and the street began.

Tara’s whoop of joy could be heard around the neighbourhood and it beckoned even more children to her doorstep. Even the youngest knew the answer to this equation: Tara + a good snowfall = fun.

“Troops waiting for orders, sir,” one red cheeked cherub said with a smart salute.

“Skipping hockey practice, Marcie?” Tara asked, her head buried in the bottom of her closet. She latched onto the suspenders of her snow pants and pulled for all she was worth.

“No sir, it’s been cancelled because of the weather.”

With a squeal of surprise Tara flew backwards across her foyer brandishing a bedraggled pair of snow pants in the air. The troops cheered while Tara hastily plied on layer after layer.

“Hurry!” the lookout shouted from her porch stoop. “They’ll beat us to the park!”

“Not on my watch,” Tara muttered darkly as two eager assistants swathed her hands in waterproof ski mitts. “Rally ‘round Snowflakes and keep in step. Marcie lead on.”

With a hup two three four 6 children fell into formation following their leader along the snowy sidewalk. Tara brought up in the rear and it wasn’t long before the smell of snow got to her. It always did and the children squealed with delight when she gave the signal to charge. With whoops and hollers they pelted their way into the park, leaping over snow banks and rolling down the first hill. Looking more like snow children now they huddled round Tara who was equally as snowy and awaited instructions.

“Jenny, look out,” Tara ordered.

“Ah…do I hafta?” A pintsized pink bundled girl protested in a tone perilously close to a whine.

Five pairs of eyes looked scandalized and her older sister gave her a shove. “Go on! You know better than to refuse an order.”

Tara smiled at the little girl whose bright red pigtails poked out of her hat like antennas.
“You don’t have to, Jenny, but you are the best look out we’ve got.”

“I am?”

Tara nodded. “But it’s okay, Blair can go.”

“No!” Jenny shrieked. “I can do it! I can do it!” and she raced off back up the hill to crouch down on her belly so that she could peer through a hole in the cedar hedge.

“I heard they were making launching machines,” a girl with braces reported gravely.

“And Billy’s been collecting stones,” someone else volunteered.

“Stones aren’t allowed. They know that,” Tara said indignantly. “What about Brian? Isn’t he keeping track of them?”

“Nope – he took on extra shifts at Walmart for Christmas money.”

Tara huffed as she stamped out a curved line in the snow. How these girls managed to ferret out their information was beyond her. She smiled, thinking back to her own childhood. Well maybe it wasn't really a mystery. They were an impressive regime and Millie’s brother was on the other team. Or army as the girls called it, for this was a war after all. Boys against girls. It had started last winter when the boys began dominating the ice rink in the park. The girls had complained it wasn't fair and Tara, who liked a spin round the rink herself could see their point. Brian – the college-aged ‘rink brat’ who took care of the ice and supervised the kids on evenings and weekends and was hockey mad sided with the boys. A friendly skirmish turned into a snowball duel and then into a full-fledged battle, the champions winning the ice rights for a day.

“Get started,” Tara commanded once she was satisfied with the strategic placement of her outline. A rainbow of mittened hands set to work, rolling and patting and building until the foundation was laid. Then they started on the walls. Their fort was about two feet high when the alarm sounded.

“Boys!!!!” It was clear to see why Jenny was the chosen look out – her voice carried piercingly through the wind, reaching their ears and everyone else’s in a five-block radius.

One of the adults out on the street who looked up in mild alarm at the sound was Bobby Manning. He wasn’t quite sure what he was doing up at this ungodly hour on a weekend morning, let alone how he ended up here on Tara’s street. He had just parked in front of her house, where no doubt, she was happily sleeping in. She certainly wouldn’t take kindly to being woken up by the likes of him – and for what reason? That he’d suddenly taken a notion to go to the Christmas Store Sue had talked about and wanted to know if Tara would like to accompany him? She’d think he was crazy…and she’d be right.

He had been mulling this over when he heard the child’s terrified scream and his reflexes took over. He leapt the fence and headed in the direction of the plaintive cries, his heart in his throat.

Though an excellent town crier – Jenny was difficult to shut up. Tara had tried reasoning with her, ordering her, yelling at her to stop and even resorted to screaming back. Nothing worked, for Jenny loved the sound of her own voice and liked to experiment with her personal volume control. Even her sister pummeling her into a snow bank didn’t stop the energetic wail that was certainly impressive. The other girls were holding their ears and cringing at the bedlam while the boys Jenny had alerted them to came upon them and promptly dropped, rolling in the snow clutching their sides with laughter.

Tara was reduced to placing a mitt over the child’s mouth to at least muffle the piercing shriek, which she was sure would start an avalanche at any minute, when the child stopped mid scream. In fact the whole clearing grew eerily quiet as everyone gaped at the stranger who charged into their midst. He was brandishing a stick.

“Bobby!” Tara gasped with incredulous surprise.

SO very Tara like...and Bobby.....what is he doing there....

~laura michelle~

Howie is just a riot

Snowflak e diamond

Bobby in a snow fight? Wish I could see that

I see what's going on here... first we had Sue and Jack then there was Myles and Jack and now Tara and Bobby want to join our little group at the Christmas store. So Lucy is next and of course we have to get Sue back into the store ...hopefully with a snowflake on her finger. With Santa *cough* i mean Mr. C and Mrs. C and an elf named Howie...this is gonna be a Christmas to Remember.


*smirks knowingly while singing Amy Grant.*

Well for heavens' sake don't leave it there - the snow's liable to felt if Bobby gets started on Tara and what fun would that be (not to mention that as a parent you don't want to have to explain that particular phenomenon!

Ahhh! That would be so embarassing! *prepares to die on Tara's behalf* Tara and her snowball gang are cute!

i love snowball fights but we don't get much snow over where i live can we borrow some of yours please kav?

at least bobby knows why he was there now

cath

Kav

You are so writing my Christmas Special!

WOW great A snowball fight so like
tara and bobby great big kids at heart loved it more soon
please Kav Lin

Once and agent, always an agent.

Kav, Have I told you how magical I think this story is? I watched the Polar Express last night (After STFBE on I was over) and it struck me again how beautifully you have captured the magic of this story. It makes me BELIEVE. I know, that by the end of this story, our favorite characters will be able to hear the bell again. Your story has made me be able to hear the bell ringing clearly once more.

Thanks for making this story so magical!

Kim

Kav, you have hit Tara right on - I can so see her doing this with the kids!! Her excitement is leaping right off the page!!!

You know what I think is going to happen?? I think Bobby is going to fill in on the boys' team and the battle will go on!!!

I'm with you, Kim, there is no way to read this wonderful story of Kav's and not hear the bell once more!!!

Joy

I just so loved this line. I bet you've met a Jenny or two at the library, huh?

This sounds like so much fun and so like Tara and Bobby. I wonder if she'll do a cartwheel during the battle?

Bobby to the rescue!

Way to go Kav!

Beads of sweat trickled its way down her spine to pool in the small of her back, her overheated body a stark contrast to the numbness in her cold toes. They'd been at it for an hour -- since Bobby had quickly sized up the situation he'd stumbled into and promptly evened out the competition by joining the Boys' side. Tara had blithely assured her troops that Bobby had no experience with winter weather and snowball fights since he grew up in Australia. "He won't be a problem at all," she vowed confidently.

That was an hour ago, and though Bobby had grown up without snow, he was a fast learner. His first direct hit was on top of Tara's head. Even the girls had laughed at her look of utter astonishment. "This means war, Manning!" had been her battle-cry and a flurry of fort building and snowball throwing ensued. The rules were simple. Destroy the enemy's fort by snowball force only. The war wasn't over until one side surrendered or one of the forts was completely demolished, Tara's team was flagging. They'd put up a steady fight, but after an hour of direct hits they were beginning to cave. Jenny had given up entirely, choosing the peaceful pastime of snow angel making as much more satisfying. But Tara wasn't a quitter and she crouched down now, low in the snow, bent over the task of fortifying the east corner wall which had taken a direct hit by a volley of snowballs the boys had bombarded in a concentrated effort. And there in lay Bobby's strength. Strategy. He'd organized them like a swat team on a black ops mission and the boys were enjoying every second of it.

"Are we gonna hafta surrender?" Jenny asked forlornly as she sucked miniature snowballs off her wool mitts, her snow wet bottom wedged into an angel middle.

"Not on your life, sweetie," Tara vowed.

Bobby overheard and smiled deviously. That's what you think now, luv, he chuckled to himself, suddenly finding the idea of Tara surrendering to him very appealing. He had ordered the boys to keep the girls occupied by volleying shots at the west embankment while he flanked the east side. Tara made it easy for him. Bent over her task of reassembling their fort, she'd failed to notice his cautious advancement. The snow was cold, and he was sure half a park's worth was down his left boot. His leather gloves weren't a match for the frigid temperature and unlike Tara and the kids, he wasn't equipped with snowpants and his jeans were sopping wet but he wasn't about to give up to a bunch of girls. He was going to end this thing now, once and for all. He wriggled forward, plowing his long body through the snow observed only by the snow angel half way up the hill.

Jenny's warning cry came too late to save Tara, Bobby leapt from a crouch with lightning speed, spraying snow everywhere. The girls screamed as he lunged for Tara, grabbing her from behind and scooping up a handful of snow which he held over her head threateningly.

"Say mercy or I'll show none," he growled in his best caveman grunt.

Tara rolled her eyes and pressed her lips together in mute denial.

"Ah, luv, I really didn't want to have to do this."

His voice slithered over her skin as his warm breath teased the tendrils of wet curls by her ear. That man's voice is magical! she thought in a liquid daze and then the languidly warm feeling was suddenly replaced by something icy and cold running down her neck. She gasped and twisted and because he was a gentleman and didn't want to hurt her, his grip wasn't tight and she easily slid her back out from under his hand...to replace it with her front.

She froze and so did he, their eyes meeting and conveying the same blind panic for as Tara twisted, Bobby's hand, nestled beneath her jacket and shirt and half way down her back, had dragged over her shoulder to settle just below her collar bone. The snow should have left a cold trail, but Tara was only aware of a scorching burn marking the path his hand had traveled.. Thank goodness he's wearing gloves! she thought inanely, for she was sure her skin would be blistering by now had his bare skin touched hers.

He, on the other hand, was cursing the leather that prevented him from feeling the tantalizing flesh at his fingertips. "Sorry, luv, but I did warn you," he murmured, taking his time removing his hand, but leaving a trail of snow in its wake.

"I didn't think body contact was aloud," Blair objected. "Tara you said no..."

"She's right, Those are the rules. And that means you have to forfeit the game, boys. What a shame!" Tara turned over-bright eyes and flaming cheeks away from the man planted solidly in front of her and eyed the crestfallen boys.

"That's not fair. Bobby didn't know," the oldest boy protested.

"So sad, too bad, that was your job to tell him, wasn't it?" Tara retorted with a sassy toss of her head.

Bobby grinned. She seemed to have reverted back to her childhood. She would have been a harridan as a kid, he decided. Her energy levels alone must have kept her mother on her toes. Tara was bouncing on hers now, fairly gloating with childish triumph.

"So you mean the battle's over?" Bobby asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Tara tilted her head to snub her nose at him. "Yep -- and the girls are the victors!" Shrill cheering filled the air as the girls leaped up and down in an impromptu victory dance.

"Good -- then that means we can dispense with the rules." Bobby's eyes had suddenly become all businesslike as he advanced on Tara, invading her space.

Tara took a step backwards. "What do you mean?"

"Just that things are about to get a whole lot more interesting Agent Williams." With a flick of his wrist Tara found herself flying through the air, too surprised to even scream.

He was there when she fell, his large body cushioning the impact and then they were rolling over and over down the hill until they ended up in a tangled heap at the bottom. Bobby's legs straddled her waist as he rose up over her, laughter leaving his eyes as his gaze darkened and he studied the outline of her lips with new interest.

"Bobby?" Tara squeaked through a mouthful of snow.

Her lips looked chilled and he drew off one glove reaching down to lightly wipe away the residual powder around her mouth with his forefinger. The sensitive skin was cold to the touch, but he could tell her cheeks were burning hot. he leaned forward until his hands rested in the snow, framing her face. He flexed his biceps and slowly lowered himself in a facsimile of a push up. There was just an infinitesimal wind span between their bodies when they were surrounded by a gaggle of giggling children, all jostling to join the pileup and the moment was lost...ended before it had really begun. Or merely postponed.

WOW....I think I need some of the snow

~laura michelle~

You had me all fuzzied up until that last bit....grrr

That was great! So well written!

-> ->
Terrific writing, Kav! I always look forward to reading anything you write!

Kav that was wonderful more soon please Lin

Not to be greedy but I think since its Saturday you should really post more than once. I'm pretty sure that is written in the challenge rules somewhere...

Bobby keeps ending up sitting on Tara - you would think one of them would remember the first time that happened!!!

Pam is right!! I believe the rule reads that anyone in the challenge whose name starts with a "K" has to post twice on Saturday and three times on Sunday!! I could be wrong.........!!!

Joy

Saturday? What's that? I worked at the college today...and I have to work tomorrow as well...and then five days in a row not to mention the nights before I actually have an honest to goodness for really real weekend! Just a snippet before bed. More tomorrow.


"Jack treating you well?" Myles glanced sideways at his companion as he merged into traffic after picking her up outside her apartment.

Sue smiled serenely, a faint blush touching her cheeks. "You know he is."

"'Bout time."

"Myles!"

"So -- did he give you a hard time about today?" He grinned inwardly, imagining Jack's impatience and curiosity. Not a good combination in anyone, but in a federal agent, well, there was no telling what Jack would do.

"I held my own and he’s resigned to spending the day without me," Sue assured him. “It’s not like we’ve made a habit of spending our Saturdays together.”

Myles noticed the secretive smile and wondered that Sue hadn’t caved under Jack’s persuasive techniques. The fact that this was Jack and Sue’s first Saturday as a couple hadn’t gone unnoticed by him and he felt a trifle guilty about monopolizing Sue’s time. Conscience warred with need and he found himself reluctantly offering to drop her off at Jack’s before heading on to the church.

“And miss your performance?” Sue sounded genuinely shocked that he would suggest such a thing.

“It’s not like you can…well, you won’t be missing much,” Myles fumbled lamely. He was surprised when he felt Sue’s hand close over his on the steering wheel.

“Myles I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I’m so proud of you.” And her eyes did glow with an emotion that humbled him.

At a loss for words, he gave her an awkward smile. “Thank you.”

They drove in silence for a few minutes; Myles nervously tapping out the temp to his solo piece on the steering wheel as he hummed the melody under his breath. Sue noticed the agitated movements and sent a silent prayer heavenward. Please be with him today. Let him feel your love and help him find his place.

Myles had never been so nervous. He had been busy listing a litany of plausible excuses all morning long. Several of them had been on the tip of his tongue when he pulled up in front Sue’s apartment, but they had died on his lips after taking one look at her. She was so excited and so proud of him! He knew he couldn’t let her down, but at the same time he feared that by going through with this, he inevitably would.

“You have an amazing voice,” Sue’s quiet conviction penetrated his cluttered mind and he remembered to turn his head in time for her to see his raised eyebrows.

“And you are such an expert…” he scoffed.

“I like to think I know a good thing when I see one,” Sue readily agreed.

“Sue, I…”

“You don’t hear them talking, Myles – the other choir members and the director. I can’t either, but I can read their lips and they’re impressed…by you. The way you carry yourself, the range of your voice, the fact that you haven’t had any formal training. You’re a natural and I suppose it’s only natural to have a few second thoughts before your debut.”

“A group of people gathering together singing a few carols in a musty old church can hardly be called a debut,” he proclaimed, brushing off the compliment.

“I think we’ll make your New Year’s Resolution How to accept compliments gracefully,” Sue teased.

“I’m not your special project, Sue,” Myles warned a bit too vehemently. “Just because I let you coerce me into singing in a choir this year and deliver blankets last year doesn’t mean you can just crook your little finger and I’ll do your bidding.”

“Of course not, Myles,” Sue said so sweetly he glared at her. “Watch the road!” she protested when it looked like he was never going to take his eyes off her.

“Jack’s a lucky man,” was all he said as his attention returned to his driving. “By New Year’s you’ll be so busy burying Jack under New Year Resolutions that you won’t have time for me.”

“I’ll always have time for you, Myles. Friends make time.”

That was Sue, somehow knowing the right thing to say at the right time, making you feel ten feet tall and capable of hurdling over tall buildings in a single bound. And the lady believed in him, Myles Leland III and counted him as a friend. He was getting all choked up again and he wasn’t an emotional man. Sarcastically witty and bitingly blunt perhaps, but never emotional until last night.

He didn’t know what to believe. The evening’s events had all blurred together until he wasn’t certain what was real and what he had fabricated. He had tangible evidence in his pocket – a little something he bought at the Christmas Store for Sue to say thank you for all her encouragement. But now, in the light of day, the feelings he’d begun to nourish so hopefully in the night had deflated, leaving him feeling flat and a little on edge. He just couldn’t make up his mind about certain things…and certain people.

“Speaking of Jack…” he said ominously, eyeing a vehicle two car lengths back through the rear view mirror.

“We weren’t talking about Jack, we were talking about you.”

“Well apparently Jack has other ideas. Look.”

Sue strained to follow Myles’ line of vision in the rear view mirror. Then she whirled around as far as her seatbelt would allow and stared out the back window in consternation. “Myles I swear I didn’t tell him anything!”

Myles smiled grimly. “I believe you, Sue. You just forgot what an intrepid gumshoe Agent Hudson is. After all, he is part of the best team the Bureau has to offer!”

“Oh Myles, I’m sorry. I know you wanted to keep this day quiet, though I can’t begin to understand why you don’t want to share your accomplishments with all your friends.”
“Spoken like the princess who was adored by her family,” he replied, his voice tainted with a touch of sarcasm which he immediately regretted. “Sorry. Let’s just say that I grew up without a cheering section.”

Sue glanced at her watch. They didn’t have much time. Myles was due for rehearsal in less than an hour. The doors would open at exactly two o’clock for the Christmas Carol Concert. Oh Jack! Why couldn’t you just leave well enough alone? she wailed silently.

“Ready for some fun?” Myles asked suddenly as he groped below his dashboard. He slapped the emergency light on top of the dash and activated the siren and flashing light.

“That depends. What did you have in mind?” Sue asked cautiously.

“Ditching our tail.”

This was great...I am sorry about your work schedule Keep up the good work as always Kav.

This is so much fun!! It's funny, I was wondering if Jack might have tried to follow them when he showed up!! Myles, go for it - I wonder if you can lose him???

Kav, I'm sorry you had to work today and then again tomorrow!! I was teasing - I can't help it if your stories have become an addiction!! Every post is better than the last!! I will be quiet and wait patiently - take your time!!!

Joy

Another great post!



I totally agree.


Good luck with your work schedule Kav.

Okay Myles. Don't get too carried away. You have a concert to perform and we would like you, Sue and Jack to make it there in one piece.

Kim

Yep, she's right. Every post is better than the last!

And you started out great!!!!

Isn't there something in the rules that say you have to pick up with the same people you left off with on weekend posts?

especially when you leave them **together** in a snow bank trying to get rid of the neighborhood children?

darn kids!

KAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV!!!!


I wuv you bunches and bunches.... may i please have bobby and tara posts to read when i reach the library tomorrow.... ? (Because you know he'll catch his death if you leave him in wet jeans for too long.... hmmmm and it will be awfully hard for him to get out of them...... **blushes** never mind...)

(for the record I expect to hit the first library around 3 pm pacific time.....)

I actually would have been suprised if Jack didn't follow them, Myles should have known he would after yesterday's conversation.
Can't wait to see if they can ditch him or not. LOL

Dianna

great post, love the reassurance sue gave myles, he's definately changed

jack, curiosity kille the cat you know......... sue is not going to be happy with you

cath

that was terrific kav loved how reasuring sue was to myles
but some how or other I cant see myles losing his tail more soon please
Lin

Jack, Jack, Jack, you little sneak! Though, I don't blame him. He just got Sue and she doesn't want to spend every waking moment with him -fakes gasp- what a shock! Oh well, he does have that investigative gene, doesn't he?

I loved Sue's silent prayer that "the Lord be with Myles during his performance" and also the phrase "friends make time". I wonder what Myles bought for Sue? And, I kinda hope they don't lose Jack so he can see what they've been up to. Wonderful, wonderful post!

Donna

wow this story is so exciting! you are amazing kav!

Something tells me that their tail (or is it Jack's tail ) isn't going to be 'ditched' so easily...

YEY I had loads of posts to catch up on.. and I'm just in awe! Loved it all Kav!

I was laughing so hard during that snowball fight that I think I woke up my sick hubby! Those little things you put it, like the quotes above, make your story magical.

I loved Myles and Sue, too. It made me sad to think of Myles growing up without a cheering section. Every child should have a cheering section.

Oh Jack, just leave it alone. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Myles will let you in on the whole choir and singing bit to the rest of the team sooner or later.

Those darn professors giving students papers and take home finals (which require the library for research) - don't they know there are better ways to spend December?

Gingerbread boy?