People like me

Seeing Rosetta as she answers the door, Sparky unintentionally does a double-take before he can get himself to reply. "Oh well, you know me... Mr. perfect timing." He rolls his eyes and grins, following her to the kitchen. "Boy, something sure smells good."

Standing with his hands in his pockets a moment, he finally sits down, watching Rosetta finish up dinner. "Um... water's fine, thanks."

He picks up a fork, fiddling with the tines, seeming a little more on edge than normal. As the table is set, he chuckles. "It's a good thing Mick's got plenty to keep him active... with you cooking a spread like this, he's got to work hard just so he doesn't gain fifty pounds." His wink in Rosetta's direction, proves the tease is really a compliment.

Once both are seated, he looks across the table at her, cocking his head. "You look nice tonight, Rosetta... thank you for having me over."


Cindy laughs as she is guided from the front door through the house. She steps carefully without being able to see a thing, having no idea what her husband was doing.

When she's finally allowed to see, she puts a hand to her mouth, her eyes starting to fill. Turning to look up at Wes, a smile spreads on her face, her gaze full of love. "Oh, Wes..." Wrapping her arms around him, she kisses his lips then just hugs him, nestling her face into his arms. "You make me feel so special." And he did... he made her feel just as special today as he had while they had dated. She knew she was a blessed woman to have a man like that. She would miss him so much when he had to leave to go overseas.

But trying not to dwell on that unhappy thought, she pulls away, leaning down to smother Kaylee in kisses. Kaylee squeals with delight and bangs her spoon on the high chair, very ready to eat.

Cindy laughs and takes her seat across from Wes, her smile making her glow. "Thank you... this is the best 'thank you' I could ever receive."


"Ah!" Clint squirms at the elbow to his ribs, which tickled more than it hurt. Seeing Chase gurgling in amusement, he smirks. "Yeah, side with your mother, will you? That's not fair"

Jade giggles at her cousin from across the table. "He's already showing smarts, Clint."

"Heeeey." Clint warns her teasingly. "Watch it." His foot kicks her shin under the table.

"Ow!" Jade jumps and goes to slap Clint's hand, but as she reaches across, her arm hits his glass of water. The drink goes flying, spilling all over the table... all in Clint's direction.

Clint is on his feet in an instant, but it was too late - the water had gotten him down the front of his shirt and onto his jeans... in the worst place possible. If that wasn't bad enough, in too much of a hurry to stand, his foot catches the leg of his chair. Overcompensating so he doesn't fall into Wendy and Chase, he goes the opposite direction... all the way to the floor.

Jade stands quickly, her eyes wide. "Oh, Clint!"

The crash of him and his chair is loud enough that most heads in the room turn to see what in the world is going on. Jim and Becky are just at the next table over, and Jim looks down at his son in surprise. "What on earth are you doing?"

Clint blinks, a little dazed from hitting his head on the hard floor. Before he can answer, laughter hits his ears.

Jade tries... she really does, but it's no use. Even though a hand is over her mouth, the laughter just won't be held back. "Are... are you okay?"

Clint's eyes narrow and he sits up, throwing his arms in the air. "I'm fine," he states loudly. "Everything is under control. You may all go back to eating now. There's nothing more to see here!"

Jade sinks down in her chair, her laughing making her sides hurt as she shakes. Leaning into Dan, she turns to hide her face against him, feeling terrible that Clint fell, but it had been way too funny not to laugh... especially when he stands up, revealing what the water had done.

Clint's eyes start to water from his own laughter that he was not allowing to come out. Eying Wendy, then Jade and Dan, he lifts his chin in defiance and picks up his chair. "If you all will excuse me for a moment." Lifting the chair above his head, he starts to take it away, but alas... water on the floor had created a slick spot he hadn't seen. Down he goes all over again, but this time the chair is flung as he falls, shooting in between the other tables all the way to the wall where it lands with a resounding bang.

Before Clint lets his head drop, he can only mutter one thing. "Chairs. I hate chairs."


Gage listens quietly as Sapphire explains the meaning of the holiday, finishing his breakfast, then just sitting, intent on understanding what she was saying.

When Sapphire is finished, his hands are in his lap, his shoulders down and his eyes holding the most thoughtful look. For a long time, he just tries to process. Once could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he tries to put all the pieces together and understand.

"So that story... about God... and Jesus..." He cocks his head. "I mean... the one about Santa Claus... people have just made up a lot of stuff like based on legend. But... the one about God... you're saying that one is true?" Confusion clouds his mind and frustrates him a little because he wasn't sure how to ask what he wanted to know. "I mean... you said Jesus came to save people... like, so they could go to Heaven? But you mean the good people... right?" He didn't have to say what the rest of the question was behind his eyes... his body language said enough... had it been words, the rest of the statement would have been, "not people like me."