Secret Santa gift for sinaddict
Merry Christmas to sinaddict from your Secret Santa! I’ve never written a story about Francis and John before so I hope you like this… This was a real challenge and a LOT of fun to write from different characters' perspectives! :)
Title: A Holiday Surprise
Author: Kate
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Francis arrives home for the holidays and has a surprise guest. This takes place after the series had already ended. I’m assuming Bailey and Janet ended up together again and that Francis went to college…
Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to NBC, Sanders/Moses, Cynthia Saunders, and Stephen Kronish.
Francis Malone smiles and rolls her eyes.
“Dad, I’ll be there in a second,” she says into the cell phone. “Seriously, I’m like around the corner.”
“I can’t help it, Frannie, I’m excited to see you. It’s been too long,” comes Bailey Malone’s voice.
“It’s been a month, Dad. I was home for Thanksgiving, remember?” Frannie answers, and steers the car to the right.
“Where are you, Frannie?”
“I’m pulling into the driveway, okay?”
Frannie hangs up the phone and turns the car off. By the time she opens the door, Bailey is standing outside, waiting for a hug. Francis closes the door and turns to hug her father.
“Merry Christmas, Frannie!”
“Merry Christmas, Daddy,” Francis laughs. Bailey holds her at arm’s length.
“You dressed up. You look beautiful,” he says sincerely.
“It’s the dress you bought me, Dad,” Francis says with a smile.
“Well, come inside,” Bailey exclaims before opening the backdoor and pulling out his daughter’s suitcase. With the suitcase clenched firmly in his left hand, he puts his right arm around Francis’ shoulders and leads her inside. Janet and Ariana are in the living room amongst the presents, waiting for Francis’ arrival.
“Merry Christmas, Mom,” Francis says, “Hey, Ariana.”
Janet gets up to hug and kiss her daughter. “It’s too bad you couldn’t come down yesterday, sweetie.”
“I know, Mom, but my internship is very important--”
“It’s okay, Frannie,” Ariana pipes in. “We waited for you to open the presents.”
“Thanks, guys. You didn’t have to do that,” Francis says, but Bailey can tell she is pleased.
***
Bailey lovingly looks at his oldest daughter and is amazed at the change she has undergone in the last four years. When she first came to Atlanta, alone, troubled, and scared, she wreaked havoc on him and the lives of his friends at the VCTF. After the shooting, despite the hell Francis caused, Bailey did everything in his power to help his daughter. Because he loves her. Because he knows of her potential. The shooting was a wake up call to Francis and after the court had allowed her set free, she stayed true to her word and went to college to study literature and psychology. Over the years, while Francis’ interest in literature remained true, Bailey was interested to find that she really enjoyed psychology most of all. He jokes with her once in a while that she takes after her old man, and she always smiles and agrees. Now, Francis is only four months away from graduating with a degree in psychology.
“And the youth center, you know, where I intern,” Francis says, “wants to hire me!”
“Francis, that’s wonderful,” Bailey answers, and means it.
“The pay isn’t so great, but the experience is more than worth it. I’ll have enough to pay off some of my loans and to rent a place. I decided to go for my masters and the youth center said they are more than willing to work around my school schedule.”
“I’m so proud of you, Francis,” Bailey says and kisses the top of her head.
“You know what I was thinking, Dad?” Francis asks, hugging one of the couch cushions.
“What is it?”
“I was thinking that maybe I might want to join the FBI. You know, become a profiler. Like you. And that old friend of yours. Sam.”
Hearing Sam’s name is like a jolt to Bailey, but he covers it well. “I guess we really are cut from the same cloth, Frannie. What made you think of becoming a profiler? You know the hours are long and it’s hard work--”
“I know, Dad. I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but I saw Sam over the summer.”
“What?”
“We crashed into each other at the grocery store. I mean, our carts collided. I told her what I was up to and she gave me her number. I’ve talked to her a couple times and she’s told me about being a profiler.”
“You could have asked me, Frannie,” Bailey says, a little hurt, but he tries to hide it.
Francis speaks quickly, sensing a bit of the old tension. “I know, but I wanted to be sure it was something I was interested in before asking you about it. And besides, I wanted to get a woman’s perspective. She gave me direction, Daddy. She’s the reason I got my internship.”
“Well, that’s fantastic, honey,” Bailey says, astounded. Francis did well in college but she really came into her own this past year. The internship at the youth center gave Francis so much including the confidence that she so sorely needed. To find out that Sam had had a hand in it doesn’t surprise Bailey except for the fact that he assumed Sam would have moved as far away from Atlanta as she could get.
Francis suddenly stands up and peaks outside. “Dinner’s at two right?”
“As usual,” Bailey says, turning to watch his daughter. “Your special guest should be arriving any minute now, huh?”
Francis nods and Bailey can tell she is nervous.
“Any hints as to who this mystery guest of yours is?”
Francis shakes her head. “It’s a surprise. But you know him.”
***
The doorbell rings and Francis shoots up and off the couch. She eyes Bailey nervously and follows him to the door. Bailey smiles at his daughter, trying to assuage her fears, and throws open the front door. Bailey looks confused.
“John, what are you doing here?” he asks, assuming John has come about an urgent case, not noticing that John is a bit more dressed up than usual. “It’s Christmas. Can’t it wait?”
John bounces nervously on the balls of his feet, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. When he speaks, his breath comes out in billowy white clouds. “Actually, Bailey, I’m here because Francis invited me.”
Bailey stands back, stunned, and stares at Francis. “Frannie?”
“Daddy,” Francis says. “Don’t be mad. I told him it was okay to come. He’s my special guest. We’ve been seeing each other, Daddy.”
“How long?” Bailey demands.
“Daddy--”
“How long?” he says again, his voice louder.
John steps inside, faces Bailey, and says, “Almost two years, Bailey.”
“Two-- you’ve been with my daughter-- Francis-- two years?” Bailey can hardly speak. “John, you’ve been going behind my back to sleep with my daughter and all the time you pretended to be a loyal employee?”
“Bailey, I don’t need your permission--”
“She’s my daughter, John!”
“And she’s an adult now, Bailey. If you haven’t noticed she’s blossomed into a full grown, beautiful adult woman who I happen to be very much in love with!”
Bailey stops, stunned yet again. “In love?” he mutters.
The color leaves John’s face when he sees the expression on Bailey’s. “I think I should leave,” he says suddenly.
“I think you should, too, John,” Bailey growls under his breath.
Francis begins to cry. “Daddy, it’s Christmas.”
“I don’t care if it is Christmas or any other day of the year!” Bailey shouts.
John turns and walks quickly back toward his car. Francis screams at her dad and leaves the house after John, slamming the door in her wake. John is backing out of the driveway as Francis reaches the car, shouting for him to stop. He stops in the street to put the car in drive and Francis opens the passenger door and jumps inside.
“Frannie, you shouldn’t be doing this,” John says, his voice tense.
“Just drive.”
“Frannie, your dad--”
“Fuck him!”
John and Francis stare at each other for a beat, their faces red, and then John lays his foot down heavy on the gas. The Porsche zips along the streets and in no time John pulls up to his apartment. He turns the car off but he doesn’t move. He remains in the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel, and Francis can tell that he is angry.
“John--”
“Don’t.”
“Johnny--”
John turns to face Francis, his jaw set. He speaks under his breath, fuming. “I thought you said I was welcome there.”
“I thought you were--”
“You never told Bailey I was coming! How did you think he would react?”
John twists back into his seat and stares out the windshield, his arms folded across his chest. Francis shifts her weight and inches closer to him until they are barely touching.
“Come on, John, don’t be mad at me. I don’t know what my dad’s problem is. Don’t you love me?” she whispers into his ear, her lips brushing against him as she speaks. She flicks out her tongue and teases him, playing with his earlobe.
“Francis,” John tries to say sternly but she can tell he is weakening.
“I said, don’t you love me?” Francis kisses down the side of his face until their lips meet. “I just want you to love me, John.”
John’s eyes are half closed but they shoot open when Francis says the last part. He grabs her shoulders, suddenly awake. “I love you, Francis. Oh god, I love you.”
Francis smiles and continues to kiss John, deeply, sensuously. “Let’s go upstairs,” she whispers, trying to get him back in the mood. But John is distracted.
“I have an idea,” he says. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
***
“Bailey, calm down,” Janet says sternly.
“Calm down? Calm down?” Bailey shouts as he paces back and forth in the living room. “How am I supposed to do that? One of my employees is screwing around with our daughter!”
“Bailey, it’s Christmas,” Janet pleads. “The holiday’s already been ruined for one of our daughters. Let’s not ruin it for Ariana, too.”
“Janet, John is the kind of guy who likes to mess around-”
“You heard what they said. They’ve been together for nearly two years. I hardly call that screwing around.”
Bailey pauses in mid-pace, Janet’s words sinking in. He takes a deep breath.
“Did you know about this?” Bailey asks grimly.
“Bail--”
“Just tell me, Janet. Tell me the truth,” Bailey repeats sternly, facing Janet with his hands on his hips.
“She told me,” Janet admits. “Over Thanksgiving.”
“You knew for a month and you didn’t say one word to me?” Bailey’s anger is reinvigorated.
“Bailey, just listen to me,” Janet reaches out for him. “She told me not to tell you. She said you’d be upset. She just wanted to talk to me first. We had a long mother-daughter talk. I didn’t want to tell you because it was the first time she’s talked to me like that since--”
Janet stops herself mid-sentence not wanting to say the word “divorce” but Bailey understands and looks up at her, tears in his eyes. His anger is immediately diffused and he reaches out for his wife and pulls her into an embrace.
“Okay, Janet. Okay.”
Bailey and Janet hold each other for a moment and suddenly they hear noise. Upstairs, Ariana blasts her music to dim out their shouting and Bailey instantly feels a pang of guilt.
“I should go talk to Ariana,” he says, and slips past his wife.
***
John revs the engine, a grin on his face. Francis just stares at him. He peels out onto the street, heading back towards the Malone residence.
“John, I don’t think we should go back there,” Francis says, suddenly timid.
“It’s okay,” he says, and shoots her another smile. “I’ve got a plan.”
“What did you go upstairs for?”
“You’ll see.”
In minutes, John and Francis are back in the driveway. John grabs Francis’ hand and squeezes. He looks at her and says, “Trust me.” Francis nods and they get out of the car and enter the house. Janet and Ariana are in the living room, Ariana unwrapping a present. Bailey paces nearby, puffing on a cigar. When he sees John and Francis, he stops in his tracks. Francis can see the vein in his temple pulsing but is relieved when he doesn’t speak.
“I didn’t want to have to do it this way, Bailey,” John says. “I had much more romantic plans. I wanted to ask your blessing first. But you’ve given me no choice.”
John takes Francis by the arm and whisks her over to the Christmas tree and waits until Bailey, Janet, and Ariana are all standing by, all with looks of shock on their faces.
John takes a deep breath and says, “Francis Malone, I love you more than I have ever loved anybody my whole life. I love you so much it aches in every bone. I think about you every minute, every second, of every day. I can’t imagine my life without you and I want you by my side forever. I want to make you happy. Francis, will you marry me?”
John takes a one carat diamond ring out of his pocket and, with a look of pure love and adoration on his face, he lifts it towards Francis. Her hands go to her mouth in shock and John hears gasps from Janet and Ariana. John hopes that Bailey isn’t about to have a heart attack.
“Oh, John, yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” Francis gushes.
John places the ring on Francis’ finger and stands, taking her in his embrace and they kiss in front of the entire Malone family. Janet and Ariana squeal with delight and immediately rush towards Francis and John with hugs and kisses and laughter. Bailey remains in place, not knowing how to feel. When the excitement dies down, Francis and John turn to face Bailey.
“Daddy?” Francis asks.
“Bailey, please,” John says. “Say something. I only want what’s best for Frannie. I love her. I want to be with her. I want to make her happy.”
“I love him, Daddy,” Francis whispers quietly.
Bailey takes a step forward, holding out his hand to John.
“I don’t like being left in the dark when something concerns a member of my family. Remember that, John. Even so, I’m afraid I’ve made an ass out of myself today,” Bailey says with a sheepish smile on his face. “Please forgive me. Welcome to the family, John.”
Bailey and John shake firmly, warmly, grins breaking onto both of their faces, and Francis jumps up and down with delight before jumping into her father’s arms.
After a moment, Janet Malone breaks in with, “Now, everybody into the dining room. It’s time for a Christmas feast.”
Everybody herds into the dinning room, the smell of turkey, potatoes and gravy thick in the air. Bailey tugs on John’s sleeve, holding him back for a moment.
“John,” he says, trying to choose his words carefully, “your father is a fool.”
“Well, he’s a lot of things. A fool is only one of them,” John jokes back as Bailey expected he would.
“John, I’m proud to have you as a son-in-law. I couldn’t ask for a better son. Thank you,” Bailey says, with tears in his eyes, his voice thick with emotion, “for loving my daughter. For making her happy.”
John feels tears sting his eyes. “You know I’ve always looked up to you, Bail. I never wanted anything but to make you proud.”
“I’m proud, John. I’m proud.”
The two men hold each other in a quick embrace that ends with manly back thumping and trying to wipe away tears of emotion before anybody sees, but Francis notices and in that moment, she is so happy she feels like crying. Francis and John’s eyes meet from across the room and Francis feels that she is finally whole.
Title: A Holiday Surprise
Author: Kate
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Francis arrives home for the holidays and has a surprise guest. This takes place after the series had already ended. I’m assuming Bailey and Janet ended up together again and that Francis went to college…
Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to NBC, Sanders/Moses, Cynthia Saunders, and Stephen Kronish.
Francis Malone smiles and rolls her eyes.
“Dad, I’ll be there in a second,” she says into the cell phone. “Seriously, I’m like around the corner.”
“I can’t help it, Frannie, I’m excited to see you. It’s been too long,” comes Bailey Malone’s voice.
“It’s been a month, Dad. I was home for Thanksgiving, remember?” Frannie answers, and steers the car to the right.
“Where are you, Frannie?”
“I’m pulling into the driveway, okay?”
Frannie hangs up the phone and turns the car off. By the time she opens the door, Bailey is standing outside, waiting for a hug. Francis closes the door and turns to hug her father.
“Merry Christmas, Frannie!”
“Merry Christmas, Daddy,” Francis laughs. Bailey holds her at arm’s length.
“You dressed up. You look beautiful,” he says sincerely.
“It’s the dress you bought me, Dad,” Francis says with a smile.
“Well, come inside,” Bailey exclaims before opening the backdoor and pulling out his daughter’s suitcase. With the suitcase clenched firmly in his left hand, he puts his right arm around Francis’ shoulders and leads her inside. Janet and Ariana are in the living room amongst the presents, waiting for Francis’ arrival.
“Merry Christmas, Mom,” Francis says, “Hey, Ariana.”
Janet gets up to hug and kiss her daughter. “It’s too bad you couldn’t come down yesterday, sweetie.”
“I know, Mom, but my internship is very important--”
“It’s okay, Frannie,” Ariana pipes in. “We waited for you to open the presents.”
“Thanks, guys. You didn’t have to do that,” Francis says, but Bailey can tell she is pleased.
***
Bailey lovingly looks at his oldest daughter and is amazed at the change she has undergone in the last four years. When she first came to Atlanta, alone, troubled, and scared, she wreaked havoc on him and the lives of his friends at the VCTF. After the shooting, despite the hell Francis caused, Bailey did everything in his power to help his daughter. Because he loves her. Because he knows of her potential. The shooting was a wake up call to Francis and after the court had allowed her set free, she stayed true to her word and went to college to study literature and psychology. Over the years, while Francis’ interest in literature remained true, Bailey was interested to find that she really enjoyed psychology most of all. He jokes with her once in a while that she takes after her old man, and she always smiles and agrees. Now, Francis is only four months away from graduating with a degree in psychology.
“And the youth center, you know, where I intern,” Francis says, “wants to hire me!”
“Francis, that’s wonderful,” Bailey answers, and means it.
“The pay isn’t so great, but the experience is more than worth it. I’ll have enough to pay off some of my loans and to rent a place. I decided to go for my masters and the youth center said they are more than willing to work around my school schedule.”
“I’m so proud of you, Francis,” Bailey says and kisses the top of her head.
“You know what I was thinking, Dad?” Francis asks, hugging one of the couch cushions.
“What is it?”
“I was thinking that maybe I might want to join the FBI. You know, become a profiler. Like you. And that old friend of yours. Sam.”
Hearing Sam’s name is like a jolt to Bailey, but he covers it well. “I guess we really are cut from the same cloth, Frannie. What made you think of becoming a profiler? You know the hours are long and it’s hard work--”
“I know, Dad. I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but I saw Sam over the summer.”
“What?”
“We crashed into each other at the grocery store. I mean, our carts collided. I told her what I was up to and she gave me her number. I’ve talked to her a couple times and she’s told me about being a profiler.”
“You could have asked me, Frannie,” Bailey says, a little hurt, but he tries to hide it.
Francis speaks quickly, sensing a bit of the old tension. “I know, but I wanted to be sure it was something I was interested in before asking you about it. And besides, I wanted to get a woman’s perspective. She gave me direction, Daddy. She’s the reason I got my internship.”
“Well, that’s fantastic, honey,” Bailey says, astounded. Francis did well in college but she really came into her own this past year. The internship at the youth center gave Francis so much including the confidence that she so sorely needed. To find out that Sam had had a hand in it doesn’t surprise Bailey except for the fact that he assumed Sam would have moved as far away from Atlanta as she could get.
Francis suddenly stands up and peaks outside. “Dinner’s at two right?”
“As usual,” Bailey says, turning to watch his daughter. “Your special guest should be arriving any minute now, huh?”
Francis nods and Bailey can tell she is nervous.
“Any hints as to who this mystery guest of yours is?”
Francis shakes her head. “It’s a surprise. But you know him.”
***
The doorbell rings and Francis shoots up and off the couch. She eyes Bailey nervously and follows him to the door. Bailey smiles at his daughter, trying to assuage her fears, and throws open the front door. Bailey looks confused.
“John, what are you doing here?” he asks, assuming John has come about an urgent case, not noticing that John is a bit more dressed up than usual. “It’s Christmas. Can’t it wait?”
John bounces nervously on the balls of his feet, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. When he speaks, his breath comes out in billowy white clouds. “Actually, Bailey, I’m here because Francis invited me.”
Bailey stands back, stunned, and stares at Francis. “Frannie?”
“Daddy,” Francis says. “Don’t be mad. I told him it was okay to come. He’s my special guest. We’ve been seeing each other, Daddy.”
“How long?” Bailey demands.
“Daddy--”
“How long?” he says again, his voice louder.
John steps inside, faces Bailey, and says, “Almost two years, Bailey.”
“Two-- you’ve been with my daughter-- Francis-- two years?” Bailey can hardly speak. “John, you’ve been going behind my back to sleep with my daughter and all the time you pretended to be a loyal employee?”
“Bailey, I don’t need your permission--”
“She’s my daughter, John!”
“And she’s an adult now, Bailey. If you haven’t noticed she’s blossomed into a full grown, beautiful adult woman who I happen to be very much in love with!”
Bailey stops, stunned yet again. “In love?” he mutters.
The color leaves John’s face when he sees the expression on Bailey’s. “I think I should leave,” he says suddenly.
“I think you should, too, John,” Bailey growls under his breath.
Francis begins to cry. “Daddy, it’s Christmas.”
“I don’t care if it is Christmas or any other day of the year!” Bailey shouts.
John turns and walks quickly back toward his car. Francis screams at her dad and leaves the house after John, slamming the door in her wake. John is backing out of the driveway as Francis reaches the car, shouting for him to stop. He stops in the street to put the car in drive and Francis opens the passenger door and jumps inside.
“Frannie, you shouldn’t be doing this,” John says, his voice tense.
“Just drive.”
“Frannie, your dad--”
“Fuck him!”
John and Francis stare at each other for a beat, their faces red, and then John lays his foot down heavy on the gas. The Porsche zips along the streets and in no time John pulls up to his apartment. He turns the car off but he doesn’t move. He remains in the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel, and Francis can tell that he is angry.
“John--”
“Don’t.”
“Johnny--”
John turns to face Francis, his jaw set. He speaks under his breath, fuming. “I thought you said I was welcome there.”
“I thought you were--”
“You never told Bailey I was coming! How did you think he would react?”
John twists back into his seat and stares out the windshield, his arms folded across his chest. Francis shifts her weight and inches closer to him until they are barely touching.
“Come on, John, don’t be mad at me. I don’t know what my dad’s problem is. Don’t you love me?” she whispers into his ear, her lips brushing against him as she speaks. She flicks out her tongue and teases him, playing with his earlobe.
“Francis,” John tries to say sternly but she can tell he is weakening.
“I said, don’t you love me?” Francis kisses down the side of his face until their lips meet. “I just want you to love me, John.”
John’s eyes are half closed but they shoot open when Francis says the last part. He grabs her shoulders, suddenly awake. “I love you, Francis. Oh god, I love you.”
Francis smiles and continues to kiss John, deeply, sensuously. “Let’s go upstairs,” she whispers, trying to get him back in the mood. But John is distracted.
“I have an idea,” he says. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
***
“Bailey, calm down,” Janet says sternly.
“Calm down? Calm down?” Bailey shouts as he paces back and forth in the living room. “How am I supposed to do that? One of my employees is screwing around with our daughter!”
“Bailey, it’s Christmas,” Janet pleads. “The holiday’s already been ruined for one of our daughters. Let’s not ruin it for Ariana, too.”
“Janet, John is the kind of guy who likes to mess around-”
“You heard what they said. They’ve been together for nearly two years. I hardly call that screwing around.”
Bailey pauses in mid-pace, Janet’s words sinking in. He takes a deep breath.
“Did you know about this?” Bailey asks grimly.
“Bail--”
“Just tell me, Janet. Tell me the truth,” Bailey repeats sternly, facing Janet with his hands on his hips.
“She told me,” Janet admits. “Over Thanksgiving.”
“You knew for a month and you didn’t say one word to me?” Bailey’s anger is reinvigorated.
“Bailey, just listen to me,” Janet reaches out for him. “She told me not to tell you. She said you’d be upset. She just wanted to talk to me first. We had a long mother-daughter talk. I didn’t want to tell you because it was the first time she’s talked to me like that since--”
Janet stops herself mid-sentence not wanting to say the word “divorce” but Bailey understands and looks up at her, tears in his eyes. His anger is immediately diffused and he reaches out for his wife and pulls her into an embrace.
“Okay, Janet. Okay.”
Bailey and Janet hold each other for a moment and suddenly they hear noise. Upstairs, Ariana blasts her music to dim out their shouting and Bailey instantly feels a pang of guilt.
“I should go talk to Ariana,” he says, and slips past his wife.
***
John revs the engine, a grin on his face. Francis just stares at him. He peels out onto the street, heading back towards the Malone residence.
“John, I don’t think we should go back there,” Francis says, suddenly timid.
“It’s okay,” he says, and shoots her another smile. “I’ve got a plan.”
“What did you go upstairs for?”
“You’ll see.”
In minutes, John and Francis are back in the driveway. John grabs Francis’ hand and squeezes. He looks at her and says, “Trust me.” Francis nods and they get out of the car and enter the house. Janet and Ariana are in the living room, Ariana unwrapping a present. Bailey paces nearby, puffing on a cigar. When he sees John and Francis, he stops in his tracks. Francis can see the vein in his temple pulsing but is relieved when he doesn’t speak.
“I didn’t want to have to do it this way, Bailey,” John says. “I had much more romantic plans. I wanted to ask your blessing first. But you’ve given me no choice.”
John takes Francis by the arm and whisks her over to the Christmas tree and waits until Bailey, Janet, and Ariana are all standing by, all with looks of shock on their faces.
John takes a deep breath and says, “Francis Malone, I love you more than I have ever loved anybody my whole life. I love you so much it aches in every bone. I think about you every minute, every second, of every day. I can’t imagine my life without you and I want you by my side forever. I want to make you happy. Francis, will you marry me?”
John takes a one carat diamond ring out of his pocket and, with a look of pure love and adoration on his face, he lifts it towards Francis. Her hands go to her mouth in shock and John hears gasps from Janet and Ariana. John hopes that Bailey isn’t about to have a heart attack.
“Oh, John, yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” Francis gushes.
John places the ring on Francis’ finger and stands, taking her in his embrace and they kiss in front of the entire Malone family. Janet and Ariana squeal with delight and immediately rush towards Francis and John with hugs and kisses and laughter. Bailey remains in place, not knowing how to feel. When the excitement dies down, Francis and John turn to face Bailey.
“Daddy?” Francis asks.
“Bailey, please,” John says. “Say something. I only want what’s best for Frannie. I love her. I want to be with her. I want to make her happy.”
“I love him, Daddy,” Francis whispers quietly.
Bailey takes a step forward, holding out his hand to John.
“I don’t like being left in the dark when something concerns a member of my family. Remember that, John. Even so, I’m afraid I’ve made an ass out of myself today,” Bailey says with a sheepish smile on his face. “Please forgive me. Welcome to the family, John.”
Bailey and John shake firmly, warmly, grins breaking onto both of their faces, and Francis jumps up and down with delight before jumping into her father’s arms.
After a moment, Janet Malone breaks in with, “Now, everybody into the dining room. It’s time for a Christmas feast.”
Everybody herds into the dinning room, the smell of turkey, potatoes and gravy thick in the air. Bailey tugs on John’s sleeve, holding him back for a moment.
“John,” he says, trying to choose his words carefully, “your father is a fool.”
“Well, he’s a lot of things. A fool is only one of them,” John jokes back as Bailey expected he would.
“John, I’m proud to have you as a son-in-law. I couldn’t ask for a better son. Thank you,” Bailey says, with tears in his eyes, his voice thick with emotion, “for loving my daughter. For making her happy.”
John feels tears sting his eyes. “You know I’ve always looked up to you, Bail. I never wanted anything but to make you proud.”
“I’m proud, John. I’m proud.”
The two men hold each other in a quick embrace that ends with manly back thumping and trying to wipe away tears of emotion before anybody sees, but Francis notices and in that moment, she is so happy she feels like crying. Francis and John’s eyes meet from across the room and Francis feels that she is finally whole.