Steeling a Dream:
Part 3: House of Steele (R)
Part 3: House of Steele (R)
Steeling a Dream:
Part 3: House of Steele
Part 3: House of Steele
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Steele Holting On
Chapter Thirty-One: Christmas Day
When Mildred stepped through the foyer door, she halted on the precipice of the living room, unwilling to
get caught in the crossfire of the wrapping paper battle occurring between Remington and Siobhán. The
teen had the undeniable upper hand as she used her mom and baby brother for cover. Remington glared
as he waited for his daughter to make a move.
Laura stealthily reached behind her, and Siobhán dropped a tight wad of paper into her left hand while
keeping a tight hold on Nick with her right arm. With a twinkle in her eye, she zinged a fast ball square
into Remington’s chest. He staggered backward comically and collapsed at Mildred’s feet.
“Foul play, I declare. Did you bring it?”
“I did. Merry Christmas, Mr. Steele.”
He got to his feet and planted a kiss on both of her cheeks. “Happy Christmas, Mildred. Eggnog?”
“I’d love some.”
Siobhán bounded up to Mildred. “Ms. Mildred, come see what I got for Christmas!”
Remington stopped her from bolting back into the living room as Laura came to join them, holding a
sleeping infant decked out in a red velvet sleeper and Santa cap. “Siobhán, you have one more gift from
all of us that Mildred was kind enough to bring over this morning.”
The teen’s grey eyes grew wide. “Another gift? Da, you and Mom are going to spoil me terribly.”
“I hope so,” Laura put in.
Mildred dug around in the large wicker bag she carried and came up with a pure black kitten with copper
eyes. With the long hair and squashed face of a pure-bred Persian, the yawning cat woke up and peered
suspiciously at the lot.
“For me?” Siobhán gasped.
“Aye, a stór. His name is ‘Ciarán.’ I promised ye as much.”
Siobhán fingered the Celtic cross pendant set with a tiny red stone in the center that her parents had given
her that morning and crossed her arms. She dashed tears from her eyes before she took the tiny kitten to
her chest.
Mildred watched with a light heart as Remington scooped his son out of Laura’s arms and set the infant
on his shoulder with practiced grace.
Mildred promptly nipped the newborn from him. “Nope. You’ve had him all morning. My turn.”
“Aye, then we’ll pour you some eggnog.” He pulled his wife into the kitchen while Mildred followed
Siobhán into the living room.
Sitting with her “grandkids” near the Christmas tree, Mildred watched the kitten bat around wrapping
paper and promptly get entangled in the ribbon. She looked up in time to see her kids locked in a
scorching kiss under the mistletoe someone had hung in the kitchen.
14 November 2009
Epilogue
When Mildred stepped through the foyer door, she halted on the precipice of the living room, unwilling to
get caught in the crossfire of the wrapping paper battle occurring between Remington and Siobhán. The
teen had the undeniable upper hand as she used her mom and baby brother for cover. Remington glared
as he waited for his daughter to make a move.
Laura stealthily reached behind her, and Siobhán dropped a tight wad of paper into her left hand while
keeping a tight hold on Nick with her right arm. With a twinkle in her eye, she zinged a fast ball square
into Remington’s chest. He staggered backward comically and collapsed at Mildred’s feet.
“Foul play, I declare. Did you bring it?”
“I did. Merry Christmas, Mr. Steele.”
He got to his feet and planted a kiss on both of her cheeks. “Happy Christmas, Mildred. Eggnog?”
“I’d love some.”
Siobhán bounded up to Mildred. “Ms. Mildred, come see what I got for Christmas!”
Remington stopped her from bolting back into the living room as Laura came to join them, holding a
sleeping infant decked out in a red velvet sleeper and Santa cap. “Siobhán, you have one more gift from
all of us that Mildred was kind enough to bring over this morning.”
The teen’s grey eyes grew wide. “Another gift? Da, you and Mom are going to spoil me terribly.”
“I hope so,” Laura put in.
Mildred dug around in the large wicker bag she carried and came up with a pure black kitten with copper
eyes. With the long hair and squashed face of a pure-bred Persian, the yawning cat woke up and peered
suspiciously at the lot.
“For me?” Siobhán gasped.
“Aye, a stór. His name is ‘Ciarán.’ I promised ye as much.”
Siobhán fingered the Celtic cross pendant set with a tiny red stone in the center that her parents had given
her that morning and crossed her arms. She dashed tears from her eyes before she took the tiny kitten to
her chest.
Mildred watched with a light heart as Remington scooped his son out of Laura’s arms and set the infant
on his shoulder with practiced grace.
Mildred promptly nipped the newborn from him. “Nope. You’ve had him all morning. My turn.”
“Aye, then we’ll pour you some eggnog.” He pulled his wife into the kitchen while Mildred followed
Siobhán into the living room.
Sitting with her “grandkids” near the Christmas tree, Mildred watched the kitten bat around wrapping
paper and promptly get entangled in the ribbon. She looked up in time to see her kids locked in a
scorching kiss under the mistletoe someone had hung in the kitchen.
14 November 2009
Epilogue