It's A Wonderful Life, Mr. Way

As the flight from LAX landed at Newark International Saturday, Miss Redmond remembered that she and Mr. Way still needed something for his Aunt Marie.

"Two words, Andie... GIFT CARD," Gerard explained. "I'll pick up one at Borders in the airport. Even my Aunt Marie reads...something."

Gerard's dad met them at the busy airport and first embraced Andie with a big hug.

"How are you, little lady?" Don asked, before they all started walking towards the busy baggage claim. "How's my son taking care of you?"

Andie's eyes met Gerard's. "Actually, Gerard takes really good care of me, Don."

"Good!" Don wrapped his arm around Gerard's shoulders, giving him a squeeze and studying his hair. "And look at you! I like it. It's about damn time, too, if you ask me."

"I didn't!" Gerard teased his dad.

Before they left the airport, with a cart full of luggage, Gerard stopped into Borders and picked up his aunt's gift card. He came back out to his dad and Andie, grinning at his own cleverness.

It was dusk as they pulled up to the familiar house in Belleville, and Andie noticed the colorful strands of lights that were already lit.

"Haha! I guess I got out of that one this year," Gerard commented from the backseat of his dad's car.

"Yeah... Your brother helped me when he was in for Thanksgiving," said Don, turning off the ignition.

As they climbed out of the car, Andie's cellphone rang. Jamia. She wanted to know if Andie would be ready shortly. They needed to hit the stores SOON if they were going to come away with anything other than Chia Pets.

When she closed the phone, Miss Redmond helped Gerard and Don carry their luggage to the house, before Gerard turned to his dad.

"She's going shopping with Jamia. So I guess you two are stuck with me tonight."

"Could be worse." Don headed down the stairs to the basement door as he called behind him. "Your Aunt Marie and Uncle Lewis will be here tomorrow."

"What??" Gerard protested. "I thought Mom said they were going to Ohio or some shit?"

"Change of plans. They're staying in town afterall." Don held the door open for Andie to go in first. "So they'll be here tomorrow afternoon before dinner, and then they're going to mass with us, too."

The elder Way paused as he closed the basement door behind them, turning to Andie who had just set down a large suitcase, then back to Gerard. "You guys are coming, right?"

Gerard looked to Andie and shrugged. "Do you wanna go?"

Andie shrugged back at him. "Sure."

Don then beamed at them both. "Good! Your mom'll be glad to hear that."

Gerard and Andie left their luggage as it was before they followed Don up the stairs to greet Gerard's mom. Donna was in the kitchen, nearly finished with dinner when she turned around to see the young couple walk through the doorway.

"OH MY GOD!" she exclaimed as she threw down the dishtowel and took in her son's latest appearance.

She walked up to him, grinning profusely, and touched his newly darkened locks, then looked back and forth between the couple...who had matched their raven-like hair color. "When did you two do this??"

"One day this week." Gerard smiled down at her, then kissed his mom's cheek.

Even though Gerard would always be himself, no matter what that meant, making his mom happy felt good. And Donna hugged him, then Andie.

"I hear you had another run-in with that creep?" Gerard's mom rubbed Andie's back affectionately as she hugged her, knowing full well the girl's troubles with an old friend.

"Yeah," Andie admitted as they pulled back. "But other than a deposition and a testimony, it's all over now."

"Thank God." Donna shook her head, sincerely concerned about Andie.

She then asked if everyone was ready to eat, as the baked ziti she'd prepared was just cooling. Mrs. Way had planned the meal to be ready just in time for Gerard and Andie to arrive. And the two were certainly starved for a home-cooked meal.

Just as Andie was pushing her half-empty plate away, swearing she couldn't eat another bite, the doorbell rang, and Don stood to answer it. As Gerard took another piece of garlic bread, Jamia came into the kitchen to claim Andie. And as Andie stood, her best friend grinned before the two girls hugged and greeted one another.

"Black? Wow, it actually looks good," Jamia said teasingly to Gerard, as this had certainly always been their way with one another.

"You say that as though you're surprised." Gerard smirked at Jamia, still chewing his bread.

"Yeah? And?" Jamia continued taunting him before she turned to Andie. "Hey...c'mon. Let's go spend some money, already."

Standing behind Gerard, Andie motioned to Donna to come with her as she left the room. Once they were out of earshot, Andie leaned towards her conspiratorially.

"Is everything ready?" Miss Redmond whispered.

"Yeah. Everything's set up in Mikey's old room. Just call the house before you get here and I'll meet you at the basement door like I'm doing laundry." Donna grinned at Andie.

"Okay!" Andie flashed her blue eyes and mirrored Donn'a grin before she left with Jamia.

*Soundtrack: "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Bruce Springsteen*
Think Happy Thoughts Playlist 1

Andie and Jamia were as close as ever. Not having seen each other in a few weeks, the phone calls and texting just didn't compare to hanging out together in person. And the two girls sang along with the Christmas songs that just about every station was playing on the radio as they headed into Newark to pick up a few last minute Christmas gifts.

Soon they pulled into the parking lot of a PetsMart just outside Newark, and Jamia then turned to her friend as they exited the vehicle together.

"I still can't believe you're doing this."

"Why not?" Andie asked with that unmistakeable playfulness.

A man in a Santa suit was by the door, ringing his bell and standing next to a Salvation Army bucket. And the girls stopped to drop some money into the bucket on their way into the store.

"Merry Christmas," he said without emotion, and without bothering to even look at the girls.

"Merry Christmas," the confused girls replied in unison. They then gave each other strange glances as they walked inside the store.

"Damn. I guess even Santa has a bad day once in awhile," Jamia joked.

Soon they found exacly what Andie was looking for, and the girls peeked inside a container housing several of the small creatures.

"So...how do you choose one?" asked Andie as a young salesman came over to help.

"Honestly?" he inquired, overhearing Miss Redmond's question...and giving her a hard time. "Stick your hand in there and see if it tries to bite you."

"WHAT?" Jamia was taken aback. "I'm not sticking MY fuckin' hand in there."

The salesman then seemed to reconsider his approach. "I'd go with one that's playful. They should be active at this time of night."

Meanwhile, back at the Way house, Gerard's mom had him alone in her and Don's bedroom. She pulled out the small, square, black jewelry box and handed it to Gerard.

Gerard smiled at her before he opened it to find the ring inside. It was just how he remembered it...so far. He pulled it out of the plush fabric and rolled it between his finger and thumb, studying it in the light. He then admired the inscription that his mom had taken the liberty of having engraved inside the band for him.

"Mom...this is great..." Gerard stared at it in astonishment, then grabbed her in a hug. "It's actually even more beautiful than I'd thought it would be."

Donna smiled over her son's shoulder. Undoubtedly, her son was considering what it would be like when he handed that ring to Andie.

Before they left PetsMart, Andie picked up all the food and supplies that would be needed for her purchase. And soon she and Jamia were on their way out the door together with everything in a shopping cart. But the Santa outside was still ringing his bell when Andie dropped another, larger bill into his bucket.

"Merry Christmas," he remarked in the same tone as before, still not looking at them.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, SANTA!!" Miss Redmond exclaimed, beaming at him as he looked at her strangely. And the girls hurried off together, giggling at one another.

During the drive back to Gerard's parents' house, Andie and Jamia stopped at Starbucks, but drank their warm coffee in the car. Jamia was a little apprehensive about leaving Gerard's...gift...in the vehicle alone.

Just like Donna had asked, Andie called the house as she and Jamia started up the street. And when Jamia pulled up to the curb, Andie turned to say goodbye to her best friend.

"You have a Merry Christmas, Jamia. Tell Frank, too. Okay?" Miss Redmond smiled warmly.

"Same to you! I'm sure Gerard will love it...even if it's not a dog..." Jamia teased.

The girls hugged as Andie quietly brought her purchases in through the basement door, where she secretly met Donna. The two women snuck up the stairs, past Gerard and Don, who were watching the end of "Scrooged". But glancing into the living room, Andie couldn't help but notice that the two Ways both sat with their stocking feet crossed in front of them, and their arms folded over their chests as they stared at the TV.

Andie followed Donna to Mikey's old room, where she put Gerard's gift in the home Donna already had waiting for him there. And Gerard's mom studied her son's gift as the little guy familiarized himself with his new surroundings.

"He IS kinda cute, isn't he?" Donna admitted.

As Andie came into the living room to greet Gerard and Don, Gerard, already in his pajamas, looked up in surprise.

"When did you get back?" he asked, bringing his legs down and sitting upright so that she could walk between the couch and the coffee table.

"Just now," Andie answered nonchalantly as she glanced at the stockings hung on the mantle by the Christmas tree. "What?? You guys..."

For every member of the Way family, Donna had a personalized stocking hung by the fireplace with each of their names handwritten on the top. And that now included one for Andie.

Gerard watched the adorable young woman with a smile. He just knew she would enjoy his mom's quirky little ways of making the holidays special for the family.

"Oh! You like those? Donna did that." Mr. Way grinned over at Andie.

"Donna...that was so sweet of you," Andie remarked before she finally took a seat beside Gerard. "Whatcha guys watchin'?"

"'Scrooged' just went off," Don replied. "They've been playing Christmas movies all goddamn day. I think 'It's a Wonderful Life' is on next."

"REALLY?" Andie couldn't hide her excitement, and Gerard's eyes went wide at her before he placed his arm around her.

Considering the era it was from, it should have been a given that she would love that movie. "Ohh...yeah. I shoulda known..."

"Well, since it's like three hours long, I'm getting MY pajamas on first," Miss Redmond remarked, then jumped up and hurried downstairs to change.

When she came back in her zip-up footy pajamas, Andie sat next to Gerard, and he curled his arm around her shoulders. She smiled up at him as she snuggled against his side, and as the old black and white movie began. Together with his parents, Gerard and Andie watched as the film's opening sequence showed an aerial shot of the Bailey house. The scratchy old audio that Andie firmly believed only added to the nostalgia of the film, was of the prayers from Mr. Bailey's family members and loved ones.

"I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father."

"Joseph, Jesus, and Mary, help my friend Mr. Bailey."

"Help my son George tonight."

"He never thinks about himself, God; that's why he's in trouble."

"George is a good guy. Give him a break, God."

"I love him, dear Lord. Watch over him tonight."

"Please, God. Something's the matter with Daddy."

"Please bring Daddy back..."