“Brady?” Marlena breathed. Her amber eyes widened as she took in the young man on her doorstep. Auburn streaks ran through his chestnut hair, long enough to cover his ears. A worn brown leather jacket hung on his broad shoulders, with an old baseball jersey peeking from underneath. His cobalt blue eyes sparkled with mischievous, and his slightly crooked smile caused her breath to catch.

“Surprise,” Brady laughed. No matter how much his mother said she despised surprises, the look on her face was always worth it. Her pale rose lips were slightly apart, trembling. Her golden specked eyes widened, then narrowed as she attempted to stall the crystalline tears threatening to fall down her flushed cheeks.

“Brady!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. “Oh baby, let me look at you,” Marlena said pulling back and grasping his face in her hands. “You look so much like your Daddy, so handsome.” She ran her right hand through his thick hair. “You need a haircut, though.”

“Maybe he’ll listen to you,” came a voice behind him. “I’ve been trying to tell him that for weeks.”

Marlena saw Brady’s fiancée, Natalie, standing a few steps back on wooden porch. Natalie Richard, was the daughter of a prominent French diplomat in Washington and Japanese translator at the U.N. in New York. Her mother’s Asian influence was apparent in her silky jet black hair, high cheekbones, and delicate features. Natalie’s most striking feature, however, she inherited from her father. Her almond shaped eyes were grey as slate, sometimes gaining a slightly violet hue. Marlena always said they reminded her of liquid silver.

She was a law student at Georgetown University, and her roommate in college was Jeannie Donovan. Jeannie introduced Natalie to her ‘cousin’, Brady Black, who was attending nearby Johns Hopkins. The two got involved and last March, after 3 years of dating, Brady proposed.

“Natalie!”

“Hello, Marlena,” the young girl said affectionately as she set her bags down to hug her mother-in-law to be.

“Come in, come in,” Marlena said, still trying to get over the shock of seeing her youngest son on the front step.

“Baby, who’s at the door?” called John’s deep voice as he rounded the corner and saw his youngest son. “Brady?”

“Hey, Dad.”

“Hey Slugger,” John said, pulling the young man into a bear hug. As they pulled apart, John gripped his son’s upper arms and held him still, looking him over. “You look good, kid,” he finally said with a big smile.

“He needs a haircut,” Marlena and Natalie both chimed. The older man laughed as Brady rolled his eyes.

“Natalie, it’s great to see you,” John said warmly, hugging her.

“It’s wonderful to see you too, John. I’m so happy we were able to come out to see everyone.”

“Speaking of,” Marlena piped up, “I thought you said that you and Natalie weren’t going to be able to make it to Salem for Christmas this year, Brady.”

“Well, we weren’t,” Brady stammered. “But then we were,” he said vaguely. “It’s a long story.”

“I like long stories,” Marlena replied.

“Yeah,” he muttered softly under his breath. “Where’s Belle?” John grinned at his son’s response to Marlena’s questions. Knowing he was only postponing the inevitable, John answered Brady’s desperate plea. “She’s in the T.V. room with her boyfriend watching a movie.”

“Ahhh, yes, the mysterious boyfriend. I can’t wait to meet him,” Brady said already headed down the hallway to the T.V. room.

Slowly twisting the handle, Brady quietly opened the door. Light from the hallway fled into the dark room, illuminating the couple on the couch. John Wayne was dragging Maureen O’Hara across the plush green fields of Ireland as “The Quiet Man” played on the television screen. Nick and Belle, however, were oblivious to the movie and the light as they sat on the sofa, lost in each other’s kisses. Brady turned to see his mother and father and Natalie come up behind him and glimpse the couple. They shared bemused grins as Brady raised his finger to his lips, telling them to be silent. He turned back the dark room and it’s inhabitants. Pausing for a moment to collect himself, Brady turned on the lights and hollered, “Get your hands off my sister!”

John, Marlena, Brady, and Natalie couldn’t hold their amusement in any longer. They burst into laughter as Nick and Belle jumped several inches in the air, startled by Brady’s outcry. Her embarrassment was quickly forgotten, however, when Belle saw her brother standing in the doorway. “Brady!,” she shrieked, quickly climbing over the back to the sofa and running to him. Her golden hair fanned around her head, as Brady lifted her off the ground and twirled her around.

“Hi, Beauty. I missed you.”

“Oh, I missed you too, Brade,” Belle replied. “It’s so good to see you.” Suddenly, Belle straightened. Her ecstatic grin is replaced with an annoyed frown and her eyes narrowed. “I thought you weren’t coming until Thursday,” she accused and punched his shoulder, somewhat playfully. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d be here earlier?”

“You mean you knew Brady and Natalie were coming?” Marlena asked.

Brady swallowed, as both turned to face him; their arms crossed across their chests, their jaws set with a determined look, their eyes searching for answers. He quickly glanced to his father, looking for help.

John stifled a laugh at his son’s panicked expression and shook his head. “You’re on your own, kid.”

Taking a deep breath, Brady turned back to his mother and sister. “Mom, I told you we weren’t coming home for Christmas, because I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to get away and I didn’t want to get your hopes up if we couldn’t make it. Besides, I wanted to surprise you if we could come. And I told Belle, because,” Brady paused a moment to think. “Well, because I always tell Belle. You know I can’t keep a secret from her.”

Belle let out a small “hmpf” at Brady’s last sentence. She glared at him disbelieving.

“Beauty,” Brady started, addressing his baby sister. “Natalie and I weren’t planning on coming out until Thursday, like I told you. But, I was able to finish my project earlier than I thought, and the case Natalie was working on ended unexpectedly.”

“The client’s ex-wife confessed last night,” Natalie explained, shrugging her shoulders.

“So,” Brady continued, “After Natalie finished all of the paperwork, we hopped on the first plane to Salem.” He finished and looked at Belle, then his Mom, trying to determine what they were thinking.

“You know I loathe surprises,” Marlena began in a serious tone, before smiling widely, “but, I’m just so happy you’re both here. I can’t muster up enough energy to mad.”

Brady sighed relieved, then looked to Belle.

“You could have picked up a phone, you know,” she said, pointing her index finger. “They have them all over.”

“Beauty,” he said coming closer.

“Don’t you dare,” she warned.

“What,” Brady asked innocently still advancing towards her.

“Don’t you dare tick-” was all Belle was able to get out before Brady grabbed her and began to tickle her stomach.

“Stop!” she screamed. “I give up! Okay, okay, I forgive you.”

Brady instantly stopped. “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me,” he said smiling.

“Oh you,” she replied trying to catch her breath. She looked back up at him, her eyes sparkling like diamonds. “It’s good to see you, Brade.” She paused, looking at him critically. “You could use a haircut, though.”

Brady threw his arms up in defeat as John, Marlena, and Natalie began to laugh. Belle walked over to Natalie and hugged her hello.

“Brady, Natalie, I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Nick Edwards. Nick, this is my brother, Brady and his fiancée, Natalie Richard.”

“I’ve looked forward to meeting you,” Nick said as he shook their hands. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Brady replied with an amused grin as the doorbell rang. “Ah, that must be the Chinese take-out I ordered.” He headed for the door, as Marlena quickly grabbed his arm.

“Did you consider that I might have already made dinner for tonight, Brady,” she asked.

“I thought about that,” he insisted. “So, I ordered Chinese for everyone,” he said and left the room to answer the door.

“When did everyone become a stand-up comic?” Marlena muttered as the rest of the family laughed.