Some links may be affiliate links. We get money if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these links on our site.

Christmas All The Time is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

NEX On A Sunday?

11/30/2025

Father Melrose snapped the host in two.
“The Lamb of God, He who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are we, invited to His table.”
“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word and I shall be healed.” The congregation replied.
Matt and Joe rose from the pew and bowed before approaching the priest. Looking sharp in their neatly pressed Charlies, they received communion before being handed the sacred vessels. Another brief bow, and they took their places at the head of the center aisle. Joe held the ciborium, and Matt held the Communion cup.
Dan played The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns on the electronic organ while the congregation filed forward to receive the Eucharist.

Gary stood at the head of the right aisle with the Communion cup beside Myron Gajewski, bearing the ciborium. They waited in solemn anticipation of congregants who passed behind their counterparts kneeling at the altar rail.
As always, Gary kept an eye out for pastoral abnormalities. Things were proceeding smoothly on this First Sunday of Advent as Whitney Maldonado approached.
“The body of Christ.” Myron placed the host into her crossed palms.
She ate before stepping over to Gary, making room for Joe Murray to step up to Myron.
“The blood of Christ.” Gary tipped the cup to her lips.
She crossed herself, gave Joe an adoring side-eye and headed down the aisle to her pew.
Joe swallowed as he side-stepped over to Gary. Professorial glasses reflected the candlelight of myriad votives in the rack behind the EMHCs. Even with the illuminated prayers dancing in the lenses, Gary could see his eyes. They were not Teddy’s striking green. Joe had inherited Mary’s intense, slate-blue eyes.
He tipped the cup to Joe’s lips. “The blood of Christ.”
Joe made the sign of the Cross and departed, none the wiser.
Gary returned his focus to the approaching parishioners. He found Abby holding Teddy on her hip at the head of the center aisle, waiting for a spot to open at the altar rail.
Not that she didn’t want to take Communion from her dear old dad. She liked the extra blessing that Fr. Tom bestowed on Teddy. He couldn’t blame her for that. He could blame her for the raised eyebrow she was broadcasting. Yes, she had caught him scanning the congregation for matching green eyes again.

After the congregation cleared, Father Melrose attended to the altar as Matt and Joe began a pew pass. Dan played a few bars of Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus to set the tone before joining Father to assist with the folding and storing of linens.
“Beautifully played, Sergeant Kohn. I appreciate your musical skills.” Major Melrose smiled as he polished the Chalice.
“Thank you, sir. I’m glad to help.” He folded the corporal as he eyed the young Marines. “Jozsa, Scariano, look alive. Protestants may be less liturgically rigorous than we are, but they’re not going to wait all day to get this chapel back.”
“Yes, Sergeant.” They called back as they hastened through the pews, collecting crinkled bulletins, orders of worship and the individual kneeling cushions.
Corporal Jozsa prepped and cleaned the starboard pews while Lance Corporal Scariano spruced up the port pews. With the chapel all squared away, they saluted Major Melrose and departed. He turned off the lights and followed them out.

‘Still with the eyebrow. I got the message already.’ Gary worked his way through the crowd in the narthex. “Okay, Teddy-bear. It’s you and me, buddy. Mommy’s got a meeting to get to.” Teddy smiled and reached out to his grandfather.
Abby smirked at him as she handed the baby over. “It won’t be long, but don’t come barging in this time. Will you?”
“No promises, kiddo. You never know when we’ll have to dig something out of deep storage.”
“Ha, that’s why we reserved Kraków this time.” She passed the diaper bag over to him. ‘You can lurk out here and try to guess who Teddy’s dad is while we get something done.’
“Are you up for H&H this morning?” He bounced Teddy on his hip.
“That sounds good, but I’m going to need this to get through the meeting.” She unzipped one of the many compartments on the blue and white gingham bag. “I stashed some Yum Sticks to tide me over.”
“Well, don’t cram them down your throat like that kid from Roosevelt Plaza. You’ll make yourself sick.”
“That was pretty weird.” She stuffed the packaged snack cakes into her purse. “I’ll be back soon.”
Teddy waved and looked up at his grandpa. Gary smiled and took him over to see Father Tom.
“There’s a handsome fellow. Good morning, Teddy. What adventures are you and your grandpa getting up to today?”
Teddy gave a bashful grin and clung to his grandfather.
“Breakfast at H&H with a detour to the toy store, maybe.”
“Oh, that sounds like good fun. Such beautiful eyes. You’re going to be quite a charmer when you come of age, Theodore.”
“His dad certainly was.”
The priest sighed. “The circumstances are less than ideal, Gary. You must have faith that this will work out according to God’s plan. This lovely child was not put on Earth to be a thorn in your side. In due season, his father will arrive, and this family can be made whole. I believe this, and so does Abigail.”
“Until then, I’m still keeping an eye out.” He brushed Teddy’s dark brown hair with a sweep of his hand. “He must be the very image of his dad.”
“Yes, probably so. Some children favor one parent or the other in appearance, but he does have her cheeks.” He brushed a finger down Teddy’s downy cheek. “You’re a very good boy. You will have to teach your grandfather the virtue of patience. Okay?”
Teddy gave him that little two-tooth smile as he clung to Gary.

“NEX on a Sunday? What, are you out of toothpaste or something?” Joe asked, following him into the store.
“Nah, just wanted to clear my head. Toothpaste?” Matt looked around. “Actually, I am running low. Glad you mentioned it.”
“Clear your head?” Joe scanned the shelves for something interesting. “Something bugging you?”
“Yeah, it’s like an itch I can’t scratch.” Matt picked up a paperback book with characters depicted on the cover. “There’s this girl I half-remember, and I can’t tell if she’s somebody I saw maybe in a TV commercial or at a football game…”
“A girl, huh?” Joe smiled. “Now we’re talking.”
“Boy, you sound like the major.”
“A girl and a promotion all in one story. Christmastime is getting better by the minute. What’s she like? Maybe I saw the same commercial.”
“Well, she’s pretty, but not too pretty.”
“What counts as too pretty?” Joe turned the corner into the aisle with the sundries. “Toothpaste is over there.”
“Thanks.” Matt stepped up to check the variety. “She’s not a supermodel or knock your socks off TV star pretty. She’s got that girl-next-door look.”
“A perfectly acceptable look.” Joe nodded. “Okay, just for scale, how does she compare to that number from the USO yesterday? She was a looker. Huh?”
“In more ways than one.” Matt grinned as he examined a tube of toothpaste with pale green stripes on it.
“You dog. She was hitting on you, wasn’t she?”
“I didn’t take it personally. She probably does that to keep guys looking happy for their videos.”
“Uh-uh, brother. She was pleasant but professional with me. Some other guys got a completely cold-fish act from her. If she was flirting with you, that was the real deal.”
Matt put the tube back and picked one with red stripes. “Okay, she was borderline supermodel.”
“And she was into you. I think we should head over to the USO and see what’s playing.”
“After lunch, maybe.” Matt shrugged. “Major M. told me he could connect me with the ultimate Christmas present.”
“Sounds cool, but I’m still stuck in girl mode. How does Miss USO compare to this chick in your head?”
“Like I said, borderline supermodel. Almost too pretty.”
“So, this one in your head doesn’t measure up?”
“She’s pretty in a different way. Wholesome. Natural.”
“The kind you can wake up next to and not want to chew your arm off.” Joe nodded as he studied the deodorant sticks.
“Man, where your mind goes to.” Matt shook his head. “Ooh, the Christmas snacks are back in stock, Yum Sticks with holiday sprinkles.”
“Where my mind goes? You’re salivating over junk food while you’ve got a smokin’ hot USO lady on the prowl.”
“She’s nice. I won’t say she’s not.”
“But she’s not your style.” Joe studied the Christmas tree-shaped gingerbread cookies. “A bit too pretty. Right?”
“Doesn’t feel right. I can’t place it, but I don’t feel like she’s the one.”
Joe rubbed his chin. “The one? Maybe this imaginary girl of yours is just some kind of ideal you cooked up. This part from this one. That part from another. Bride of Frankenstein without the bandages or the funny hair. She doesn’t have that crazy hair, does she?”
“No, this girl has regular hair. Straight, maybe shoulder length, kind of blonde, kind of not.”
“Well, either she has blonde hair or she doesn’t.”
“It’s light like blonde, but it could be sandy brown or some kind of pale red. I remember it’s light like that, and she has medium brown eyes.”
“I like her already.” Joe grabbed a chocolate bar. “How about the build?”
“Slender, but not a stick figure. On the light side of medium, I guess.”
“Okay, light hair, medium eyes, slim build. I can’t place it. I don’t think she’s a commercial person or a movie extra that I’ve ever seen.”
“Hmm, maybe I did see her at a football game or something. If it was recent, I figure I’d have a better idea of who she is.”
“That sounds about right. Pretty face in the stands. Neighborhood girl. Not too-too pretty, but still memorable. That’s the kind that sticks with you.”
“Yeah.” Matt eyed the meat sticks at the entrance to the cashier lane. “How about you?”
“No, but I’m hoping to rotate to Okinawa at some point. Girls out that way know how to take care of you. Sassy little Filipinas? Yeah, buddy.”

Abby slid Teddy into the high chair and snapped the seatbelt into place while Gary stowed the diaper bag on the bench seat beside him. “There you go, big boy.” She dropped a handful of TastiPuffs for him to start with.
“Hey, Abby.” The waitress arrived with a pair of menus and a big smile. “Hi, Mr. Light.”
“Hi, Collette.” Gary waved the menu away. “I’d like a Western omelet and black coffee.”
Collette offered a menu to Abby. “Do you need a minute?”
“No, I’ve been craving a Belgian waffle with strawberries and whipped cream, and can I have a banana for Teddy?”
She smiled. “Sweets for the sweet little man. You bet. Apple juice?”
Abby nodded and settled into her seat.
“I’ll be right back.” Collette hurried away.
“Hey, can we stop downtown quick? I want to take a look at the layout in the square.”
Gary tore the paper seal from the napkin-wrapped flatware and stood it in the corner of the table beside the salt and pepper shakers. “Sure, do they have it mapped out or is there a town meeting scheduled for that?”
She swept a lock of cinnamon-blonde hair away from her face. “It’s some kind of lottery system. They have the spots already figured out, and they use a bingo spinner to pick out numbers. That way, nobody gets ideas about ‘our usual spot’ or whatever.”
“That’s pretty smart.” Gary winced at the sight of Teddy slathering half-dissolved puffed treats across his nose. “So, where did St. Cas wind up?”
“We hit the jackpot this year. We’re right in the middle around the gazebo where Santa’s throne goes. When people come down from pictures with Santa, they come straight to us.”
“It’s fitting that St. Nick should point people to the true meaning of Christmas.”
She wiped Teddy’s face with her napkin. “Exactly.”