Look with your Heart

Pleasant Preparations

"It's Christmas Eve!" Meg practically sang, skipping around Lily. They had done some shopping a few weeks back, but now they were grabbing final touches.

Snow was falling lightly as Meg, Lily, and Sofia walked around. "Yes, it is!" Sofia giggled. "Lily, what do you think Erik would like for Christmas?"

"Maybe a book?" Lily suggested. "Although, I must admit, I don't know what to get him. I made him a painting of the two of us, but I want to give him something else as well. I want it to be something meaningful, you know?"

Meg and Sofia both nodded. "Yeah, I always want my presents to mean something, which is why it makes things harder," Meg sighed.

"I got him a book of poetry, because he always seems interested whenever we read it," Sofia said.

Meg suddenly smirked, and Lily saw. "Meg," Lily warned her friend, doing her best to suppress a smile. "I'm worried about whatever you're thinking."

~~~

"Erik, have you ever had any pets before?" Meg asked. It was at one of their lessons, where they had stopped to chat for a little and were getting to know each other.

Nodding, Erik said, "I used to have a cat. Her name was Ayesha and I absolutely loved her. I also had a dog named Sasha, and she truly was my best friend when I was younger."

Meg enjoyed the comfortable silence as Erik lost himself in his memories. It was days like these that helped the girl to understand the man much better, and also when they got closer and closer.

"If you got the chance, would you ever like a pet again, and what animal would it be?" Meg eventually broke the silence.

She stood up to look at her notes as Erik responded. "I would love to have a pet again, and I think I would have a dog, only because they are more affectionate, but only if they were trained well."

They fell back into silence, but Meg suddenly blurted out one of the pressing questions on her mind. "Do you really love Lily?"

He stared at her for a moment, then nodded fiercely. "Of course I do!" he exclaimed. "I assume you ask this because of what happened with Christine. I was foolish back then and only liked her because of her voice, but with Lily it is..." He tried to find the right words. "It feels like I am on fire, with how much I love her." This was the most Meg had ever heard him talk to her, and she had no plans of stopping him.

"With Christine, I had fatuous love, passion and commitment, with no intimacy. With Lily, it is complete, pure love, with passion, commitment, and intimacy. I know that I don't deserve her at all, but I am grateful that she allows me to love her."

When he stopped, Meg looked at him with a smile on her face. "You truly do love her," Meg whispered, her doubts set at ease. "Please, take care of her. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to her."

"I will do my best," Erik vowed. "Do you have anymore questions?"

Meg laughed softly, "Back to the question about pets. What type of dog would you want?"

"Likely a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, since they are one of the calmer species, and are on the smaller side. I have space enough in my home, but I find that smaller dogs are easier. I would probably get a girl and name her Lady. What about you?"

Chuckling, Meg said, "I think I would want a large, friendly dog, maybe a labrador, or a breed like that. I'd be fine with either a girl or a boy, and I'd name it Bear."

Erik nodded, a smile on his face, then he glanced over the music. "Shall we continue from here?" he suggested, pointing.

Meg nodded. "We shall!"