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Christmas... the most 'wonderful' time of the year. For some, maybe, but others aren't so lucky. This season fills quite a few people with a sense of dread. They long for the cold to fade into spring flowers and can only pray that the 11 months in between this one and the next feels like a lifetime to compensate for their suffering.
Sally McKenna, my wonderful girlfriend, happens to be one of those people. Life hasn't been nice to her in many ways and the holidays are just a reminder of that. The cold can be a lonely breeding ground for harsh memories. Frostbitten nights spent alone, trying to get warm underneath the covers. I hope to change all that this year.
She has me now and I'm determined to make this a Christmas she won't soon forget. I know I can't erase her past and I have no such desires. My only wish is that I may warm her heart a little and that my spirit may transpose onto hers. That maybe—just maybe—the hearth of the fire I intend to create will cast dancing shadows over those dark times in her life, so they might not be as painful to reminisce on.
Now, I'm not sure how I intend to complete this daunting task. It's not like I can really get her out the 'house' since she can't exactly leave but I've been talking to Elizabeth in hopes that she can keep her busy for a few hours. Luckily, the countess doesn't have plans and said she'd be happy to take Sal off my hands for a bit.
They've actually become quite good friends over the years but I tend to occupy most of the frizzy-haired blonde's time. So the offer to spend time together won't seem out of the ordinary to my beau and I just pray she doesn't get suspicious of my whereabouts. Lizzie took her early this morning, whisking her away to the luxurious suite she calls a home.
I wasted no time in heading out and retrieving all the needed items from my car that I had purchased over the weeks leading up to this day. I carefully place the bags on the bed and sigh as I stare at it all. I truly love this woman with all my heart and this will certainly prove it to her if she was at all unsure. I take out several boxes of lights, timers attached to the strings.
I begin to hang them around the room, mostly dangling from the ceiling to create a glowy effect. Then comes the various candles I bought to heighten the atmosphere through aroma. I couldn't exactly bring a real tree in here, since getting the pine needles out the carpet would be hell, so a candle was the closest thing I could get.
I also bought some seasonal soaps and other little amenities I found at the drug store. As I'm finishing up I get to my favorite part, having saved the best things for last. I bought a tiny tree with baby ornaments and a cute star. I leave those to the side so we can decorate it together, even though it'll only take about five minutes, it's such a staple I couldn't leave it out.
That's not all, though. In addition to that, I got her a present that I never told her about. It's this little bar machine, similar to a keurig, that makes alcoholic drinks. It's probably the most expensive thing I've ever bought in my life but she's so worth it. They come with little pods and you have to buy the liquor to go in the little dispensers.
I set it on the dresser, stashing the extra alcohol I bought in the cabinet underneath—knowing we'd need it. I even bought a cute little rack to display the pods, placing the seasonal ones on that and the regular ones in the drawer underneath the contraption. I then spread tinsel around the dresser and display rack as well as on our nightstands.
I take a step back, looking at all my work and have to fight the urge to jump with excitement. I really hope she loves it as much as I do. I leave the room, heading to Lizzie's so I can collect my little bundle of sunshine. I enter and see them sitting on the bed, laughing like schoolgirls. I feel a warmth in my chest that is always present when the special blonde is near me.
"Baby?" I call out for her and she glances at me with a grin as she catches her breath, Lizzie and I lock eyes and she smiles knowingly. "Well, it was really nice catching up but I have a bit of business to attend to and I think you do too..." she utters suggestively making me shake my head. "Go on, now. Go be with your lover" she teases and Sally nudges her as she gets up and approaches me.
"Hi..." she whispers cutely, her eyes overfilled with love and adoration. I'll never take for granted the way this beautiful woman looks at me; as if I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread or rum cake. "Hi, my love. Let's go" I take her hand in mine and we bid farewell to Elizabeth as we exit her room, heading swiftly to our own.
"I have a surprise for you" I say excitedly but also a bit nervous for her reaction, "I know. You think I can't tell when my best friend is stalling" she taunts me and I know I've been partially caught. "Guilty. I asked her to—but in our defense, how else was I supposed to get you out of the room?" She nods in agreement and as we grow nearer to the special spot, I slow our pace.
"Ok..." I sigh as I get behind her, standing slightly on my tip toes to cover her eyes so she can't peek. "Babeee what are you doing?" She giggles as she tries to move her head but I stop her, "shhh you can't see yet it's a surprise! Now open the door" I command softly. "You really don't have to go to all this trouble" she chuckles, "just open the door, silly goose" I repeat and she sighs.
It takes her a few tries to feel around for the knob but she finds it and manages to get it open. I probably look dumb standing behind her like this, shuffling my feet to stay right behind her. I close the door with my foot and then bring her to the center of the room, once again assessing my skills. "Will I be able to see this big surprise sometime this year?" She jokes and I giggle at her impatience.
"Ta da!" I exclaim whilst removing my hands from her eyes and stepping to the side to see her face. She spins around very slowly, taking in everything her eyes can perceive from the spot she stands in. "Do you like it?" I ask after a few minutes of silence, my eyes wide with hope, hands clasped in front of me and held to my mouth as I whisper silent prayers into them.
"You did all this... for me?" She whispers shakily, "well, who else?" I joke and she turns away to look at everything again. She walks around cautiously, her fingers brushing the tinsel-lined furniture. She arrives at the tree and she stops, pinching the fake 'leaves' as she turns to face me. "You got a tree" she mumbles, "so we could decorate it together" I explain and she nods with a small smile.
"This is... it's—I just love you" she sniffles and I pout, hurrying over to pull her in my arms. "No one's ever done something like this for me" she cries and I just hold her while she lets it out, years of bad impressions making a mark on my sweater. "Yeah, well, fuck them. You deserve the world and they're stupid" I scoff and she giggles into my chest, her cries dying down.
She pulls away and I carefully wipe her beautiful face, sighing contently. "You are my entire world and heart, you know that? I always heard about the 'joy of Christmas' and I never thought I'd be able to relate..." she sighs, "but now?" I ask hopefully. "That's just it—you made me realize something. I get to experience 'Christmas joy' all year round with you" she whispers shyly and my eyes sting a little as happy tears glaze them over.
"I'm glad I could make you happy" I whisper, "you don't even have to try" she mumbles before placing her lips gingerly against mine. "Now let's get drunk and decorate a baby tree" she chirps, doing a little shimmy as she turns around. We end up breathless as I try to teach her how to use the 'crazy' machine and even more so when decorating the tree.
She did her best to make it as perfect as possible, placing and repositioning ornaments to her heart's desire. I watched in awe as her eyes sparkled with child-like glee. My baby has finally found her Christmas spirit and I can only feel privileged to witness such a special flower blossom.
