Christmas is the time of year where you spread joy and happiness everywhere you go. You put up your Christmas tree, wrap presents for your loved ones and make holiday treats. You send out your Christmas cards, make your yearly donations to your favo...
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"I was wondering if you would like to join me in Chicago for my family's Christmas?"
My eyes widened as I gulped down the rest of my wine, wondering if I heard him correctly.
I was desperately looking for more of the red liquid but my glass was now empty and he was looking at me, waiting for an answer.
I placed my glass down, still looking at him confused. "Excuse me?"
"I'm not hitting on you, or confessing my undying love for you-"
"Well that's good." I interrupted, because that would've made the most sense. I held up my hand with my glass, desperately looking around the room for our waitress. "Can I get more wine?"
Mr. Knight grabbed my hands. "Ms. Anderson, my mother is a wonderful woman but she has... expectations."
"Expectations?"
"Yes. She's hounding me to settle down and will not stop."
I looked down, seeing he was still holding onto my hands. "So you want me to what exactly? Be your fake girlfriend?"
"Yes." He let go of me and sighed, rubbing his hands frustratingly over his face. "Now that I said it out loud and see your face I realize how ridiculous it sounds."
I didn't say anything back. He was doing everything in his power, not to make eye contact with me. "Nine years ago my girlfriend, who I thought I loved, cheated on me. It hurt."
"I'm so sorry." I've never been cheated on but I couldn't imagine getting over something like that.
"It's okay, It made me realize what I wanted in life. No more messing around and having fun... I just haven't found that girl to settle down with yet. Two years ago I met someone, her name was Sara. Do you remember her?"
I nodded, remembering meeting her once. She came into the office and was definitely not a very nice woman, especially to me.
"I broke up with her a month into our relationship, a month too late honestly but I just never told my parents."
"For two years?"
"Yeahhhh. Mom was insistent on me bringing her to Christmas this year."
"So you want me to be Sara?"
"No. Yesterday I told Mom I broke up with Sara and then Mom brought up a family friend's daughter but I want no part in that. I saw you in the office laughing while I was on the phone with her and it just kind of came out that I was seeing someone else. You know what... can we just forget I said anything?"
I watched him as crumpled up the wrapping paper from his gift into a ball. It wasn't an unreasonable ask, and I of all people knew how it was to have a family that had different expectations for you.
"When is your family's Christmas?"
"Christmas day."
I nodded, but that wasn't going to work because that was my parents Christmas. "If we can reschedule to a later date, I'll do it."
