Only Mine

18

           

Hi everyone, sorry for the delay on posting the new chapter. I'm travelling and it's been hard to get to writing. Hope u like it and comment your thoughts, suggestions, etc.

xx

M

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There is a big bag with all the Christmas gifts waiting by the door in my apartment and I'm putting last layers of clothes and scarves around me since it's absolutely freezing outside. It's snowing lightly and the weather is perfect for today's Christmas Eve dinner at Becca and Brian's house. It has been our family tradition to meet up for dinner every year at my mum's house and this year for a change my sister is hosting it.

My face lights up with a childish grin when looking at my huge Christmas tree in the corner of my apartment, taking up almost half of the place. Exactly how I like it.
I take one last look at my apartment since I won't see it until after Christmas Day and then I quickly gather all the presents and get out the door.

When I ring the bell, Mike opens the door and pulls me in a giant bear hug, almost squashing all the gift bags.

"Hey doll, finally you are here. I need some back up, my mother and grandma are grilling me for information about my new girlfriend."

There is mocking terror in his eyes and it makes me laugh hysterically.

"It's not funny. I need you!"

"If you called your mum 'mother', then it really must be bad. I got you." I wink at him. He sighs dramatically in relief and we start laughing together, before heading to the kitchen where everyone is gathered.

Twenty minutes later we are ready to sit for dinner that consists of way too much food for only the five of us, but everything is delicious and it tastes like home. It makes me feel warm being with people that mean the most to me and I know that right now I'm one of the luckiest people in the world..

"So, Jess, where have you been the last few weeks? It was rare to see you around. Any new admirer we should know about?" Brian asks in a tone that probably my father would use if he'd ever be present in my life.

I froze momentarily and Mike squeezes my hand under the table, letting me know he's got this.

"Yep, the new admirer is me. We were hanging out a lot lately, getting that nephew-aunty bond stronger."

I smile gratefully at him, while the rest of the table look at us suspiciously, not knowing if they should believe us or not.

It's time that I have his back too.

"Yes, I was with Mike most of the time. That's why he wasn't around a lot lately, either."

He gives me one more slight squeeze under the table and then both of us get up from the table and start collecting plates to put them in the dishwasher. When we enter the kitchen we start laughing like hyenas and I press a small kiss to his cheek, showing my gratitude.

"Are you OK, Jess? What's happening with Jake?" he whispers over the clatter of the plates being washed.

I look behind my back, checking if we are alone and once I see they are sitting on the couch, drinking egg nog and laughing at something Becca is enthusiastically explaining, I turn back and tell him what is happening.

"A couple of weeks back I asked him about Christmas plans and he kind of freaked out letting me know he won't be spending holidays with me. I know we are not a couple and I guess I just got ahead of myself. Or I just naively hoped his feelings about me changed and maybe he would want to be with me for the holidays. Either way, I haven't seen him since and he said he'll be in England with his parents for the holidays, so I guess... this is it."