My Dream Man | Book 1 | Sal Vulcano

Chapter Thirty-Three

After a very long day of shopping and going to store to store, I still didn't get myself a tree. My mind just wouldn't let go of the first tree we saw at Lowe's. I didn't want to bring myself down for one thing I could get anywhere, but I really loved the tree a lot. Sal tried to lighten my mood a bit with giving positivity about the other trees, but it didn't work. When we got home, Sal decided to stay over at my house, so he ran across the street to grab a few things then cane back. I headed upstairs to change into Christmas pajama pants and a red long sleeve shirt. I threw my hair into a messy bun then slipped on some fuzzy socks. I got downstairs and let the dogs out for their bathroom break as I filled up their food bowls and put fresh water in their water dishes. I let them back in and sat on the ground in the living room to pet them as Sal started making hot cocoa in the kitchen. When Sal came in, he handed me a cup and I thanked him. Sal sat down on the couch and wrapped a blanket around his legs as he drank his cocoa. Eventually I got up and sat next to him on the couch, setting my empty cup on the coffee table. I cuddled up into Sal as he wrapped the blanket around me.

I stared up at the wall and kept quiet, my mind thinking about decorations and getting a tree. I just needed a little more money and I would be good to pay for it. I knew I had to let it go, but I just couldn't. Something about that tree made me think. Sal noticed I was down. He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my arm.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sal asked.

I took a deep sigh. "Nothing, just thinking about stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" Sal asked.

"Thinking about Christmas, what decorations I'm going to put up. I'm also thinking about the little doll dresses I have to give Milana for Christmas that I forgot to give her earlier." I said, reminding myself to send it to Joe before his Christmas.

There a small pause. "I know your thinking about that tree, Addison." Sal said.

"How did you know?!" I asked quickly.

Sal chuckled. "Because, you love that damn tree! I don't know what clicked in your mind, but somehow, it made you fall in love with it! All day I was trying to help you get that tree out of your mind, but you just couldn't get it out." Sal paused for a second. "Why do you love that tree so much?"

I took a deep breath in and played with the him of the blanket. "I don't know. I just-I see something looking at that tree. Wow, this sounds so cliché, but I see a future in it. I see both of us sitting around it, opening gifts. I see us decorating it. I see so many things, and yet, somehow, fate just wants it to go away." I paused. "I don't want to bring you down and I don't want to bring myself down either just for a damn tree. But man, that tree..."

Sal kissed the top of my head, then proceed to run his fingers through my hair once more. He grabbed my hand that was playing with the blanket and started to play with my fingers.

"We'll figure something out, I know it." Sal reassured.

I looked up at him for the first time since we cuddled together. I smiled at him as he smiled back at me. I leaned in and gave Sal a quick peck on the lips. Sal smiled at me and gave me another one before pulling me closer to him. I cuddled up next to him and fell asleep.

>><<

A few days went by and I was on my computer looking through places to buy myself a reasonable tree for this year. I had a piece of toast in my hand as I scrolled through different online shops on my laptop with the other. I kept my eyes on the screen and fed myself as my eyes scanned over the pictures of the thousands of trees. None of them matched what I wanted. I was getting a little frustrated at this point but it didn't matter.