Christmas Lost & Found

December 20th, One year later

Rob

Rob knocked on the door to Dan's office. Dan waved him in, but he was occupied with Cecelia who was pulling Hershey's ear.

To distract her, he called out. "Cecelia, look it's Rob."

The toddler stood and ran to Rob. He picked her up. He had become an honorary uncle of sorts.

"Sorry, but the nanny's sick. Paige is meeting with the university this morning, but Pat's coming to get her. Do you want to postpone?"

"It's up to you. Do you think she's too much for the two of us to handle?" Rob teased.

"Tell me again that I have years before some player like I was comes sniffing around her."

"You have years."

Rob was glad they saw Lily a lot, but she had a boyfriend. Brady was a nice kid, but he looked at Rob's flower with impure thoughts. A father doesn't like it.

Rob had no regrets about taking the job with O&C. He and Chellie loved living in Maine. They had to go back the past weekend for the family Christmas and complained the minute they hit traffic.

They had made a weekend of it and had a wonderful visit with Kim and Scott, but turned down their friends' offer to stay over. Deciding they'd be more comfortable in a hotel, so they wouldn't have to wear pajamas.

Thinking of pajamas, his mother had given Chellie a pair for Christmas. When she opened them she looked at Rob and he smirked. Later Karen cornered him. "I helped Mom picked out Michelle's present. Was it the wrong size or something?"

"No, I'm sure they're fine. She'll wear them eventually." He couldn't keep a straight face.

"What's going on?"

"Well, remember last year we were feeling lost?"

"Yeah, you were feeling like a normal married couple, so you moved out of state."

"It was just a coincidence. We had already solved our problem by giving up something that let's just say was in the way."

"What was that? Your job?"

"No." He whispered, "Pajamas. We haven't worn any for a year."

"Only you!" She laughed.

"I dare you to give it a week. Your marriage will improve."

"You're going to hell, little brother."

"I think I'm allowed. She's my wife."

Karen rolled her eyes, and he just smiled.

He put Cecelia down to go back to her dog. "I have candidates for the sales position for you to look at."

"Great. I owe you, because I'd been wanting to get rid of Landry for years and you came in and did it above board."

"He wasn't productive, and I proved it. Hey, I'm leaving a little early, I've got a reservation for dinner. It's a special anniversary for me and Chellie."

"Wedding?"

"No, first kiss."

Dan smiled. "Ours is Labor Day. Did you ever hear the story of how we came to run the company?" Rob shook his head. "It's a good one!"

Michelle

Michelle should be concerned she was wearing the same dress she had worn a year ago, but she couldn't care less. She was wearing it, because she knew her husband loved it. Truthfully her husband loved her best in nothing at all, but it was their secret.

She greeted Dan on her way to Rob's office. It was not unusual for her to stop in and visit him at work. She was meeting him, because they had a date to celebrate the twenty-sixth anniversary of when they became a couple. They would try a different restaurant, because there were so many in Portland. They had already been back to Oliver's restaurant a few times, since their move.

Michelle smiled thinking of her house. She loved it more than the one she left behind. They considered renovating the cottage and even met with Alex to discuss options. Michelle couldn't change the cottage she loved. Besides, it would be nice to have a home to hide in when family invaded their cottage. Their new sex life would never make it in a cottage full of Taylors and their offspring.

Instead, Alex found a piece of land close to O&C, so Rob had a minuscule commute. He built them the perfect home with a beautiful master bedroom set away from the guest rooms - one was actually Lily's room. They lived in the cottage until their house was ready.

Lily was thrilled with their plans to move. She came home to visit whenever she had the chance and she often brought her boyfriend. Poor Rob was struggling with his little girl replacing him with Brady, but the boy loved Lily.

Michelle had an interview the day before for a job, but she hadn't been in a rush to find work. First, she was busy with building the house, then it was summer, so it made little sense to work. She and Pat had become close, so they were enjoying themselves much to Jim's dismay. Rob would often come home and comment. "Jim was hanging around, you must have been out with Pat." She would just smile.

She tapped lightly on Rob's office door. He looked up and smiled when he saw her. She smiled as his eyes scanned her from head to toe.

"You look beautiful, Mrs. Taylor."

"Why thank you, Mr. Taylor." She shut his office door and clicked the lock.

"Chellie, what are you doing?"

"I think I mentioned I had a fantasy about the Christmas party. You don't have a cubicle anymore."

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Here? Now?" She nodded. "Did you bring a muzzle? There are people around."

She laughed, because she had worked on being quieter. She sat on his desk in front of him and he lifted the hem of her dress and she smiled when she saw the exact moment his eyes took in her surprise. He swallowed as he realized she was wearing stocking with a garter belt and no panties.

"I think I'm the luckiest man alive. I hope you aren't looking for slow." He reached into the v-front of her dress and cupped her breast.

"There will be time for slow later." She reminded him.

She wasn't twenty-three anymore, but the fantasy as everything she imagined. She buried her mouth against Rob's chest to keep from crying out.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

She nodded. "About as much as I love you."

Once they righted themselves. They casually left his office. Michelle smiled and waved at Rob's assistant, Emily. Rob said, "See you in the morning."

"Sure thing. Have fun you two."

As they left, Michelle whispered. "I like Emily."

Rob laughed. "I bet. she's overweight, and a grandmother."

"I'm not jealous. My husband is far too attentive for me to have time to be jealous."

Truthfull,y she had been more busy than Rob since before Thanksgiving. Although she wasn't working, she had been volunteering at a local charity which supported struggling families. First there were Thanksgiving baskets and then the adopt-a-family program for Christmas. She wanted to find a position to help people rather than ripped families apart. Rob told her to take her time, because he only wanted her to be happy. If she was happy, he was happy.

She stopped walking. "I almost forgot to tell you the best news."

"What did you get the job?"

"I haven't heard, but Robbie called he and Cayla plan to come for Christmas."

Rob frowned. "I was remembering last Christmas when I found you. Part of me will miss it."

She laughed. "We have the rest of our lives."

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