Secrets - Brollins

18.

Christmas Eve 2018

By Christmas Eve little Knox was slowly turning from a baby Into a full blown toddler, He acted every bit the almost 18 month old that he would officially be the following day on Christmas.

His little vocabulary was getting larger every day, at his last checkup at the doctor he stood 32 inches tall and weighed 24.2 pounds, still very attached to his mother which Colby was starting to question if that was ever going to change.

As far as Coby and Rebecca were concerned, they were still just friends, very good friends. They put their son's needs before their own, they made sure they were both their for every single milestone that he reached and that Knox had a strong family unit.

Rebecca walked down the stairs of Colby's house after transferring a sleeping Knox from the couch where he fell asleep on her to his bed in his room.

She watched Colby sitting in the middle of the living room floor with wrapping paper around him, tape in his hand as he tried to wrap a present with one hand.

"Do you need help?" She asked with a laugh as she watched him struggle to pull tape from the dispenser

"No" he shook his head "I can do it" he nodded and she watched him struggle for a few more seconds before rolling her eyes and sitting down next to him

"There's a reason Santa has Mrs.Claus" she took the gift from him and began to fix it

"I can wrap it" he said and she laughed "What?" He asked

"The one and a half year old upstairs proves otherwise" she said and he gently pushed her over playfully

"You suck" he shook his head

"Once again.. the one and a half year old upstairs proves that I don't" she said and he took the tape from her

"Oh my god!" He exclaimed with a laugh and he watched her head fall back as she laughed and he shook his head with a smile

After wrapping a few more presents and placing them under the tree, Rebecca looked over at Colby who was staring at her as he held the tape in his hand for her.

"What?" She asked as she looked at him and then back to the gift

"You're beautiful" he said and she looked at him once more, remaining quiet as they just stared at one another

"I'm in sweatpants and a lose t-shirt.. my hair is a mess and I've been chasing Knox around all day.. and you think that's beautiful?" She asked with a laugh and he nodded
"You're gorgeous all of the time, don't get me wrong.. seeing you all made up, full hair and makeup with heels on is something else.. but I prefer this version of you more than the version the rest of the world gets to see.. it's just something between us that no-one else gets the privilege to see"

"You are clearly exhausted and delusional" she laughed "We've been on the road for way too many days clearly"

"I'm serious" he nodded "You're my best friend.. and I can be honest with you because of that"

"You're my best friend too" she nodded as her eyes met his quickly and she flashed him that beautiful smile of hers

"Did you think two years ago, when you were pregnant with Knox and everything had just went down with Luke that we would be here? Closer than ever and having a beautiful little boy"

"No" she shook her head "I honestly didn't think you'd stick around.. I thought after a few weeks or months you would have moved on and Knox and I would have been an afterthought"

"I wouldn't do that" he shook his head "You will never be an afterthought" he looked at her once more, she pushed her hair out her face and he watched her fingers begin to fidget with the bracelets on her wrist "You're nervous" he said and her eyes met his again "You always play with your bracelets when you get nervous" he nodded to her wrist and she stopped her movements "Why are you nervous right now?"

"Because.. it's just the thought of Knox not having you and me having to raise him alone.. it's a lot to think about"

"It is" he nodded "but like I said, you don't ever have to worry about that ever being a thing.. I'm here for the long haul.. you're stuck with me for the next 16 and a half years"

"Lucky me" she nodded with a sarcastic smile and he laughed "If you would have told me two years ago where we'd be today I'd tell you that you were crazy" she nodded "Where do you think we'll be two years from now?"

"Two years from now.." Colby thought for a moment "Two years from now would be Christmas Eve 2020" he shook his head "If it's anything like the last two years I think we've got a lot in store for us.. what about you? Where do you think we'll be?"

"Happy" she said quickly and he looked at her with a smile "I don't know what it has in store but I think We will be happier than we've ever been"