Christmas Kiss

Chapter Nine

Standing in the garage, I had no idea where to look, "I am not going into the attic" I said and Steve laughed, "are we afraid of the big bad spiders?" he joked. I shuddered.

"I forgot how much you were afraid of those" he said as he grabbed a flashlight and started up the steps to go up there. "I despise them" I said as I wasn't moving.

No way would I ever go up there, I did when I was young once, just once. I walked right into a web that was there, it was an old one but to a six-year-old it was huge and I swore there was a billion of them on me.

I took the steps two at a time screaming the whole way into the house crying that I was being eaten alive by spiders. My mom and sister laughed at me, but Steve was there and checked me over and promised me that no spider dare touch me as they would have to deal with him.

I smiled at that memory, "Luara I found a few boxes, I'm going to pass them to you but I need you on the ladder at least a few steps" he called down to me. Taking a breath, I stood on the third rung.

Steve looked down and smiled, and handed me the boxes. Once he was down, he helped me bring them into the house and we placed them next to the tree. Steve walked over and pulled me into a hug.

"I'm proud of you for getting that close" he said. I stood there for a moment and then wrapped my arms around him and just held him.

With all the memories that were flooding back to me, he was my anchor and his warmth seeped into my bones, making it easier to deal with them and I had my bear back, my protector.

I think Steve must have known or felt how much I just needed his arms around me, even as a kid I would hold on to him, and he never pushed me off or moved. He would wait for me to let go first.

We didn't say a word while we just hung on to each other, I think the memories are hitting him just as much as they are me, and we are hanging on to each other as anchors to the here and now so we don't get lost down the rabbit hole of memories.

"Okay, time to decorate" I said as I pulled back and looked up at Steve and smiled, he smiled and winked at me, and there were the butterflies dancing around. I swore those things loved doing this to me.

We spent the next few hours sorting everything and putting them into piles, one for the tree, and the rest were to go around the cabin. My stomach protested that I never fed it yet.

Steve laughed, "let me get a pan and some eggs and ill cook over the fire so we can have breakfast" he said as he got up and walked to the kitchen. I sat down on the couch and laid my head back watching the snow come down outside.

"Laura, your breakfast is ready" I could hear Steve say. I opened my eyes, "sorry I must have dozed off" I said rubbing my eyes and sitting up. Taking the plate from him I smiled.

"Thank you for this" I said as we sat on the couch eating our eggs. Once done I grabbed our plates and washed them up, he brought the pan over to me. I set it in the sink since it was still a bit warm.

"So little mouse, what do you want to tackle first, the tree or the home?" he asked standing there looking around. "How about the tree then go from there?" I asked.

"Sounds good to me" he said as he took my hand and we walked to the tree. We spent the next hour decorating the tree, laughing and remembering how we would get into arguments as to who put the last ornament on.

Steve held the last one in his hand, "how about this year you get to place it on" he said as he handed me the ornament. I smiled at him and looked around the tree for the perfect spot.

I found it and secured it onto the tree, I stood there looking at it, Steve came to stand right next to me, "that is a perfect place, we can see it from anywhere in the room" he said.

There in the middle of the tree nestled in the branches, was a picture of Steve and me with his arms around me and I was smiling with my two front teeth missing. That morning for Christmas I lost them and I was so proud of myself as I thought I was becoming a grown up.

Everyone teased me about how I talked but Steve never did, he always said it reminded him more of a mouse growing up. That meant the world to me, and his mom took the picture of us.

That moment will always be etched into my mind as I'm sure it is for Steve, glancing up at him, I saw him smile looking at the picture looking lost in thought. He must be remembering that morning.