Page 123 of A World Without You
He hesitantly takes it from my hands, his large hands running along the hard edges. “You didn’t need to get me anything.”
I shrug, urging him to open it.
“She wrapped it in Jesus bones!” Josie squeaks, to which Shannon says, “What in the world does that mean?”
Laughter fills the living room. “Daddy told me that candy canes rep-er-zent...” Josie is saying to her grandmother as Bennett focuses on opening his present.
He tears open the red and white candy cane paper, revealing a framed picture of Bennett and Josie on Thanksgiving, staring out the window as the snow begins to fall. The photo captures the pure joy in Josie’s eyes, and the way he’s holding her and staring at her reveals the sheer love he has for his girl.
I think of how lucky he is to have her and how lucky she is to have him.
The circumstances are delicate, unplanned, and yet excruciatingly beautiful.
Just like unexpected snow.
Bennett looks up at me, his eyes bright. “I love it.”
“Let me see,” Mom says, taking the frame from him. “Oh, Gerald, look, isn’t this fantastic? I swear, you need to take this photography worldwide...” Mom is rambling as she shows everyone the picture.
While everyone’s focus is on the framed picture, Bennett mouths,And I love you.
I smile, ignoring the heat sweeping all over me. I step closer and whisper, “You know, Bennett, there’s a bit of a problem.”
“You didn’t save Christmas?” he asks coyly.
“No,” I say, grinning from ear to ear. “You did. And you also saved me.”
He smiles down at me, and I can tell by the way he’s looking at me and the way his fingertips move against each other he wants to kiss me. “No, you saved yourself. I just hung around to catch you if you fell.”
A tear falls out of my eye, and I swipe it away before anyone sees.
“Oh, look at that!” Mom shouts, and Shannon says, “Mistletoe.”
I nervously look around the room, knowing he’ll just give me a quick kiss on the cheek, but when I look at him, he says, “Screw it.”
Then, in moments, he’s holding my face in his hands and kissing me long and hard.
The parents let out a whoop fueled by spiked eggnog and Clint covers Josie’s eyes. When Bennett pulls away, it takes everything in me not to pull him back.
He licks the taste of me off his lips and whispers, “Merry Christmas, Liv.”
