Page 22 of It Never Happened
“Anything I can do to help, Joey.”
“It’s something she struggles with, so I'm glad you were here to do it while I was sleeping.”
My eyes narrow on their little exchange. “I’m capable of bringing in bags from the truck, Joe.”
“I know you are. You’re a super mom! But I’m just saying it’s easier if someone else does it. Like Dad.” He concentrates hard on his food before giving a quick look under his lashes to his father, who’s grinning at him.
“Your mom should come with a warning, Joe. She’s feisty today.”
He giggles and swings his feet in the chair.
“What are you two up to?”
“Nothing,” they reply in unison.
Jack ruffles his hair and stands, walking to the front hall again, gathering his coat and boots. “I’m going to grab a shovel and salt the walk to the truck, just in case we have to get out. Is there anything else we’re missing? I can run out now.”
“No, I think we’re fine.”
“What about Santa? Will he be able to get here?” Joey asks with concern.
Jack comes back over and bends down to his level. “Dude! Santa is magic. Don’t you know the North Pole gets three times as much snow as we do? Santa’s a pro. I bet he sleeps on a bed of snow!”
“But I bet the North Pole has bigger equipment than we do to plow it all. What if the snow is falling so fast he can’t see?”
I watch as Jack brushes the hair out of his face. “I’ll tell you a secret.” I smile as Joey’s eyes get wide and Jack leans in closer. “I know for a fact Santa has special goggles he wears to get through all the weather. Sometimes it is rainy, sometimes the snow is heavy, and sometimes the moon is so full and bright he needs sunglasses at night!” Joey and I both chuckle at that. “So don’t you worry about him getting here. We’re going to have the best Christmas. I promise.”
“I hope so, Dad.” Jack kisses his forehead and stands, turning to me and giving a little wink, and my heart completely seizes in my chest. I want this for Joey all the time. He needs his dad. I wish Jack would see that.
“Is Joey asleep?” I ask as I hear Jack approach. I’m cleaning up from dinner and trying to keep my heart and my thoughts under control.
“He is. I didn’t think he’d ever settle down.” Jack chuckles.
“Oh, I know. The first day you arrived he was so excited, he couldn't sleep then either.”
Jack stands at the kitchen door looking out. “This snowis really coming down. Are you sure you have everything we need for the next few days?”
I nod. “Whatever we don’t have, we’ll just have to make do without. We won’t starve, that's for sure. Especially if we really do get snowed in and no one makes it here for Christmas dinner.”
He turns back from the kitchen, and having him here, this normal conversation about Christmas dinner, is unsettling to me. Because it feels familiar, it feels normal, and it feels like I really miss it.
“Do you want a glass of wine?” He’s already pulling a bottle from the fridge, and I walk to the cabinet and grab two glasses.
“Sure.” I place them down and he opens the bottle smoothly and pours. Handing one glass to me, he takes the other and clinks it with mine. We walk into the living room and take spots next to each other on the couch.
“Wow, snowed in. It’s been many years since that’s happened.” His smirk lets me know he remembers the first time we were snowed in together.
It was three nights before we decided to leave this town. His parents had gone skiing for the weekend and were staying at the Bluemoon Luxury. I said I was staying at January’s house, and instead I stayed with Jack. It was one of the most romantic nights we ever had, and one of the few and far between where we weren’t fighting. Not even on purpose.
He knew to make it special. It was the first time for each of us and we knew we wanted it to be with each other. Even then, he took his time, knowing how to make it good for me before making it good for himself.
“Many years.”
“We’ve had many together.”
I nod. “And it feels like just as many apart.” We’re silent for a moment, the house so quiet and peaceful you can actually hear the snow falling.
“Do you remember the time we skipped class to go to the lake with everyone?”
