Page 95 of Jam and Jingle Bells
I heard the lock click and then he took my hand, guiding me through the door. It closed behind us and then the bandana disappeared. My eyes focused on a sign that saidWelcome Home. The house was empty and I spun in a circle, stopping when I noticed pictures hanging on the wall in the living room. I walked toward them in a trance and gazed at them as tears rolled down my face.
My hand reached up to touch them but I couldn’t speak. He put his arm around my waist to hold me up and pointed at the pictures on the wall. “I thought the first memory we should put in our new house was the memory of our first Christmas together.”
The center image was him on his knee, his Santa coat hanging open and hope blossoming on his face. The rest of the pictures were also from that night, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from that one. His words sank in and I gasped.
“Our new house?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
He held my shoulders and looked at me from under his eyebrows. “If you want it. The sale is pending until you decide. I would never make a decision this big without asking you first. We’re partners in everything.”
“What about the apartment?” I asked. “It would just sit empty.”
“Remember that night I had to take Holly downstairs to use the bathroom?” I nodded and he sighed. “Well, it got me thinking that it’s not very practical to try and raise kids in a place where the bathroom is a full flight of stairs away.”
I laughed with joy. “You’re so right. I never even thought of it.”
“It’s a place for single people and I happen to know one. He’s tired of living with a ninety-year-old woman and would like his own place, but there’s nothing for rent in this town.”
“Dawson,” I deduced and he nodded. “That’s why you suggested walling off the stairs so there’s a private entrance to the bathroom.” I thought it over and smiled. “I like it. That could work. I wouldn’t charge him much in rent, but it would help with the mortgage payment here.”
“Now you’re thinking,” he agreed, kissing me gently. “I just thought since your mom had the place for sale after she moved in with Stan that you might like to raise a second round of little Collops here.”
I stroked his cheek, a smile on my face so big it was hard to see him through my slit-like eyes. “You mean a new round of Davids?” I asked, my voice choked with tears.
“Maybe we should just go with elves,” he teased.
I threw my arms around him, grasping him tightly. “You know how sad I’ve been about Mom selling the house and you wanted to take away my pain. I love you.”
He returned the hug. “I did, and I hope I have. I love you too.”
He took my hand and led me through the house and down the hallway. “I want to show you two more things before you make your decision.”
I opened my mouth but he held his finger up to hush me. “First,” he said as he reached into the bedroom and flipped on the light. “Our bedroom.”
I walked into the almost empty room and burst out laughing. Hanging from the ceiling was his yoga hammock. “Naked yoga,” I said through my tears of laughter.
He tugged on the fabric. “Bolted into the ceiling beam. It’s not going anywhere and look, footholds,” he said, wagging his brows at me as he held up rubberized handles off the hammock.
I smirked at him. “I think those are actually handholds.”
“I like to be creative,” he volleyed, his breath coming in rough bursts.
I plastered myself against him and kissed his lips until we couldn’t breathe. “Oh yeah, well Mr. Claus, if the hammock is here, how are we going to participate in naked yoga tonight?” I asked smartly.
He held up the key from his pocket. “It’s not breaking and entering if you have the key.”
I threw my head back and laughed, my arms going around his neck. “We better bring an air mattress with us then. We might be too tired to move after naked yoga. What else did you want to show me?”
He took my hand and led me to the backdoor, throwing it open and motioning at the backyard. “This.”
I nodded, my eyes taking in the large fenced-in yard with the cement patio. “Believe it or not, I’ve seen this before.”
He held up his finger and pulled me out and down the three steps to the patio. “Maybe, but have you seen it the way I do?”
“How do you see it?”
“It’s late June,” he said as he motioned at the patio, making a rounded motion with his arms. “A white arch here.” He walked backward through the grass, which was now muddy and wet. “There’s a long white carpet here with chairs running along each side of it.” He jogged back to the patio where I stood, my head cocked to the left. “Judge Masters stands here along with two nervous men. One man is young, but his hair is far whiter than the older man who stands next to him. Dressed in suits and ties they pull at their collars as mother and daughter walk toward them, arm-in-arm. They stand together to say their vows, becoming a family at the same time while the rest of the town looks on.” He motioned at the yard beyond the fence. “You know that whole yard will be standing room only, too.”
I burst into laughter even though those pesky tears were back on my cheeks. “Without a doubt. Mrs. McDonald would not accept being left out of this.”
