shoulders slump in disappointment. He wraps
around me like a blanket, pressing himself into my back, his thick arms over
mine, and he kisses my neck. "Sorry, Warrior," he says to comfort me.
"I have something that might help."
He lets
go of me and moves to our tree in the room behind us, the first one he's had up
since he was a kid. We bought it together in November with a childlike
excitement that returned when we set it up and began decorating it. I had ran
right past it without notice moments ago, but now I see there are more gifts
under it than there were last night when we had gone to bed.
"When
did you do this?" I said, my breath short with surprise.
He
would only smile. "Looks like Santa came," he teases as he grabs a
particular box off the floor. It's wrapped in a beautiful, red and green paper
with green lace wrapped around the whole thing.
Inside,
I'm as thrilled as a child even while my mouth protests that it's not Christmas
Day yet, and that maybe we should wait. Sometimes I just wish I'd shut up.
"It's
Christmas Eve, it's part of the holiday. Don't argue with me," he demands
with a smile.
He
motions me to the couch and hands me the gift after I sit. There's no point in hiding
my joy any longer. I tear viciously at the ribbon and paper, shedding long
strips off a plane brown box that offers no clues about what might be inside.
The tape peels off the flaps and I see newspaper protecting the contents. My
hands search through the packing and I find a round globe, pulling it out
carefully.
"I
got you snow for Christmas," he says as I stare wide-eyed at the most
gorgeous snow globe I think I've ever seen.
As I
take in the sight of it, I finally see that it's us inside, standing on top of
our penthouse. "My God, Justin, it's absolutely beautiful." I shake
it, and the snow I'd wanted swirls around us in a miniature blizzard.
A
few hours after Justin gave me snow for Christmas, we are keeping one of his
most important traditions. We're at lunch with Lena at the Rock Center Cafe,
right up against one of the huge windows watching people skate on the rink.
It's beautiful, and the food has been excellent, but I'm more touched to be a
part of something the two of them have been doing for years. The sentiment is
overwhelming.
This is
the one holiday tradition Justin allowed himself all this time, and they had
developed a few rules over the years. The most important—no current shop
talk. Funny embellishments from the past, however, are not only fair game, but
enthusiastically encouraged. My cheeks are permanently cramped, and there are
stitch-like needles in my sides from laughing at their stories.
What I
like best is that I don't feel at all like a third wheel. I very much look
forward to the day when this lunch is a foursome, when Lena has someone she
loves at her side, but for now we are having a wonderful time.
"What
are your plans for later?" Lena asks Justin. "You better be taking
care of our girl." She winks at me.
"Of
course I am, but I'm not telling either of you any of it," he answers,
sitting up and fixing the sleeves of his favorite suit, a Kiton K-5 that really
does fit him like a glove. He looks so fucking hot in it I can't take it. No
matter how hard I try not to, my eyes keep finding their way back to his arms
and shoulders, the way the cut makes his back look so broad and solid.
"Not
even a hint?" Lena presses.
He
shrugs his shoulders and we can see his lips curl into something sarcastic.
"It will involve dinner, a private chef, and an incredible view. That's
all I'm willing to give up."
"What
about you?" I ask her, letting Justin off the hook. "You have plans
after this?"
"Just
my normal family plans."
She was
cheery enough, but still there is a sadness in her voice that she can't hide
from another woman. I pick it out without looking for it, but I don't call any
attention to it, I won't do that to her. She wants it left alone and that's
what I'll do for her, at least for
around me like a blanket, pressing himself into my back, his thick arms over
mine, and he kisses my neck. "Sorry, Warrior," he says to comfort me.
"I have something that might help."
He lets
go of me and moves to our tree in the room behind us, the first one he's had up
since he was a kid. We bought it together in November with a childlike
excitement that returned when we set it up and began decorating it. I had ran
right past it without notice moments ago, but now I see there are more gifts
under it than there were last night when we had gone to bed.
"When
did you do this?" I said, my breath short with surprise.
He
would only smile. "Looks like Santa came," he teases as he grabs a
particular box off the floor. It's wrapped in a beautiful, red and green paper
with green lace wrapped around the whole thing.
Inside,
I'm as thrilled as a child even while my mouth protests that it's not Christmas
Day yet, and that maybe we should wait. Sometimes I just wish I'd shut up.
"It's
Christmas Eve, it's part of the holiday. Don't argue with me," he demands
with a smile.
He
motions me to the couch and hands me the gift after I sit. There's no point in hiding
my joy any longer. I tear viciously at the ribbon and paper, shedding long
strips off a plane brown box that offers no clues about what might be inside.
The tape peels off the flaps and I see newspaper protecting the contents. My
hands search through the packing and I find a round globe, pulling it out
carefully.
"I
got you snow for Christmas," he says as I stare wide-eyed at the most
gorgeous snow globe I think I've ever seen.
As I
take in the sight of it, I finally see that it's us inside, standing on top of
our penthouse. "My God, Justin, it's absolutely beautiful." I shake
it, and the snow I'd wanted swirls around us in a miniature blizzard.
A
few hours after Justin gave me snow for Christmas, we are keeping one of his
most important traditions. We're at lunch with Lena at the Rock Center Cafe,
right up against one of the huge windows watching people skate on the rink.
It's beautiful, and the food has been excellent, but I'm more touched to be a
part of something the two of them have been doing for years. The sentiment is
overwhelming.
This is
the one holiday tradition Justin allowed himself all this time, and they had
developed a few rules over the years. The most important—no current shop
talk. Funny embellishments from the past, however, are not only fair game, but
enthusiastically encouraged. My cheeks are permanently cramped, and there are
stitch-like needles in my sides from laughing at their stories.
What I
like best is that I don't feel at all like a third wheel. I very much look
forward to the day when this lunch is a foursome, when Lena has someone she
loves at her side, but for now we are having a wonderful time.
"What
are your plans for later?" Lena asks Justin. "You better be taking
care of our girl." She winks at me.
"Of
course I am, but I'm not telling either of you any of it," he answers,
sitting up and fixing the sleeves of his favorite suit, a Kiton K-5 that really
does fit him like a glove. He looks so fucking hot in it I can't take it. No
matter how hard I try not to, my eyes keep finding their way back to his arms
and shoulders, the way the cut makes his back look so broad and solid.
"Not
even a hint?" Lena presses.
He
shrugs his shoulders and we can see his lips curl into something sarcastic.
"It will involve dinner, a private chef, and an incredible view. That's
all I'm willing to give up."
"What
about you?" I ask her, letting Justin off the hook. "You have plans
after this?"
"Just
my normal family plans."
She was
cheery enough, but still there is a sadness in her voice that she can't hide
from another woman. I pick it out without looking for it, but I don't call any
attention to it, I won't do that to her. She wants it left alone and that's
what I'll do for her, at least for
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