Audrey smiled and waved the camera, more than a little tearful herself. “Someone incredibly special sent me this and I needed the first picture to be of her, to be one I’d keep for the rest of time.”
Tears streamed down Hallie’s face as she smiled at Audrey, entirely, blissfully overwhelmed. And Audrey knew the photo would be all the more beautiful for every bit of emotion it caught. So, she snapped the picture, and, as the shutter clicked, it felt like something in her soul was clicking into place too.
Of course she’d take pictures of this beautiful woman. Of course she’d spend her life trying to capture what it felt like to look at Hallie and see the whole world. And of course they’d take millions of photos documenting their life together. What was more important than that?
It turned out, when you felt loved and accepted, when you, too, worshiped the air that someone breathed, photographs made absolute sense. Letting Hallie’s life pass without a record of how magical and adored she was would be a travesty. And Audrey couldn’t even find it in herself to doubt whether Hallie felt the same way about her.
She leaned through the door to hand the photo off to Tracy, the camera to Luca, and shut it behind her, leaving just her and Hallie and a balcony. Exactly as it should be.
Hallie took her face like she still couldn’t believe Audrey was there. “I’ve wished every single night for this,” she whispered.
Audrey smiled, wrapping her arms around Hallie and noticing everything—the tears that glistened in her eyes, the shake of her fingers against Audrey’s skin, every tiny, perfect detail. “Me too.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
“I can’t believe it took me this long to realize this was the only place I needed to be for Christmas.”
“Just Christmas?”
Audrey pressed her lips together and shook her head. “No. Notjustanything.”
Hallie let out a sob, and any painful, lingering questions or doubts that had been needling Audrey’s mind dissipated.
She swallowed hard. Sure, this was big and scary, but it was exactly right, too. Exactly what she’d spent her whole life believing she didn’t deserve. Who knew it had been waiting back home in Michigan for her the entire time? But she was home, in Hallie’s arms.
Whether they’d live in Michigan in the future, she didn’t know. But she did know this place would always feel like home for both of them. It would be the place they came back to time and time again, and where they would both always feel like they belonged.
She’d belong anywhere with Hallie, though.
“I know,” she told Hallie, her voice thick, “that it’s still early days. I know we’ve got a lot of things to figure out. And I know the baggage I come with isn’t ideal—”
“It’s worth it,” Hallie insisted readily.
Audrey smiled and leaned her face closer to Hallie’s. “I’m glad you feel that way, because the other thing I know is that I belong here, with you.”
Hallie gasped a shuddering, tearful breath and lunged in to kiss Audrey.
It was sweet and salty and all the more incredible for every way it wasn’t picture-perfect.
Audrey’s family wanted the illusion of perfection, but this was real, glorious life. It couldn't be confined to tiny moments or emotions. It was overwhelming and encompassing, and Audrey loved getting tolive.
When Hallie broke the kiss, looking entirely in love, Audrey smiled. “You feel like home, Hallie, like a world and an experience I never knew could truly exist, but, now that I do, I never want to let you go. You’re the best person I’ve ever met and you make the world better simply by being in it. I don’t care about the distance or the time or whatever we have to figure out. All I care about is being the one who gets to love you for the rest of time.”
Hallie nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You feel like home too. A home I didn't even know I was looking for, but I’m in this, Dr. Bee. You and me and whatever future you want to build together.”
“Any future with you,” Audrey promised.
The snow around them felt like it settled into her soul, into this moment, and Audrey knew it would always be okay, no matter what came their way. Hallie was safe, honest, home. And Audrey knew she always would be.
The door cracked open again, the sound of cheering roaring from inside as Tracy stepped out, giving them both a proud smile. “I thought you might want this,” she told Hallie before placing something on the snow-covered table and retreating inside.
Audrey kept her arms around Hallie as she looked from her to it and back again.
Hallie smiled radiantly at her. “Dirk made us something. I’ve been holding onto it, dreaming of the day I’d get to give it to you.”
They moved closer to the gorgeous snow globe, still wrapped up in each other. And there, inside a stunning, snowy scene was the only thing that really mattered. The two of them at the market, looking at each other like they were finally home and everything in the world made sense. It was the first momentAudrey had wished for a photo of them, a moment she’d wanted to hold onto forever.
“My mom took the photo,” Hallie said as she snuggled into Audrey’s body, her fingers playing at the back of Audrey’s neck. “She had a feeling…”
