Maybe it was the perpetual desire to be seen by them that had Lottie dialing her mom’s number.Or maybe she was a glutton for punishment.Either way, as the call rang through and her mother’s shrill voice sounded out of the speaker, Lottie couldn’t help but hope that this time it would be different.“Merry Christmas, Mom.”
“Oh, Lottie.Merry Christmas.”The woman sounded surprised despite caller ID being a thing as well as this being the one day of the year they spoke with one another.A long silence hung in the air and finally her mother spoke again.“Did you want to speak with your father?Because he’s taking a nap and you know how he gets when his sleep is disturbed.”
Lottie didn’t know because she’d made it a point to be gone any time the two of them were in the house together.Listening to them fight was always awful and she couldn’t stand being around it.“No, that’s okay.I don’t want to cause you any trouble.”
A huffing sound came through the phone.“I have trouble every day I stay married to that man.”Before Lottie could say otherwise, her mom launched her usual tirade about Lottie’s dad and how he still was having difficulty holding down a job, never did the dishes, and couldn’t be bothered to buy her the present she wanted for the holiday.“Can you believe he got me a toaster for Christmas?What is this, the forties?I know you like all that traditional nonsense, but I am a modern woman.”
Lottie grit her teeth, not bothering to tell her mom that how she dressed wasn’t about values but about fashion and celebrating one of the few adults who’d paid her any attention as a teen.“Well, it’s the thought that counts, right?”Her mom argued otherwise.Any hope that Lottie would have a normal relationship with her parents floated away on the wave of negativity her mother was spewing.When she felt like she’d had enough, Lottie cleared her throat to end her mother’s diatribe.“You know, there’s someone on the other line.You have a Merry Christmas, Mom.”
After her mother’s curt goodbye, Lottie hung up the phone and wiped a stray tear off her cheek.Part of her knew that it wasn’t worth crying over, but she couldn’t help it.Making a solemn vow not to call next year and save herself the emotional upheaval, Lottie brought up the streaming service on her television and cued upThe Bishop’s Wife.There was nothing quite like some classic Cary Grant to cheer her up.She would have preferred Nate, but she knew he would be with his family today and while inviting her to their annual Christmas party was one thing, inviting her over for the day of was another.While Lottie was hopeful they would be there one day, clearly they weren’t yet.
Sighing, Lottie started the movie and got up to gather some snacks while the credits rolled.Just as she sat down with her bowl of popcorn and box of holiday themed chocolates, a knock at the door had her pausing the movie and heading over to see who it could be.Dressed in her favorite pair of men’s pajamas, Lottie opened the door cautiously, hoping it wasn’t a group of carolers coming to wish her a merry Christmas.The last thing she wanted right now was to be in front of her neighbors when she was dealing with the emotional aftermath of another parental letdown.
When she caught sight of who was on her stoop, Lottie opened the door wider, a hopeful smile forming on her face.“What are you doing here, Nathan?”
Nate smiled back at her.“Merry Christmas to you too, Charlotte.”He brushed past her holding a small wrapped gift box in his hands as he looked around her entryway, playing with the old nutcracker that sat on a small table for a second before meeting her eyes.“I came to bring you your present, but if you don’t want it I can go.”
Lottie shut the door and pressed her back up against it.She hadn’t wanted company, but Nate was the exception and always had been.“I want it.”When he looked over at her, his eyes darkened and snippets of the memory from the last present he gave her played in her mind.While she was definitely down for that as well, she was too curious about what he’d brought for her.“Merry Christmas.”
Nate joined her at the door, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her up against him.“It is now,” he said before pressing his lips to hers.It was forceful yet sweet and was everything Lottie needed in that moment to help wipe away the lingering disappointment from her earlier phone call.When they parted, he smiled down at her again before placing a kiss on the tip of her nose.“Do you want your present?”
Lottie nodded, and gestured for him to join her in the family room.“I thought you would be with your family today.”
Nate removed his coat and hung it up on the wall, revealing the ugly Christmas sweater he’d paired with his faded blue jeans.Waving his hand up and down the bright green sweater embroidered with a cow wearing reindeer horns, Nate joined her on the couch.“If you couldn’t tell, this was not my idea but a gift from Felix he insisted we all wear for pictures.”Lottie chuckled and looked closer at the clothing item to see tiny cow bells stitched all over the sleeves, smiling up at Nate as he pulled the offensive item off his back and tossed it on the chair.Underneath he’d been only in a white t-shirt that clung to his bulging muscles nicely.
Attempting not to get too distracted by the sight of his gorgeous body in front of her, Lottie grabbed the box he’d brought and held it in her hands.“You didn’t have to leave them to come here.This could have waited.”
Nate brushed a lock of her hair back and shook his head.“I wanted to come over anyway, and once Willa mentioned that you were probably calling your parents, I needed to come over right away.”
Lottie turned the box over in her hands as she stared at the red and green wrapping.“Why would that matter?”As far as she knew, Nate had never even met her parents let alone known about her less than stellar connection with them.
Nate reached over and stilled her hands with his.“I know you don’t have the best relationship with them, and I was afraid you might be a little sad.The thought of you being sad at all, but especially on Christmas, was just something I couldn’t stand for.”
Nodding, she looked up at him and narrowed her gaze.“How did you know things between my parents and me aren’t great?I’ve never told you that.”Willa was the only person Lottie ever told about the intricacies of how badly her parents had neglected her, but Mrs.G had known some of what had gone on too and maybe she told someone who told Nate.“And it’s not like you to listen to town gossip.”
“Normally I don’t.In fact, I avoid it if possible because I don’t want it to color my opinion of others, but when it comes to you?”Nate reached over and cupped her jaw, boring his blue eyes into hers.“When it comes to you I listen, and while I don’t know the whole story, I know enough that I want to be here for you.If you need me.”
Lottie always needed Nate, but that seemed like too big a confession even after all they’d been through together.“I do need you here.I want you here.”She leaned against him, letting his warmth comfort her when the behavior of her parents has constantly left her out in the cold.“All I ever wanted was for them to see me, but no matter what I did they never could.I’m not sure why that is but I do know that it hurts, and I don’t want to hurt anymore.Not where they’re concerned anyway.”
Nate wrapped his arm around her shoulder and wedged her body next to his.“I don’t want you to hurt either, and I also want to apologize.”Lottie looked up at Nate.Seeing the look of regret on his face made her momentarily panic at the thought that he might be ending whatever it was they had just started, but when he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, she knew it was the opposite.“I know I spent a considerable amount of time pretending that I never saw you, that I never wanted to see you, but I always did, Charlotte.I always saw what an incredible person you are, I just didn’t know what to do with it.”
Lottie sniffled and kissed him again, the past forgotten and replaced by hopes of a bright future with the man she loved.“Thank you, Nathan.”She kissed him briefly once more before smiling and holding up her box.“Can I open my gift now?”At his nod of approval, Lottie slipped her finger under the paper and tore it apart carefully.She had no idea what was inside, but this was the first Christmas present she’d been given by Nate and she wanted to savor every moment of it.
“Not a ripper, I take it?”His words were teasing, but his tone was nervous.
Lottie wondered why Nate would feel that way, but then she opened the box and any other thoughts left her brain.Her finger reached out automatically to run across the surface of the vintage green brooch pendant, the raised, cream colored roses lightly scratching against the surface of her skin.It was beautiful and would look lovely pinned on any number of her sweaters and dresses.
When Lottie looked up at Nate, his smile was shaky.“If it’s not your taste we can exchange it for something else, but when I saw it online it reminded me of you.”His eyes shined with affection as he continued to stare at her.“I thought you might like it.”
Lottie nodded, her eyes wetting with moisture.“I love it,” she choked out moments before she launched herself into his arms.Nate chuckled as he held her closely, his hands strong against her back.“Thank you.”
Nate’s head nodded against hers.“You’re welcome.”He shifted the two of them but brought her legs up over his and held her there.“I was honestly a little nervous.I don’t know that I’ll ever be as good at giving gifts as you are.”
Lottie shrugged.“I’m not that great.”She loved to put a lot of thought into things, but she didn’t see that as a big deal.
Nate speared her with a look.“You somehow managed to find a rolling pin my mom had lost years ago and found a first edition Stephen King novel for my dad.On top of that you got perfect presents for everyone else in my family.”He looked slightly miffed at her, but his mouth twitched in an almost smile.“It made my giving everyone the same box store gift card go over like a lead balloon.”
Lottie winced.“Yeah, not your best effort.”Nate tickled her side and she giggled, holding up her hands until he stopped.“How about I help you next year?”
