“I do.It’s been at the top of my tree every year,” Mindi answered.
“Was it from your mom?”Sarah asked, placing the angel on the couch and grabbing the step stool.
The room was quiet as both Mindi and I looked at one another.
“Can I put it on the tree?”Sarah questioned, setting up the stool at the base of the tree.
“I’ll help you,” I said, grabbing the angel and waiting while Sarah carefully climbed up the stool, while both Mindi and I held her to make sure she didn’t fall.
Sarah placed the angel on top and then carefully climbed back down and looked up at the tree.
“Well, the angel—did it come from your mom and dad?”she questioned again.
Mindi smiled, pulling her against her.“No, that angel came from Noah,” she answered softly, looking at me.
“Really?”
I nodded.“Really.”
“You gave me that the Christmas before you were deployed.When we agreed to move in together.We started looking for a place, and then you were sent to Afghanistan and…”
“Really?”Sarah questioned.
“Yep…really,” I muttered, noticing the faraway look in her eyes.
“Anyway, Sarah, why don’t you go make the popcorn and bring in three sodas for the movie while Noah and I tidy up in here.”
“Got it!Are we watching?—”
“Yes!Of course, we are going to watchThe Grinch,” Mindi said, smiling as we both watched Sarah run into the kitchen.
Mindi pulled the door closed to Sarah’s room and sat down beside me.She began loading the empty soda tins and bowls onto the tray that sat on the table.
“Well, did you enjoy?”she questioned.
“I did.This actually feels like a real Christmas this year.”
“I’m glad.”
“I still can’t believe you kept that angel,” I said, looking up at the tree and then over to her.
“I couldn’t get rid of it.It came from you,” she said, meeting my eyes.
With the quietness ofSilent Nightplaying on the TV, I slowly leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers.I could feel the tension in her body go, and a slow-building fire inside of mine ignite.
“I can’t believe you came back,” she murmured before she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me harder.
I guided her to straddle my lap and pulled her against me, my tongue washing through her mouth.She tasted exactly as I remembered, and as I continued kissing her, she let out a soft moan, running her fingers up the back of my head and into my hair.
I could feel myself growing hard when she broke the kiss and looked at me.Her eyes were dark and heavy, like she wanted to carry this on to the next level, but I wasn’t ready.
“I should go,” I whispered.“It’s late, and I don’t want to make a mistake by taking things too far.”
“I know, neither do I.”
She looked at me, running her fingers through my hair again, and then leaned down and kissed my lips before getting off my lap and walking me to the door where we kissed goodbye.
Mindi
