“Are you sore, baby?”
“Uh,” What was the question? “Some.”
“Want me to kiss it better, my sweet girl?”
Damn it! I do want that but…his sister -and I’m sure his mom too- is very nearby. “Your sister…,”
“Yes, I know. She’s been sent to bring us down so we can spend some time with her and mom before Christmas. We open gifts at midnight most Christmases.”
“Oh, um, what, um, time is it?”
“Seven or so, I think.”
“Oh my God, Luka!”
He laughs and drops more kisses on my mouth and across the tops of my chest. “Okay, okay. We’ll go down, make an appearance, bake some cookies, read some Christmas stories, open some gifts, but then you’re mine!”
He helps me crawl out of bed and dress before helping me down the stairs. When I look at his mom and sister sitting on the couch we made love on my face flames bright red, and I feel like you could strike a match off it.
“There they are! Come, spend some time with us before my son steals you back and locks you in his room again.”
“Our room, Mom. Our room.” Luka doesn't deny that it’s what he did or what he is going to do in the future.
“Oh! I like the sound of that.” She takes my hand and pulls me down beside her. “Luka usually works through this part of the festivities. I like the fact he’s not this year.”
I notice for the first time that there are presents under the tree.
“Oh…I,” Luka is beside me, kneeling in front of me, immediately sensing my concern and worry, “I don’t have anything to give anyone. I wasn’t expecting…”
“Oh, you’ve given us more than enough, Lumi.” It’s his mom who answers me. “You gave me back my son.”
“You’ve brought me and my brother closer together for sure.” Janie chimes in.
“And you’ve given me the world, little elf. Never worry that you aren’t giving enough.”
We spend the rest of the night laughing, baking, and telling stories about Christmases past. We watch Christmas movies and sing along with some of them. When it gets close to midnight, everyone gathers around the big tree in the living room, and we wait for the clock to tick down to Christmas Day.
When it turns twelve, Luka stands up and goes to the mantel, where he takes something out from behind a picture of him, his mother, and his sister sitting on the mantel.
“Let me start the gift giving this year by giving the first one to my angel.” He hands me a small, wrapped box with a big glittery bow on top. My hands shake as I take it from him.
I carefully peel the paper back and find a ring box underneath.
“Go ahead, sweetheart. Open it.”
I gently pry the lid back and find nestled inside is a stone that is the exact same color as his eyes when he's happy, surrounded by tinier diamonds that make it sparkle and shimmer in the Christmas lights. When I look up, he is down on his knee again, and I start trembling. Is…is he…?
“Lumi Walsh, will you be my wife? Will you stay with me forever and even longer than that because I can’t live without you and I need you to breathe? Will you be my forever?”
I’m nodding before he finishes asking, before I can even find my voice as I launch myself at him and he spins me in his arms.“Yes! Yes, I want to be your wife and stay with you forever, Luka. I want that.”
“And children?” He places his hand over my lower stomach with a look of hope and longing.
“With your eyes and smile.”
“Oh, no. Your eyes and smile and your sweet personality, too.”
His mom rushes over to us and hugs us both. Following close by is his sister, who has a goofy smile on her face.
