“Sweetheart, I am so happy for you. I’ve prayed for this. You’re finally home, and you’re happy.Youarehappy, right?”
“I’m so happy, Aunt Mary. You should have told me how stupid I was to fight it.”
Mary laughed. “Have you met you? We both know how well that would have gone over.”
Samira got busy placing items onto the island. She filled up one glass carafe with orange juice, filled another with milk, and placed the coffee server next to both. She filled a small, galvanized metal tub with ice and placed two bottles of champagne inside to chill. With a satisfied smile, she organized the muffins and donuts into two separate decorative cake stands.
“How does it look?” she asked her aunt.
Mary turned from the stove where she was cooking hashbrowns and looked at the island. “It looks great. Set out two more chafing dishes next to that one on the other end for the potatoes, eggs, and bacon, even though I won’t make the eggs and bacon until last minute. Otherwise, everything is perfect. I like the garland you hung around the island, too.”
Samira heard the door and turned to see Andy and Elizabeth let themselves in. “Hey,” Andy greeted as he walked toward Samira. “Everything looks and smells great.”
“Thanks. I’m glad you guys could make it. I know Christmas Eve is crazy for a lot of people. I just really wanted to do a test run,” Samira said before greeting both Andy and Elizabeth with a kiss on the cheek.
“Samira, honey, this place looks fantastic. You mind if I look around?” Elizabeth asked.
“Why don’t I give you a tour? We have a few minutes before breakfast is ready, and I’m sure Andy wouldn’t mind giving my aunt a hand if she needs it while I’m gone.”
“Perfect. The outside looks so good, I can’t wait to see the rest. You lead the way.”
Samira reached out her arm inviting Elizabeth to take hold before starting on the tour. Since they were in the living room, she started by pointing to the Christmas tree and the decorations sprinkled throughout the ample seating. She then took a few steps into the open dining room where Andy’s table was the main feature accompanied by two small tables where couples would be able to sit separately if they wanted to.
After climbing the stairs, she gave the same tour she gave Andy a few days before. They stopped at every guest room and took a quick peek inside, since they were all empty. She could tell Elizabeth was impressed by the Christmas trees in every room.
“If they want to enjoy a private Christmas, they will be able to do so,” Samira explained.
“That’s a fantastic idea. Your guests are going to love it. I’m really proud of you.”
“Thank you. That means a lot,” Samira said, using her free hand to squeeze Elizabeth’s hand in gratitude. “Let’s get back downstairs while breakfast is hot.”
Andy and Mary were setting out the plates and silverware as Samira and Elizabeth made their way back into the kitchen. Everything looked better in real life than it did in her imagination. She quickly blinked back the tears that stung her eyes.
“Thank you all for coming,” she said once she took her place on the other side of the island. “This really means a lot to me.”
She took four champagne flutes and filled them halfway with orange juice. While the others looked on, she grabbed a tea towel, took a bottle of champagne from the ice bucket, and expertly popped the cork. With a flourish, she topped off the glasses of orange juice with champagne to create mimosas.
She picked up a glass and raised it. “It means everything to me that you all are here. I’d like to make a toast.”
Andy stepped up and took the glass from her, placing it on the island. “Before you make a toast, there’s something I wanted to say.”
Samira looked at him in surprise. Her skin prickled from anxiety, but she did her best to ignore it. Instead, she nodded once.
“These past three months have been amazing,” Andy began. “I didn’t realize what was missing in my life until you showed back up. Aside from being happy, I’m also incredibly proud of you.”
He paused to pass out the mimosas, so everyone had one. “Samira, I made the mistake of letting you go once. It was the longest fifteen years of my life. I’ve loved you since we were teenagers, and I will never stop.” He dropped down to one knee. “Marry me.”
Samira stood in disbelief. She had to quickly set her glass down to avoid dropping it. When she turned back to face Andy, he was looking up at her while holding a small black ring box. He flipped it open, and inside was a simple solitaire diamond ring.
“Well? Will you marry me?” he repeated.
In response, Samira held out her left hand and allowed him to slip the ring onto her finger. As the tears began to fall, she pulled him up to his feet and wrapped her arms around him. He stepped back only long enough to find her lips with his. She met his kiss but remembered they weren’t alone.
“Andy, this is crazy,” she whispered. “Of course, I will marry you, but you’re still crazy.”
Mary made her way over and wrapped them both in a hug. Elizabeth followed suit and wrapped her arms around them from the other side. Not a single dry eye remained in the kitchen of her new bed and breakfast.
“No more crying,” Samira said as she wiped her face. “This is a happy day. I don’t want to remember the tears. We’ve all shed too many of those lately. Pick up your glasses and let’s have our toast. Here’s to happiness!”
