It seems I can’t handle him talking about us having babies and calling me “my love” in the same sentence because I dive in and interrupt him with a kiss. He’s quick to welcome my enterprise, his tongue answering mine with matching intensity. When my hips begin to grind onto him, he groans, “Is this a good idea, freckles?”
“I don’t know… All I know is I’m craving some potassium right now.”
He chuckles and, more reasonable than me, slows our kiss until it comes to a full halt. The way he looks up at me is so full of love that I wonder if MC’s unorthodox techniques might be a good idea, after all. I can’t risk losing that man, can I?
His thoughts took the same path because he says, “Andrea, about the baby-making process…”
This time, it isn’t me that interrupts him, but the door that suddenly opens. Mortified, I scramble out of Lex’s lap and turn around to see it’s my abuela. She doesn’t comment on what she just witnessed, but the skeptical brow she raises at me is eloquent enough.
“Lunch is ready. We’re waiting for you two,” she explains.
“We’re, uh… coming,” I hesitate.
A mischievous smile bends her lips when she retorts, “Not right now, no.” Then she turns around and adds as she walks away, “Three firm knocks,nieta!”
“What was that about?” Lex wonders, confused.
“Nothing. Let’s go eat before she tells everyone what she saw.”
The ugly sweaters we’re expected to wear serve as another reminder that the Walkers are everything my family isn’t. They’re loving, caring, fun, warm, forgiving… It’s never been more evident to me that, had I been born to parents more like hers, I wouldn’t be the person I am. Not even close.
They never treated Rafael differently despite his disability, while my parents never forgave me for being born different. Michael and Isabella Walker wouldn’t have cared about the odd wiring of my brain. Not even a little. And that’s why I’m confident Andrea wouldn’t care about me passing it on to our children.
“Looking good, boss,” she says with humor as she returns from the bathroom.
Her Christmas sweater is even uglier than mine—which has twinkling lights embedded in the reindeer design. Her mom bought it for me yesterday since I’ve never owned anything like this. Andrea’s sweater, though… It has a Santa Claus wearing fishnets and a thong dancing around a pole.
“I’m so going to win this year,” she says with pride, pulling on her sweater to look down at it.
“What’s the prize anyway?”
“We get to pick the Christmas morning activity. Rafa always takes us hiking, my dad forces a Star Wars trilogy marathon, Mom makes us clean the house from top to bottom, and MC demands to be pampered like a queen.”
“And what would you choose?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure yet. I might ask for four hours alone with you while they go do Rafa’s hike,” she suggests.
“You’re the one doing this to yourself, Andrea,” I remind her with a chuckle.
“I know,” she whines. “But you’ll fuck my brains out when we get back home, and that’ll make up for it.”
I know she means home in Seattle, but part of me takes it as my apartment since that’s where we spend most of our time together, and I don’t miss the way my heart expands at the idea. Somehow, that gives me the courage to give her one of the gifts I have planned for her.
“Before we head down, I have a couple of gifts for you,” I explain.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, they’re more personal than the ones downstairs.”
She seems elated by the prospect, practically wriggling with excitement. So, I fetch the first one, a small velvet box. “It’s not a ring,” I feel compelled to say as she takes it.
She nods, slides the ribbon to the side, and opens the lid. A key to my apartment sits on the red cloth, and her eyes widen before she looks up. “Lex, you… you want me to move in?”
“This doesn’t have to be for that, yet. Not until you feel ready. But you’ve been to my place a lot, and I want you to feel comfortable coming in and out, so I figured you might as well have your own key.”
She smiles at the box, her earlier surprise giving way to joy. “It’s kind of perfect, actually. I wanted to fill up those drawers you emptied for me as an early Christmas gift. But then all this happened, and it fell through.”
“I would have loved that, freckles,” I say, bending down to give her a small, thankful kiss.
