Page 24 of Muffin Top
But this?
I tilted my head, biting my lip as I inspected my work.
Tristan is gonna freak.
It was Christmas Eve and I'd promised to spend it at his house. I always closed the clinic at noon on Christmas Eve, so we'd planned to have lunch together. Instead, Tristan had called to say he'd been held up with an incident. The hours in between had been dangerous. So very, very dangerous.
I'd spent the afternoon browsing stores for last minute Christmas gifts and left with a car full of gifts and decorations. I'd then spent half the afternoon and most of the early evening baking and decorating his house.
Prior to this afternoon, Tristan had put up a tree, a fake plastic monstrosity, and allowed me to hang a wreath on his door. Now? Now his home looked like something out of a Christmas movie. Presents were placed strategically about the house, two Nutcracker's five feet high bookended his staircase. I'd hung embroidered stockings with care above his fireplace – one for each of his family members – and laid a train track under his Christmas tree. I'd swapped out all his tea towels and towels with Christmas colors and themes. I'd hung mistletoe, draped leaf and berry garlands, and even placed little removable Santa hat stickers on some of his wall photos.
He is so gonna freak.
Decision made, I moved to start removing some of the decorations, determined to hide them before Tristan returned when the door opened.
"Babe, I'm home."
"Damn," I muttered struck by indecision. Did I try to distract him with boobs, start ripping down decorations and hide them under cushions before he entered the room, or yell surprise and not give him the opportunity to be disappointed?
The decision was made for me when he entered the living room. He stopped, his eyes widening as he took in the scene.
"Is that a poinsettia?"
"Yes!" I squeaked, immediately snapping my mouth shut and wringing my hands. The beautiful plant on his hearth, adding a bright splash of red to the room.
Tristan stepped in further, looking around, hands moving to settle on his hips. His beautiful hair flopped over his forehead; his normally tan skin had a lighter shade to it now that we were in the depth of winter.
I watched him take in the train set, size up the nutcracker soldiers, and stop when he saw the stockings hanging above the fireplace.
"Honey…" He walked over, fingering the one that read ‘Dad’.
I followed, wrapping my arms around him. "I know he's gone, but he's still a big part of your family. I thought maybe we could start a tradition where you all put a little something in there that reminds you of him and we can pull them out at dinner to remember."
He dropped the stocking, letting it fall back into place. Tristan turned to me; his dark eyes warm. "I love it. I love the idea, I love the decorations, I love you."
He kissed me, one hand cupping my jaw, the other wrapped around my back holding me close. This kiss tasted of warm chocolate, bittersweet memories and comfortable nights in each other’s arms.
We broke apart and he pressed his forehead to mine. "I was gonna surprise you with an early gift, but I'm not sure it'll top this."
I brightened; my interest immediately peaked. "An early gift?"
"Mmhmm, it's in the hall."
I let him go, practically sprinting to the front entry. In the entry I found my brother and sister, both grinning. Calvin held a giant box, while Willodean held pizzas.
"You guys," I pressed my hands to my mouth, vibrating with happiness. "You came!"
"Of course," my brother told me, stamping the snow off his boots. "We weren't gonna miss this."
"Miss-" A tiny speak from Calvin's box interrupted me.
He set it down at my feet, beaming. "Open it up, sis."
I dropped to my knees, gently peeling back the cardboard folds. Inside, nestled into a bunch of towels sat the smallest, skinniest, saddest sleeping puppy I'd ever seen.
"Oh!" I whispered, reaching out a fingertip to trace her little spine. "You're so small."
"Rescue." Tristan told me. "That thing I got caught up with? Puppy farm. Illegal breeders who got busted. All the dogs and pups were farmed out to various rescue groups which is why it took so long." Tristan dropped to his knees beside me, lifting the small pup from the box. "All except this little girl. Her momma rejected her which is why she's so tiny. But she's a fighter. Needs a good feed but the vet cleared her to come home." Tristan handed her to me. "Figured if she needs a momma, you'd be the best one available."
