Page 23 of Christmas Shelter

"Why's that?" Carlota asks intrigued.

"Because of your chemistry. You show a connection that many couples who've lived together for years would want. My prediction is that you have a great future together," Yolanda jokes, raising her wine glass.

"That's reassuring," Patricia laughs, "by the way, I haven't introduced you to Coco," she adds, reaching for her phone.

"Who?" Sonia asks, looking at her wife, who frowns and shrugs.

"Coco, my dog," Patricia responds.

"Your dog? Since when do you have a dog?" they both ask simultaneously.

"For a few days now. He's the reason I got trapped in the shelter with Carlota, isn't he cute?"

Patricia stretches out her arm and proudly shows them her phone screen. In it, there's a photo of Coco wearing the reindeer antler headband she put on him the day she and Carlota decorated the shelter.

"How beautiful," Sonia says, snatching the phone from her hand.

"My goodness, look at you now, Patricia," Yolanda says with raised eyebrows. "Not only are you in love again, but you're also a dog mom."

Patricia smiles and immediately puts an arm around Carlota's shoulders to pull her into an affectionate hug. Carlota, for a moment, felt some insecurity after Yolanda's comment because it reminded her that Aida is in Patricia's life, but when she hugged her that way, she felt stupidfor feeling like that and immediately understood that, for Patricia, Aida is the past and she is the future.

When lunch ends and after checking that the rain has decreased to barely a drizzle, they both decide to go for a walk to visit another Christmas market that Yolanda and Sonia recommended. Protected under a huge red and black umbrella they've borrowed and that Patricia holds, the two walk leisurely among the crowd, stopping at all the stalls, completely immersed in the Christmas atmosphere offered by the songs playing through the speakers and the decorations and lights everywhere.

"I love Christmas," Carlota says, stopping in front of a stall full of nativity scene figurines and other Christmas ornaments.

"I like it more this year than others," Patricia smiles before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Carlota feels a wave of warmth envelop her body after the kiss and looks at her tenderly for the comment. She loves this sincere Patricia who has removed that shield of being determined to be mean to her.

"I love it, isn't it beautiful?" Patricia asks, holding a snow globe with her free hand.

Carlota nods without saying a word and, before Patricia can make another comment, takes out her wallet and pays for it.

"What are you doing?" Patricia asks surprised.

"You liked it and I wanted to give it to you, I hope you don't mind," Carlota says, blushing.

"No, of course not, but you didn't have to do that," Patricia says smiling.

Carlota shrugs and buttons up her coat.

"I wanted to do it," she says, pressing close to Patricia to avoid the cold.

"Well, I loved it, thank you so much for the gift."

"I'm really sad to leave, I had such a good time," Carlota says the next morning, when they've just gotten up and have their suitcases open on the bed.

"Me too, but we can plan another getaway soon, and we'll take Coco."

"That would be great, we could go camping and do some hiking, Coco would have so much fun," Carlota agrees.

"Well, you'll be in charge of organizing that trip because I took care of everything for this one," Patricia teases.

"You've got some nerve," Carlota complains laughing.

Patricia gives her a kiss on the cheek that echoes throughout the room.

"Go take a shower, we need to check out. I'll take the things to the car meanwhile," Patricia says, already ready to leave.

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