Page 34 of Oh No, My Best Friend Hates Christmas!

He gazes into my eyes, the lights from the tree reflecting a rainbow of stars down at me. For probably the first time in my life, I am at a loss for words to fill the silence gathering between us.

A softmeowdoes the job for me.

Baz starts at the sound, eyes darting down to the carrier he still holds.

“Oh! Right.” He lifts the carrier up, unlatching the door and reaching inside to bring out what is absolutely the most adorable creature I have ever beheld.

She’s tiny, just barely taking up the palm of Bazzy’s hand. Her black-and-white head pops up over his fingers to look at me, and it’s all I can do not to scoop her up and eat her.

She has amustache. A beautiful, adorable, perfect little white mustache resting under her shiny black nose. Yellow-green eyes watch me with curiosity.

I am mesmerized.

Basil clears his throat, regaining my attention. It is almost physically painful to take my eyes off of the tiny ball of fluff in his hands, but I manage, meeting his eyes with wonder.

“Heidi,” he starts again. “You must know that you mean theworld to me. You are the most precious being in my life. I could not begin my days without you, and I refuse to end any more not in your presence. I lie awake at night thinking of the distance between us – a distance much too far for me to bear any longer. I have contented myself for years with the bits of you that you have been willing to give to me. I have fought with myself often, telling myself to not be selfish, to respect you, that you would let me know if you wanted more, but now, my ability to be selfless has met its limit.”

He reaches for my hand, lifting it and placing the kitten gently in my grasp.

“Accept her as a token of my love for you – a love of friendship and a love so much deeper than mere friendship could ever cover. I am deeply in love with you, Heidi – my Heidi. So sweet. So lovely.”

He lifts a finger to my cheekbone, tracing the path of it down to my jaw.

“Please, tell me that you love me too. If there is even the possibility that you could come to love me in the way that I do you, tell me now, so that we can end the torture that every night apart from you brings. Marry me, Heidi. The kitten – she’s yours. Yours to name. Yours to keep. A representation of my heart.”

He drops to a knee before me, pleading eyes staring up into my own.

“I am yours. Whatever you choose, Dee, whether it’s yes or whether it’s no, I need you to know that no matter what, I am yours. Always.”

My chest vibrates with the beating of my heart. The soft fur of my kitten pricks my skin. I open my mouth. Close it. Open. Close.

What does one say to all of that?

What does one say when they’ve just been given everythingthey have ever wanted?

“Her name is Frank, and she’s sleeping in the bed with us.”

Baz bursts up from the floor, and Frank is crushed between us when he wraps his arms around me, enveloping us in a hug so crushing, I worry she won’t survive it.

“Frank!” I squeal. Baz lets us go immediately, moving his hands to my face.

“That’s a yes?” he asks. His eyes glisten with wetness gathering on his lashes. My nose stings.

“That’s a yes.” My words come out watery. “Of course it’s a yes.”

I take in a shuddery breath.

“I love you, Basil. I never thought– I never imagined you would ever love me back. Not in the same way. I thought we’d just go on forever being best friends. And I would have, you know? I would have done anything to stay close by your side forever. I’m– I can’t tell you– I’m just– I’m speechless, Bazzy.Me.Speechless.”

I shake my head, bewildered, and my laugh is wet. I sniff, making a loud supremely unattractive sound.

Baz’s face closes in on mine, and I squawk.

“No!” I yell. “No kisses when I’m crying! Let me wash my face!”

I rip free from his hands and run upstairs, tucking Frank close to my side as I bound up the steps.

Our first one hundred percent kiss is not going to have any percent chance of crying yuckiness interfering. Not if I have anything to say about it.

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