Page 16 of All the Way
I look around the bathroom. It’s decorated exactly how it was when we were in college. It’s a little bit dated, but I still love it. Pink and teal tiles line the wall inside the shower, and the rest of the walls are painted beige. There’s a small window inside the shower, and all I can see through it is a bright blue sky.
“Here,” I say, shifting to look in his eyes. “Right here. This is the special place I’ve wanted to come back to.”
He steps toward me and pulls me in for a strong embrace. My fingers trace along the back of his shoulders as I breathe deeply. It’s warm and safe in his arms. I’m never letting him let me go again.
“My dad’s on his way home,” Chris says, hugging me tight. “Let’s try to get him to come to your place tonight.”
“That would be nice.” I snuggle into his chest, my fingers punctuating how different everything is. How good. How perfect.
From outside in the hallway and down the stairs I hear the front door open. Chris jogs into his room, and I’m unable to pry my eyes away from butt in his cute Santa boxers. He reappears from his room moments later, as his dad appears at the bottom of the stairs.
“Anyone home?” I observe him tossing his keys into a small metal bowl on a table by the front door and check himself in the mirror hanging above it. Turning to start up the stairs, he sees me at the top landing, waving down at him. “Jess?”
“Yep, it’s me,” I say, pausing by the banister as Chris’ dad comes up and gives me a hug. “Nice to see you again!”
“What a nice surprise,” he says, a warm glow spreading behind his eyes. “Chris, you didn’t tell me your number one girl was back in town.”
Chris leans against the banister and folds his arms. “I didn’t know she was going to be here myself, until yesterday.”
“How long are you in town for?” Chris’ dad asks. “How are you liking California?”
“It’s great. I’m just keeping busy with school and everything. Not much time for a social life.” I dig a toe into the floor behind me, awkwardly trying to avoid Chris mentioning anything about me transferring schools.
“Better there than here, though, right?” Chris’ dad jokes. “Everyone here knows each other. Old news, right?”
He reaches out and puts a hand warmly on Chris’ shoulder.
“Actually, Jess’ parents wanted you to come over to their place for dinner.” Chris hooks a hand around the back of his neck and looks sidelong at his dad. “I told them I’d ask. I didn’t know if you’d be in the mood.”
His dad lets out a sigh and checks his watch. “I’ll try to make it over. But Chris, don’t let me keep you here. We don’t have anything planned for tonight ourselves.”
“I’m aware of that,” Chris grumbles, putting a hand on the small of my back.
I look over at him sympathetically, knowing how hard it is to face the holidays when someone you love is gone. I know he still has a relationship with his mom, but it must be so different with both of his parents living under different roofs. They’re not a unit anymore. I force a smile at Chris and he reaches down to squeeze my hand.
“Good to see you, and Merry Christmas,” his dad says, slipping past us and disappearing into his bedroom.
Chris and I make our way downstairs quietly and a little bit somberly.
“I think he’ll come,” I offer when we are in the living room, Chris collapsing onto the couch. “Don’t you think?”
“Nah,” he says, his face growing hard. “I don’t think he’ll show. That’s fine.”
“I know it’s fine,” I say, sitting down next to him, “but it would have been nice to have him.”
“Yeah. Would have been nice, but what are you going to do?” I study Chris’ face, starting to grasp a better understanding of the pain he’s been through. “Let’s go back to your place,” he says, slipping his hand into mine.
We drive in silence back to my house, and my stomach is growling by the time we arrive. The house looks beautiful from far down the road, idyllic and peaceful, and we turn the corner in the driveway easily. The ice and snow are starting to melt faster now, and the house is dripping with melting icicles. For the first time in years, there’s a lit tree inside, framed with the living room’s big picture window.
“It’s really nice, isn’t it?” Chris must have caught me looking at the tree. “I’m glad you bursted into my nursery yesterday. Have I mentioned that yet?” I look over at him and he leans over to give me a sweet kiss on the mouth.
“You go inside. I want to clean some of the crap out of the back of this thing really quick.” I unbuckle my seatbelt and kneel down backwards in my seat, and start rooting around behind the seats.
“Here, let me help you.” Chris starts to take off his seatbelt and turns around to help.
“No, it’s okay. You go in. It’s probably open. Or just ring the bell.” I start grabbing text books from the box on the floor because it’s too heavy to pick up with everything inside it.
“You mean you haven’t made me a key yet?” Chris jokes, opening the door quickly, hopping out and going to the front door.
