“And I like when you do it, so stop arguing.” She wearily took off her housecoat and let it drop on the bed. Before she climbed back under the covers, she gave him a kiss. Trying to keep her eyes from closing, wanting to tell him about her love for him, she felt her body’s weariness sink in. Accepting it wasn’t the right time to share, she shut her eyes and remembered that tomorrow was going to be a big day for her. She drifted off into with the last thought that made her smile. They would be together for her first Christmas in Alaska.
Chapter Six
The next thing she knew, Whit had risen for the day, and she’d slept much later than her usual early inner alarm allowed her. Shaking off the stupor, realization hit her hard.
It was Christmas day.
Delight burst, clearing away her earlier annoyance. Never before in her life had she planned and looked forward to the holidays like she had this year. Filled with excitement, she found her clothes. Earlier in the month, she’d bought an ugly sweater and had hidden it away. Carefully dressing in her black yoga pants and fuzzy socks to match the joyous red Santa emblazoned on her chest, she looked in the mirror and laughed.
Her wild hair amassed around her body every which way made her look like a child. Gathering it in her hands to first brush it and then form a quick braid, she tied a red bow over the elastic and let it hang over her left shoulder. Then she made her way to where she heard noises, meaning the others had begun to rise.
When she appeared it seemed to be the sign the rest of them needed to start celebrating the day. And it couldn’t have been better if she’d planned every detail.
First they gorged on the wonderful breakfast Whit and Glen produced with Demi giving them orders. Both men could make a mean omelet and with the ham and onions mixed with the mushrooms and cheese, the whole room smelled delicious from their efforts. Warming the biscuits she’d frozen days ago; they toasted them then washed everything down with orange juice and hot chocolate.
Finally, they put their plates in the kitchen to deal with later and formed a group around Rudy whose sofa bed was next to the Christmas tree. The lights on the branches twinkledbeautifully, and so did the ones that Whit had strung around the top of the garland shrouding the fireplace. He’d purposely found branches with clusters of red berries, which added to the decoration. In fact, the whole room looked as festive as they could make it. Seeing it all now, Demi’s heart swelled with delight.
Watching others bursting with family spirit had always meant sadness for a girl who never belonged. This time it was different. While she petted Pearlie who’d curled up in her lap, she gazed at everyone around her and saw a matching kind of delight. It made her wonder if this might be the first time they too had experienced the same closeness and feeling of coming home. Closing her eyes, she blessed the fact they were here together.
Then she glanced at Whit. Of course, as a boy growing up with a mother who loved him, he would have had other Christmases to remember. Feeling glad for him, she clapped her hands. “Let’s each open a present one at a time so we can all enjoy what’s in them. Okay? Glen, can you play Santa?”
After the presents were opened everyone showed their appreciation to each other. Demi loved the top-of-the-line cellphones that Whit had given both her and Glen. She’d clung to him when he’d bent down to receive her thanks. “I love it. Now I’ll be in touch with everyone all the time like you are with your phone.”
“Good. See there’s method in my madness. I hated thinking of either of you being stranded and not being able to reach me.”
Glen had shyly hugged Whit too… to show his gratitude. And both had hugged her when they’d opened their gifts and found the new scarves she’d knitted. This time, she believed they really liked them. And so did Rudy. His had actually been made for her, but since she’d used a dark blue and knew it could be fora man as well, she’d gladly and frantically wrapped it up at the last minute.
Suddenly a pall hung over the mood. Disheartened, Rudy apologized for not having gifts for anyone but Demi. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t get anything this year. Last minute, Norrie helped me for Demi.”
Both Whit and Glen spoke at the same time and then chuckled. “It’s fine. But the next steak dinner at the café is on you.”
“Deal.” Rudy settled back with a satisfied grin.
Demi held up Rudy’s gift. “Can I open it now?”
“Sure.”
She took the top off the box and began to laugh. There sat the elaborately decorated cookie tin she’d had her eyes on in the store. “Thank you, Rudy. Is this a hint for me to make you cookies?”
He blushed. “Aha! You caught me. But there’s something special for you inside.”
Surreptitiously shaking it, she heard a noise and opened the lid to see something wrapped in tissue. When she spread the paper, a lovely bracelet lay nestled between the layers. Lifting the gorgeous pearl chain with a rhinestone encrusted charm, she found the engraved words Earth Angel.
“It reminds me of you.” Rudy appeared choked up when he spoke.
Sentiments of delight broke loose from her shock. “How beautiful!” The gift made such an impression that she fought her budding emotions not wanting to act like a blubber-puss. “I-I love it, Rudy. Thank you.” Not able to reach him, she slipped it on her wrist and smiled his way, letting her delight show openly.
Glen, knowing how close she came to breaking down, interrupted with his gift. “And this is from me. I hope you like it. I didn’t know what to buy a girl.”
Carefully taking the box from the tissue paper it had been wrapped in, she opened it to see the same book on writing that she’d often used on her Kindle. More than once, she’d muttered about losing her place, wishing she had it in paperback so she could flip back and forth through the pages.
“You rascal. You heard my frustration every time I had to look something up about writing. I don’t know how many times I hated the eBook format. It made searches so difficult.”
“You did mention it annoyed you when you couldn’t just go to certain places in the book.”
“You mean I’d scream obscenities when I’d lose my spot.” Laughing, she hugged the present. “I’ll use it all the time, buddy. I love it. Thank you.”
Before they could get the paper put away, there was a bark at the door and Whit rose to let Nito in. The animal hesitated when he saw so many people, especially Rudy who wasn’t quite a stranger but not someone he had accepted yet as belonging.