A Set of Christmas Romance Stories: Part II

(These stories are fairly cheesy but they fit into the typical genre of Christmas romance stories since Hallmark, Netflix etc Christmas stories are also cheesy ;) These were written about ten years ago.)

Lily’s Love Story

By Selina De Luca

Written between 2009-2013

        “It’s quite something, Lily.  I think you’d like it.”

I took another bite of Elly’s lemon meringue pie.

“I’m sure I would, Pete,” I replied.  “Tell me more about it.”

It was Saturday.  I was at the Kowdies’ home, like every Saturday night.  Pete and Elly and their daughter Carly had become, in a very short time, as dear to me as my own family.

But Carly and Elly had more interesting things to talk about than the books, plays, and musicals Pete and I raved over.

“You are coming to the barbecue party tomorrow, Liliana, eh?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything, Elly,” I assured her.

“My cousin will be there,” Carly drawled with a teasing smile.  I grinned.

“You haven’t met him yet, have you, Lily?” Pete asked.

“No, I haven’t,” I said.  “Heard plenty about him from Carly, though.”

Carly was a year younger than me, and we were very close buddies.  She’d been trying to hook me up with her cousin Jacob for some time now, a guy who was supposed to be my “soul mate,” according to her.

I was twenty-two, still at university, and single.  The next day, getting ready for Pete and Elly’s 25th wedding anniversary house party, I was sure to make myself as attractive as I possibly could.

It felt strange, entering that familiar friendly house when it was filled to the brim with strangers.  I had always found large groups in small places intimidating.

I walked around the house a little.  I knew the guests of honour, Pete and Elly, would be arriving home later, but Carly, the hostess, should have been there, as well as my and Carly’s friend Jasmine, who was helping Carly with the hosting.

I spotted Jasmine’s boyfriend Eric out in the backyard.  I recognized Pete’s brother Jimmy at the barbecue and his wife Denyse.  I went outside.

“Hey.  You seen Carly?”

“Inside?” Eric said.

“I just came from there.”

“She’s gotta be around somewhere.”

“Yeah, somewhere,” I echoed.

“There she is.  Inside.  See?  Coming down the stairs.”

I headed toward the back door to join my comfort zone.  As I reached for the screen door, though, another hand reached for it from the other side.  Startled, I let go.  The door slid open, and I found myself looking into two very green, dark eyes.

“Sorry,” he said, and he stepped aside, gesturing me to go ahead.  I stepped in, and he went out.  I glanced back.  He was tall, dark, and well-built. Brown hair styled well under a pair of sunglasses.  Green and white plaid short-sleeved button-up collared shirt.  Beige pants.  Marvellously handsome.

“Hey,” he greeted some of the people.  There was a round of hugs.  Someone offered him a beer.

“Jacob Damon,” I said aloud, knowing it to be true already.

“Hey, Lil.”

“Carly, tell me that’s Jacob.  Please tell me that’s Jacob.”

“Of course it is,” she laughed.  “Isn’t he something?”

I could hear the triumph in her voice.  She loved him.  She wanted so much for me to go out with him.  I had probably never seen anyone so attractive in my life.  “Gorgeouser than the sexiest model,” a typical Carly exclamation.  In his own way though, I observed; not your stereotypical model, but something more unique.  He turned then, and briefly caught my eye.  My heart jumped a little.  I could see from where I was the scar on his left cheek and temple.  I hadn’t noticed it before, but Carly had mentioned it once.  He’d gone back inside a burning building to help save a child.  It just made him all the more attractive, this proof of his courage.  

I ate my dinner indoors, finding myself stuck in one of those conversations where someone old and talkative and annoying pesters you, “isn’t that so, dearie?”

Elly rescued me.  I loved her.  She interrupted and took over so I could go chill with people my age outside.  There was a whole group of them, most of whom I knew, at least by face and name.  Carly, Jasmine, and Eric; Renee and Kieran, Carly’s cousins; Paul, a friend; Carly’s boyfriend Lucas; and of course, Jacob.

I kept feeling his eyes on me.  I pretended not to notice, but I couldn’t help glancing at him.  He would quickly look away.

Carly broke the ice.  Rather awkwardly.

“Oh yeah!  Sorry, but you don’t all know Lil, do you?  This is Liliana, a very close friend of my family’s.”

It was a general introduction, but it was Jacob she looked at, and he I looked at to smile and say hi.  Elly’s sister came and brought us some pie and ice cream, having instinctively taken over Carly’s job (gratefulness not resentment apparent on the girl’s face).  I still felt Jacob’s eyes on me as I carefully ate my piece, meeting eyes with him every few seconds.  It was deliciously awkward.

But I’m not really all that pretty, I thought.  I was good-looking enough, but not quite a complete match for this lovely young man. Why is he staring at me, this “gorgeouser-than-the-sexiest-model?”  Plus he was older than me.  Had to be, at least by a few.  I felt utterly insignificant.  

Jacob, to my disappointment, said nothing to me the entire evening, though he was last to leave except for Jasmine, Eric, and I, until he left and bade me goodnight.  After he’d gone, I just looked at Carly.

“Not enough self-esteem,” she said.  “He…well, he’s shy, I guess.  And he doesn’t seem to really believe in himself.”

“Although he’s such a great guy, and so talented.  Not to mention a local hero,” Jasmine pointed out.

“But he has no confidence when it comes to girls,” Eric said.

“Even though he’s so good-looking,” Carly said.  “I don’t think he agrees with that, though.”

“He is good-looking,” I said.  “You were right, Carly.  Of course.  I find him rather …too attractive.”

A snort from the other room told me Pete and Elly were listening.  I smiled, not at all embarrassed.  It was actually just a little bit exciting.  Carly was known for her success as a matchmaker (I mean, just look at Jasi and Eric.  They were practically engaged.)  Based on first impressions and hearsay, I wouldn’t mind a relationship with Jacob Damon at all.

The next Saturday, after work, and after a busy but normal week during which Carly’s handsome cousin was never too far from my mind, I went, as usual, for dinner at the Kowdies’.

We were all in the kitchen, Elly cooking, Pete trying to lead a conversation and read the paper at the same time, Carly and I answering to Pete and spoiling our appetite on chocolate-covered almonds, when the phone rang.

Pete picked it up.  The room was quiet.

“Yes?  Yes?  Oh, good!  That’s fine, Jake.”

Something squiggled inside my stomach.  Carly shot me a grinning look that would make anyone blush.

“I invited him for supper,” she said sweetly.

“You what?”  I choked on an almond.

“I invited your boyfriend-to-be for supper.  Since you’d be here.”

“Great,” I groaned.  And the Kowdies’ had always been my break from stress.

Pete hung up the phone.

“He’s on his way.  Does Lily know?”

“Unfortunately,” I muttered.

“Oh, sorry, would you prefer not knowing?  And have him suddenly appear?”

I rolled my eyes at her.  

        It wasn’t long before the knock on the door came.

“Oh.  No.”

“I got it Peter,” Elly said.  The door opened slowly, and I held my breath in anticipation.

“Wait a second,” I whispered, “does he know?”

“Of course,” Carly smiled.  “That’s why he’s here.”

“A ha ha-”

Green-brown eyes.  How do you react to green eyes?  How do you even breathe in the presence of eyes like that? 

“Hey,” I said.

“Jake!” Carly exclaimed, jumping up and giving him a hug.  He smiled.  Wow.  What a smile.

“Hey, Carly.  Hello, Liliana.”

“Just Lily,” I said.  “How are you?”

No answer.  Okay.

“Sit down, Jake,” Pete said.  “Don’t be shy.”

Don’t be shy?  He suddenly seemed scared.  Man, what would a date with this kid be like?  I was so glad to have the good old Kowdies around me.  Ice breakers.  (And heck nice people.)

The whole meal passed exactly like at the anniversary party; that is, with Jacob’s and my eyes meeting awkwardly at regular intervals.  But it really passed with very little awkwardness, thanks to friendly conversation from the Kowdies.  He even spoke sometimes!

“That’s too bad.  Eh, Jacob?”

“Uh…sorry?”

“Lily was going to go see Jekyll and Hyde the musical but ended up having to work, and she had to give her ticket away to a friend.”

Green-brown eyes.

“That’s too bad.”

“There’ll be other opportunities,” I shrugged.  “I have always wanted to see it; still haven’t.  It sucks.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing it myself,” he said.  “It must be really good.  I know the music.”

“You think you know the music?” Carly said.  “Lily eats breathes and sleeps musical theatre.”

Not true, but I just smiled.

“Does it taste good?” Pete asked.

“What?”

“Carly said you ATE breathed and slept musical theatre.  So I asked of it tasted good.”

“Oh, marvellously delicious,” I said. “But I hardly have been into it much lately.  I used to be like that…then I sort of got over it…but then we got into a conversation about it the other day…it’s pretty awesome, isn’t it?” I asked Jacob.

“Yeah,” he said.  I was ever conscious of green-brown eyes on me.  Always those eyes on me.  Could he actually be admiring me?  Was he thinking I was as gorgeous as I thought him? (Yeah right.)

I watched him.  A shiver went through me when our eyes once again met.  This time, though, his didn’t flicker away, but kept up.  I couldn’t bring myself to look away either.

He eventually broke the moment, looking down at his plate, but looked back up again after a bite, and asked me about my interest in musicals.  I answered with the usual, then asked him the same.  

“I like musicals,” he said pleasantly. 

There was another reason I was supposed to be obsessed with this guy, according to Carly.  I remembered her telling me that he was a really good singer, and had performed in musicals before.  What I wouldn’t give to hear him sing!  Apparently he could play piano too.  Mmm.

“That’s good,” I said.  “Any specifics?  I love the Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.”

“Both excellent,” he said. 

“Mm, that’s what I say,” I agreed.

We continued on a single-sentence, even single-word conversation for a few moments more before I realized that the others had dropped out of the conversation and were eyeing each other with teasing, knowing nods and winks.  I felt myself beginning to blush.

But it was only the first of a very many.  The weeks went by, and every Saturday Jacob and I would eat dinner at the Kowdies’.  And the meals passed always the same.  We were horrifically awkward with each other, like I cannot begin to describe.  If we had been alone, I would have died from the awkward silences.  But I treasured every fleeting glance, and at night in my dreams, just as in reality, there he would be, watching me eat from across the table, making me feel so self-conscious I’d lose my appetite, and then when I would look up, our eyes would meet, and sometimes he held it, but usually his eyes quickly fell away.

And then, suddenly, I was tired of it.  Sick, tired, and annoyed.  From our short conversations we were beginning to get to know each other quite well, especially since Pete knew how to lead a very stimulating conversation.  But otherwise, one would have thought Jacob and I had only just met.  Either the boy liked me, or he didn’t.  If he didn’t, I was wasting my time and affection.  If he did, then for goodness sake, why wasn’t he asking me out or anything?

I finally spoke to the Kowdies about it.  I went over on Wednesday, wanting the old days back, the non-awkward meals.

“You don’t think Jacob likes me, do you?” I asked.

“Of course he likes you, dear,” Elly said.

“But… he isn’t, like, in love with me.”

They looked at me as though I’d lost my mind.

“Why do you think he’s here every Saturday night?” Pete asked.

“Same reason I am,” I shrugged.

“And what reason’s that?  Jacob was never a regular visitor at this place, at least not like you were.”

I felt flustered.

“Well, if he likes me—”

“Loves you,” Carly interjected.

“Likes me, then why doesn’t he do anything?  Why does he just sit there like a lump and watch me out of the corner of his eye?  I can’t stand it!”

“When the young men used to watch me out of the corners of their eye, I loved it,” Elly said, her voice jokingly confused.  I sighed with exasperation.

“You know what I mean!” I cried.

“I told you he was shy.”

“But he wasn’t supposed to be anti-social, or boring!”

“Lily,” Pete said calmly.  “You have to be patient.  It’s been five months, not five years.  Let him come out of his shell.  Let him take it slow if he needs to.”

“Besides,” I continued, “I don’t want to marry a shy boy.  I like the rowdy, friendly ones.”

A picture came to my mind.  The first day I ever saw Jacob, laughing and joking around with his family and friends.  I knew he hadn’t been drunk, or hyper – he was just really in his element.  Which meant that…

“He isn’t comfortable here,” I realized aloud.

“Some gorgeous chick in the room is making him self-conscious,” Pete said.

“Lily, don’t worry!” Elly said gently.  “Why, it took Pete a whole year to ask me out.  We’d danced together at a party and fallen in love, but he didn’t take me on a date for a whole year after that.”

“Why not?” I asked.  Pete chuckled, a little ruefully.

“Cos some gorgeous chick made me self-conscious,” he said.  “You know, maybe Jacob doesn’t realize you feel the same for him as he does for you.  That’s what really deterred me, I think.  After all, I wasn’t the only young man chasing after Miss Elisabeth Tersey, I’ll tell you that.”

“So what then?  I have to make the first move?”  I cried, and then blew out a mouthful of hot air.

“We’ll take care of it, honey.  Don’t you fret your pretty little head.”

“What’s ‘at mean?” I asked warily. “What are you gonna do?”

“Don’t worry!  Seriously.  Pete to the rescue.”

“The Kowdies: Professional Matchmakers,” Carly laughed.

“Oh no,” I said, then sighed and shrugged.  “Huh.  Whatever.” But I was firmly convinced this was going to be thoroughly embarrassing.

The next Saturday, I knew something was up.  It was very nearly Christmas, my favourite time of the year, and I was in such high spirits, I didn’t care what evil little trick Pete had up his sleeve to iron down the tension between us two ridiculous lovers.  A fresh snowfall, and I arrived at the Kowdies with fairy dust in my hair, at the same time as Jacob did.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” I said.

        “You have snow in your hair.”

Thank you, Captain Obvious.  

“Fairy dust,” I told him.

“Of course,” he said with a smile.

Then he did the most miraculous thing.  He brushed the snow off my head.  I could feel his hand on my hair all the way through the peas, mashed potatoes, and pork roast.  How he had quickly brushed it off, but then paused, holding his hand against my head a little longer than necessary.

I could tell Pete did, seriously, have something in mind.  It and the snow brushing meant that very little food actually disappeared off my plate.  Whatever it was was going to have to wait until after supper though, apparently.

“I was looking at some old Christmas cards this morning,” Pete announced cheerily in the middle of one rather longish silence, as way of creating stimulating conversation as per usual, “and I had a good laugh when I read something from the Hawkins’.”

“What was it?” Carly asked.

“It was…hahaha!”

“What?” we all asked.  He was laughing and so could not tell the story straight.  “What’s so funny?”

“There was a water spot or a smear of some sort…haha…and…ha…it covered the T in my name, so it said:  Dearest Carly, Elly, and Pee.”

I choked on a piece of pork and began coughing.

“Pete!” Elly scolded.  I took a drink of milk and exploded into giggles harmonized to Carly’s, more giggling than the joke really warranted.

“Pee,” she snorted.  I laughed into my milk.

“It would be wise if you kept the food away from your mouth when you laughed,” Pete observed as I spluttered on my milk.

“It would be wiser if you wouldn’t tell uncalled-for jokes,” said Elly, but you could tell she was about to explode into laughter as well.  I looked at Jacob, not a sly glance, but an open, friendly look.  He caught my eye and grinned.  It was the first real, non-awkward, happy look he’d given me.  He looked like my best friend about to tell me to get a grip on myself, not a madly in love boy unsure of what to do or where to turn.  A little knot formed in my stomach.  This was the Jacob I wanted.  Open, friendly, comfortable.  Not nervous and awkward.

“Hey Pee,” Carly said.

“That’s enough,” said Elly.  We all shushed.  I looked at Jacob again; it was a mistake.  (a good mistake.)  His mouth twitched, and then it was his turn to splutter on his drink.  I began to laugh, and Carly joined right in.

“I vaguely remember a spelling mistake on a card once that could be interpreted as an insult,” Jacob said after we calmed down.  

Carly was laughing; the rest hardly seemed amused anymore, except maybe Pete, who delighted in his own joke.  I looked at Jacob.  It was like magic, how he looked and acted like he was completely in his element.  What had happened?  Was his nerve up?  Had Pete spoken to him already?  Uh-oh…

“Gee,” Pete said.  “These insulting Christmas cards.  Someone’s gonna get sued someday, for pee’s sake.”

Carly couldn’t seem to stop giggling, though it hadn’t been quite that funny; she was rather too hyper, and it was contagious.  Jacob was watching me, but it wasn’t furtive like always before; he was laughing with me, almost at me but in a good way.

Elly served dessert which I was able to eat heartily even though some of my peas and potatoes had gone to waste.  Gingerbread, applesauce and whipped creammm…

I was still scraping my plate and talking with Carly some time later, while Pete and Jacob were out in the living room talking.

“You see?” Carly said.  “He’s getting there.  More and more comfortable each time.  And wait til you see what he has in store for you.  Just wait.”

I realized then how hushed they sounded out in the living room.  Excited.  Sneaky even.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“I said just wait!” she exclaimed.  I listened to the whispers in the other room:

“No, really, I don’t think...”

“Come on!  As an early Christmas present for all of us.  Come on, you can do it.  It’s no big deal, you’ve done it plenty of times in front of audiences.”

“But Pete…”

“You know she’ll love it.  I promise you she will absolutely adore it.  She may even cry.”

Cry?  Uh-oh, this sounded serious.  

“Sounds scary,” I whispered.

“You’re not supposed to hear them,” she whispered back.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Wait here,” she said, and left.  I sat in the kitchen alone and scraped at my utterly empty plate.  Silence came from the other room.  Hushed words.  Silence again.  Long silence.

Then the piano started to play.  I gasped and dropped the fork.  I jumped up and bolted out into the living room.  Jacob!  He was playing the piano!  Oh my goodness.

        But then another sound brought me to a sudden crashing halt.  Jacob began to do something I had always wanted to hear him do.  He began to sing.

        I stood frozen in the hallway, watching him play, watching his eyes, allowing his mellow voice to surround me like a warm glow of light, like a soft breeze, like the love I knew we shared although neither of us seemed to want to admit it to the other.  It was a French love song he was singing, called “Tu M’aimes-tu?” one I knew and loved well.  His voice was perfect for it; in fact, perfect for anything.  He was really, really, really amazing.  

        Slowly then, very slowly, I approached the piano, until I stood in front of him.  I was able to see his hands over the piano, but it was his face I was most interested in.  My eye outlined his cheek and jaw, his scar, his eyes, his lips.

        Well, Pete knew me well when he said I might cry.  When Jacob got to the “t’es tellement, tellement, tellement belle” toward the end I got shivers, but then when he looked straight at me for the first time and asked, “tu m’aimes-tu?”  I felt the tears prick their way into my eyes.

        When it was over, silence filled the room like a blanket.  The Christmas tree lights blinked and bubbled behind him, and his eyes bore into my soul.  I was suddenly filled with an intense desire to lean over and kiss him.  I mean, really kiss him.  I knew my breath was uneven and that the tears in my eyes were visible.  I blinked.  We looked at each other for a long time, until Carly couldn’t hold a moment longer and exploded.

        “That was AMAZING!!” she cried, jumping up and giving him a big hug.  “I am so proud of you.  You’re so good!”

        I was still frozen watching him, though he was looking at Carly now.

        “Thanks,” he smiled.  I was shaking.  I did not know what do say, or do, or even think.  His lips were really nice lips.  I wished for a kiss from those lips.

        “That was really good,” I finally managed.  Really good?  I scoffed to myself.  That’s the best you can come up with?  Oh, please, Liliana.

        “That was, like, really amazing.  You voice is so beautiful.”

        The room was dark, except for the tree lights.  Pete and Elly were on the sofa, Carly beside Jacob.  I wondered if Jacob actually would have kissed me, if the Kowdies hadn’t been there.  He gave me a look then, not a tender one, or a hopeful one, but a happy and almost sly one, like a wink; then he began playing again.  It was your basic “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,” but he made it sounds so good.  I watched him, not knowing at all how I was supposed to react.  I just didn’t want it to end; I wanted to watch him play forever and ever.

        So, this is what it felt like to be in love.  Not just a crush, but a serious desire.  It felt really good.  And, I knew, it could only get better.  Or worse, if things changed, but at this point I had no worries that such a thing would happen to us.

        He didn’t play anything else.  The spell broke when he abruptly got up, glancing at the time.

        “I’d better be going,” he said.

        “Already?” Carly cried.

        “It’s past ten!” he protested.  Which obviously wasn’t that late, but we came for dinner, which was long over; he usually left the Kowdies before me, and both of us were usually gone by nine. 

        “I should be going soon too,” I realized.

        “Would you like a drive?” he asked.

        Would I like a drive?  With him?  In this cold weather, with the wind I could hear howling outside? Would I ever!  Short walk it may be, but that did not matter.

        “Sure, thanks,” I said.  I felt my stomach tightening.  I glanced at Carly.  She was beaming.  The stupid wonderful little matchmaker.

        “Alrighty then, goodbye and see you two next Saturday,” Pete said.  Neither he nor Elly got up to say goodbye.  They looked pretty cosy and very lovely in the dim light from the tree.  Pete was probably delighted, as he usually took it as his duty to walk or drive me home these winter nights.

        “Next Saturday is the day before Christmas Eve,” Carly said, announcing the obvious.  “We shall have a sort of Christmas party here, I expect, eh Mom?”

        “Oh,” Elly said, “I expect so.”

        We said our goodbyes and left.  It was beautiful outside, with the snow falling in front of the lampposts and swirling around in the air.  I took a deep cold breath and sighed.

        “You look happy,” he commented.

        “Must be that Christmas spirit,” I said, smiling.  And love.

        He held the door for me.  I hopped in.  It was a great car, sleek and stylish, like any guy would want to have.  I could tell he loved it.  He started her up and we rolled out into the street.  He didn’t ask me which way to go, but we were going wrong way.

        “Uh, my house is—”

        “Lovely night for a drive!” he exclaimed.  

        I blinked, but I really couldn’t disagree.

        We sat in silence, but it wasn’t an awkward one.  It was friendly, warm, and mutual.  Finally I felt at ease with him, as though we were friends and not awkward school kids or anything. I love you was blaring out of his intense stare, directed at the snowy roads, and I was sure it was all over mine as well.  The unspoken words we only assumed each other held.

        “You really touched me with that song tonight,” I said after a moment.  “It’s one of my favourites, and you are really good.  It was gorgeous.”

        “Thanks,” he said.

        More silence.  I looked at him.  The streetlights silhouetted his perfect features.  His scar shone dully, still what I considered part of his “perfect” features.

        “I knew you could sing, but I have never heard you before.  It was beautiful.”

        “I’m glad you liked it,” he said.

        “I’m glad you did it,” I said.

        “I would be glad to do it again for you, any time.”

        “Thanks, that would be great.  Except for the fact that you didn’t want to do it – I could hear you guys whispering from the kitchen.”

        He gave a little rueful smile.

        “Well,” he said, “I did feel a little unsure about it, but really, I love to sing and I am glad that I agreed to do it.”

        Thinking of their whispers in the kitchen reminded me of Pete saying, “I know she would love it.”  Which meant that obviously there was an understanding between them that what I thought was important to him.  I wondered how much he had told Pete, and how much Pete had told him.

        I looked at the time.  My parents, who I still lived with and who were used to my regular visits to the Kowdies’, were probably wondering what was taking me so long to get home, even if it was only nine-thirty. 

        “Look,” I said, “this is quite lovely, but my parents expect me and it’s getting a little late.”

        Jacob glanced at the time.  I bit my lip.  He probably found it strange that I would label nine-thirty “late,” and put it in the same sentence as my parents expecting me.  After all, I was twenty-two.

        “Sorry,” he said.  “Which way then?”

        The only conversation after that was directions to my house.  When we got there, he stopped and got out, opening my door for me.  I wanted to say something friendly and teasing like “what a gentleman,” but my heart got stuck in my throat.  I walked looking at my boots, with him beside me, chivalrously walking me to my door.

        “Goodnight, Lily,” he said.

        “Goodnight,” I said.  But I made no move to unlock the door.  The wind I had heard banging on the Kowdies’ windows had died down, and now there was just a gentle snowfall.  The night was silent, except for my heart pounding in my ears.  Then, another miracle.  He leaned down and placed the tiniest, gentlest, sweetest little kiss on my cheek.  I stopped breathing.  Then, before I knew it, he was back in his car and pulling out.

        I unlocked the door and stepped inside, then looked back.  He waved as he pulled away; I waved back.  Then I shut the wind and snow out and looked around me at the dark, seemingly empty house; my parents were probably watching TV in their room.  I touched my cheek where his lips had been not moments before.  

        And I’m telling you, that was better than snow brushing, any day.

        On Wednesday I received an exciting letter in the mail.  It was an invitation to a New Years Party, held by Pete and his sisters Lucy and Katie.  It was a dinner and dance, semi-formal.  I loved dances.

        I spent Friday evening preparing my cards and gifts for Jacob, Carly, Pete, and Elly.  I practically danced to the Kowdies’ (almost slipping on the ice several times).

        Jacob was already there when I got there, and he opened the door for me.

        “Hey,” he said.

        “Hey,” I said.  It sounded so lame, but what else were we supposed to say?  Merry Christmas my love?  Hm.  Not quite ready for that yet, I don’t think.

        “Liliana!  Merry Christmas, love!”

        Reading my mind?  Elly placed a peck of a kiss on my cheek.  I was glad it was the other cheek…I had hardly wanted to wash that one cheek, it suddenly seemed so sacred.

        “Merry Christmas,” I echoed, giving Pete a hug but refraining from touching Carly who never took hugs from people in snowy winter coats and fogged-up glasses.  We ate our dinner on little tea tables in the living room by a cosy fire and gorgeous Christmas tree.  It was harder to see Jacob than when in the kitchen, but the usual watching seemed more intense than ever.  It felt so romantic: the cosy lighting, the warmth and joy radiating all over the room.  Pete made an extra long prayer before we ate, thanking God for another joyous Christmas season, and for their lovely guests Liliana and Jacob, and Happy Birthday Jesus.

        After the wonderful dinner and dessert, we exchanged gifts.  I received from Pete and Elly a book, from Carly earrings and a CD, but from Jacob nothing.

        “My gift’ll come later,” he promised.  All I had for him was a card and some hot chocolate, pretty lame if you ask me, but if he looked hard enough, he would find love, which was the greatest gift I could give anyone at all.

        Yet another miraculous moment happened shortly after, in the kitchen.  Elly went to make more coffee and hot chocolate, and I went to help her.

        “I’ll go,” Carly offered.

        “Sit down!” I retorted.  I went in, but Elly didn’t seem to need me.  I stood in the doorway, ready for her to pass me something to bring into the living room.  

        “Jacob,” I heard Pete saying, loudly and significantly, “Lily’s standing under our mistletoe.”

        My heart gave a little skip; I hadn’t even noticed the mistletoe.  Elly gave me a sly smile. I must have looked quite startled.

        “So she is,” Jacob said, sounding only a little nervous.  

        Carly sloughed off the tension, trying to suck the awkwardness out of the situation.

        “Go kiss her,” she hissed.

        My heart raced.  I watched Jacob stride across the room.  He put his arm around me quickly, and then planted a solid but quick little kiss on my lips, then let go and walked right back.  (Note: on my lips. My LIPS.)  

        But that was it.  I went into the kitchen in a daze.

        “What?  That’s all?” Carly cried as Jacob sat back down.

        “Carly,” reproached Pete.  I knew what that meant.  And I was eternally grateful.  We weren’t ready for more, not yet, not here.

        I brought the coffee and hot chocolates into the room, purposely bringing Jacob’s in last, with mine.  Our hands touched as I handed him the mug.  My eyes flashed to his, then darted away when he smiled. 

        “Thanks, Lil,” he said.  I nodded and sat down numbly, not beside him or even quite near him.  I looked into my drink, marvelling at how things had changed so quickly.  Only a couple weeks ago, I’d been complaining about how awkward and quiet he was.  Who was being awkward and quiet now?  I would never have done such a brave thing as what he did.  His kiss replayed in my mind, over, over, over.  I could see him looking at me from the other end of the living room, not taking his eyes off me as he briskly, with a purpose, strode across and then…oh, and then.  And what about just now?  My eyes flashing up then flickering away when our hands touched.  Thanks, Lil.  So calm, cool, casual.  My heart was in my throat.  I was the shy one now.

        “How about that Christmas present?” 

        “What?” I said stupidly.

        “My Christmas present,” Jacob repeated, smiling sweetly.  “For you.”

        “Oh,” I said.  “Yeah.”

        I sounded like an idiot.

        “Uh…you might want to move.”

        “Huh?  Oh.”

        I was sitting in on the piano bench.  There was a chair beside the piano; I didn’t have to move far, and I would be able to see and hear him quite well from here.  Carly made room for me beside her on the couch, but I did not want to move there.

        He sat on the piano bench, and moved to my end, and his arm just ever so slightly rested against mine.  I was definitely not moving now.

        “Alright.  What do you want me to play?” he asked.  I shrugged.

        “A Christmas carol,” I said.

        “Which one?”

        I named one, another, and another, or that one, or how about this?  He laughed and waved his hand to silence me.  He took a deep breath, then started to play.

        This was different from the last time.  He wasn’t singing to me, he was singing for me, and to God.  He went right from one carol to another.  His voice was soft, raspy, and mellow.  I stared into the Christmas tree, never wanting this moment to end.  This was perfect happiness.

        “Oh night divine, oh night that Christ was born, oh night, oh night, oh night divine.”

        Other voices joined in after a while.  Carly had a sweet voice, softly singing from her place on the couch.  Pete and Elly were humming along as well, throwing in words every so often.  I didn’t want to join in at first, but after a few I just couldn’t resist.

        The time passed.  We didn’t know or care what time it was, we were all so perfectly happy.  As time progressed, he inched closer and closer to me, so that his arm was actually pressed against mine.  Every so often, he’d glance at me and grin.  I had to smile back.

        But, like they say, all good things must come to and end.  (Which of course isn’t true, but to a certain extent encompasses some lesser truths.)  Elly called a halt to our perfect night by announcing it was almost eleven, shouldn’t we be getting home?

        “Eleven,” I repeated dumbly.  The last thing I wanted was to leave this.

        “May I drive you home, Lily?”

        I looked up at him, and took a mental picture; he was perfect, with the edge of his head glowing with firelight and Christmas tree lights, the rest cast into darkness, his eyes glowing, dark and deep.

        I loved him so much.

        “Yes,” I said.  “Thank you.”

        We all exchanged Merry Christmases and goodnights, hugs and warm wishes.

        “You’re coming to the New Years’ Eve party, eh, Lil?”

        “Oh,” I said, “you betcha.”

        I wouldn’t miss that dance for anything.

        “And you, Jake?”

        “You can expect me there, my dear cousin,” he replied, bowing and kissing her hand.  It was so cute.  She laughed and hugged him fiercely.

        “I love you so much, Jake,” she said.

        “Love you too, honey,” he said.  “Bye!”

        “Bye!  Bye!”

        “Merry Christmas!”

        “Yes, Merry Christmas!”

        “Tell your family Merry Christmas from us.”

        “Have a wonderful one.” 

        Etc. Etc.

        “See you New Years’ Eve!”

        “Bye!”

        The outdoors was so silent after all the loud merriment and goodbyes from the Kowdies.  It was snowing again tonight.  I stood there breathing in the sweet cold air, loving life.  I shut my eyes.

        “You are so beautiful,” I heard him whisper, as though to himself and not to me.  I opened my eyes and looked at him.  He was leaning against his car, assessing me.  I smiled shyly and got into the car.

        Once again, when we got home, he walked me to the door.  We stood on my doorstep, snow falling around us, late Christmas Eve, just looking at each other.  I could just look at him forever and never tire of it.

        “Merry Christmas, Lily,” he said at last.  I nodded.

        “Merry Christmas to you too,” I said.  Kiss me.

        He did.  On the cheek, though, a light friendly one.  Then he walked off, turning once to wave.  I went inside and shut the world out.  Our own Christmas tree greeted me warmly, a nicer tree, in my humble opinion, than the Kowdies’.  It was a nice scene to come home to.  I took off my gloves, then turned and peeked out the window.  Jake’s car was gone.

        It was a very Merry Christmas I enjoyed with my family.  I couldn’t help, though, thinking about future merry Christmases with another family, a family Jacob and I were the parents of. 

        Carly called me the day before the party with very useful information, information I would have appreciated earlier, but had honestly not given a single thought to, especially with all the excitement of Christmas.

        “Lily!  Wear green.  He’s wearing green!  Dark green, like his eyes.  Dark brown pants.  And a white tie.”

        “Yes!” I cried; that dark green had always been my favourite colour on guys. “His perfect outfit!”

        “No kidding!  I hope you have a green outfit…?”

        “Carly, you know I plan my outfits much earlier than the day before.”

        “Lil!  Of course you’re wearing green!”

        “We’ll see,” I said.  None of my outfits were green actually.  I faced a problem.

        “Brown,” I realized then, with an amount of relief.  “If he’s wearing brown pants…Carly, you don’t have to worry about a thing!  Think of it.  It’s perfect.  Brown.  I’ll wear brown.”

        “Okay.  Sounds good.  I’m gonna wear the blue dress.”

        “Good.  It’s nicer than your pink one.”

        “My mom disagrees.”

        “Just so long as Lucas agrees, eh?” I said.  She laughed.

        “Well, I know Luc’s only dress shirt is blue.”

        “What if he buys a new one?  Or got one for Christmas?”

        “Not a pink one, though.”

        “Perhaps not,” I said, “but any colour other than blue?”

        “I would die.”

        “Carly,” I laughed.  “It really isn’t that big of a deal.”

        “Yes,” she said.  “It is.  I’m going to message him and ask him what colour he’s wearing.”

        My excitement for the party was killing me as surely as it was killing Carly.  My family teased me as I got ready, knowing full well that I was in love with Jacob Damon and that he was going to be there.  (Wearing green.  And a striking white tie, mmm.)

        The Kowdies picked me up and drove me to the party.  My mom almost cried when I left.  I was a big girl now, bigger than a twelfth grader going off to prom.  It was only a New Years’ Eve party, but somehow, it seemed bigger.  Maybe because it was my first dance with my new love.  Really, my first love; I knew my mom didn’t consider my past relationships as real love, and I hardly wanted to either anymore.

        We were one of the first ones to arrive there, Pete and Carly and I (Elly had gone earlier to help decorate with her sisters-in-law.)  Everyone was dressed up gorgeously, more formal than semi-formal, it seemed.  Fancy.  Gorgeous.

        Lucas arrived soon, and Carly almost collapsed with relief to see him in blue.  He was very striking, blond hair and blue eyes.  I knew this was probably as true a love as Jacob’s and mine.  They were a few steps ahead of us, though, as I witnessed when Lucas kissed her.  A real kiss.  A long one.

        Jasmine and Eric were there too, which was awesome.  We sat down for dinner after serving ourselves buffet-style.  I kept looking around, and Pete finally patted my shoulder and said,

        “Don’t worry, honey, he’s coming.”

        “He’d better be,” I said.  

        “I was just speaking to him today,” Eric said.  “He wanted to know what colour Lily was wearing.”

        I laughed into my water.

        “I had no idea, of course,” he said.

        “He’s wearing green,” Carly said.  She sounded worried.

        “That’s what he told me.  But he said he had blue, black and dark orange too...”

        “Mm,” I said.  “Those are almost as good as green.” 

        “No,” Carly said.  “They totally aren’t.  Not for Jacob.  His eyes are green.  If they were blue or brown, then maybe he could wear those other colours…”

        But I was almost finished my dinner and Jacob still wasn’t there.

        “I’m getting a little worried…”

        “Don’t stress, honey,” Pete said.

        I had no appetite for the rest of the food on my plate.  I was soon sitting alone at my table, watching couples on the dance floor.  Jasmine and Eric, Carly and Lucas, Pete and Elly, random others.  I was beginning to feel the low dank feeling of disappointment.

        I got upset too soon.  My eyes caught sight of someone on the other end of the hall.  My heart crashed to the floor of my stomach.

        “He’s here,” someone hissed in my ear.  I jumped, having not noticed Carly beside me.  “Finally.”

        “Mm,” I said, perfectly aware of the fact that he was there.

        “Come dance,” she said then.  She dragged me onto the dance floor.  We danced in a group, but I kept an eye on the shadow lurking in the back of the room.

        “What’s with him?” I finally asked.

        “That’s Jacob for you,” Carly shrugged.  “Wallflower.”

        “But he can dance,” Eric said. 

        “Go ask him to dance,” Jasmine said.

        “No,” I said immediately.

        “You’re shy too,” Eric laughed.

        When the song was over, I went back to sit down.  My friends left me be for a while, then I saw them in cahoots with Jacob.  They kept looking my way.  I pretended not to notice.

        Carly made her way over to me eventually, stopping for a drink.

        “He wants to dance with you,” she said.

        “Then why doesn’t he?”

        “Li-ly,” she cried. 

        “What?”

        “Why don’t you ask him?”

        “The guys are supposed to ask the girls first!” I cried.

    “Well, there are exceptions,” she said, walking away.  I sighed.  This was the Jacob I didn’t like.  The shy Jacob.  The anti-social Jacob.  Why didn’t he just come ask me to dance?

        I got up and walked over to the DJ.

        “Will you play So Close?” I asked.

        “Sure thing,” he said.  I took a deep breath and looked over at Jacob.  He was leaning against the wall with a drink in his hand.  I was almost mad at him.  He had no right to skip dinner and then be a wallflower all night.  

        My knees knocked together as I headed over to Jacob.  

        “Lily!”

        I turned around.

        “Can you help me for a sec?”

        I was in no position to say no to Elly.  She was setting out plates and napkins for a cake.  But So Close was about to come on, and I needed to dance with Jacob for that song.  Needed to.

        The present song ended.  It was only seconds from So Close.  I set down the plates Elly had passed me and looked over to where Jacob had been.  He wasn’t there.

        “Lily?  Napkins?”

        I grew even more tense.  Tears came unbidden, but I easily blinked them back.  What was this?  Don’t cry, silly!  It’s no big deal.  We can dance another…

        “Lily?”  

        I started at the soft, familiar voice.

        “Lil, …may I…have…this dance?” hesitantly.

        I dropped the napkins abruptly onto the table and whispered a breath of prayer of thanks it wasn’t the plates I’d been holding.  I turned slowly.  His hands trembled, and his eyes were big, like he was scared, almost sad even.  His shirt was exactly the colour of his eyes, but his tie was not white; it was black and brown, and his pants were the very colour of my dress.

        “Yes, of course,” I said, quickly straightening the napkins.  He gently placed his hand on my waist.  I could feel his hands shaking.  Our hands locked.

        “You’re in my arms, and all the world is still.  The music plays on for only two…”

        Eric had been right when he’d said Jacob could dance.  I felt like I was flying, moving around the dance floor like I was dancing on clouds.  

        “A life goes by, romantic dreams must die, so I bid mine goodbye, and never knew so close was waiting, waiting here with you—”

        I had hardly realized I’d been softly singing the words aloud; when I did, I stopped.

        “Keep going,” he urged.  I shook my head and looked at my feet.  So he did instead.

        “All that I want is to hold you so close…”

        My eyes shot up with a small gasp.  His face crinkled into a gentle smile.  He looked into my eyes, very nearly right into my soul.  His voice, softly singing along, filled me, fused me with energy, and more importantly, with love.

        It was a perfect dance.  We looked into each other’s eyes and read everything we needed to know in them.  His hand on my waist pulled me closer and closer with each step, until I very nearly had my head against his chest.  I could smell him, the sweet sharp man scent, with I admit a little sweat.  His breath also I could smell, a natural, neutral smell I was breathing in as he breathed out.  It blew through my hair, cleaning my face, burning my eyes.  

        He spun me around several times at “how can I face these faceless days if I should lose you now?”  When I went back in, he pulled me in so close, it was an embrace.  This time, I did put my head on his chest.  It was a little daring, but it was a risk well worth taking.  Besides, what was there to be afraid of?  I knew he loved me.  His heart was thumping and racing, and his breathing was fast.  His body trembled against my head.  And he had long since stopped singing.

        “We know we are, so close, so close …and still so far.”

        The song ended too soon, and we stopped without letting go.  We were, rather luckily, at a bit of a distance from everyone else, deep in darkness, and still in each others’ arms.  Neither of us made a move to let go.  It was a full embrace, our very first one.  His chest was warm and not very still under my head.

        “Why did you come so late?” I murmured after a moment.

        “I spilled something on my tie, and it took me so much time to find another.  Then I had car trouble.”

        “Was it a white one?” I asked.

        “The tie?  Yeah.  They stain easily.”

        “Well, that tie is nice, too,” I said.  “Nicer, perhaps even.”  A white tie was too blatant for the dark outfit.

        “Thank you,” he said.

        Then he did it.  He finally, at long last, did the thing I’d been waiting for, and dreaming of, since I’d first seen him.  In fact, he did two.  First, he kissed me.  Secondly, he said those three words that meant the world.

        Our lips pressed against each other’s for a long time.  I was clutching at him, holding his shirt in little fists, and his hands were on my back and neck, holding me against him.  It was the most perfect kiss in the world; long, real, true, full of love, and full of the promise we didn’t need to say aloud.  When we parted, we were torn for breath.  Then he said it.

        “I love you.”

        My heart was going to explode.  I was going to die of a heart attack then and there.

        “I love you too,” I whispered.

        He pulled me into his arms.  We held for a moment, then he pulled me right into the dancing.  

        We danced non-stop all night, and the songs only got more and more romantic.  Good old crooners…Strangers in the Night, I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You, every love song good for slow dancing you can think of, they played.  We stopped a minute before midnight to count down, and shout a joyous, “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!”  Everyone hugged and cheered and laughed together.  Jacob held my hand firmly in his.  It was the start of a brand new beautiful year.  I breathed a prayer of thanksgiving to God, for my love and for the new year.  It was going to be a good one.  For all I knew, I could be planning a wedding next new year’s.  Jacob kissed me again while the room celebrated the new year.  Then, shortly after, we began to dance again, the lovely romantic songs that kept you close to your loved one.  The room was bursting with love.  There were married couples, like Pete and Elly, and couples as young as Carly and Lucas.  Nobody was single.  Not even me.  Especially not me.  

The end