“Are you okay, Daisy?” Evan wrapped his arms around me from behind as I was in the kitchen cutting up cheese to put on a tray. Other than an upset stomach from nerves, I felt decent today, and thought the best thing to do was to keep moving and try to not sit still. After a few seconds I would start to think, and that would do me no good tonight.
“Yeah.” I sighed and rubbed the back of Evan’s hand as it rested on my waist. “I’m really trying not to be sad tonight, so I might need a little more alcohol to do that.” Evan chuckled and turned me around.
“I know it’s early but I thought maybe this would help keep a smile on your face.” Evan reached behind him and pulled out a Tiffany’s bag. I gasped at the beautiful pale blue color and white ribbon.
“Oh, my god! Tiffany’s? Are you crazy?” Evan laughed and shook his head.
“I’m crazy about you, so just open it.” I grabbed the bag as he dangled it from his index finger. Even the white tissue paper seemed high end; I tore at it and found the Tiffany’s key pendant that I always wanted. I had gotten a knockoff one day from a street vendor in Manhattan, but could never justify buying the real one for myself. I held the pendant in my hand, and let my fingers run along the chain.
“Now you can stop wearing the fake one. I don’t know if you remember but I was with you when you got it. It was the day we went into the city with Jack to pick out Ellie’s engagement ring. You spotted that guy selling it and jumped up and down that was the Tiffany’s necklace you wanted. I told you it wasn’t real, and you laughed and said it was a great placeholder until you got the real thing.”
“That’s right. How could I forget that?” I couldn’t believe Evan remembered that day almost four years ago.
“So, I thought it was time you got the real thing.” Evan took my face in his hands and smiled. I reached up to clasp the backs of his hands.
“I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love you. I know it’s . . . tough right now for all of us. But you make me so fucking happy.” Evan ran his thumb along my bottom lip and rested his forehead against mine.
Until Evan, everything in my life was a placeholder. I finally had the real thing, and I never wanted to let go. This Christmas, my big wish, the one that I had since I was a little girl watching princess movies, came true. Even though I spent way too much time looking in all the wrong places, my prince really did exist.
“You make me happy, too. God, Evan . . . I love you so much.” I jumped on Evan and kissed him much harder than I should have with most of my family in the next room. He moaned into my mouth as he lifted me up and put me on the counter. I pushed the tray of food aside as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I nibbled on his bottom lip when he tried to pull away.
“Fuck, Daisy, you’re killing me.” Despite his protest, he grabbed the back of my neck and brought his lips back to mine. I tightened my legs around his waist and pulled him closer.
“Oh my God! It’s Christmas Eve! Baby Jesus is about to be born and these two are going at it right next to the cheese tray!” Jack’s voice boomed from the kitchen doorway. I kept kissing Evan and held up my index finger. I took my lips away for a moment and turned to Jack.
“Not done yet.” Evan laughed when I went back to his lips.
“C’mon, Daisy.” He pulled back as I ran my hands up and down the dark sleeves of his dress shirt. “I’m sleeping over tonight, remember?” Evan kissed my cheek and whispered. “You can keep thanking me all night long if you want.” He caught my hands and laced our fingers together. I crinkled my nose at him as he lifted me off the counter and set me down.
“What is she doing? Paige went in there a half hour ago to put cheese on a tray. Paige!” I sank my head into Evan’s chest, groaning at my mother’s voice traveling down the hallway.
Jack bounced Jack Junior in his arms as he laughed at us. “Some godparents we picked for you. Sorry, buddy.” The baby was in a full Santa suit and stared at us with wide eyes. For a two month old, he seemed to notice everything, just like his annoying father.
“Now you can explain to your mother how I caught you in mid-grope . . .”
“Caught her in what? Paige, what’s going on?” My mother split a look between Evan and me with a furrowed brow. I glimpsed over at Evan, and noticed my lipstick was all over his face. I tried to motion to him to wipe it off. Talk about getting caught red handed. Well, at least this was one holiday when humiliating distractions would be welcome.
“Evan gave me my Christmas present.” I held up the necklace and my mother put her hand on her chest as she approached us.
“How beautiful! Tiffany’s too? Such a nice boy.” Mom gave Evan a kiss on the cheek. “Now give me the tray and I’ll take it into the living room. I’d like to eat before New Year’s.” Mom huffed as she picked up the silver tray and rushed out of the kitchen.
“Oh and Paige, wipe your face.” My mother pursed her lips as she left the kitchen. I dropped my face to my hands as Jack laughed so hard, tears fell down his cheeks.
“Dude, I don’t know how you did it, but you totally got the golden ticket with Aunt Tess. Not you, Paige. I wouldn’t be surprised if she yells at you for corrupting Evan. And we thought tonight would be no fun. Get me a beer, Ev.”
“A beer?” Last thing he needed was to mix. “You think that’s a good idea?” Jack was on a lot of meds.
“Cuz, what are you saving me for?” Jack gave me a sad smile. I nodded and looked away.
“I’ll be right out.” I turned around to clean up and put the utensils in the sink. Fuck, I couldn’t start this already. I tried to swallow back the tears as I scrubbed at the cheeseboard.
Jack came behind me and put his arm around my shoulder. “Jack, tell Aunt Paige to lighten up. It’s a holiday and we have presents to open.” I shook my head and I kept my head lowered. Eye contact would make the waterworks come pouring out.
“Remember what you promised me?” I rolled my eyes and turned to face him.
“Yes.” I let out a long sigh. “I remember. Just . . . give me a minute, okay?” Jack kissed my temple and rubbed my back.
“Okay. C’mon, Evan. We’ll see you inside, hot pants.”
I huffed as I narrowed my eyes at my cousin. “You’re a jerk.”
“Ah!” Jack nodded. “That’s what I’m talking about. Normal. Perfect.”
Evan laughed as he reached for a paper towel to wipe his face. He crept up behind me and planted a kiss behind my ear.
“See you inside, hot pants.” He slapped my ass as he sauntered over to the refrigerator to pull out two beers, and left to join Jack in the living room.
Other than a few dirty looks from my mother, Christmas dinner was perfect. Jack Junior was such a good baby, and was passed around like a football all night long. He was with his father for most of the night, and we all took picture after picture.
“Hey, want me to take him?” Ellie slipped off the baby’s Santa hat as he slept in Evan’s arms. Both boys looked perfectly content right where they were on my uncle’s leather recliner.
“Nah, my godson and I are good. I was telling him all about when we buy his first Rangers jersey.”
“Oh, hell no.” Jack straightened on the couch and shook his head. “He’s an Islanders fan. Don’t make me get something notarized. I’ll haunt the shit out of you.” Ellie joined Jack on the couch and shook her head as she climbed onto his lap.
“Like you won’t do that anyway.” She flung her arms around Jack’s neck with a sad smile.
“I’ll haunt you as much as I can, baby.” Jack kissed her forehead and pulled her into his chest.
My Aunt Marie put her arm around me as we both stared at her grandson over Evan’s shoulder. “This is the first Christmas we have a baby around here. Last kids in the family were Jack and Paige.” The exhaustion in her eyes broke my heart. How do you prepare to bury your own child? Jack and his mother had always been like two peas in a pod. Even when Jack went away to school, he called my aunt almost every day. Maybe someone would ring our bell with a Christmas miracle and nothing would have to change. My heart would never stop hoping for it, but my head knew better. Life would soon become nothing more than a waiting game, but eventually all our hearts would shatter.