Under The Mistletoe

Part 32

Typed

I got back to the bathroom and found him asleep in the tub. I set the tea on the nightstand and gently woke him up. I got a towel out for him and helped him out of the tub and dried him off. I got him some clean underwear and clean pajamas. I helped him dress and put him in bed. I gave him his tea to sip and asked if he was interested in soup. He shook his head. I climbed in bed with him and held him until he was ready to communicate.

"Phone, please," I whispered and let her go so she could find them both. I put my hand over my throat. It was starting to hurt. I sat up when she moved and sipped my tea. It felt very good on my throat. I breathed as deep as I could and closed my eyes. 'C'mon Kaplan. You can do this. Just look. She is taking care of you when you are failing at it, embarrassing, yes, but Man she loves you so much more than anyone outside of your family ever has. Pull it together man. Do it for both of you. Do it for this strong nurturing woman you got so lucky to find. Pull yourself together boy. It'll turn out fine. Trust her, more importantly, trust your damn self. You know how to love and loving her is easy. You know how to show it. So keep doing that. You got this.' I sipped my tea and stared at the wall as I kicked myself in the ass. I really needed to pull my head out of myself. I sighed. Tried to talk, just to hear my own voice, and instantly regretted it. Texting sucks. It would have to do. Maybe we could do something a bit more intimate than that. I smiled as the idea come to me and the thought of making her happy and how followed it.

His phone was sitting next to mine on the table in the living room. I grabbed them and a cup of tea for me and headed back to the bedroom. He was smiling. I handed him his phone and smiled back at him. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

I shook my head, held up my tea, and reached for the phones.

I climbed back in bed with him and sipped my tea. "Feeling any better?"

I took the phones and set her's on the bedside table then opened a memo on mine. I dated the top of it and started typing. "I feel better. Thank you. You didn't have to help me like that." I handed her my phone and smiled.

I smiled and typed back. "Of course I did. You were sick and when you love someone, you take care of them when they are sick." I handed his phone back to him.

"Sorry about that. It's been a long long time since that has happened. I didn't eat anything bad. I hope I am not getting sick. My throat is on fire, but I probably just overdid it, laughing so hard yesterday then singing for more than an hour straight. Can I be honest?"

"100%. Always." I was enjoying typing back and forth.

"Okay. God typing is so hard at times like these. But, here it goes. I am scared right out of my mind. 1. My mom really disapproves and even though I am grown it hurts me. I also think it isn't fair to either of us. I can't imagine that it doesn't hurt you. I know she'll work past it. She always does. She loves me and she really likes you a lot. This may be the only thing she is uncomfortable with. But it's just for the holidays so... 2. I have no idea what to GET you for Christmas. I'm afraid that anything I get, you'll hate. I can't escape feeling like I am not good at gift buying. There is something I want to give you and I am sure that will put a smile on your face for days to come, but I don't know what to get to so far as things go. I don't want to do it wrong. It is our first Christmas together." I smiled a self-conscious smile and handed her my phone after I proofed what I had written.

I read what he typed and it brought tears to my eyes. I kissed his cheek and started typing. "1. I am game for however you want to handle this. I am enjoying 'living' with you. 2. Honestly, anything you get me, I am going to love. You know why because it came from you and your heart. I don't want you to be scared. I love you and I don't want to cause you any discomfort." I handed his phone back.

"You're staying here. With me. Ben made a very good point last night. It really helped me to understand myself and the choices that I've made. It will help Mom too. Thanks. I sure hope I get this right." I kissed her forehead. "Just in case I am actually getting sick, no use getting you sick too. Now. I am hungers. Are you?"

I nodded. "Chinese or something lighter?" I waved away his phone and smiled. "I love you so very much." I kissed his forehead.

I nodded and got out of the bed. I brought my phone with me and reached for her hand. I was hungry. "Stomach is fine. I think." I showed her my phone before putting it in my pocket and led her to the kitchen. "Menorah?"

I nodded. "After dinner?"

I got the food out of the fridge and set it on the table. I started rummaging through the bags then just set the tubs of Chinese food on the table and got silverware. I licked my lips. I was hungry.

I started nuking the food, one container at a time. I pulled a crab rangoon out and handed him one too. "I love these." I pulled the last container out of the microwave and started dishing my plate.

I dished my plate and nodded as I finished the rangoon she handed me. I found the dumplings, smiled and clapped, then dished my plate. I put entirely too much food on it, but I had to try. I drank some water and smiled. When it stayed down.

My eyes went wide as I looked at his plate. I ate what I had dished and it was plenty. I put leftovers away in the fridge and my plate in the sink. "Ready?"

I ate slowly, but I ate a lot. The light lunch I had wasn't nearly enough. I managed to clean my plate. I held up a finger and just sat for a few moments before trying to move. I rubbed my tummy and smiled.

I smiled back at him. He genuinely seemed to be feeling better. I was relieved and ready to light the menorah. "What am I singing tonight?"

I typed, "A Mircacle." On my phone and showed it to her.

I raised my eyebrow at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. "God I love you. I'm not sure that I know that one though."

I google the reason for Hanukkah and pulled it up on my phone. I really wanted to talk, but swallowing hurt. It was that dry kind of hurt that makes singing impossible or just excruciatingly painful. "The songs don't matter. Songs of thanks and praise. Your favorite hymn or Christmas songs. A prayer of thanks for the light and the strength that was given."

"Okay. I think I can do that." I let him lead me to the living room. He lit the necessary candles and I started with the sung Hebrew prayer. He looked surprised when I got it all right. "I've been practicing." I winked at him. I sang O Holy Night and Silent Night. I loved watching him listen to me sing. It was nice, but I missed his voice.

She finished singing and I pulled her down onto the couch with me. I pointed at the gifts under the tree, then to her, and finally to myself. I followed that up by raising my brow and tilting my head.

I shrugged my shoulders. "You are going to love them. Oh! I got us something else too. Give me a sec." I got up and pulled a bag out from under the tree. I opened the bag and pulled out the stockings I got us. They were our blue with white fuzzy tops. His had an A embroidered on it, mine had an L.

I sat up and bounced on the couch as I reached out for my stocking. I couldn't close my mouth I was so happy. I hugged her fiercely then settled in. I alternated between examining the embroidery and hugging my new stocking. I grabbed my phone. "Let our parents keep ours for next year.😋" I kissed her cheek, looked at her stocking, and went back to playing with mine. The fuzz was soft. I really liked it.

"I'm glad you like them." I pulled the two star-shaped stocking hangers out of the bag and placed them on the mantle. I hung mine up, knowing he would eventually hang his up. "I also got us these for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning." I pulled out a pair of matching pajamas for each of us. The pants were red, green, and white plaid and the tops were green with red trim around the sleeves, neck, and hem.

I laughed silently. "'Cause 'Merica. 😂😂" I hung my stocking and started a fire. I sat back on the couch with my water and tea beside me and pulled my girl into my arms. I kissed the top of her head and relaxed until I was dozing.

He started to drift off to sleep and I was ready to myself. "Let's go to bed. You put out the fire and I will meet you there." I tapped his knee. I took care of business and got ready for bed. My current situation made it impossible to sleep naked, so pajamas it was. I crawled into bed and waited patiently for him.