Mary Orleans has dreamt of a white Christmas since she was a child. Every Christmas they spend at home in Australia, between sheep and heat. Just one Christmas in New York, that's all she wants.
Lenny Darwin hates Christmas. The cold, the family, th...
New York smelled like snow. The lights flashed in the shop windows and Christmas music sounded throughout the apartment. Everywhere you looked, the world seemed to be reborn. And although it was already well past midnight, the whole family was awake and sitting on the sofa. Carol and Sina were playing the UN together and Lenny was sitting next to me on the floor in front of the Christmas tree. Edith used the gingerbread and leafed through a book. The tree that we maneuvered down the subway a few weeks ago and decorated in the middle of the night. Somehow he brought back memories in me. Because in the month that I had now spent with Carol, Sina and also Lenny, I had learned a lot. Not only that I had never been really happy in Australia or that Christmas among people was completely different. But also that true love could be found in the most inappropriate moments. I never thought I could fall in love with anyone other than Josh anyway. But in the secluded world I had lived in, I had never dreamed of a boy who was behind all my dreams.
When I telephoned my parents a few hours ago to tell them that I would not marry a boy I did not love, I was certain that I would now be disinherited. However, I only reached out to my mother, who apparently knew nothing about Dad's plan. And very often apologized to me. She had heard nothing from Dad when he went to Sydney for "business reasons". But after I told Mom everything, she seemed to understand why he hadn't been more specific. Who knew what he was up to? Then she told me she was on a plane on the way here. And I burst into tears. I didn't know how much I missed my mother. It was probably because I had seen her every day for nineteen years. Carol had invited her and Mom had gone straight to the airport. Since then we waited in the small living room for my mother, who would soon arrive here.
Sina had already complained several times that she was not allowed to open presents even though it was already Christmas morning. After a while, Carol had given up arguing and allowed her to open one of the presents. A short time later, Sina had opened all her presents, but none had been angry with her. We loved her too much for that. I had given her a snow globe with one of the pictures we had taken together at the Christmas market. Somewhere I realized that this picture didn't have any emotional value for her yet, but I was sure it would look completely different in a few years. Edith had gotten the same from me. Along with a promise from Carol's agency that almost made her cry. Sina was also happy about the tickets for Disneyland. Her mom and brother gave her toys and a membership for an ice skating club, which she was very happy about. According to Sina's personal gift, only a few gifts were left under the tree. I had insisted that we wait until Mom arrived, but Lenny contradicted me and told me to open one of the presents. So I sat on the floor holding an envelope in my hands.
"Lenny, you don't have to gift me anything," I tried to stop him from giving me something incredibly expensive. Lenny only smiled at me and then instructed me to open the envelope, which read "Maria" in wrinkled letters. "The greatest gift is that you are here," I said over and over, until I finally opened the envelope. I slowly took the card out of the envelope, which had a picture of us on it. In the subway, with a misplaced Christmas tree on his arm. When I opened the map, a key fell on me. I looked at Lenny questioning. Then I read the words on the card.
"The first time I saw you, I knew right away that you were special. Even though I may not have shown it, I have loved you since day one. And even though only a month has passed since that day, I know full well that I will forever. This is an offer. I will always be here to listen to you. I will always love you, Mary. And this key is meant to be a symbol of eternity. Not only is it our offer that you can move in with us and stay here forever, but it's also an eternal reminder that I want to marry you someday. I will wait until you are ready. I'll wait for you to turn twenty-one and go to college. I'll ask your parents for your hand in marriage. But I will not stop until I can be sure that I may love you forever."
When I looked up again, there were tears in my eyes. Carol and Sina were now also looking at me expectantly. Edith looked curiously at us. I bit my lip and tried not to cry. I would actually be able to live in New York? In the city I had fallen in love with? With the people who had long been like my family? I looked at Lenny and fell around his neck. Then I kissed him. "Yes," I whispered when I broke away from him again. Carol and Sina were pulled into the hug as well. Edith cheered, and I knew I would never lose her. And so I was sitting under a Christmas tree in an apartment in New York at Christmas.
And outside the windows the snow was falling.
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