Time after time

Let it snow

Elle POV

Ever since my father told me he was planning to propose to Linda and move with her to Chicago, I've had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea. It's true that since he started dating Linda, I went to Harvard to study, got married and have a home in Boston with my husband. But, I felt a pang in my heart knowing that my childhood home was going to be sold and I realized that this was the final step in us realizing that my mother was truly gone. Noah had to spend several evenings comforting me while I cried into his chest. I could only appreciate this relationship that I have with my husband. He knows me deeply and knows in advance what will happen to me.

With my father's engagement scheduled for Christmas Eve in Chicago, I had to write off my Christmas with Lee and the Flynns. For me, Christmas has always been with the Flynns, they are my family. Well, it's true that I'm now a Flynn myself! Fortunately, Noah will accompany me for this event which I know will not be easy.

In the meantime, I wrapped up all this emotions and worked hard to pass my exams.

December 20 was the last day of exams at Harvard. I finished my last exam around 4 :00 p.m., I was relieved to hand over my paper and go outside. There was light snow and the temperature was around 32 degrees which is my favorite temperature for winter. I found my husband waiting for me on the steps and I had no choice but to rush into his arms, putting my hands in his pockets.
- And then, how did you get on with organic chemistry?" he asked me as soon as I was safe in his arms.
- I hope not too bad! Thanks to you!
- Mmmm! I think it's more of a natural talent for you! You still managed to make a stink bomb in high school!" he said to me, starting to laugh at this memory.

We were both laughing when we were quickly joined by Chloe and Rebecca as well as Alyssa and Elliott who are pre-med colleagues.
-What's so funny!" asked Chloe when she joined us.
-A memory from high school!" Noah said without giving any details.
-It's crazy how many memories you two have in common." said Rebecca.
-It's the lot of having grown up together! Sometimes it's a bit confronting, I can hardly hide some things from Noah." I said.
- Like your disagreement with your father's future engagement and his move to Chicago." Chloe told me.

I only nodded my head. Chloe is the only other person I have spoken deply to about my unease about my father's future wedding. Noah listened to me but it's difficult for him to really share my emotions. His parents have been together for several years and are still in love. But Chloe has recently experienced her parents' divorce and dating her father's new conquests. She understands me when I tell her my discomfort at meeting Linda's family.

We were all relieved that the session was over. Noah treated all of our friends to dinner and a party at our apartment to celebrate the end of the session. I clearly found there his party spirit which had led to many drunken evenings at his parents' house when we were in high school.

Quickly, Chloe offered to bring alcohol. Alyssa and Elliott brought hors d'œuvres while Greg and Abby ordered take out. We met as a group of 10 at the apartment. The evening was spent eating, drinking and talking about the highlights of this session as well as our plans for Christmas.

Around midnight, everyone started leaving claiming early flights home.

As soon as the last guest left the apartment, Noah hugged me and whispered in my ear.
- Ready for bedtime?

I didn't answer him and he carried me to our bed. I snuggled up against him and let sleep take me, letting go of the stress of the last few weeks.

Noah and I decided to take a flight to Chicago on December 23, allowing us to recharge our batteries a bit before heading off to celebrate with Linda's family. But on the morning of December 23, I woke up to find an incredible blizzard. Everything was white outside the window. I looked at the weather forecast and it was predicting a snowstorm in Boston until the evening of December 24 for a total of 18 inches of snow. Noah came out of our room shortly after, holding his cell phone :
- Mmmm, Elle!" he said, showing me the notice from the airline telling us that our flight to Chicago had been canceled due to weather conditions.

After the shock, Noah tried to see if we could get another flight to be there for Christmas Eve in Chicago. But since it was the holiday season, the quickest flight he could have had was December 27th, which was the day we flew from Chicago to LA. Noah was able to change our flight from Chicago to LA to Boston to LA. With all these emotions, I was quite relieved. I won't need to pretend to be comfortable with my father's decision to move to Chicago and marry Linda. And secretly, I was excited to spend a Christmas alone with Noah in Boston before we flew to LA to celebrate New Year's Day.

Noah looked mixed on what my reaction was going to be. I just gave him a big smile and shrugged my shoulders before saying :
- Since we have no more place to go, we just have to let it snow!

So we started planning our 4 days of Christmas at home. We dressed warmly to go shopping at the supermarket since we weren't planning to spend Christmas in Boston. Noah told me he was making me a fancy meal on Christmas Eve. I was in charge of Christmas brunch and we wanted to try making a turkey for Christmas dinner. Tradition is tradition, as Lee would say. The walk to the supermarket was hilarious. The snow was falling in the sky and Noah and I threw a few snowballs at each other. It was great to be able to still act like kids after the stress of the last few days. And it did me the greatest good! The result was that we looked like two snowmen when we returned to the apartment with the groceries.

We made ourselves hot subs and ate in front of the TV and fireplace to warm up while watching a movie. It was so quiet in the apartment as only the sound of the television was heard. I even thought Noah had fallen asleep but the movement of his fingers in my hair told me otherwise. I could see large flakes falling as I looked out the glass door onto the balcony. I felt warm in front of the fireplace and in my husband's arms. This moment was so peaceful that I was surprised when Noah asked me:
- So, were you relieved not to go to Chicago?
- Yes!" I said to him, a little ashamed. "I have difficulty accepting that nothing will remain of my childhood life except memories.

Noah remained silent as he continued to run his fingers through my hair.
- One thing I learned when I decided to let you go up that hill in LA is that you can't hold people back. It is important to give freedom to those we care about, even if it hurts us. I understand your discomfort at seeing this life you had in LA disappear but you're going to have to give your father the freedom to live his life, Shelly." he said to me, giving me a kiss on the head.

I didn't respond to Noah right away. I allowed myself to take the time to reflect on his words. Am I holding my father back?
- How can I act differently, Noah?
- Maybe you should have a heart-to-heart talk with your father to tell him what his departure is making you experience. Then tell him that you are giving him the freedom to start his life again.
- It's weird that that comes out of the mouth of a guy who hates emotional discussions." I said to him, turning to face him.
- This guy must have changed! He decided to get married and wants to at all costs be present for his wife." he said, caressing my cheek.
- Thank you, for wanting to be present for me!
- You are welcome!" he said as he placed a kiss on my lips which quickly deepened.

We didn't watch the end of the movie...

By evening, the snow had lessened and Noah and I went out to walk towards Harvard Square. Christmas lights lit up the streets and the snow sparkled, making the landscape even more magical. Despite the fact that this is my second winter in Cambridge, I have had little opportunity to enjoy this festive atmosphere since the month of December rhymes with the end of the session and a Christmas trip to LA. So, it was a blessing in disguise to be able to take advantage of this time. I fell in love with this festive atmosphere surrounding a white Christmas. Noah and I visited the Christmas market with a cup of mulled cider to warm us up. I managed to find a few Christmas ornament that we can keep as a souvenir of our first Christmas as a married couple.

The next morning, after breakfast in bed made by Noah, we headed to the ice oval to skate. It reminded me of Valentine's Day when Noah took me skating for the first time in Boston. It was the first time I skated on ice! I have improved since then and I was happy to end up on the bottom less often.

For dinner, Noah suggested we wear the fancy clothes we bought for my dad's engagement party anyway. We joined my father with Brad, Linda and her family by Facetime so I was able to hear my father propose to Linda. It was weird to hear my dad propose when I was proposed to 18 months ago and have been married for 4 months.

The observation became clear in my head at that moment! My father's life is with Linda in Chicago while mine is with Noah in Boston...