Life Changing

Chapter 34

It was Christmas Eve. Emily was coming to spent Christmas with Sam and Penelope. She'd just walked through the door.

"Hi Emily." Penelope said.

"Hi Penelope where's your daddy?"

"Upstairs."

Sam came down the stairs.

"Hi Em." He said.

"Hi." She said. They kissed. She looked at the Christmas tree. "How come your tree isn't decorated yet?"

"Penelope wanted to wait and do it with you."

"Aw, that's sweet."

They were decorating the tree.

"Emily, what is your family doing this Christmas?" Penelope asked.

"Well I told you my mom died." "My dad died eight years ago from a heart attack." "My sister-

"Your sister?" Sam said interrupting her. "You have a sister?"

"Yes I do." "Her name's Amy." "She's two years younger then me." "Anyway, my sister and I don't get along."

"Oh, sorry I brought it up." Penelope said.

"It's ok."

After Sam put Penelope to bed he and Emily were sitting on the living floor wrapping presents.

"Well I guess I'm still learning new things about you." Sam said.

"What do you mean?"

"I've known you for almost three years." "We've been together seven months and you never told me you had a sister."

"I never told Nic I have a sister either."

"Does Travis know?"

"Yeah but that's only because he met her before."

"Before what?"

"Before she went to prison."

"She's in prison?"

"Yes."

"For what?"

"Armed robbery."

"What?! Sam said shocked.

"She and boyfriend at the time robbed a liquor store at gunpoint." "She's been in for five years." "Has ten more to go." "That's why I don't talk about Amy." "Oh I almost forgot." She went over to her bag by the front door and took out two presents. "Can't forget to put these under the tree." She said as she walked over and put them under the tree.

The next morning everyone was opening presents.

"Here Penelope open this one." Emily said. "It's from me." Penelope unwrapped it.

"Cool a toy oven." Penelope said.

"Well yeah but it actually cooks stuff." "It's called an "Easy Bake Oven" I had one when I was your age."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." "Ok sweetheart." She said getting a big rectangular box out from under the tree and giving it to Sam. "Your turn." He unwrapped it. It was a red shirt. "Do you like it?"

"I love it Em." Sam said. "Thank you." They kissed.

"You're welcome."

"Here's your present." He said taking a smaller rectangular shaped box from under the tree. She opened it. It was a diamond necklace.

"Oh wow." "It's beautiful." "I love it." "Thank you." She kissed him.

"You're welcome."

"I feel kind of bad though." "I mean all I got you is a shirt."

"It's a great shirt."

After they finished the presents they were cleaning up the wrapping paper.

"Oh." Sam said smiling. He reached into his pocket. "Here's another present for Emily." He pulled out a little red square shaped box.

"Better give it to her daddy." Penelope said.

"Please don't do what I think your about to do Sam." Emily thought. "Please don't propose to me." "You'll think I wanna break up if I say no."

"Emily I have something very important to ask you." Sam said. He got down on one knee. Emily got a nervous look on her face. "Emily I've given this a lot of thought and I think it's the right time." He opened the box but instead of seeing a ring Emily saw a key.

"That's a key?" Emily said confused.

"Will you move in with us?"

"Oh." She said realizing it wasn't a marriage proposal. She got a look of pure relief on her face. "Are you sure it's ok with both of you?"

"Yeah." Penelope and I have been talking about it a lot." "So?"

"Yes I will." Emily said smiling. Sam got up and gave her the key.

Later that night Penelope was in bed. Emily and Sam had just finished cleaning the kitchen. Sam sat down on a kitchen chair.

"Em come here." He said. He pulled her onto his lap. She was sitting sideways. "You thought I was gonna propose to you huh?"

"Yeah."

"You don't want me to do you?" "I saw the look of relief on your face when you realized that wasn't what I was doing." She got a worried look on her face. "What?" "Tell me."

"I don't want you to get mad at me."

"I won't get mad."

"I don't want you to think that I don't love you or I don't want to be with you." "I do." "I'm thrilled you asked me to move in." "I'm so excited to start our next chapter as a couple but marriage...

"You don't wanna do it."

"No." "I don't think we would but I wouldn't want us to get married just to watch it crumble like my first marriage."

"I understand." "Trust me, I wrote the book on being gun shy about getting married again." "I don't want to get married again either."

"You don't?"

"Nope." "I just want to be with you."

She smiled. "That's exactly what I want to." "I love you Sam."

"I love you too Emily." They kissed