10:45

PART 15

Rico woke up quietly, careful not to wake Claudine, who was still sleeping peacefully beside him. He turned to look at her, admiring how calm and beautiful she looked while asleep. In his mind, he thought, "I love this woman so much. I'm willing to wait as long as she's by my side." He smiled to himself, feeling incredibly lucky to have her.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead, not wanting to disturb her rest. He knew she had been tired the night before and needed the extra sleep. Rico got out of bed slowly and went about getting ready for work, tiptoeing around the room to keep the noise to a minimum.

Before he left, Rico sat at the desk in their room and decided to write her a note. He picked up a pen and began writing, knowing she would appreciate waking up to his words.

Hunny,
I didn’t wake you because I know you’re really tired.
If you’re reading this, I’m already at work. Tomorrow is Christmas, and I can’t wait to spend it with you. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.

He smiled as he finished the note, folding it neatly and placing it on the pillow beside Claudine. He looked at her one more time, his heart filled with love, before quietly slipping out of the room and heading to work.

---

A few hours later, Claudine woke up, stretching her arms and feeling the softness of the bed. She reached out to where Rico usually was, but realized he had already left. As her eyes adjusted to the morning light, she noticed a small note on his pillow.

She sat up, picking up the note, and a smile instantly appeared on her face as she recognized Rico’s handwriting.

“Hunny, I didn’t wake you because I know you’re really tired…” She read the note, her heart warming with every word. She hugged the note close to her chest, feeling so much love for him.

Tomorrow was Christmas, and Claudine could hardly wait. It would be another special moment spent with Rico, one more memory to add to the countless ones they’d already made.

Lying back in bed, she held the note, thinking about how lucky she was to have Rico in her life. She smiled to herself, already excited for the day ahead.

Claudine lay back in bed, rereading Rico's note over and over, her heart swelling with love. She could picture him sneaking out quietly, leaving this sweet message for her. It was these small gestures that always made her feel incredibly special.

As she sat there, she thought about their journey together. It had been full of love, laughter, and support. Every moment with Rico was a reminder of how strong their bond was, and how much they truly meant to each other. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought about how tomorrow, Christmas Day, would be another beautiful memory for them both.

She glanced at the clock and realized it was already late morning. Stretching, she finally got out of bed and started her day. The house felt quiet, peaceful even. With Rico at work, she had the day to herself, but her mind was on him the entire time. Everything reminded her of him—the note on her pillow, the way his scent still lingered in the room, the thought of him coming home to her after work.

By afternoon, Claudine found herself preparing for tomorrow. She wanted everything to be perfect. She planned on making dinner for the two of them—just something simple, but special, to celebrate Christmas together. Rico had already hinted at wanting a quiet evening, just the two of them.

As the day went on, she kept thinking back to their early years together, back when they were just friends. It was hard to believe how far they had come since those days. Now, here they were, celebrating their love every day, with each year only making their relationship stronger.