The Boy with the Blind Eyes

A Christmas Special

           

Leila was in her rocking chair, the casserole was simmering, and the fire was crackling. It was lucky that Angus' uncle was out of town this Christmas, otherwise they never would have been allowed to use his cabin in Big Bear. Tamsin smiled at the picturesque landscape in front of her—nothing but rolling hills and landscape for miles. It was good to get away from New York sometimes, no matter how much she loved it there.

Angus handed her a glass of wine, his blue eyes twinkling in the twilight sunset. She had never seem him happier. Who would have thought in the year that had passed since they'd graduated from school, that they would be here now? Successful in their developing careers, cherishing their baby girl, and more in love than ever before. The engagement ring on Tamsin's finger proved that—they were set to marry next September.

Angus took a seat against her, the heat of his body making her blush. That was the one thing that hadn't changed since they'd met—he could still make her blush so easily. The first thing he'd commented on when he saw her for the first time for how she was blushing. Then he had run his fingers through her dark hair, drinking in every detail of her face. The moment had brought them both to tears. But it had been nothing compared to the reaction of seeing Leila for the first time. He had sobbed his eyes out, laughing and crying and kissing her little head. She had stared deeply into her father's eyes, the way only babies seemed to get away with. Her eyes were so much like his—round and wondrous. Swirly and beautiful. Angus could see it now, too, the resemblance between Leila and himself. The first time he'd seen himself as a man and not a boy, he gasped. He ran a hand over his face, as if to make sure he was real. He couldn't believe how different he looked, and told Tamsin that he'd imagined someone very different on the outside. She had merely shaken her head in disbelief. She couldn't imagine how overwhelmed he would be feeling.

In the months that Angus had gained his sight back, Tamsin caught him staring at her during random moments—when she was singing to Leila at night to get her to fall asleep, chopping ingredients for a meal, doing her makeup or tying back her hair. He loved looking at her. 'I'm making up for lost time,' he would claim happily.

'Wow,' Angus breathed now, snapping her into the present. He stared at the gradual sunset, eyes full of tears. 'It's like an artist's palette. Man, out of all the things I missed seeing...this tops the list.' He would often get emotional about beautiful things he saw—paintings, photographs—and it was understandable. She even enjoyed seeing that side of him; the side that was human. It was almost as if when he had truly opened his eyes for the first time, he had opened his heart, too. Glancing at Tamsin, he smiled. 'I've been missing this?'

She confirmed it with a nod. 'Sorry to say so. Isn't it beautiful?'

'It's...incredible,' he replied breathlessly. 'And I have you to thank for it all.'

'Me? What did I do?'

'You're the one that always told me to pursue my dreams—to have the operations. And they paid off. I never would have done it without you,' he whispered. Gently tipping her head back, he closed his eyes and kissed her.

It was one of the best kisses they'd ever shared.

'I love you,' he whispered softly, pulling away.

She smiled, touching his cheek. 'I love you, too.'

'It's us now,' he sighed contentedly, eyes closing. 'It's us forever.'

'Forever,' she agreed.

And there they rested, sipping their wine, and contemplating their eternity.

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