Love, Emma

Chapter Seventeen:

Nathan didn't say anything after that, I don't think he knows what to say. He's just sort of staring, his lips slightly parted and his eyes wide and his poker face on. He just kind of looks at me, looks through me, as if he was seeing everything that made sense yet nothing at all.

So I squeeze his hand and he squeezes back, and he was looking at me, not through me- like the brief feeling of our hands squeezing each others brought him back- and my face is in his chest and his is bent over my head, his arms around my back, mine around his waist- and I can feel people looking and I don't care they are. I hope Nathan doesn't care, I hope he doesn't think about that. I hope he is just holding on, and being, and enjoying this like I am.

Because in a sidewalk full of people so busy with their lives- we're here, and it's almost like times stopped for us, for now. For this infinite moment of us- it's like we're in this other world, where it's just us, and time, and it never ends, and we see everyone and they see us, and it's beautiful.

I don't know how that can be, but it is, it really, truly, is.

.   .  .   .   .

"I think I'm all set, I have the books for Matteo, the sweater for Luke, the recipe book for Helen and the apron, the model car for your dad- thanks for the help with that one by the way- the piano key tie and the desk top name plate for Enzo, and I'm getting your gift later because, well, you're here." I laugh lightly, glancing at Nathan who's searching his pockets for the keys to The Café.

"Y-you're getting m-m-me a present?" He sounds shocked, as if he can't believe the words he's hearing.

"Of course I am, you're my best friend."

His hand is shaking so bad, he can't put the key in the hole, so I reach over, gently guiding his hand holding the key through the lock.

Entering the dark café, the only lights on being the one over the counter, Nathan relocks the door before leading the way trough the maze of tables and up the stairs. The door is unlocked, and we slip in, finding Helen and Owen watching a movie on the couch.

"Hey, how was the shopping kids?" Owen wraps his arm around Helen's shoulders, her leaning into his side. They fit like puzzle pieces, Owen and Helen, their personalities clashing and mixing in all the right places- I hope I have a love like that, a love that seems so infinite you'd never question it. A love very unlike my parents.

"It was great, I only have one more gift to go before I'm all said and done." I laugh, and Helen simply nods in understanding, her eyes wide.

"I know what you mean, I still have half the cousins to go."

"Half?" How many cousins could there be?

"There's twelve in total, eight boys and four girls, Italian families." Nathan laughs at that, mumbling something in Italian that makes his parents laugh.

"How about you Owen, any family here?"

"Nah, they stayed in England, I'm the only one who really ventured out." He doesn't seem sad about this, he seems perfectly okay with it, so I don't say anything, I just smile and nod in recognition of his words.

"How about you Emma, any big plans with your family for Christmas?"

"Oh, um, not really. My mom is the head of the maternity ward at the hospital, so she works Christmas and my brother AJ offers to work Christmas because we don't have plans, we usually celebrate afterwards, on Boxing Day. And we don't really, um, talk to my Dad's side...usually it's just Beau and I." I smile, because I don't want them to pity me, because nothing is wrong- Christmas in my house is only on the twenty sixth, it doesn't feel like Christmas for my family until then.