LET IT SNOW IN TRIER

Amanda Dell was busy putting up her holiday mantel decorations while watching a Hallmark Christmas romance movie. She hanged up the crochet stockings with care by the chimney, then stuff them with beautifully bowed small boxes. She watched the movie for a little while then went back to the décor by placing over the mantel a couple of large candles in glass jars. Amanda stepped back to give her work one careful look.

Should she have used red stockings instead of the white crochet Christmas stockings? A voice inside her head wondered.

The doorbell linked to her apartment chimed.

With her eyes still glued to the plasma screen, she went to the intercom by the front door and pressed the button.

"Hello, Amanda, its Jean-Marc Clement."

As soon as Amanda heard the deep French toned voiced her heart leapt tenderly inside her chest.

"Amanda are you there?"

"Jean-Marc, am here. Please come up."

Amanda rushed over to a mirror to check her hair, quickly she opened the top drawer in the chest of drawers and reached the lip-gross she had placed there for such emergencies. She had just finished the reapplication when a knock chimed at the door.

She opened the door and Jean-Marc Clement was standing before her.

Tall with fair hair and a handsome face, in a light tan shearling jacket and a woollen scarf. Amanda had fight an uncontrollable response of wanting to throw her arms around his neck. They had first met on a blind date which they both enjoyed so much that they had gone on a second date and ever since spoken on phone or emailed each other once a week.

"What a lovely surprise, Jean-Marc, what brings you by?"

"Did you know it's the first snow in Trier?" Jean-Marc asked.

"I know that."

"Care for a walk and then after we go to a holiday drinking game party that my friends are having?"

"That sounds like a good idea, let me grab my coat and purse."

Moments later they stepped out the building with Amanda in her navy blue and white coat, and with a white and red purse. The weather in the German city of Trier was recurrently cold but not harsh.

"Am glad that you agreed to come out with me?" Jean-Marc remarked as they strolled along the snow covered ancient cobbled street of Trier.

"Yes, I am glad that I did," Amanda looked up at him and noticed his fair hair sprinkled with snow.

"Have you been to the Trier Cathedral and Treasury?"

"No." She had heard of the Trier Cathedral and all of its architectural mix of Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque elements.

"Then we should see it some other time."

"That sounds like a good plan and am all for it. Have you gotten a tree yet?"

"No not yet, I plan to get a small tree."

"A small tree? You do not want a big one?"

"A small tree is a perfect fit for my apartment and beside back home in France my parents will have a big tree there."

"Oh how nice and am sure when you were little, you helped decorate it."

"Those were fun times," Jean-Marc smiled down at her. "Was it the same with your family?"

"I used to do all the decorations with my father and I remember he would let me do as I pleased and then after I had gone to bed put the decorations back in all their right places."

"Your mother was not around?"

"She died when I was little," Amanda said with a soft sigh.

"So sorry, it must have been awful for you."

"It wasn't actually because I was too little to remember anything about her. All I know of her is what I was told about her and the many pictures that I have seen of her."

"Your father must have done everything to give you happy memories." Jean-Marc murmured with a light smile.

"He did," Amanda said as she felt the tears but held them back.

They walked past a few shops that were decked and ready for the holiday, in one shop window there was a mountain of cute teddy bears in red t-shirts heaped together, small teddy bears at the bottom and one big teddy bear at the top. Amanda stopped at one shop with green decoration all over the display window and entrance. She admired the magical way that the tiny little lights were sprinkled over the green décor.

"That is so lovely," Amanda whispered to herself now admiring a huge sable hand muff.

Looking at his watched Jean-Marc said "I think it's time we head over to the party."

"Alright."

After they had walked on past the shops, Jean-Marc stopped.

"Is something the matter?"

"Amanda please wait for me here. Only for a second, I just forgot something. I will be back before you know it." Then he was gone.

Amanda Dell stirred after him wondering what he had forgotten.

Moments later he was back with a round white box that had large black satin bow on it.

Jean-Marc handed it to her. "Something little to commemorate this occasion."

Amanda undid the black satin bow and open the round box. Inside was the huge sable hand muff she had admired the shop window.

"This is so lovely, Jean-Marc. Thank you so much."

"I knew you would like it."

"No, you saw me admiring it." Amanda smiled up at him.

When Jean-Marc and Amanda arrived at the apartment for the party they met a large noisy crowd. With all the women in either dresses or white shirts with cute cashmere sweaters, while the men were in turtle neck sweaters and plaid jackets.

And it was when they all sat down to dinner did the drinking games begin and hence champagne glasses were filled. A large glass bowl was placed in the middle of the table and filled titles of hit songs of the 1960s written on white little cards. Each dinner guest would pick one card and then each guest around the table would sing a line from that song and who messes up their line must drink champagne.

When it was Amanda's turn to pick, she smiled with relief when realized it was "Baby Love" by The Supremes. She delivered the first line successfully but the lady seating next to her mixed up her line and was forced to empty her champagne glass. Jean-Marc picked "Stand By Me" by Ben E King. Amanda felt her heart shiver because he looked at her while he successfully delivered his line.

With the party over, Jean-Marc and Amanda made their way back to her apartment.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" He asked.

"I did, Jean-Marc." Amanda could feel her pulse flattering.

"Amanda," he called her name while looking like a haunted animal for an intense moment.

"Do you want to tell me something?"

"I like you."

Amanda put her red gloved hand to his cheek, which he reached for and kissed it tenderly.

"I always pretend you are all mine whenever I look at you."

Amanda smiled up him.

"Have I said too much," he asked with a shy glance.

"No, I also pretend that you are all mine too."

Jean-Marc pulled her into his warm embrace and as her cheek touched his chest Amanda smiled.

                                                                                        THE END