The Story of Tonight

Chapter Twenty Five

Vanessa was lounging around on the living room couch after a long, but successful, day in Court. She had managed to save her client from losing her home. All of the arguing, while she loved it, coupled with the morning sickness she had started experiencing that week, left her drained. She had decided to take a long deserved night off  by watching some mindless reality tv about women whose lives made Vanessa feel as if hers was far-less complicated.

When she heard the knock at the door, she pushed herself off of the couch and got up to let Lin in, knowing he was the only one who would be coming over.

"I really need to just give you a key,"

"So, you want me to have unlimited access to you?" Lin asked with a sly smile as he walked into the apartment.

Vanessa rolled her eyes as she headed back towards her place on the couch. Even if they weren't together, she was glad they had gotten back to a place of being comfortable with each other. Lin was, aside from Emilia, the closest person in her life.

"Lia just texted me she's almost here. She was out shopping for Christmas presents,"

Lin nodded, setting his coat down, "She texted me. No rush; I don't have to be at the theatre early tonight," He looked over the state of the apartment, covered in Christmas decor, "It looks great in here,"

"Thanks," Vanessa smiled as she looked around the room filled with the various pieces of decor she had found over the years. She wasn't one to like everything identical, rather merging modern pieces with more sentimental ones. Her eyes honed in on the ornament Lin was toying with in his hand as he glossed over their Christmas tree.

"That picture was taken the day after she lost that tooth," Vanessa commented on the foam ornament that held Lia's five year old toothless grin in the body of a snowman. "I was in the midst of studying for finals and she had been spending more time than usual with my parents. I woke up the next morning to a wailing Lia that the tooth fairy didn't show up,"

Lin laughed, "Oh no,"

"Yeah. So, after a conversation about thankfulness and expectations, I explained that normally Santa and the tooth fairy have a contract that the tooth fairy doesn't show up in December because of all of the presents that are going to be delivered on Christmas," Vanessa thought back to the stressed out twenty-four year old who had felt like a failure for a mother for forgetting to have the tooth fairy arrive, "But that I had heard they were spending the day in mediation and if she behaved all day that the Judge might take that into the tooth fairy's favor,"

"You outlawyered our daughter,"

"Of course," The two laughed at the silly memory, "She bounded out of her room the next morning yelling, 'Mami, the tooth fairy won! The tooth fairy won!', Vanessa imitated the high pitch voice of a young Lia, "And, of course, the tooth fairy left an extra dollar for her appreciation of Lia to the case," Lin chuckled as he took another glance at the photo, a hint of sadness for the moments he had missed watching his daughter grow up.

Vanessa, having known him as well as she did, could see the small change in his expression, "Hey, if you're free Christmas Eve, you can come over and spend the night. It's usually just Lia and I with Christmas cookies and rewatching Christmas movies for the millionth time. You would already be here for the morning and could watch her open her presents,"

Lin flashed a wide smile, "I'll definitely be here. Thanks, V,"

"I know she would love it. I would, too," In the midst of her conflicting emotions, a part of her wanted to just run across the room and start making out with him. But she didn't want to further complicate an already complicated situation. They both had Lia and the new baby to think about and, regardless of their feelings for each other, they were stuck in each other's lives forever.