Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Chapter 6- ❄️Clean plate club❄️

As expected my phone alarm is blaring to the awful time I set it to, but I have my reasons.

Red is grumpy and I wanted to be also, but I had to show him there was a purpose to our early rise.

I told him we could stay in our pajamas, but we would need still our coats and the blankets from last night.

We first stopped at Dutch Bros for a coffee fix, since my eyes are still struggling to remain unglued. Espresso should surely do the trick. There's no crazy line since the sun isn't even out, so I drive right up to the tiny coffee stand as the overly cheerful barista takes my order.

Their annihilator is the only drink I ever get and Red is adventurous wanting to try my concoction. I tell the barista to make it two, but to add another shot of espresso and white chocolate syrup. He said he doesn't like sweet coffee, and neither do I, but to just trust my judgement. He holds up his hands in protest.

The one barista makes small talk while the other barista makes the drinks. "Soooo," she drags out the 'o' as she leans out of the window of the coffee stand to us in the Jeep. "What are you guys up to this early?"

I miss their friendliness. I certainly don't get the same small talk at the Starbucks drive thru.

"It's actually a surprise for him," I tell her while pointing to Red in the passenger seat. "He's never been to Colorado Springs and I'm showing him all the cool things there is to do around here for the short visit."

She's handing me over the hot drinks. "I hope you guys have fun! I hope you enjoy colorful Colorado!" She cheers to us as I drop a couple dollars in their empty tip jar and we drive off with a wave.

Luckily the coffee stand is at the base of the main road I drive up again from yesterday. I think even Red sort of recognizes where we are.

"Wait, weren't we here yesterday?" He says as the tires change the traction to the dirt road.

"We were, but we couldn't sleep out here from sunset to sunrise, so we had to come back," I smile to him before grabbing the blankets from the back of the cab once we park.

We hop back up to the same flat perched boulder that overlooks the city below us. The sky is starting the changes of the hues before the sun has even peaked over the horizon. The twinkling stars are fading out with the darkness as the light is slowly creeping in with the array of pinks, blues and purples turning to wavy orange and yellow streams as the sun breaks the horizon. We watch the sun slowly rise up and the colors of the sky changes and shifts right before our eyes.

It's quiet, peaceful, serene. The wind whistles through the trees while various birds are chirping around us to greet their morning. In all the years I've came to this exact spot, it's never been as tranquil as it is right now while I'm cuddled under blankets with Red's arm wrapped around me.

Every year I would come here at least once while I was visiting and cried because of the overwhelming loneliness I felt. But a tear trickled down my cheek and it felt like the small bead was going to freeze directly on my face.

I didn't think I could be this happy and placid in life, but as I'm sitting here being cuddled by someone that isn't in my immediate family, I realize how much I needed this. How much I needed him. In all the years, I had some kind thought in the back of my mind I knew that I was waiting for the right guy to come along. I had always been hopeful, even in the last few years I lost some of that hope I held onto that idea that I could have companionship.

I thought I found the happiness in the solitude I was living. But deep down, I always wanted a love like my parents. Sure, I'm not the entirely independent woman I've built myself up to be. I secretly want someone to lean onto and trust with my every being, that holds me when I cry or also craves the intimacy of physical touch. But it isn't horrible to want companionship when I saw it in my parents eyes every day how much they love each other. I've always deep down wanted a love as bona fide as theirs.