Christmas in the Mountains {Christmas Novelette} ✓

Chapter Eight

The next morning was Christmas Eve and Noelle had plans to meet her family for dinner. She climbed out of bed and got dressed before Nicholas even woke up. When he finally arose, he was taken aback by how beautiful and put together Noelle was.

"Noelle. You look...stunning," he gasped, his mouth hanging open in shock. Noelle's blonde locks were spiral curled and Noelle had dolled her face up with some makeup. She sported black leggings and a maroon tunic. She looked like a fashion model.

She playfully turned this way and that, twirling around to let Nicholas get a full look at her beauty.

Noelle knew what Nicholas was thinking; "who was this woman and what happened to the Noelle from high school?" 

Noelle couldn't blame him. She knew she wasn't the prettiest girl in the world, but she had matured a lot in the past ten years. She was far removed from that awkward eighteen year old Nicholas first fell in love with. She had since filled out, her curvy silhouette that of a woman instead of a thin little girl. Her short bob had grown out, and she had finally managed the perfect cat eye without smearing liquid eyeliner all over her face. It was no wonder Nicholas couldn't stop gawking at her. 

"Thank you," she said, blushing while smiling at Nicholas.

She had decided to go to her parents' house solo for the day. She wasn't quite ready to tell everyone that she and Nicholas were back together. Her parents may find her desperate for jumping at a chance to get back together with Nicholas.

Nicholas was understanding when she told him he couldn't come with her, telling her he was okay with taking things as slow as she needed. 

Nicholas stood up from the couch and folded the blanket that they had used the night before up before going to his parents' house for the day.

Nicholas and Noelle had decided to meet each other back at the cabin around 5 PM later that evening.

Noelle gave Nicholas one last kiss under the mistletoe before she went one way and he went the other.

The whole drive to her parents' house, she kept thinking back to Nicholas. She was so glad to have him in her life once again. He made her feel a way that she never thought she would ever feel again. The butterflies appeared in her stomach just at the thought of thinking of Nicholas.

But deep down she was feeling some uncertainties. She's tried to suppress it, but she knows that, eventually, they will have to discuss the giant elephant in the room.

She's loved the time spent with Nicholas, but when the holidays would come to an end, she would have a life to get back to in San Francisco. What would happen to them then? Their relationship had already failed at being long-distance once before-could it withstand it a second time? She wasn't sure she could handle if they ended things again. 

Though they gnawed at her, Noelle pushed these thoughts from her mind. Today wasn't about her and Nicholas and what their future might hold. It was about her family who she rarely got to see. It was Christmas Eve and her parents deserved her whole, undivided attention. 

When she arrived at her parents' house she was greeted on the front porch by her mother who was expecting her arrival.

"There's my darling girl. You look beautiful," her mother whispered as she pulled Noelle in for a hug and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Thank you, Mom. It's so nice to be home." 

Noelle walked inside and the smell of meatloaf hit her nose and made her mouth water.

"Your mother made your favorite. The Christmas dinner tradition," her father said, drawing her in for a warm embrace. 

Noelle hung her scarf and jacket up on the coat hanger and made her way into the kitchen. Her parents gave her a plate and they began helping themselves to food. Once their plates were full, Noelle and her parents joined hands and bowed their heads so her father could say the blessing for their meal. 

After the prayer, the three of them sat around and enjoyed the meal that had been prepared. Noelle shared with them her job in San Francisco and the friends that she had made. Especially Holly.

Laughter exploded from the table as Noelle told them about the time that she and Holly had made kool-aid to drink and had forgotten to add the sugar. Noelle laughed when she thought back at the memory. The looks they wore on their faces when the unsweetened liquid flew from their mouths and noses was enough to make Noelle snort. 

Noelle and her parents were doubled over, their sides aching from laughing too hard at the story. 

After dinner, Noelle helped her mother clean up the kitchen and get the leftovers put away. Of course, she put some leftovers in containers for Noelle to take back to the cabin with her.

When dinner was over and the dishes and kitchen were cleaned up, Noelle joined her parents in the living room to watch a family Christmas movie. They all got a cup of hot coffee and enjoyed ELF together while indulging in fudge and Christmas cookies.

After the movie was over, they opened presents. 

When her parents opened their gifts, they were in awe at what Noelle had bought them. Noelle's dad always wanted an electric meat carving knife and some tools to work on things with.

Noelle had bought her mom a few coffee cups for Christmas since her mom is a huge coffee drinker and really loves to collect coffee cups. The ones that she had gifted her mother were from a few states in the southwest US that Noelle had traveled to during work. 

Noelle received a red and blue plaid flannel tunic with a blue scarf, and an off-white cream-colored tunic with a maroon scarf. 

"Thank you so much for these tunics. I absolutely love them," Noelle said, already mentally pairing various boots and leggings with her new outfits. 

"Your father picked those out," her mother replied.

Shocked at hearing that her father picked out the outfits, Noelle makes a funny remark about not realizing her father was so into women's fashion. 

She then ran over and threw her arms around her father and whispered "thank you daddy" in his ear before placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Anything for my baby girl," he responded.

After they opened presents, they sat around and enjoyed their gifts and each others company before Noelle packed her food and presents to the car.

"I will see you all before I leave town. I promise," she said as she threw her arms around her parents and told them goodbye.

She got into the car and headed back to the cabin as her mother and father stood outside to watch as she drove away. 

She could see them waving as they disappeared off into the distance.

When Noelle arrived back to the cabin, she saw Nicholas sitting on the front porch awaiting her return.

She met him up on the front steps and gave him a big kiss on his plump lips. "I missed you," she whispered.

"I've missed you too," he said, swiping a strand of hair out of her face and placing it behind her ear. He caressed her face as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. 

After a few moments, she unlocked the door and they both walked into the cabin.

They enjoyed the leftovers that Noelle's mother sent with her. Then the two of them sat around singing Christmas Carols and listened to the melodies play across the lights on the Christmas tree.

After a little while, Nicholas and Noelle decorated gingerbread men and built a gingerbread house while sitting down on the couch and taking in the warmth from the fire. 

That night they had decided to fall asleep in each other's arms on the couch. The few hours they were apart was enough to make them want to stay wrapped up to each other.