Christmas Penpals

3

Ben was off work and he actually slept in today. He went downstairs still in his pajama bottoms and grabbed his mail. He casually walked back upstairs and smiled seeing her letter. “Finally.” He thought. He read it and he frowned. He didn’t know her that well, but he couldn’t imagine letting her go. He wondered what happen in her marriage and if it was inappropriate to ask her that. Ben licked his lips thinking about her in a tub with bubbles it was beautiful thing that he was trying not to picture.

Dear Miranda,
You are very poetic. That was beautifully written. Can I ask you what happen to your marriage? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want too. Believe it or not I missed our  penmanship. My family traditions would be going to get a live Christmas tree. Now I know what your initial thought was, a live tree from one of the Christmas tree farms but no, my father would wake me and my brother up early in the morning to drive to the woods with an axe and cut down our own Christmas  tree. I love how my mother would complain about how big and wide it was but we all would spend the day trimming and decorating the Christmas tree along with drinking hot chocolate. Oh the times to be young. Kids have alls these technology  and things now which really doesn’t allow them to enjoy their childhood how we did. If I could choose a superpower it would Super strength and flight.  What would be the most surprising scientific  discovery imaginable ?.
Best wishes, Ben
Ben sat on the couch, watching the football game. The commercial came on and Ben watched as this family made cookies and he thought about Miranda instantly. He smiled to himself as he came up with the idea to keep her family’s tradition going.
The next morning Ben went into store and he bought a big brown basket. He went and bought flour, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda and, chocolate chip and salt. He then traveled to the mall to find her a Christmas gift. Ben walked around many stores trying to find her a really nice gift.
Ben wanted to get Miranda something for Christmas.
He grabbed her picture and went to the mall
“Hi im trying to buy a Christmas gift for my uh um girlfriend.” Ben said walking into Macy stopping at the counter in the purse section.
“Okay sir so tell me what she likes.”
Ben didn’t have no clue what she like. They never really got into detail about it.
Miranda was holding Tuck’s hands as the walked to her door. “What’s this.” Miranda said looking at the beautiful big basket and a large box with a bow on it in front of her door. She bent down and looked for the tag to see who it was for and indeed it was for her. She smiled as she saw the sender. “Ben.” Miranda said mumbling to her self smiling.

She picked it up and grabbed her keys unlocking the door. Walking in with her son. She watched as Tuck went to his toy section in the living room.
Miranda set the basket on the counter and she opened it. She looked at all the baking good and her brows knitted in confusion. As she kept looking through. She looked at the cut outs of Christmas movies. She pulled out two notes. One read don’t open until 12am Christmas morning and the other had his number on it.
Miranda gasped when she realized what he was doing. He was recreating her Christmas tradition as a child. She smiled and rolled her eyes at the flutter she felt in her stomach from his sweet gesture.
She knew tomorrow that she was going to have to buy him a gift, so he could have something to open as well. She had to constantly deny herself from opening the gift. She wanted to know what it was so bad.
Miranda cleaned up Tuck and read him a story, followed by a glass of milk, then brushing his teeth. She made sure he was on a good routine.
The next morning Miranda got up and got Tuck ready to be dropped off at daycare. She hugged him extra tight, knowing she wouldn’t get a chance to see him until after Christmas. He was going to be with his father and Miranda was really annoyed and sad about it.
Miranda drove to the mall and she causally walked around looking for a gift for Ben, she didn’t know what he would like at all but she definitely wanted him to have something to open as well.
She walked around Macy. Running her hands across items. She stopped, interested in this Ralph Lauren polo grey pull over sweater. The polo symbol was dark blue. She imagined him in the sweater and she smiled. Miranda debated if she should get a large or an extra large. She didn’t want it to be too big or too small. Settling with the large, basing it off of his photo. She walked to the counter with it. She continued to walk around and just window shop until she got to the perfume and cologne section. Miranda began to smell scents. Her nose traveled from polo red to the polo blue. “Maybe he would like cologne more “ Miranda thought out loud to her self.
“Hi  ma’am do you need anything.” The women who looked to be in her 20s asked.
“Uh I was trying to figure out if I should get myyy.” Miranda stumbled for the right word.
“Boyfriend.” The woman filled in.
“Yeah if I should get him this polo sweater or this cologne.” Miranda said looking back and forth.
“Why not both.” The lady asked and Miranda shook her head, agreeing.
“Okay so which cologne would you prefer Red or Blue.” Miranda asked.
“The one that is being sold the most right now is red but how you decide is smell each of them. And then close you eyes.” Miranda did as told.
“Now when your Man hugs you and pull you in tight…. Which sent do you want to smell when you nuzzle your face in his neck.
Miranda inwardly moaned at the thought. Everything seemed vividly real. “Blue.” Miranda said opening her eyes.
“Great, so blue is what you should go with.” The woman said.
“Thank you uh Erica.” Miranda replied checking her name tag.
“No problem, come on I will ring you up.”
Miranda then played for the gift set. She traveled to another store to get a gift box and she put his items inside before putting a note from sender on it. Miranda wrote to and from along with telling him to not open until 12 am.
Reaching on her passenger seat. She grabbed the letter with his address on it and she drove to his apartment.
Miranda walked inside as a man held the door open for her. His apartment complex was very nice, you had to be buzzed in to come inside. Going to 6B Miranda dropped his present off in front of his door.
Coming back from the gym in his apartment complex. Ben had his towel on the back of his neck, he walked to his apartment  door pulling out his keys. Ben looked down at the red box with a candy cane printed top and the white and red bow placed delicately at the center. Ben smiled already knowing who it was from. He picked it up and read the note saying don’t open until 12 am Christmas morning.
Ben blew out a breath and cheesed. Glad no one was around to see his gigantic smile and blush. Ben sat the gift on the counter and he went into his bedroom to take a shower.
Ben came out with his towel wrapped around his waist as he heard his phone buzz. Grabbing it off the night stand to check. He read the message.
Do I have to choose just one movie?
Ben smiled even wider at the fact that she really texted him.
Ben: Hello Miranda and no off course not, so I get the hint that you want to spend more time with me.
Ben texted back along with a sly smile emoji.
Miranda was in her bed, looking at the sci-fi channel when her phone buzzed. She grabbed it and her eyes got big along with a blush that crept onto her face, she smirked before replying.
Miranda: oh where are my manners, Hi Benjamin and I’ll let you think what ever you want to think.
She texted back followed with a wink.
Ben laughed reading her message.
Ben: I’ll take that remark as a yes, plus that makes me feel good. Okay so tomorrow night at 8:00 pm for cookies, movies, gift exchange and some good ol' fun.
Miranda smiled at his message and quickly replied.
Miranda: it’s a date.
After hitting send her mouth dropped. “I can’t believe I just said that.” She said to her self. Sending another text to try and clean it up.
Miranda: I mean it’s a date as in I’ll be here not as in date date.
Miranda began to feel nervous as she waited for his response.
Ben: I like the sound of both Dates. It’s a date that you will be there and if it goes good a date date that we will access at the end of tomorrow night.
Miranda: sounds like a plan. I will see you tomorrow night.
Miranda smiled and pulled the covers up over her shoulder wanting to take a nap.
The next night slowly came and Miranda hoped out of the shower. She put on the flannel black and red pajamas Ben had put into the basket for her. Miranda put earrings on and a little bit of makeup. She wanted to look really nice on screen since this was the first night they would really see each other. Other than their pictures. She placed her hair into a pony tail and left two stray pieces in the front down. She sat everything up in her kitchen. Just as she was finished she heard the door bell ring. She groaned, hoping it wasn’t anyone that was going to come ruin her virtual date.
Miranda looked through the peephole and saw a delivery man at the door.
“Hi, I didn’t order any Chinese food.” Miranda said smiling.
The man showed her the apartment number as well as her name. She saw that it was shrimp and broccoli and she realized that Ben had done it again. “Oh thank you.” Miranda said shocked. “Here let me go give you a tip.” Miranda said turning to get her purse.
“Everything is already taken care of ma’am have a goodnight and merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you too.” Miranda smiled shutting the door.
She hear the familiar ring of her face time and she looked up at the clock, it was only 7:25.
Looking at the contact, she saw that it was Ben and she swiped to answer.
“Miranda Bailey.” Ben said as soon as it connected.
“Benjamin Warren “ Miranda replied with the same tone.
Ben and Miranda smiled hearing each other’s voice for the first time. Miranda felt a tingle course through her body at the deep and smooth tone.
“Hold on let me call you on my tablet.” Miranda said and Ben nodded. Miranda hung up and hit the same contact on her tablet.
Ben answered almost immediately.
“Hi.” Miranda said smiling.
“Hey.” Ben replied and they stared at each other intently.
“I figured we might as well have dinner together.” Ben smirked bringing himself out of her trance.
“You’re very smooth Dr. Warren Miranda said smiling and setting her tablet on her counter.
She washed her hands and grabbed a fork. Sitting at the counter. She brought the food in front of them
“If you had a warning label. What would yours say.” Ben asked smiling.
Miranda chuckled as she swallowed her bites of food. Wiping her mouth. Ben could tell she was thinking.
“Hmmmmm. Mines would say warning, Miranda is a workaholic, an authority junkie, yells when angry, scared, sad and about anything else. Very stubborn, but over all loves really hard.” Miranda answered looking at him.
“Hmmm Authority Junkie?” Ben questioned wanting her to elaborate.
“I have to be in charge of someone. I have to tell someone what to do. I didn’t find out until about last year or the year before. My best friend became Chief Resident which was supposed to be me, but my chief felt like he wanted me to be the best surgeon because I was and that I shouldn’t be doing paperwork. I should be doing more surgery.” Miranda rambled.
“Anyway so after I wasn’t chief resident. My interns weren’t my interns anymore because they were now residents meaning I wasn’t over them. They still would come to me for advice and I would try not to help them or guide them because I felt like that wasn’t my part anymore and deep down it was killing me to not tell them what to do or to set them straight but I went on and pretended I did care. So Alex, which is going to be a wonderful peds surgeon by the way. I can feel it in my gut. All of the interns I raised will be great, I know that for sure because we’ll I mean look at me.” Miranda rambled and Ben listened how she lit up about her job.
“Okay so, Alex found out that one of the patients that was a baby, the father was a drug addict and drug dealer and he took it upon his self to yell at the man and take the baby. Stupid right ? but I wasn’t going to  address it. Alex came and sat beside me in the or. Gallery and he told me about it but I already knew and I told him I didn’t care. I wasn’t in charge of him. Then he told me that he knows me and that I could yell and scream and he wanted me too. Next thing you know I was elbowing him so hard, yelling about him getting into the face of a known drug dealer. I was asking him had I taught him anything. The yelling and being in charge in that moment caused me to relax, it gave me the feeling I had been looking for, for days.  I remember licking my lips and basking in the feeling as my body tingled. So I came to the conclusion that being in authority is a spot in my pleasure center.” Miranda finished eating her food.
“Oh I also was chief resident. I received my title because I was good at being both the chief knew it, I knew it, everyone knew it.” Miranda added smugly smiling causing Ben to smile as well. He watched as she did this thing with her tonged letting it touch the roof of her mouth as she smiled. He was memorized. She was really beautiful.
“Interesting, my labeled would say warning. Ben is stubborn, hot headed but super sweet and loving.” Ben said and Miranda nodded thinking.
“Okay I have a question.”
“Shoot.” Ben responded
“What do you want to be remember for long after you are gone.”
“Uh I want to be remember for being an extraordinary and loving husband, out of this world father and saving lives.” Ben said and Miranda bit her lip at his response.
“I want to be remember for the same reason.” She replied looking at him intently once again. They continued to eat and converse, laughing together. They both were amazed at how easy it was to talk to each other. They talked like they known each other forever.
“Okay are you ready to make cookies.” Ben asked.
“You bet.” Miranda said standing up from her counter. She watched as Ben stood up and move to his kitchen. Sitting his device up on the counter and she could see him standing. Miranda did her tablet the same. “Oh dr. Warren I love your PJs.” Miranda smirked noticing that they were matching.
“Why thank you, you are too kind.” He responded.
Miranda and Ben called out directions to each other as they made their cookies together. She didn’t remember laughing and enjoying her self so much in years, which says a lot considering she was still in the process of her divorce.
Miranda reached for her glasses to put on so she could read the measurements and increment.
“Not Miranda Bailey the surgeon wearing glasses.” Ben teased looking at her.
“Shut up. I wear contacts at work” Miranda laughed loudly.
“They are adorable and you are beautiful with or with out them.” Ben said causing Miranda to blush once again.
“Thank you.”
“Ben why did you put that many chocolate chips.” Miranda giggled looking at his bowl.
“They kinda slipped out.” Ben said rubbing the back of his neck laughing.
After their dough was good, they put them into balls. Let me grabbed my baking sheet Miranda said bending to reach hers from under the counter.
Ben bit his lip looking at her cleavage that was on display right in front of the camera. He wondered if she left those two buttons opened on purpose. Either way he was glad of the view.