Under The Mistletoe

Part 14

Under The Tree

We made a stop at my place to pick up the blanket and a gift bag. We headed home and the two of us managed to get the tree inside and up in the stand. I set about getting our decorations ready while he put the lights on it. He wrapped the ribbon around like garland and we took a break to just look at it for a minute.

"It's pretty. Do you like it?" I couldn't think of anything else to say. It was like a dream. I was in love with a Christmas tree. I smiled. "Water?"

"It's beautiful. After it's decorated I will have to show you one of my favorite traditions. Yes please." I started putting hooks on the ornaments while he got water.

I couldn't wait to see what she had in mind. While I got the water I silently berated myself. I forgot the mistletoe. "Here you go." I sat on the floor and joined her.

I smiled and thanked him for the water. I handed him the A ornament and I took the L ornament. "Let's put these on first."

"Let's." I followed her lead, took my ornament and went over to the tree.

We hung them side by side and looked at them. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him softly. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Kaplan."

"Merry Christmas, Miss. Michaels." I kissed her gently and turned us back to our tree. "We better finish this tree."

We made quick work of putting the rest of the ornaments on the tree. The thought crossed my mind that next year we would have new ornaments, celebrating memories, to put up. I took him by the hand and pulled him down next to me as I laid down with my head partially under the tree and looked up through the branches. "My brothers and I always did this when we got done decorating when we were growing up. It's such a magical perspective."

I looked up and got lost. She was right. "Now I know what it feels like to be a present."

I turned to face him. "You are my favorite present." I kissed his nose when he faced me. "I love you so much."

"I love you too. We put up a tree together." I kissed her nose and smiled. "Hanukkah starts tomorrow. We'll take my Menorah and it's candles with us."

"I am so, so excited and so, so nervous." I rolled towards him and put my arm around his waist.

"We are going to have a good time. Just wait and see." I kissed her forehead and wrapped my arm around her. It had been a very emotional day for me. I closed my eyes for just a moment. It was just a moment, but I woke up sometime later clueless and confused.

He pulled me close to him and then he fell asleep. I allowed myself to nap with him for a bit, but it was almost dinner time. I woke up and went to the bathroom. I put on comfy clothes and headed into the kitchen to start dinner. I decided on spaghetti and meatballs after finding all of the ingredients. I added the frozen meatballs to the sauce and got the water boiling for the noodles. I turned the oven on for the garlic bread and then went to check on Avi who was still asleep under the tree. I watched him open his eyes and I giggled. "Wake up sleepy head."

When I opened my eyes to the sound of Lizzie's giggles and the wonderful smell of food I was still laying on the floor under the tree. I tried to just sit up and hit my head, twice. When I finally woke up enough to sort it all out, I laughed at myself and rolled out from under the tree first then sat up. "What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my forehead. It didn't feel like I had hurt it, it was just uncomfortable. I stretched and yawned. "Hungry and tired. Huh."

I smiled and shook my head. "6:30. I was hungry so I started dinner. I hope spaghetti is okay. I still have the bow to make for the top of the tree and the present to wrap for your parents."

"I can finish dinner if you want." I was still sitting on the living room floor looking up at her.

"That would be great." I got up to throw the blanket in the dryer with a softener sheet to make it extra fluffy before I got it wrapped. I started building bow pieces while he made dinner.

I pulled the bread out of the oven and put the sauce on simmer, buttered the noodles and put them in the microwave to keep them warm. She wasn't quite finished. "Anything I can do?"

"We can finish it after dinner. I am starving." I moved into the kitchen and grabbed silverware and drinks for us as he loaded the plates.

"I'm nervous too."

"About tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I know I shouldn't be, but my mom. She's really smart and she knows me better than anyone. I also cannot lie to her. That would piss my dad off and there's a whole heap of trouble you don't want. I mean I know I'm an adult and I've made this choice, I just--"

I wrapped my arms around him. "Shh. It turns out fine."

"I know. I just know what I want and need and hate going against her. It's a hard confliction." I settled and let it go. "Dinner was good. Good choice."

"Thanks. I can do easy." I helped him take the dishes to the kitchen and we headed back into the living room to finish the bow. I showed him how to use the glue gun and we got the pieces put together. He put the bow up while I collected the blanket from the dryer.

I stepped back and admired our tree. I took several pictures and smiled. Then sent one to Esther and Josh. Then I sat down to send a real message to my brother and ask him for advice.

I brought the blanket back into the living room to fold it and tie it up with ribbon. Avi was on his phone, deep in thought, and working on typing something. "Everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah." I went back to the conversation with Josh. After I sent my last message he face-timed me. "Whoa, wasn't expecting a facetime." Josh laughed. "Why are you awake?" Josh's answer had me in tears. I excused myself and went to my room.

I shrugged my shoulders and finished getting the gift wrapped in tissue paper and put in a gift bag. I put it under the tree and dimmed the lights in the room and took a picture. Satisfied that there was nothing incriminating in the picture, I put it up on Twitter and Instagram and texted it to mom and dad and my brothers. I settled on the couch and I must have drifted off to sleep.

"Oh! She fell asleep. Do you want me to wake her? No, no, give us a moment." I set my phone down after pausing it. "Lizzie, sweetie. Josh wants to say hi. Wake up."

"Hmm, what?" I shook myself awake and sat up. "Josh is on the phone?"

"Yup. He wants to say hello before I let him go."

"Mmmkay." I stretched and straightened myself up. "I'm ready."

"Okay. Hey Josh, thanks for waiting, Here is Lizzie." I handed her my phone after I made sure it was unpaused a second time. "I'll be right back. I don't need to know what you guys talk about." I kissed Lizzie's forehead and left her alone with my brother.

"Umm. Hi Josh. I'm Lizzette. Lizzie." I waved feeling kind of stupid. I hoped that Avi would have stuck around.

Josh laughed. "You are cute. My little bro has amazing taste."

I blushed. "Thanks." We talked for a few minutes about the weather before he got all serious.

"Relax and have fun tomorrow. Mom is tough sometimes, but she means well. Give her and Avi time. He's her baby and he has been there through her roughest times. He hasn't had the easiest time with dating. You are kind of exactly what they want for him. You are pretty special. He's happier than he has ever been. Trust in that."

I smiled and thanked him. I said goodnight and that I hoped I got to meet him soon. I was just hanging up as Avi came back in the room.

"Good talk? Sorry, he got really demanding. I didn't mean to throw you under the bus like that." I sat down next to her and took my phone.