Friday, December 24, 2010

Chapter 5: Petit Papa Noel // So Close - Jon McLaughlin

Happy Christmas! This is EXTREMELY Christmas centric chapter so you get it today! I hope everyone has a great holiday!

“How do you feel about Christmas in Montreal with me?” Kris asked from across the phone line.

Sarah almost dripped the hot pumpkin pie she was pulling from the oven. He was boarding the plane out of Buffalo and she had him on speaker phone as she continued to cook.

“Um… I don’t know. I can’t just leave G-Dad. I mean sure Russ has settled sown a lot but still.” she said resting an oven mit covered hand on her hip.

“He can come too.” Kris said from the other end of the call.

She had to laugh at that. “Yeah right. Good luck getting him on a plane.” she put the double crusted apple pie in the hot oven before going back to hand chopping everything for her stuffing.

“Trust me.”

She said a silent prayer hoping it would all work out. “Ok. Christmas in Montreal. With or without G-Dad I guess.” He missed out on so much with his family she couldn’t deny him Christmas when G-Dad came up for dinner almost once a week now.

“Good I will tell my Mama. She will be so happy. I will take care of everything.” He was a giddy as a child as he searched out their home phone.

“You better because I’m waist deep in Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping at the moment."

Thanksgiving went off without a hitch. Once again Sarah fed the guys without family in town. She did a good job keeping herself busy trying to push Montreal Christmas out of her mind. She went out shopping with Mal and even a now 6th month pregnant Nessa. The guys were even hitting a huge winning streak as they approached the holiday. Everyone was happy though it was clear that her G-Dad had no intention of putting himself in a ‘flying tin can bound for the artic to come to Montreal for Christmas.

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Sarah was packing and she hated every second of it. She was dragging her feet as she put things in the overnight bag. She was flying part of the way like any other member of the public would and she didn’t want to deal with lost baggage or worse baggage fees.

“He isn’t coming is he?” She asked as she folded her Christmas eve outfit into the bag. She would hang it up upon arrival.

“Not yet.” Kris said from the other side of the bed where he was doing his own packing. He had the luxury of the team jet so Sarah had put a few things in his case. “But it isn’t over.” he said trying to counter his disappointment.

“It’s fine, I want to spend Christmas with you. Your Mom is even letting me keep my Tradition of pie. I know she makes the best cake but I do pie.” It was the tradition that reminded her the most of her grandmother. Even if G-Dad wasn’t coming she could still have this bit of home.

“Pecan?” he asked saying it like her G-Dad always did with the West Virginia coming out. The two of them had spent hours trying to get Kris to say it 'right'. “It is my favorite of your pies.”

“Yes silly. I can’t deny you pecan pie.” Sarah repeated with with the fake twang.

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“Mama do you care if Sarah and I walk home?” Kris asked his Mother as they exited midnight mass.

“You children go. We used to walk home when you were little Kristopher, do you remember.?” she asked pausing to kiss them both on the cheek.

“Of course Mama. That is why I want to share it with Sarah.” he said hugging both his Mother and then a rare real hug for his Step-Father.

He took Sarah’s arm wrapping it around his as they walked nice and slow through the light snow. It was everything about Christmas in Montreal he wanted to share with Sarah. He held her close as they walked pointing out things that never changed like the house that always had the multi-colored lights the looked exactly like gingerbread and the statue of some solider statue people always ‘vandalize’ by putting a wreath around it’s neck no matter how many times the authorities remove them one goes up every night.

“It’s beautiful here.” Sarah said giving his arm a squeeze. “I’m glad I came and you can share your Christmas with me.” She hadn’t expected him to be such a Christmas-y person but here he was talking about memories of Pere Noel visits at the mall and even a failed attempt at caroling when he was in elementary school. As it turns out the one artistic thing he can’t do is sing.

“Me too. It would not be Christmas for me without you now.” he said putting his arm around her back holding their bodies close together as they walked.

“You always know what to say.” she was half joking when she said it but it was frequently true. He didn't always say much but what he did say was always perfect.

“Marry me?” he asked stopping in the middle of the empty street just a few blocks from his home.

She stopped turning to face him. “Wait what? I think I have snow in my ears.” she joked.

“Be my wife.” he said pulling the little box from his coat pocket.

“Holy fu-” she covered her mouth with her mitten hands. “Oh my God Kris… you can’t be doing this right now.” she said shaking her head taking a step back. “Yes, but not now not yet.” she took another step away from him and the box. “I want to say yes but we need more time.” she shook her head no tears welling up in her eyes.

He tucked the box back into his pocket and stepped in close grabbing the front of her coat so she couldn’t step back again. He took his gloves off brushing her tears from her cheeks meeting her eyes. “So yes, but not yet?” he questioned.
She nodded leaning in resting her forehead against his chest.

He lifted her chin so their eyes could meet. Swallowing his emotions down hard he nodded. “Ok… whatever it is you need time for it is worth the wait.”

Sarah threw her arms around him. “The next time you ask me it will be yes, all yes.” she whispered in his ear before they started out for home again.
Silently she couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever ask again.

When the house came into view the car pulling into the drive way caused a bit of confusion. She didn’t understand how Kris’ Parents could just now be getting home from church.

“We found someone at the airport. Sarah he say’s he knows you?” Henri shouted down the street in French. They had been having great fun testing how hard Sarah had been working on the rosetta stone program over the last year.

She looked to Kris giving him a big hug emotion filled hug. “You’ve done the impossible.” she whispered. “The next time you ask it will be yes.” she said before letting go and running to meet her G-Dad as he climbed out of the car.

Sarah sobbed into the familiar arms of the man who had raised her up when everyone else in her life had abused, abandoned or died on her.

“Shhh… it’s ok Sare-Bear.” he whispered petting her hair as he held her close. She was crying everything out on him. The excitement of him being there, the breaking of her heart from saying no to Kris and the mending of all the old wounds when he said he was willing to wait. It all came out in tears there in a front yard in the suburbs of Montreal.

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