Mary had been managing to avoid Peter since the night of the kiss, but tonight was different. It was Christmas Eve and Mary had promised to go out to dinner with Peter, Micky and Lilly. Mary didn’t know how she was going to pull off that everything was okay but she was just going to try her best. It was all she could do.
Mary and Lilly were busy getting ready for the special day. Lilly walked into Mary’s bedroom just as she was finishing off her hair. She normally didn’t do much to it but since it was something special Lilly helped her put rollers in it. Mary got up and started getting into the dress she was going to wear.
“Mary can I borrow your white go-go boots?” Lilly didn’t wait for Mary’s answer and walked over to the closet and grabbed then.
“Oh just help yourself” Mary said rolling her eyes.
Lilly went to walk out of the room and then looked at Mary oddly.“Your not wearing that are you?”
Lilly grasped.“Yeah I was planning on it until you said that. What’s wrong with it? It’s my favorite dress.” Mary looked at herself in the mirror. Yes the dress was pretty old and lack anything special but it still worked for her.
“Hang on I got the perfect thing.” Lilly ran out of the room and came back a second later with clothes in her hands. “Wear this.” Lilly held up a knee length rainbow colored dress.
Mary grabbed the dress and put it on. It fit her perfect, hugged in all the right places.“Wow this is a far out dress Lilly. Why haven’t I ever seen you wearing it?” Mary asked looking at herself in the mirror.
“Because I just got it for you today” Mary gasped and gave Lilly a hug.
“Aww Lilly you didn’t have to. Thank you so much.” Lilly walked out of the room and they continued getting ready.
An hour later there was a knock at the door. Lilly ran and answered it since Mary was putting the finishing touches on her make-up.
When Mary was done she walked into the living room where Lilly, Micky and Peter were talking about the latest protest that had happened down at the mayor’s office.
“The heat got out of hand man; I heard they hauled a hundred people to jail. A friend of mine told me that the people weren’t even causing any problems.” Lilly said.
“That just like the heat, they try to stand up for something and the man just knocks you down” Peter said.
“Aww Peter we miss another protest?” Mary said coming up behind Peter.
“Yeah, I found out about it to late yesterday.”
“Well if everyone is ready let’s get going, I’m starving” Micky said.
Everyone got up and head out the door. On the way out Peter put his arm around Mary.
“Nice dress babe, is it new?” Peter smiled.
“It is, Lilly got it for me for Christmas.” Mary smiled. It was going to be a hard night but not just for Mary.
*~~~*
Micky and Peter had found them a nice little restaurant on the water to eat. It was perfect because it had food for everyone’s taste. After they had ordered there meals talk came easy for Lilly and Peter.
“This is a really beautiful place Peter, how did you hear about it?” Lilly asked.
“One of Davy’s girls works here, her.” Peter pointed at a little blonde about Davy’s size.
“Oh of course” Lilly rolled her eyes. Micky let of a nervous chuckle. He was having a hard time being around Mary. He didn’t know how she could have done this to Peter. He would never have guest anything like this would happen in Peter and Mary’s relationship. Why had he agreed to come out with them tonight? He looked over at Lilly and Lilly smiled. Now he remembered why. Their food came and they ate in silence.
The rest of the night went pretty normal and Peter and Lilly didn’t seem to notice anything wrong with Mary or Micky. The guys drove the girl’s home and said their goodnights. The girls agreed to be at their pad by nine the next morning.
*~~~*
The next morning Mary’s alarm clock when off at 7:30. She got out of bed and went and looked out the window. No snow, it was her first Christmas without snow and she kind of missed it. Mary pulled herself from her thoughts and made her way over to Lilly’s room, still sleeping of course.
Mary went over to Lilly’s window and threw back her curtains. “Lilly get up!” Mary shouted. Nothing, not even a sigh.
“Lilly get up!” Mary repeated. Still nothing.
“Lilly get up now!” Mary said shaking Lilly which resulted in Lilly turning over on her other side.
“Lilly, Lilly, you have to get up!” Mary shocked Lilly harder.
“Alright, alright I’m up.” Lilly sat up in bed.
“Well now that you are up I’m going to take a shower.” Mary walked out of the room.
“But I need the shower” Lilly whined.“First come first served.” Mary laughed.
They were ready an hour later. They reached the guys pad and Lilly knocked on the door. They saw the peek hole open, then close.
“Davy.” They chimed at once.
The door swung open and Davy stood there dress from head to toe in red and green.
“’Appy Christmas girls” Davy greeted. “Let me take your bags.“ He grabbed the bag from the girls and set them inside the door. They walked into the place and looked around. The place was all decked out in Christmas things. A huge Christmas tree stood in the middle of the pad. “They wouldn’t let me put the star on top. They say I’m to short” Davy frowned. Lilly and Mary laughed at of the thought of Davy trying to put the star on the top.
“Wow who did all this?” Lilly asked waving her arms around.
“Your one and truly” Micky said from the top of the stairs. He slid down the banister, Mike followed behind.
Micky landed with a thump in front of Lilly. Micky had on a Santa hat and held one out for Lilly. Lilly giggled and took the hat and put it on.
“It looks great Mick.” Mary gave Micky a huge Christmas hug.
“Okay let’s open up the presents now!” Micky said at seeing the gifts. Lilly hoped up and down in agreement.
“Calm down kids” Mary laughed. Everyone gathered around the Christmas tree. Lilly and Micky could hardly hold still.
“We already exchanged our gifts. It was the only way we could get Micky to calm down.” Peter explained as he plopped down beside Mary.
Everyone exchanged gifts. Micky and Lilly unwrapped their gifts like little kids then wondered off to go play with them.
Mary slowly unwrapped hers. She got guitar’s strings and a new notebook, a pink and brown mini dress from Davy and the Beatles latest album from Micky. Now it was time for her to open Peter’s gift. She very slowly unwrapped the box. It in was two tickets to the upcoming folk festival. Mary let out a screech. Peter had known that she wanted to go for this for month but hadn’t been able to find tickets.
“Peter how did you get these tickets. I’ve been looking for months.” A huge smile spread over Peter’s face.
“Well I have my ways but before you say anything else I got you some else.” He pulled a ring box out of his pocket and handed it to Mary. Mary held it in her hand for what seemed like forever.
A silence seemed to come over the room and all eyes felt to be on Mary. Mary finally opened the box and inside was a tiny silver ring with flowers engraved around the band.
“It’s a promise ring.” Peter smiled.
“Peter I can’t take this.” If all eyes weren’t on Mary before they were now.
“Yes you can Mary because I want you to have it.”
“No really I can’t. I don’t deserve it.” Mary said trying to hand the box back to Peter.
“You do deserve it; you’re the best girlfriend a guy could have.”
“No I don’t.” Mary said once again trying to give the box back to Peter.
“Okay then I’ll bite, why don’t you deserve it?”
Mary was in total shock. She never though that Peter would ask why.
“Because, because,” Mary looked at everyone staring at her. She looked at Mike and he looked down. She could tell that he was just as shocked as her. “I just don’t” With that she ran from the pad.
“What was that about?” Davy asked.
“No idea.” Peter said in surprise. Peter got up to go after her but Micky put his hand up to stop him.
“I think it would be better if I went to see what was wrong.” Peter shook his head. Micky had to tell Mary that he knew all about the kiss. The time had come.
Mary ran all the way home. She didn’t know what she was going to do. Maybe she should just go back home. She didn’t deserve Peter, she was nothing but a cheater. He’d be better off with someone who was faithful. Mary had made up her mind. She was going home and she was going home today. She grabbed her suitcase from her closet and started packing.
*~~*
Micky reached Mary’s apartment ten minutes after she did. He knocked on the door, to which there was no answer. He reached for the key on top of the door frame and unlocked the door. He found Mary in her bedroom throwing odds and ends into a suitcase. He leaned up against the door frame and watched for a minute.
“Mary where are you going in such a hurry?” Micky asked after a moment’s silence.
Mary jumped. She hasn’t heard anyone come in. She looked at Micky and Micky’s heart broke. Mary had tears streaming down her face.
“I’m going home Micky and don’t try to stop me. I’ve had enough of everything.” Micky walked over to wear Mary was sitting on the floor and sat down beside her.
“Mary I know what happened between you and Mike. I saw it that night.” A look of shock spread over Mary’s face and she stopped what she was doing.
“What? What do you know? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Micky looked out Mary’s window and let out a sigh.
“I don’t know why I didn’t tell you. I guess I just want to pretend like nothing happened. But Mary you can’t run, it won’t solve anything. You need to tell Peter what happened. He deserves to know.”
Mary let out a sigh. She knew that everything Micky was saying was true but it still didn’t sound like a good plan to her.
“I can’t tell him Mick. He’s going to hate me. I’m nothing but a whore.” Mary buried her face in her hands and started crying once again.
“Mary it’s not like anything more happened between you two. It was just a kiss and I’m sure he won’t hate you if you tell him.” Micky couldn’t bear to see his best friend crying. He grabbed Mary and held her and let her cry. Shortly later Mary looked up at Micky.
“Okay I’ll tell him.” Mary replied.
“Then let’s dry your eyes and we will go back over there so the two of you can talk."
*~~*
Lilly and Peter were cleaning up the Christmas mess when Micky and Mary walked in the pad. Mike and Davy seemed to be nowhere in sight.
Micky walked straight over to Lilly, whispered something into her ear, and then they headed out the back door towards the beach. Mary walked over to the couch and sat down. Peter put down his garbage bag and sat down beside Mary.
“Hi” Peter said.
“Hi” Mary whispered back. Mary got to her feet and starting pacing back and forth. She bit her bottom lip as she did.
“I have something you tell you Peter. You should sit down”
“I am sitting down” Peter answered.
“Oh okay, then you have to promise not to get mad.”
“Alright I promise.” Peter said.
“Okay well you know that Christmas party you guys played at about a week ago?”
“Yeah.” Peter was wondering where Mary was leading with this.
“Well at that party, um Mike and I, we kinda uhh, we kissed” Mary mumbled the last word.
“You what?” Peter asked.
“WE KISSED!” Mary shouted.
“WHAT! YOU AND MIKE KISSED?” Peter shouted.
“Yeah but it meant nothing.” Peter throw up his hand to silence Mary.
“I don’t even want to hear it.” He got up for the couch and left, slamming the door on the way out. Mary’s legs could not longer support her weight and she fell onto the couch where she cried herself to sleep.
*~~*
An hour later Mike walked in the house. He found Mary asleep on the couch. Her eyes fluttered open when she heard the door close. She sat up and looked at Mike.
“Oh Mike it was just awful. I told Peter everything.” Mary said with tears streaming down her face once again.
“You told him?” Mike replied stunned.
“I had to, the guilt was eating me up and then the whole ring thing. I just couldn’t stand it.” Mike went and sat down beside Mary.
“Its going to be alright darlin’. Just let him cool down.” Mike said rubbing Mary’s back. Mary whipped the tears her eyes.
“Mike if I were you I’d just stay away from Peter for a few days.”
“I would but we have a gig to play in two days.” Mary let of a sigh.
“Oh okay, well I’m going to go home now. Tell Micky to tell Peter to call me when he’s ready to talk” With that Mary gathered her things and left.
*~~*
The sun was beginning to set. Peter watched it from the hill top of sat on. He’d go home but then he’s just have to face everything that had happened. Plus he wasn’t completely sure he wouldn’t punch Mike. Peter always thought he could deal with things in a practical matter. How could Mary have done this to him. Peter thought he’d be with Mary for the rest of his life now he wasn’t even sure if he could face her. He stood up and started his way home. It was getting cold and he didn’t bring a sweater, on top of that he’s would have to face this sooner or later.