~ A Week Later ~
Both parties withheld their end of the agreement, remaining civil towards each other. It was nearing Christmas, and they decided that it would be a good time to get a tree. Alexia soon found out that Justin had kept the tradition they’d started when they were a couple.
“What about this tree, Dad?” Josh asked, calling his father over to a small tree.
“I think that’s just a little too small,” Justin said, looking again at the tree that stood only about five and a half feet high.
“It doesn’t look small to me.”
Justin laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair, “Trust me on this one.”
They were all at a tree farm that was just outside of Orlando. Every year they came to the same place to look for their tree. The only difference this year was that Alexia was with them again.
“Josh! Justin!” the father and son heard Alexia calling them from a distant area of the farm. “Come look at this one!”
Josh and Justin navigated their way through the mass of trees, following Alexia’s voice. When they finally reached the spot she stood in, they saw the specific tree she was talking about. It was full, with many strong branches, a bright green color, and it stood about nine feet tall.
“Wow, Mom. This is a really good tree,” Josh voiced his opinion.
“It’s…” Justin paused turning his head to look at her, “Perfect.”
“Are you sure? I mean, it’s not too tall or too bare or too dull or anything?”
“Nope. It’s a great tree,” Justin assured her. “I’ll go get the guy to come and cut it down for us. You stay here with Josh.”
“Alright.”
Justin returned a few minutes later, an older looking man in tow.
The man cut the tree down and tied up for them. He and Justin each grabbed an end of the tree and began to carry it to the truck they had borrowed from their neighbor.
“Hey, Mister,” Josh questioned, “Can I help carry it too? I’m really strong.” The boy flexed his ‘muscles’ for effect. “See?”
“Sure, kid. Go ahead and grab it in the middle there.”
“Ok.”
Josh ‘helped’ carry the tree back to their vehicle. As Justin and the man were loading the tree into the back of the truck, the man noticed Josh interacting with Alexia.
“You know, you’re a very lucky young man.”
The man’s unexpected words startled Justin a little.
“What do you mean?” he questioned.
“You’re very blessed. Your son is adorable, and your wife seems to care about both of you a lot.”
“She’s not-“ Justin tried to correct the man’s error.
“I can see it in her eyes, in the way she looks at you. She loves you very much. I know that look very well. It’s the way Frannie looks at me. I remember when we were your age. So young and in love. It’s refreshing to watch young people experience love.” He paused a moment. “I’m sorry. You probably want to get this tree home, and I’m sitting here boring you with my babbling.”
“How much do I owe you for the tree?” Justin asked, reaching for his wallet in his back pocket.
The man looked at Alexia and Josh, then turned back to Justin. “You know what? It’s on me. You just take your wife and son home and decorate this tree up mighty pretty. Ok?”
“But I-“
“I said you can have it for free. Now go on, go home,” he smiled at Justin, “Before I change my mind. Oh, and don’t ever forget how blessed you are to have such a wonderful family.”
Justin watched the man walk back to the farmhouse, his words echoing in his mind. Specifically one word. Family.
He climbed into the driver’s seat of the truck, noticing that Alexia and Josh were waiting for him.
“So, how much did this beauty cost you?” Alexia asked. Justin looked at her for a moment, then smiled, “Not too much.”
~ Back At Home ~
Alexia and Justin had put the tree up in the living room, and were bringing down boxes of ornaments and Christmas decorations from the attic. Following tradition, Justin strung the small white lights around the tree before they hung any ornaments on the branches.
“Now… how ‘bout we go through these boxes and hang some of these ornaments?” Alexia suggested, opening the first box. Seeing that it was only the silver, white, and gold glass balls, she closed it again, “Those we’ll put up last. Let’s see what else there is.”
“Here’s a box, Mom,” Josh called her over to open box.
Alexia’s breath caught when she recognized the contents. Slowly, she bent down and picked up one of the ornaments. Gingerly running her finger over the engraving, she turned to Justin. “You… you kept these?” she asked, referring to the ornaments they’d collected for their tree each year they were together.
“Of course,” he replied as if the idea of getting rid of them was absurd, “They go on our tree every year.”
Justin took the engraved silver piece from her hands and hung the first ornament on the tree. “There… I think that’s a good start,” he smiled before turning to grab another ornament.
“Dad, can I hang my first Christmas ornament on the tree? Please?” Josh pleaded with his father.
“Ok, but be very careful,” Justin gave in. “Can you find a good spot for it?”
“Is right here ok?”
“How ‘bout a little higher? We don’t want it to fall and break.”
“Here?”
“That’s a great spot, sweetie,” Alexia offered her opinion after watching them for a few minutes.
After a while, the only left to put on the tree was the top ornament. Justin pulled it out of its box. The site of the familiar angel brought tears to her eyes. Alexia and Justin’s first Christmas together he had bought the angel because he said it reminded him of her, his angel. Now, after five years of her absence, she couldn’t believe he still put it on the tree. He looked at the angel, then at Alexia, then back at the angel, and back at Alexia again. Her teary eyes did not go unnoticed as her handed the final ornament to her.
“You want me to put her on the top of the tree?” she asked incredulously.
“Why not? I think it’s fitting. You put her up their the first year, you can put her up there your first year back,” Justin replied, holding the sides of her waist as she stepped up the step ladder so she could reach.
Carefully, Alexia slid the angel over the top branch and then climbed back down. They moved to the other side of the room to see their completed work. Alexia stood behind Josh with her hands on her shoulders. And nothing surprised her more then when Justin wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her and leaned his chin on her shoulder, looking over it. The “family” admired their tree, and first the first time in a long time, it felt to them like they were exactly that, a family.
“Alright, Josh. It’s way past your bedtime. I want you dressed and ready for bed in ten minutes, then I’ll come tuck you in. Now, get moving.” Alexia shooed Josh towards the stairs.
“So, have you started shopping for presents yet?” she asked Justin as they began to clean up the mess of boxes and unused decorations.
“Not really,” Justin admitted. “I was planning on going this week.”
“You always did wait ‘til last minute.”
“What about you? Have you started yet?”
“I’m already more than half done.”
“You always were the over-achiever. I guess we really haven’t changed all that much.”
“Yes, we have.”
“I hope you plan on explaining that.”
“No, I don’t. I’d rather not turn this into a fight. So, I’m going to go tuck Josh in, and then head to bed myself.”
“You can’t just-“
“Good night, Justin.”
“But I-“
Before Justin could finish, she was gone. “She always did have to have the last word,” he muttered.
“That’s right,” Alexia called down from the top of the stairs, “And don’t ever forget it.”
Justin smiled and went upstairs to help tuck in their son. He watched from the doorway as she pulled the covers over him and kissed him on the forehead. “Night, Mama. I love you.” Josh said to her.
“I love you too. Night, sweetheart,” she stood up and walked past Justin, out of the room.
“Alex, wait…” Justin followed her down the hall, and grabbed her arm just before she entered her room. She turned around to face him, “What is it now, Justin? I told you, I refuse to argue with you,” she said impatiently.
“I was just going to say that you’re really great with Josh.”
“For someone who hasn’t been here for the past five years of his life…” she looked at her feet in shame.
He put a finger under her chin and brought her face up to look at him again. “No, it’s like you were never gone. You’ve been a wonderful mother to him, and no one else could do a better job.”
“Thank you, Justin. That means a lot to me.”
He remained silent, just looking at her for a few moments, drinking in her features with his eyes.
Alexia returned his gaze, seemingly not able to look away. She didn’t even realize that he was leaning in towards her… until she saw his eyes flutter closed, and hers naturally followed suit.
Their lips tenderly met, barely touching at first. Carefully, Justin stepped closer to her, deepening the contact just slightly, then pulled away slowly. He watched as her eyes stayed closed for a moment.
“Goodnight, Alex,” he whispered, before heading for his own bedroom.
“Goodnight, Justin,” she replied softly, then practically floated into her room.
~ Christmas Morning ~
“Mommy! Mommy! Wake up! Wake up!” Josh bounced excitedly on Alexia’s bed, successfully waking her. “It’s Christmas!” he exclaimed with a wide smile.
Alexia groaned, turning head to look at the clock. Seeing what time it was, she groaned again, “Joshua Christian, it is only 6:30 in the morning.”
“But I wanna open my presents, so you have to get up!”
“Go wake up your father.”
“I’m already awake, Alex.”
She looked to the door for the first time that morning at the sound of Justin’s voice. “So you are. Why on Earth did you let him wake me up this early?”
“We do this every year. It’s tradition,” Justin replied simply.
“Oh,” Alexia looked away uncomfortably.
“C’mon, Mama! You’re up, so now can I open my presents?” Josh asked eagerly.
“Sure. Let’s go downstairs,” Alexia stood up from her bed. When she walked by the mirror, she noticed her reflection. “Oh my gosh! I look horrible! Y’all head downstairs, I’ll be down in a sec.”
“No. Don’t be ridiculous,” Justin countered, “You look beautiful, as always. Now, let’s go,” and he walked out of the room.
Alexia stood in shock at his statement, amazed also at the fact that the words seemed to so easily flow out of his mouth, like he said things like that all the time, which certainly hadn’t been the case. However, she quickly recovered and followed the two “men” of the house down to the living room. The sight the met her as she walked into the room brought tears to her eyes. Apparently, Justin had lit a fire, since it was still dark out, and turned on the tree lights. Josh was seated at the base of the tree and Justin was on the love seat next to it. Both of them were looking at her, waiting for her to join them. It was just as she remembered from five years before, like she had never left. They were like a real family again.
Josh enjoyed opening his numerous gifts, as all children do, and Alexia made sure to take pictures of every single one. His favorite gift seemed to be the new basketball that his father had gotten for him.
“He’s just like you, Justin,” Alexia laughed to Justin, who was seated next to her.
“Is that a bad thing?” he jokingly asked.
This time, Alexia turned her head all the way, to fully look at him, which she did for a few moments before answering. “In most cases, no. It’s a very good thing.”
“Oh,” Justin didn’t know what to say, due to the serious tone of her voice.
“Oh!” Alexia suddenly exclaimed, “Before I forget, I got you something!” She stood and quickly made her way into the kitchen.
“Alex, you didn’t have to…” Justin started to protest.
“Really, it’s not that much,” Alexia called from the other room, making her back to them. “I remembered how much you liked this, so I made this for you.”
She handed him a box. Carefully, he set it in his lap, broke the tape around the edges, and opened it up.
“Oh my God,” he said in shock, “The Oreo brownies? You made me your famous Oreo brownies?” He set the box down on the table and stood up to hug her. Then went back to the box, taking out a brownie and tasting it. His eyes closed and he made a face similar to ecstasy. “Mmmmm… God, Alex… I haven’t had these in… five years. This is like, heaven.”
“Ok, Justin. I get your point, you absolutely hate them,” her smile gave away the sarcasm in the statement.
“Can I try one, Dad?” Josh asked, tugging on Justin’s wife-beater.
“Later. It’s too early for brownies. Maybe after lunch.”
“But you’re eating one…” Josh argued.
“Well, I…”
“He’s got ya there, Dad,” Alexia dragged out the last word tauntingly.
“I’m an adult, and adults can do that,” Justin gave his son the lame excuse.
“But, Dad…”
“I said no,” Justin’s voice took on a fatherly authority, and Josh stopped whining. “Anyway, Alex, I got you a present, but I’d like too give it to you later… If that’s ok with you.”
“Of course. You didn’t even have to get me anything.”
“But I wanted to, so I don’t want any arguments.”
She smiled, “No arguments here.”
“Good. How ‘bout we start making some breakfast?”
Later that afternoon, Justin had run to the store to get some supplies for the Christmas dinner Alexia was cooking. Josh was “helping” Alexia in the kitchen by washing some vegetables.
“Mama?” Josh’s small voice reached her ears as she stirred the stuffing mix.
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course! You can always ask me anything.”
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
“Why did you leave?”
Alexia froze in place, and nearly dropped the bowl that was in her hands. Of all the questions he could’ve asked, that was the one she was least expecting, and least prepared for. She probably would’ve had an easier time answering the famous “Where do babies come from?” question than the one he’d just asked. Regardless, he’d asked, and she had no choice but to answer.
“Ok. Before I start this, I want you to know that your dad and I both love you very much, and nothing that ever happened between us was because of you. Do you understand that?”
“Yes, mama.”
“Good. Your father and I were together for almost five years when I left. I didn’t leave because I didn’t love you or him, I left because he and I had started fighting a lot.”
“Fighting over what?”
“Everything, it seemed. Well, I couldn’t handle it. All my good memories were becoming out-numbered by bad ones, so I had to get away. I thought it would get better, but it didn’t.”
“Get better how?”
“There were times when your dad and I got along really well, and he could be so sweet and romantic…”
“What’s romantic?”
“Believe me, you’ll learn one day… soon, I’m sure. With your father and his friends around, you’ll be a heartbreaker by the age of 10, if you aren’t already.”
“Is romantic good?”
“Very good.”
“So what was wrong?”
“The times when he was like that, were the best times of my life… and it was those times that made me think that I would have the rest of my life with him to experience more moments like those.”
“But you left. What happened?”
“I… I didn’t want to wait anymore.”
“Wait?”
“I waited patiently for nearly five years for him to ask me to marry him… and he didn’t. The fighting just kept getting worse. When it got to the point where I couldn’t bear waiting anymore and I couldn’t handle all the arguing, I left. I still loved you, and I still loved him, I just couldn’t spend my entire life waiting for something that may or may not happen.”
“So now the truth comes out!”
Alexia’s head whipped around at the sound of Justin’s angry voice.