“Back to Reality”

Alex pulled the car up in front of the boarding house and let out a sigh. After two weeks on holiday at the beach it was a bit unsettling to be back home where he and Abby would have to slip back into their regular daily routines again.

“Back to the old grind,” he commented as he slid out of the driver’s seat and walked around to open the passenger-side door for Abby.

Abby flashed him a knowing smile and let out a little sigh of her own. She and Alex had been living in a bit of their own fantasy world for the past two weeks and the thought of being back here and having to deal with all the aftermath of the problems they’d left behind weighed heavily on her. Not only would they both be heading back to work but there was the little matter of Dwayne’s estate still to settle.

Alex carried their luggage up the stairs, Abby following quietly behind him. Half way up she stopped him, “Alex, I decided what I want for Christmas,” she said, matter-of-factly.

Alex turned, his muscles straining with the heavy luggage in his hands, “Umm... okay,” he chuckled, “Can we...um... talk about this once we get to our room, doll?”

“Oh... yes, sorry,” she replied, realizing Alex was struggling with the luggage. She waited until they were up the stairs and outside their room before she brought it up again, “Aren’t you curious as to what I want?”

“'Course I am,” Alex grinned, as he slid the key into the lock and opened the door to their room. “But right now, I’d like to tell you what I want.” He dropped the suitcases just inside the room and pulled her towards him into an embrace, his lips meeting hers.

“Mmm....,” Abby moaned, “I do like that, too... but...” she giggled, pulling away.

“Don’t tell me I can’t unwrap it until Christmas?” Alex asked, feigning disappointment.

“I’ll think about it,” she teased, sitting down on the side of the bed and kicking her shoes off. “Seriously, though, we need to talk about this.”

“Oh, we do?” Alex asked, shrugging off his jacket and flopping down on the bed next to her where he began to nuzzle her neck. “Can’t we...um...talk later?”

“Alex,” Abby scolded, pushing him away.

“Okay, okay,” he sighed, sitting up straight, “You have my undivided attention now, so what is it that you want for Christmas?”

“I want you...,” she began, a wide smile spread across her face.

“Oh, I like where this is going so far,” Alex grinned, “Continue, please.”

“I want you... to help me... find a house... for us to move into together.” Abby waited for Alex to say something... anything... instead of just staring at her. When he didn’t, she frowned, “I’m sorry, it’s too soon, I know. I just thought...well, we’ve been here for a while, and it might be nice to move into a place of our own.”

Alex didn’t know what she was going to say but he sure hadn’t thought it might be this. It took him completely by surprise and it took him a moment to gather his thoughts before he could speak. “Abby... you, um... you really want to live...with me?” he asked, a bit dumbfounded.

She smiled, “Alex, look around, I already have been living with you for several weeks. I just thought, well, we may as well get a bigger place... one of our own. If you don’t want to, though, I understand.”

“Of course I want to,” he told her, taking her hand in his, “I’m just, well, surprised is all. Happy, but surprised.”

“Oh yeah?” she grinned at him, “Stick with me and you’ll see I’m full of surprises.”

Alex raised his eyebrows, curious as to what she could possibly be planning next to surprise him with.

Abby giggled, “Now... about that gift you were hoping to get for Christmas...,” she teased.

“Yeah....?” he asked, hopeful.

She smiled and turned off the light switch and fell into his waiting arms.