I'll Be Home for Christmas
He could remember the taste of her berry flavored lip gloss, the sun in her hair as she forced herself to be strong. He could remember the tremble of her lips as she studied his face once more, "I love you Lucas, I'm going to miss you every single day that you're gone."
He brought the last letter she wrote him to his nose, sniffing the sweet scent of her perfume from when she hand wrote the letter. He studied her handwriting, seeing the parts that made her nervous, the difference in her slants and crosses, the way she dotted her I's.
Stuffing the letter into the bag, he looked around him. The only items not packed sat on the small table next to the bed. His phone, and the black velvet box. He picked the box up, putting into the interior pocket of his jacket, he stuffed his phone in the pocket of his pants and took one final look around.
This was it.
The life he'd known for seven years would be ending, and a new life would be beginning. The life that flashed before his eyes the first time the bubbly brunette fell into his lap that fateful morning. His heart filled with joy as he thought about her smile, how she would smell of vanilla and sugar.
He was dressed in his civilian clothes now that he was one, as he found his seat on the airplane. His hands shaking as felt in his jacket for the box, thankful it was still there. He pulled his phone from his pocket, quickly sending a message to Farkle and Zay, that he was on the plane and would text as soon as it landed.
Throughout the flight his leg bounced with his nervous energy, the woman sitting next to him sending him a dirty look before she stuck her head into her well worn romance novel with handcuffs on the front.
When he arrived at JFK he texted Farkle, who was already waiting for him at baggage claim. "Don't worry, she has no idea you're arriving."
"Are you sure she hasn't figured it out?" Lucas wondered how anyone had kept it secret.
"None at all." Farkle insisted. "She's moping around about how you won't be home for Christmas."
Lucas grabbed his bag from the carousel, "Well, in a few hours I don't think she will be moping, at least I hope she won't be."
"Don't second guess you're self, she's going to be beyond excited." Farkle led him out to the car, his driver taking Lucas' bags, loading them in the trunk for him.
"So, you have the key to the apartment?"
"Yes, and with Zay and Maya's help—yes Maya knows, we got everything set up."
Lucas scratched the back of his neck, "You don't think she'll be upset, think I was presumptuous, or anything right?"
Farkle chuckled, "Lucas, she will say yes, you two might not leave that apartment for a few days—don't worry I stocked the fridge, champagne, and a few goodies as well as some real food."
"Thanks Buddy" Lucas ran his hands over his jeans, "This is just it, you know, no more deployments, I'm out, I'll start at the hospital down the street in the New Year, and I know Riley's been waiting all this time, I had to be sure I could give her the life she deserves."
"Lucas, you are an emergency medicine doctor, you've seen the worst of the worst out there. You're a hero, and Riley, well she might not let you leave the apartment until February." He teased.
"Dude, come on." Lucas smirked as he pulled the box out from his jacket, opening it, "Think she'll like it?"
"It's the most Riley ring possible." Farkle studied the simple diamond, it wasn't tiny but it wasn't over the top either. "She's going to love it, and she probably won't even look at it right away."
Lucas snapped the box closed, "I just, I want this to be perfect."
"It will be, because whatever happens, it will be the moment you two have been waiting for, for longer than I think any of us ever realized." Farkle pulled his phone out as it buzzed, reading the message, "She still has no clue, Maya just texted to tell me that Riley is currently plotting a run to the craft store. She had to talk her into crafting with the supplies they have in the apartment."
Lucas chuckled, "Good, not that Riley is stress crafting, but that Maya has her busy, though I'm dying to see her."
"We'll be at the apartment soon, you can get freshened up, set up, and Riley will be at your door before you know it."
"It's finally happening Farkle, all these years."
"Yes, finally, and it's been a long journey, but you have so much to look forward to." Farkle reminded him.
When they arrived at the building, Lucas took it in for the first time in person. Farkle and Zay had helped him find it, with maybe a little help from Mrs. Matthews. As they rode up in the elevator, his heart raced knowing that in a few minutes he would enter his new home, and that hopefully in a couple of hours he would propose to Riley, and she would agree to be his wife, share this home.
Farkle unlocked the door for him, the apartment was already furnished, and a Christmas tree set up in the bay window. A fire was already going in the fireplace, and the apartment was already decorated for the holidays. Lucas took it all in as he dropped his bag to the floor, "This is more than what I asked you guys to do."
"Zay might have gone a bit overboard." Farkle smirked, "We left you two the tree to decorate together, we know that's kind of your thing."
"This is really above and beyond." He couldn't believe the lengths his friends had gone to, "She'll like the furniture I bought right?"
"Riley basically picked it out herself." Farkle explained, "Maya told her she needed help with setting up vision boards for her students. All the pieces are ones Riley picked out."
"They're exactly what I would've picked." Lucas marveled as he picked up his bags to find the bedroom. "Farkle, this is a bit much don't you think?"
Farkle quickly caught up to him, finding the bed covered in Rose petals and LED candles set up around the room. "This is all Zay and Maya."
Lucas rolled his eyes, "Cute."
"Go and shower, I'm going to text Maya to make sure Riley is ready for the Christmas party we told her we were all going to tonight."
Lucas glanced at the bed once more, "You sure she doesn't know?"
"I'm positive." Farkle told him. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."
"Thanks again, really, I mean it."
"I know, and really it's nothing." Farkle gave his friend a hug, "I'm really glad that you're finally home, and if I'm relieved, Riley is going to be really relieved."
"Honestly, so am I." He confessed before Farkle left. Once alone Lucas took a hot shower, shaved and put on his favorite pair of jeans and the Christmas Sweater that Riley had made him three years before.
He grabbed the ring from his jacket, he looked at the tree trying to figure out how to balance it. Running a hand over his growing hair, "Agh! I just want this to be perfect." He sighed before his eyes caught sight of a roll of purple ribbon on the kitchen counter. He cut a long length off before first tying it around the box, and then gently tying it to the tree branch.
He moved into the kitchen setting up the champagne in an ice bucket as well as the champagne flutes. His stomach twisting in knots, as he glanced at the time. He pulled up her favorite Christmas playlist on his phone, letting it play on the Bluetooth speakers hidden on the mantle.
She would be here soon.
He wasn't sure if he could handle waiting much longer. He began pacing around the living room, noticing the pictures of him and Riley throughout the years. He was behind the tree when he heard the door open.
"Hello?" Her voice was nervous, "It's Riley. Maya, Farkle, and Zay are on their way up. They somehow missed the elevator."
He was frozen when he heard her voice, oh how he'd missed it.
"Is anyone here?" Riley looked down at her phone, then at the number on the door confirming that they matched. When she looked up, she gasped as Lucas came out from the other side. "Lucas, what are you, how are you?"
"I'm home." He could see the tears in her eyes, "I'm done."
She threw herself into his arms, "Thank God" she burst into tears as they clung to each other.
Lucas breathed her in, "I'm home Riley, I promise you."
"I'm so thankful for this." She moved back to look in his eyes, "I love you, please don't ever leave again."
He smiled, "Look on the tree."
She knitted her brows in confusion before he guided her to the tree, where she saw the purple ribbon. "Lucas?"
He pulled the ribbon, freeing the box, letting it drop in his hand before he dropped down on one knee, "Riley, we were so young when we met. But I knew, when you were in my lap that first day you would be important to my life. I didn't know just how important until I thought I lost you."
"Lucas, you never really lost me."
"I know that now, but a scared teenager, I had no idea." He kissed her hand, "Riley you've stayed by me, through everything over the years, even all the time I was deployed. You had every right to give up on me."
"I could never give up on you." Riley reached out to brush the hair away from his eyes, "I can't remember the last time I saw your hair this long."
Lucas chuckled, "I hope you never will, Riley, will you please do me the distinct honor of marrying me?"
"Yes, of course!" She was pulling him to his feet as he tried to open the box, she felt the ring on her finger, but all she could look at were Lucas' green eyes, the eyes of the man she had loved her whole life. The eyes she'd yearn to stare into for far too long. "Kiss me."
He did as he was told, letting his lips land on her apple cider flavored ones as her arms snaked around him, clinging to him as they got lost in the moment.
"How did I not know you were coming home?" She finally questioned when they pulled away as Lucas went to open the champagne.
"I made everyone promise not to tell you." He kissed her forehead, "They helped me get everything here set up."
Riley jumped when the cork was removed, "So this is your apartment?"
He pulled her close to him, "This is our apartment. I don't want to rush you to have you move in, but as soon as your ready, I want to share this space with you."
"Wait Lucas, if your out, what are you going to do for work?"
"I'm still a doctor Riley, just not for Uncle Sam any longer. I'll be working at the hospital just a block away."
"You thought of everything, didn't you?"
"I hope I did, I think I did." He thought for a moment, "You really had no idea I was coming home?"
"None," she started to really look around the apartment, "But I should've. I picked this couch out, and this table."
"Maya, was in on it."
"They all were, weren't they?" She picked up her flute of champagne, "I've been so sad you wouldn't be home."
"I'm home now," He picked up his own champagne, "Home for Christmas, you can count on me Riley."
"I always knew I could." They clinked their glasses before taking a quick sip and kissing again.