2014 RSS. Prompt: Holidays with Bae – any age
Cameron Gold frowned at the flurries falling outside the dusty window of the shop. It had been lightly snowing on and off all day, but it was really starting to pick up as evening approached. A glance at the clock told him it would be another hour or so before he be would off for the day. He went back to his sewing with a sigh; the suit was nicer than anything he would ever be able to afford. The price of this one suit alone would buy him and Bailey food for a month and pay the electric bill. Cameron winced when he thought of their cold apartment building across town. The insulation of the building was better than his childhood home back in Scotland, but it was winter in Maine, and without electricity the place was freezing.
For most of December Bailey had been spending even more time at the library, which Cameron didn't fault him for at all. The library was warm, and the librarian had a soft spot for Bae ever since he applied for a job just before the start of the school year. Bailey, ambitious and so eager to lessen the burden on his Papa, had attempted to get a job at the library before his twelfth birthday. Cameron had received a flustered call from the librarian that afternoon, he had actually thought she had the wrong number at first– what would such a beautiful voice need from him? But she explained that she wasn't able to officially hire Bailey because the library could only accept unpaid volunteers over the age of fifteen, but she wanted to work out a compromise with him.
Smiling softly to himself he remembered his first face to face meeting with the librarian, Belle, to discuss it. She explained that Bailey had been so sweet, and was very polite whenever his class came to the library on field trips and she felt bad but he was simply too young for her to hire him. Cameron had been torn between feeling incredibly guilty for not being able to provide for his son, and overwhelmed by the beautiful woman's sweet behavior. For the life of him he's not sure what they ended up talking about, but Belle offered to pay Bailey for little things. Watering plants, taking care of her cat, and such if Cameron approved. He thinks that if Belle always smiled at him like that he'd agree to anything. He may have fallen in love with her that day; she was so kind and wonderful that it was impossible for him not to adore her. But it was enough for him that she gave Bailey the attention he seemed to crave.
Bailey had been so proud, coming home with his first pay after assisting Belle for a few hours. Cameron swallowed back his own feelings of inadequacy and instead basked in his son's pride when he declared that dinner was on him that night. Bailey had proudly handed over his fifteen dollars to Granny in exchange for two plates of lasagna.
Ever since, Bailey had been spending every day after school at the library, doing his homework and helping Belle with chores until Cameron finished with work and came to pick him up. It was a huge comfort to Cameron to know that Bae had a safe place to go to when he was at work. Afternoons at the library had quickly become his favorite part of the day. Belle was a lifesaver that Cameron would happily spend the rest of his life attempting to repay.
He had mentioned something like that to Belle once. She had done so much for them by letting Bailey spend so much time with her and they had done nothing for her. Belle shushed him right away, assuring him that Bailey was more than welcome. But she did tell him that if was serious about making it up to her then he and Bailey could come with her to a Christmas party she had been invited to on the twenty-fourth.
It was being held at the house of Mary-Margaret Nolan, who had been Bailey's fourth grade teacher. Cameron had met her a few times, she was a very kind woman, but her daughter was something else. Emma Nolan and Bailey had been friends for years, and they both got into all kinds of trouble. Knowing that young Emma would be there for Bailey to play with was the reason that Cameron had agreed to going.
After few more stitches and the suit he had been working on was finished. Cameron carefully hung the suit in the closet for the owner to examine before turning it over to the customer. He pulled on his own ratty coat, which looked especially shabby compared to all of the nice suits in the back of the shop.
He bid the owner a Merry Christmas and stepped out into the lightly falling snow, turning towards the library. It made more sense to meet Bae and Belle at the library before heading towards the Nolan's. And to be honest his leg would probably thank him if he kept the walking to a minimum in this cold weather. Trying not to focus on the fact that where he was heading felt more like home than his apartment in the opposite direction.
"Hey, Papa!" Bailey was sitting behind the circulation desk when Cameron entered the library. Since it was Christmas Eve the library was officially closed. But Belle had claimed that she needed Bailey's help if he was available, Cameron wasn't surprised that Bailey rather be in her company than waiting for him to arrive home.
"Have you been promoted to junior librarian?" Cameron teased, reaching over the counter to ruffle his son's hair.
"Not yet, but Belle has been teaching me how to check stuff in." Bailey pointed to the stack of books next to him.
"I heard my name, oh, Merry Christmas Cameron!" Belle came around the corner with a handful of DVDs, she was wearing a bright red sweater with an glittery Christmas tree embroidered on it. "Bailey told me you had to work today." She came up to stand next to him at the, light jingling sounds came from her bell earrings with every step.
"Um, yes," Cameron ducked his head, embarrassed as he usually was with her full attention on him. "There were a few last orders we had to finish today – the owner is going to deliver them personally. How was your day?"
"Good! Bailey is finishing the last of the returns from yesterday, and we both had fun straightening up the shelves." She passed over the stack of movies to Bailey who made an excited sound.
"Oh awesome! Papa, she's got all the Home Alone movies!" Bailey grinned, "Now you can see all of them!" It had been a bit of a running joke between Cameron and Bae. That no matter when Cameron turned on the television during December a showing of Home Alone would be on. But despite that Cameron had never seen a full showing of the movie in one sitting. Bailey had found that ridiculously amusing and apparently had decided that they were going to watch them.
"We can probably watch one before we go to the party if you want." Belle offered with a smile.
"Can we? That'd be great! Oops!" Bailey leapt from the seat behind the desk, knocking over the stack of books he was working on. Cameron cringed but Belle only laughed.
"I'll pick those up and lock the front door." Belle held out a key on a beaded bracelet to Bae, "You can go ahead and take your father upstairs, I'll be right up." She smiled at Cameron and handed him the DVDs as Bailey gathered up his backpack. Cameron's lips twitched in a smile as their fingers brushed against each other.
Cameron followed Bailey out the back of the library and up a thin flight of stairs that led up into Belle's apartment. Bae was chatted animatedly at him from the top of the stairs, fiddling with the lock as Cameron slowly forced his knee to carry him up the stairs.
Belle's apartment was delightfully warm, and Cameron instantly felt comfortable. There was garland draped over every available space not filled by books. Paper snowflakes were taped in various places around her living room, and Cameron smiled when he realized that they were identical to the ones in his own apartment. A small tree, which could only be described as scrawny, was tucked into a corner with a handful of presents beneath it. Some of the wrapping paper looked familiar but he was distracted by the touch of Belle's hand on his shoulder.
"Hey," she leaned around him, laying her head on her hand to smile up at him, "do you want some tea, or hot chocolate? I've also got some popcorn if we're going to watch a movie."
Bailey requested hot chocolate as Cameron stuttered out his own request for whatever was more convenient for her. She moved around him, and he missed the feel of her hand on him. Cameron obediently followed his son's call to join him on the sofa. He eased himself down on the cushions, startled when the moment he was settled a small cream colored cat jumped onto his lap. He blinked curiously at it and it mewled up at him.
"That's Pollyanna," Bailey explained, reaching over to scratch the cat behind her ear. "She likes to cuddle; do you want to give her a treat?"
"She doesn't need any more." Belle called good naturedly from the open kitchen attached to the living room. "You spoil her, Bailey."
Bailey laughed and scooted next to Cameron, the cat happily prowled across both their laps and then up onto the couch behind their heads. Belle brought over three mugs of hot chocolate and a bowl of popcorn on a tray, setting it within reach on the coffee table before curling up on the couch on the other side of Bae. She reached across Bailey to stroke the cat who mewed loudly in approval.
"Ready?" Bailey asked, holding the remote, primed to hit 'play'. At their approval the movie began. Bailey claimed that if he was in Kevin's place he would've found a sword and driven the intruders out. Belle had shaken her head and pointed out that at least Kevin's way provided more defense than a full on attack. Cameron absently stroked Pollyanna as he listened to Bailey's and Belle's comments on the movies with half an ear. He didn't care about the movie, as enjoyable as it was. But having Bailey curled up close to him and Belle within arm reach, he couldn't think of anything that could make him happier.
He must have drifted off, because the next thing he was conscious of was Bailey disentangling himself from his father and Belle standing to clear away the empty mugs. Bailey was taking the disk from the player when he looked up and out the window, "oh wow."
Cameron turned towards the window and winced at the sight. The light flakes from earlier had built into a pretty substantial downfall of snow. Belle chewed her lips thoughtfully before voicing, "would you two be mad at me if I said maybe we shouldn't go to the party?"
"Nah," Bailey said, he dropped the movie onto the table and went to peer out the window. "Wow, we could build such a huge snow fort tomorrow."
Belle placed her hand against the window, peering out into the budding snowstorm over Bailey's shoulder, before glancing back at Cameron. "I don't think we should be out walking in this."
Cameron flushed when he realized that she was looking at his bad leg, instantly feeling guilty for ruining her and Bae's evening. No one at that party would miss him, but Belle and Bailey… Cameron stood and opened his mouth to suggest that he could stay while they went when Belle was suddenly standing in front of him; she poked him in the chest with her finger.
"Stop whatever you're thinking," she said, "none of us should be walking in this. I don't want any of us to get sick either; It looks like it's only going to get worse."
"I don't want you to miss your Christmas party," Cameron said, grabbing her hand a squeezing it apologetically.
Belle made a face, blushing slightly, "I didn't really want to go anyway. I just didn't want to spend Christmas alone."
"You won't!" Bailey said, surprising them both by wrapping his arms around Belle. She laughed and hugged him back, dropping Cameron's hand and he instantly missed her touch. But he couldn't help but smile at them. "Can we watch the next Home Alone then? We can stay for a bit longer, right Papa?"
Cameron nodded, more than a little bewildered. "If it's alright with Belle, of course."
She beamed, looking extraordinarily thankful. "Of course it is, oh but if you stay you may want to open this present a little early." She pulled out of the hug to fetch something from beneath the tree; she held it out to Bailey who took it with a little excited bounce. Cameron watched his son tear into the paper, feeling warm that Belle had gone out of her way to buy Bae something.
"Thank you, Belle!" Bailey grinned and held up the movie so his father could see. Cameron couldn't help but smile back. The Polar Express had been a Christmas tradition between him and his son until their copy broke last year. Bailey must have told Belle, she looked far too pleased for it to have been a coincidence. She took the movie, offering to put it in if Bailey would dash to the kitchen for the tin of Christmas cookies.
Cameron sat back down in his spot, but when Bailey returned he relocated into an armchair that had a better view of the window than the sofa did. He took a few cookies for himself, and passed and handed the tin over to Belle. Pollyanna had climed onto the armrest, purring loudly. Cameron smiled at the sight, jumping when Belle sat on the sofa beside him – closer than expected. She glanced up at him, asking softly "Is this alright?", Cameron felt that she wasn't asking about the cookie she was offering.
He nodded mutely taking the treat from her hand, before hesitantly moving his other arm around her shoulder – tense and ready to pull away if she showed the slightest hint of discomfort. She only beamed at him and snuggled closer as the opening music began to play.
"Thank you." Cameron whispered as Belle covered Bae's sleeping form with a throw blanket. He clasped his hands in his lap nervously, and Belle sat back down beside him looking at him intently. "I…it really means a lot to me that Bae and I…that you've let us spend Christmas Eve with you like this." He took a breath, still unable to meet her gaze. "All you've done for Bae really, I'm such...I really can't tell you what a blessing it has been to know that Bae has a safe space with you here, and in the library."
His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when Belle shifted and wrapped her arms around him, after a moment he lifted his own arms to hug her back. She let loose a shaky sigh, of relief? Cameron wondered, and lifted her hand to the back of his head, gently guiding his head to rest against her shoulder. They stayed sill for a few breaths, and Cameron began to believe he may have fallen asleep as well, and was dreaming. He felt her turn her head and her warm breath tickled his ear as she whispered. "Thank you for letting me be a part of your family. For letting me spend so much time with Bailey, I absolutely adore him." She pulled back from him, biting her lip indecisively before with a before quickly ducking her head to brush a kiss on his cheek. "And I love you."
"Belle?" He pulled back, unsure but unable to fully let her go in case this was a dream and he woke the moment they broke contact.
Her face was pink and her eyes were shining, she smiled shyly. "I love you." When he didn't respond right away he could see a bit of unease creep into her eyes at the silence and he loathed it immensely. She began to stutter out an apology and tried to move back out of his embrace and that is what moved him to action.
He couldn't say where the bravery came from, but he moved forward and briefly brushed his lips against hers – stilling her movements. "I-I love you too, Belle. You're…." He wasn't able to find the words to describe how beautiful she was to him and how long he had carried this love for her in chest. But it didn't seem to matter because she moved back into his arms and pressed her mouth to his.
The meowing by their heads startled them into breaking the kiss. Belle giggled, her face delightfully flushed, and Cameron felt his own face heat up. "This probably sounds stupidly cheesy, but I'm considering you my Christmas present this year." Belle told him with a smile that was just shy of flirtatious, but the look in her eyes was genuine.
"Good. Good." Cameron couldn't help feeling a little teary, but risking feeling rather cheesy himself, he acknowledged that this was probably the best Christmas he has had in a very long time.