"Eleanor, will you have a plus one this Christmas?" Barbra asked her daughter over the phone.

Ellie laughed, "No, Mom, for the thousandth time, I'm not dating anyone."

"Elle, I just wish you'd have someone to make you happy."

"I am happy, Mom."

"You're content. There is a difference, honey."

"Mom, I love my job, I have the best coworkers I could ask for, I have a nice apartment, I get to see my family for Christmas this year, I'm on Cloud 9."

"I know, that's what you keep saying, but it wouldn't be the worst thing if you had a man in your life."

"Hey, Mom, I have to go, Nick is here, we're carpooling to work."

"Who's Nick again."

Ellie let out a small laugh, "Goodbye, Mama."

"Tell Nick I said 'Hi.' Goodbye, Elle, I love you."

Ellie hung up the phone and ran out to Nick's car. When she opened the door Nick said, "Holy shit, B, it' cold out there, get in here and shut the door."

"You're such a baby."

"I should've taken a job somewhere else. Anywhere else."

"Stop whining. My mom says, 'Hi.' by the way."

"Oh, does she?"

"Yeah, she wants me to be dating someone." Ellie let out a small laugh. "Which is the last thing I need."

Nick laughed, "Do you want to be dating someone, B?"

"No, I mean, I'm so busy with work, and... well, I guess that's really it."

"That's not true. You have your art, and your friends."

"You and the team are my only friends, Nick." Ellie laughed a little. "I really don't have a life in D.C."

"Stop the presses."

"What?" Ellie turned to Nick and looked at him sarcastically.

"I have the best idea."

"What is it?"

"You take me home, and we say I'm your boyfriend. Your mom's happy, I get a free meal, so I'm happy, and how could you not be happy."

"That is the worst idea."

"Really? Name one flaw."

"My mom knows your a co-worker she'll know instantly."

"Not with this backstory, you ready?"

"Fire."

"I almost got killed, and I realized life is short, and we should appreciate the people in our lives."

"I'll give you that one."

"See? Flawless."

"I just don't want to."

"Come on, Elle."

"My parents will make us stay in my old bedroom, in my small full size bed, we'll be on top of each other the whole night."

"I can get onboard with that." Ellie lightly slapped his shoulder. "Hey, this is a good idea, and I will stay on my side of the bed." Nick promised.

"Fine, BUT it's only to make my mom stop talking, and you better stay on your side."

"Oh yeah, baby! Oklahoma here I come." Nick said.

"It's colder there than it is here."

"Ah, hell no. I'm backing out."

"Nope you already agreed." Ellie smiled at him.

"I expect there to be hot chocolate."

"Oh, there will be, homemade hot cocoa is my sister-in-law's specialty."

"Well, now I'm excited."

"You should be. Christmas is Oklahoma is so much better than Christmas anywhere else." Ellie reflected. "The fireplace cracking, our traditional Christmas breakfast, gathering around the tree, my niece and nephews opening presents, dad chopping firewood, connecting the horses to a sleigh and taking rides down the country roads, tobogganing, once the kids even tied the dogs to the toboggan and made them 'mush'."

"How many animals do you have?"

"Let's see: the two horses, the shetland, the three dogs, the six chickens, the one cow, and about 12 barn cats, so around 24."

"Geez, Ellie, you're like animal hoarders."

"I grew up on a farm. We have 4½ acres of fields and around 3 of forests, honestly, we should have a lot more animals."

"I had a dog growing up. Do you hear me ONE dog? That's what normal people have."

"Well, we're not normal. You've always known that."

"Eh, normal is boring."

"Normal is boring. Be ready for me to pick you up at 4 am on Sunday morning, we'll be flying back Wednesday, New Years day, just as early."

"4 am?"

"The flight boards at 5:30, and with traffic I figured we should be safe."

"Why did you get such an early flight?"

"They were cheapest." Ellie laughed knowing how Nick hated mornings.

"Your all smiles and giggles this morning."

"And… do you have an issue with my good mood?"

"No, you wear it well."

"Thank you."


4:00 Sunday morning

Ellie parked her car in front of Nick's apartment and hopped out. She ran up the steps of his building to the third floor. Apartment 3B She pulled out the spare key he'd given her and unlocked the door. She walked into the living room and softly called out "Nick, I'm here."

"Hey, you can come back here."

She made her way to his bedroom and found him throwing things into a suitcase. "I told you to be ready."

"I am. These are just a few crucial everyday items. Looking this good takes work."

"Okay, well hurry up because I planned on eating at the airport, so I haven't had breakfast, and I'm starving."

"That's a shocker."

Ellie picked a dark grey tank top off the ground and tossed it at him. "Come on."

Nick zipped his suitcase, lifted it off his bed, grabbed his phone and carry-on bag, and followed Eddie out the door, locking it behind him.

"I hate airports." Nick complained once they had gotten breakfast and coffee and were sitting at their gate.

"Why? They make everything easier."

"Tickets are so expensive and there's just a whole process, and it's a lot."

"You're just looking to complain. Be quiet and eat your breakfast."

They were soon boarded onto the plane and Ellie called window seat. It was a full flight and Nick was stuck with the middle seat. "Come on, the worst possible seat."

"If you complain one more time before we have landed in Oklahoma, I will throw you out the emergency exit." Ellie shifted in her seat. "Let me use your shoulder as a pillow."

Nick looked down at her. "Please."

"Fine." He agreed she rested her head on his shoulder and was soon asleep. He rested his head on top of her's and also fell asleep.

Ellie was first to wake up and it was after a rough landing. She moved her head without thinking and in turn dropped Nick's head waking him up. "We're here." She told him.

"Yeah. I figured when I looked out the window and saw we were on the ground."

"You think you're funny."

As everyone stood getting ready to get off the plane the woman who sat next to them turned and spoke. "Good luck, you two."

"Thank you." Ellie said, it just fell out.

"Yeah, thanks." Nick added.