This is a one shot prompt that was suggested to me by Handy-For-The-Bus on Tumblr. She asked for a story about Anna and John's first Christmas at their cottage. I hope you all like it.
The Sweetest Gift
Anna watched as her husband wrapped the giant scarf around his neck several times. She couldn't help but giggle at the image he presented all bundled up as if he was heading out into a blizzard.
"John, is that really necessary? It isn't even that cold out, plus we are only going to the edge of the woods, not the Himalayas. We will be home in less than an hour."
John looked up and grimaced. "I don't see why we couldn't have asked one of the stable boys to cut down a tree for us. I am hardly the outdoors type Anna, especially in the cold." When Anna had first suggested last week that they go in search of their own tree, John had tried everything to talk her out of it. She would have none of it. Finally John had agreed knowing that once his wife's mind was set on something there was no turning back. Their entire courtship was proof of that, wasn't it? He tried one more time, though he knew it was useless.
"It's not too late. I am sure if I ask Sam he would be more than happy to cut down a tree for us."
Anna shook her head. "This is the first Christmas we get to spend together as husband and wife, not to mention the first in our new cottage. I want to do everything ourselves, including picking out our tree."
"This is all easy for you to say, I am the one who will have to not only cut the damn thing down but carry it all the way home."
Anna couldn't help but roll her eyes at her husband's words. He really could be a big baby. This was a man who had survived a war and prison but didn't want to hike into the woods to find a Christmas tree because it was too cold? "Really John, it is probably a quarter of a mile at the most and you will hardly be carrying it on your back. I borrowed the cart from the gardener so all you have to do is pull it home. You can handle it, my big strong manly man."
Now it was John's turn to roll his eyes. "You are laying it on a little thick, aren't you my love?" He finished tying the scarf and looked over at his wife. He couldn't help but smile at the look of pure excitement on her face. He walked over and leaned down to place a quick kiss on her lips. He pulled the scarf up so it covered half of his face. "Okay let's go and get this over with."
John was getting impatient. They had been in the woods for over an hour and Anna still couldn't settle on a tree. He had found several perfectly acceptable trees only to be told they were either too short, too tall or in one case, the needles were not symmetrical. He huffed out a breath and watched as Anna walked around a tree several times. She put her finger on her chin and seemed to be talking to herself. He wondered not for the first time in this last hour if his wife was taking this just a bit too seriously. He had spent the last ten minutes staring at the same tree as Anna walked around and around it. She would touch it and even leaned in to smell it several times. It was just a tree. It would be up for a week before it was taken down again and dragged down the lane to be taken care of. And the cold was started to make its way into his bones. He hated the cold, even as a boy he refused to play outside in it. He much preferred the heat of summer. He touched his nose with a gloved finger and frowned when he couldn't feel it. He sighed. This was taking all together too long.
"Anna, really I think we need to make a decision. My nose is starting to become numb."
He sighed in relief as Anna nodded her head. She turned to him and smiled and for a moment John's breath was taken away. She looked thrilled at having found the perfect Christmas tree. After all that she had been through this past year seeing her happy was all he could ask for and he silently cursed himself for being impatient when it came to searching for the tree. It was important to Anna and that was all that really mattered.
"I think this is the one I want. She's perfect."
"She? The next thing I know you will be giving her a name."
Anna laughed. "Don't be silly, why would I name a tree?"
John smiled as he walked over to Anna. "I have no idea, I was crazy to even suggest it. "
He handed her his cane and knelt down wincing as his knee protested. Anna had offered to help him, but John would not hear of having his wife on her hands and knees in the snow sawing at a tree. He knew it was pure stubbornness on his part and his knee would trouble him for several days because of it, but if he had to trek though the wilderness looking for a tree, he would be damned if he wouldn't have the satisfaction of cutting it down himself. He frowned as he looked up taking in the size of the tree.
"I hope it will fit. It looks awfully big."
Anna nodded, "It will fit. I know it will."
Anna frowned as the tree hit the top of the ceiling and bent over. She could have sworn it would have fit when she picked it out in the forest. She knew she had tried John's patience in the search for the tree, but she just wanted everything to be perfect for their first Christmas in their new home. She looked up at the tree again. It hadn't looked this big in the woods. She felt bad about it, but she knew John would have to take it outside and trim some more off the bottom.
She turned to tell her husband just that when she noticed he was already shrugging his jacket on. He walked over to open the door before heading back to grab the tree. Anna couldn't help but hear the sigh as he pulled it down. He pulled it towards the door, but not before turning back to speak.
"I hope you notice that I am not saying 'I told you so'."
Anna laughed, "No? I think you just did. Now I am sure if you trim a few feet off the bottom it will fit just perfect in here." She watched as he pulled the tree outside and walked over to close the door behind him. She then turned and began walking to the kitchen. The least she could do was make up a pot of hot chocolate to warm him after he came back in.
An hour and three trimmings later and the tree finally fit. John was exhausted and he had a horrible feeling that Anna wanted to still decorate the tree tonight. This horrible feeling was confirmed when she carried the first box of decorations into the sitting room. He fought back a sigh. He was exhausted, but he was hesitant to quell is wife's excitement. He never could deny her anything. He reached for the box and set it on the table. He just wanted her to be happy, it was all he ever wanted. He silently admitted defeat and headed towards the closet in the hall.
"I will get the rest of the decorations, love. You just start unwrapping these ones and then we can begin decorating the tree. "
Anna smiled as she set to her task. She loved Christmas and this one was particularly special to her. She gently rubbed her stomach. She had quite the surprise for her husband this Christmas. She had just found out last week from Dr. Clarkson that she was three months pregnant. She had wanted to rush home and tell John right away, but instead realized it would make the perfect Christmas present, one he would soon not forget.
She turned as she heard a crash followed by a few curse words. She hurried to the door and fought back a chuckle as she took in John's appearance. He was wearing a coat of white paint. "What happened?"
John frowned at his laughing wife. "I was reaching for the final box and it hit against that gallon of paint we put on the top shelf and before I knew it, is was knocked over and all over me." He looked at himself. "Fortunately I think most of it landed on me. There is still a bit of a mess to clean up though."
"Well I will take care of the mess; you go upstairs and clean yourself up. We can wait to decorate the tree until tomorrow. "
John shook his head. He knew she really wanted to decorate tonight. It would mean a late night and they would both be suffering from it tomorrow, but it would be worth it to make her happy.
"We can do it tonight. It won't take me long to clean up so let me help you clean up the mess then I can take a quick bath and we can decorate." He knew he had said the right thing when Anna's face broke out in a huge grin. She reached up and kissed his lips quickly, avoiding the paint that was on his face. "I love you husband."
A few hours later John wrapped his arm around Anna's shoulders and pulled her close to him as they both looked at the decorated tree. It really did look beautiful. Of course Anna had been right. It was made all the more perfect knowing they had done it themselves.
Anna turned and reached back for one more ornament. This one was wrapped. John looked down in surprise as she handed it to him.
"What's this?"
Anna smiled. "I picked up in town the other day when I had to run errands for Lady Mary."
John unwrapped the package and smiled. It was as beautiful glass heart with the words "Our First Christmas" etched in gold lettering.
"I know it really isn't our first Christmas together, but it is the first we we are spending together as husband and wife, so I thought it was the perfect way to celebrate that."
"I agree. I love it."
He gently kissed the ornament as if blessing it, before presenting it to Anna who did the same thing. He then walked to the tree and placed in right in the center of the tree. Now the tree really was perfect.
He pulled Anna into his arms and was surprised to suddenly find he had tears in his eyes. He finally had everything he ever wanted. He kissed the top of her head gently before pulling back to place a kiss on her soft lips. He felt her sigh as she opened her mouth and let him deepen the kiss. The kiss lasted a few more seconds before John pulled away.
"I love you so much, Anna. To be here with you in our cottage and celebrating our first Christmas as husband and wife, this is the greatest gift I could ask for. Any other gift would pale in comparison."
Anna just smiled and thought of the life growing inside of her. She had to disagree with John. She knew on Christmas morning the news she would give him would be the sweetest gift of all.
A/N: I had intended this to only be a one-shot, but if you all liked it and wanted more I probably could write one more chapter detailing John finding out about the baby on Christmas morning.
