Christmas eve Patrick hands hold me gently and his warm breath tickles my skin as he walks behind me, guiding me. All that's before my eyes is blackness caused by the blindfold he's wrapped around my eyes while we sat in the car after he picked me up from the FBI headquarters when I finished work. It was also my last day before the start of my maternity leave. I objected when he slipped the blindfold out of his pocket, but he gave me his most sincerest of stares and asked me to trust him. I rolled my eyes and his gorgeous smile lit up his face and all resistance melted away.
I can tell from the sound of the crickets and the smell of the water that we are at the cabin. A knot of excitement fights for space with our unborn baby. He hasn't allowed me near the place for the past two weeks. I smile with anticipation as his hold tightens and he instructs me to step up, carefully guiding my every movement. I feel him brush pass me and hear a key turning in the lock.
Suddenly I'm off my feet, as he grabs me in his arms, I squeal with surprise and mange to find his neck and lock my arms around it.
"What are you doing idiot."
"Shh woman, it's tradition. Now keep still or you'll hurt yourself."
"Well don't drop me."
I actually feel perfectly secure in his grasp. The physical work of transforming the cabin has helped build muscle on his lean frame. Something I moaned about as my figure ballooned into a beach ball. Despite that beach ball he carries me over, what I presume, is the threshold, with ease and gently returns my feet to the floor.
A variety of smells assault my nose, paint, wood, glue and above them all – berries!
His voice whispers in my ear and I can hear the excitement in his voice.
"Are you ready?"
I nod my head. I'm really ready. It's been hectic at work, man power has been down, a flu epidemic, which, thankfully, we both avoided, and cases have been up. As I haven't had the time to do the research I wanted for the fixings in the cabin, Patrick reassured me that he knew exactly what my tastes were. Although I believed every word as he looked intensely at me, away from him, I had my doubts.
I feel him move behind me and his fingers momentarily brush against my skin and then the blindfold falls away from my eyes. Looking at the scene before me, I'm stunned into silence and inertia.
Patrick's anxious question snaps me out of my stupor.
"Do you like it?"
I'm shaking my head with wonder, the wide smile on my face, smoothing out his worry lines.
"I love it!"
The door opens into the living room and from the vantage point there is also a view of the kitchen and a dining room, in the distance on the far side. Patrick's knocked down walls and put some up to rearrange the cabin in to a partly open space. We both agreed on pale wood on the walls to keep the cabin feel, but to give the home light and space. Taking centre stage in the room is the beautiful deep red five seater couch, I had fallen in love when I came across it in a magazine. I can't remember telling Patrick about it as I had to be away for a couple of days on a case and then couldn't find the magazine anywhere. The home, our home, is beautifully decorated for the holidays and looks perfect.
I feel his hand on my arm once more.
"Come check out how it feels."
I sink into the deep cushions, and I'm enveloped in softness, and I instinctively snuggle further in.
"Don't get too comfy, I have a job for you."
The sofa seems to pull me further into itself.
"I don't think I'll be able to get off this couch until after the baby's born."
Patrick smiles and holds out his hands which I gratefully grasp and he pulls me to my feet. He then leads me to the Christmas tree. It's standing in front of the window in all its seven foot glory. Decorated in red and white decorations, one festooned with the words ' Our first Christmas' taking centre stage. All that's missing is something on the top. When I turn to Patrick he's holding out a beautiful shimmering star towards me. I look at him astonished.
"I can't put that up there."
"Of course you can."
He moves towards the back of the tree and pulls out a small step ladder, I'd failed to notice.
"I'll hold you steady."
He then looked indignant as I continued to stare non-plussed at him.
"I'm not doing all the work."
He gently takes me by the elbow and says reassuringly:
"I'll be right here."
I take the star off him and climb the ladder with Patrick hovering. His hands grip my waist as I lean over and place the star on the top. Immediately the lights spring to life and I almost fall back in surprise, but Patrick holds me still. I feel his lips kiss my back.
"Great job."
After reaching firm ground I step back and admire the glittering tree. Patrick's arms engulf me from behind, his chin rests on my shoulder, his face resting against mine, and he asks?
"How did you do that?"
I elbow him…. gently
"It's beautiful Patrick."
I feel a grin spread across his face and I turn in his arms.
"Everything is just beautiful."
He beams with pleasure, and he deserves it.
"I'm glad I finished it in time for Christmas. The kitchen is full of food for the holidays…"
He nods towards the tree behind me.
"Presents are under the tree."
I turn my head in surprise and sure enough there are piles of presents underneath, including the ones I managed to wrap of his.
"I didn't peek…or shake…or try to guess."
He releases his hold and takes my hand.
"How about some sparkling water and dinner."