Cinnamon, micepies and rich fruity wine infused the kitchen's already warm atmosphere. A decedent table was strewn with food from around the world. The word luxury didn't cut it.
Wind flown in from the gulf whistled through the letter box only to be drowned out by the eloquent bounce of fingers strumming a bass and the round flow of a saxophone bounced around the room from a jazz CD played on a top of the range surround sound system. The hallways, grand in height gave the entrance a glamour she'd never seen. Everything about the house was elegant. It truly was magical there at Christmas.
An arm extended around her waist, pulling her gently into his arms, Charles grabbed Molly's free hand and began to dance with her in the middle of living room. She laughed, tipping her head backwards he felt her soft brown hair tickle his wrist in the small of her back.
"Good night you two love birds! Oh how pleased I am to see my boy so happy." Charles' mummy practically sang the words before retreating up the staircase to bed.
His parents Christmas party had been a great success. Molly was surprised how easily she conversed with the James family and they're friends (and she was beginning to "broaden her vocabulary", well that's how Charles put it anyway). The warmth of the open log fire made Molly long for sleep but she wasn't giving up this moment for all the pillows in the world. She twirled out with a shocking amount of grace considering the lack of it Molly had previously, before this life. As she returned to his strong and loving arms. Charles leant forward and kissed her, with that same electricity that they had shared during their first kiss in Afghan.
"I love you Molly Dawes. I never want you to leave. I know you're going back and it's the best thing for you but I want to know that wherever you are in the world I can call you mine?" It was a question not a statement. He was on one knee, holding her left hand and praying she wouldn't be scared off and do a runner. It had only been about 6 months since they had been able to be together. "Marry me."
This time he wasn't asking, it was an order, a demand for her to be his forever. Molly gasped at the diamond ring in his hands, protected in it's little satin lined box with a distinctive logo on the top signifying that Charles had spent more than time on this proposal.
"I knew that you was more than just happy to see me when I felt something hard in your pocket."
He laughed a little. This was exactly why he loved her.
"So does that mean?"
"Yes, you numpty. Yes!" She let out a squeal of excitement and let him push the most gorgeous ring she had ever seen on to her second from last finger.