One Month Later
Casey sat at her desk, papers sprawled out in front of her, pen in mouth, as she chewed on the end of it deep in thought. She looked across the desk, interested to gain his perspective to the information laid out in front of them. They had been working on this for days, trying to make sure everything was accurate before the holidays came around. Luke pursed his lips as he reviewed the document, then nodded.
"Ok, so if we leave the morning on the 23rd for your parents, we can come back here on the 27th and spend New Year's with mine, but it allows us to come into the office on the 28th through the 30th to make sure year end is all set with our clients. Is this the final agreement?"
"Correct," she nodded. This was going to be the first year Casey brought Luke home for Christmas. The last few years she had gone home alone, spending a cozy couple of days in her old bedroom, eating her Mom's amazing cooking, and pretending to be a teenager again by sleeping in countless hours; but now that they were engaged and her parents still hadn't seen her ring, she figured now was a good time to introduce Luke to the amazing McDonald-Venturi holiday traditions. But with spending Christmases apart the last few years, she knew that his family had their own unique traditions that they partake on Christmas as well, so the two of them sat down and tried to come up with a balance to how they would spend this year's holiday.
"And we will alternate every other year, correct?" Luke amended, raising his eyebrow in mock challenge. She pursed her lips, but quickly smiled.
"Yes, absolutely," she agreed before sticking her hand out to shake on it. He let out a laugh before grasping it, only to turn her hand over and bring it to his lips.
"You drive a hard bargain Ms. McDonald, but I accept your proposition," he replied before placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. "Now get back to work if you want us to be able to enjoy our time off!" he ordered, letting go of her hand.
"Blah, I don't want to. This was so much more fun," she whimpered while looking over the mound of work she had shoved to the other side of her desk. Just as he was about to walk out of her office, she called out to him. "Add the 22nd in our PTO dates, please. I want to use it to make sure we have all our gifts purchased, bags packed, and ducks in a row before we leave."
"You got it, babe. Let me bring these over to Brian to get his final okay and I'll grab you for lunch later on?" he asked. She nodded, then smiled as he walked away. This Christmas was shaping up to be one of the best ones yet.
#
Casey sat at the kitchen bar, a warm cup of tea in her hands, closing her eyes as she let the warmth seep into her system. Bringing the cup to her mouth, she took a greedy sip, the aromatic flavors of ginger filling her nostrils and her taste buds with content. She let out a happy sigh as she put the glass down and reached for her toast, nibbling on its edge while she scrolled through her iPad's news app. Today was the official kick-off to her vacation, and although she had hoped to sleep in, she didn't mind being up at 7:00 to enjoy some quiet reading while the sun began to rise. One of her favorite features of their home was the windows in the living room faced east and surprisingly there were no high rises blocking his view, so the sun filled up the space with its illuminating light as it made its way into the sky. Most weekend mornings she would wrap herself in a throw, have a warm mug of coffee or tea, and would snuggle deep into the couch with her iPad. Her finger continued to swipe through the article, but was briefly started when she heard footsteps on the stairwell. Luke wasn't usually up early on a day off. Surprised, she fluttered her eyes over to him and smiled; he was wearing his favorite baggy sweats, a beaten up Blue Jays shirt, and his hair was disheveled, sticking up in various spikes. She watched as he ran his fingers through his hair, recalling when he decided to finally cut his locks for a shorter, more manageable cut. She was opposed at first, having been a fan of his unique length, but she couldn't deny that he looked amazing with the shorter cut. A smile curled on her lips as she recalled how she nearly jumped him when he came home that evening after the barber.
"Something on my face?" he asked as he yawned, clearly noticing her amused smile. She shook her head.
"Nope. Good morning," she said as he approached her, planting a noisy kiss on the top of her head.
"Morning," he said, reaching for the coffee pot. "Why are you up already?" he asked. "Vacation means you don't have to get up."
She shrugged. "Internal alarm clock I guess," she replied. He shrugged before grabbing the bag of coffee, dumping heaps into the pot before dumping some water into it. Soon the aromatic flavors of coffee filled the kitchen, Casey taking another greedy inhale as her favorite flavor of hazelnut entangled the scent of the roasted beans. She let out a peaceful hum.
"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Luke asked as he reached for two mugs.
"I want to look through the checklists again for the gifts this morning, and if we're missing anything maybe hit up the mall this afternoon?" He groaned.
"That place is going to be a zoo," he said as he filled up the mugs.
"Well, hopefully we've already got everything. I figure we can look it over in an hour or so?" she inquired. "I'd like to be out the door by 11:30," she added.
"Sounds like a plan, babe," he said into his mug as he brought it to his mouth, taking in the black coffee. "I'm going watch TV. Let me know when you're ready for me," he advised as he shuffled out of the kitchen and over onto the couch. She turned back and looked at him with a smile. Yes, this was going to be a great holiday, indeed.
#
Casey smiled as she added the finishing touch to her makeup. It wasn't anything too extravagant, but it certainly felt nice being able to take the time to apply her favorites as opposed to first thing in the morning. She had slipped on a long-sleeved dress, just a shade above a snowy white, complete with a fitted top and a flowy circle skirt that ended just above her knees. Reaching for her favorite red heels, she slipped them on before walking out of the room. Luke was in a polo shirt and black pants, but raised his eyebrow when Casey walked out of the room.
"You look pretty dressed up for Christmas shopping," he said. She smiled.
"I'm in the Christmas spirit! See the red shoes?" she said as she kicked up her heel. "Anyway, I thought we could grab some lunch first. I want to try this place out over Bay and Dundas that Emily couldn't stop raving about. Something with Pho in the title. Anyway, her and Jason are going to meet us there. I hope that's okay?"
"Awesome, I'm starving," he said as they made their way down the stairs. "I was going to beg you to let us stop at the taco stand in the mall, but Pho sounds so much better."
She paused. "I'd get something in your system now then because I hear it can get kind of crowded. Don't need a cranky Luke in the waiting area in case we're there long!" He frowned before grabbing an apple.
"Then let's get going!" he said before he bit into it, slipping on his coat and scarf. She reached for her own grey pea coat, slipping it on before adding her black gloves and floppy knit hat. Walking outside to the courtyard of their complex, she synched her coat in a little more, the sting of the winter air biting at her legs, but it didn't last long before the cab pulled up. Casey gave the driver the directions, passing him a piece of paper with the address on it. Nodding, he merged into the traffic, the snow gently falling on the windows as they made their decent into the heart of downtown.
The cab pulled off to the side, Emily and Jason waiting outside of the large building. "Casey, where is this place?" Luke asked as he stepped out of the cab, standing in front of city hall. He looked around, fully knowing that most restaurants were tucked away, but all he saw was the park full of ice skaters, hotels, and city hall.
"Come on, come on!" she said as she linked his arm, guiding him away as they made their way to Emily and Jason. Emily was waving erratically, holding onto a large bag, Jason standing with his hands in his pocket but a smile on his face.
"Come on guys, it's almost time for our reservation!" she said, practically skipping as she made her way up the steps of city hall. Luke, still completely confused, grabbed the door and held it open for the group.
"Did they put a pho restaurant in city hall?" he asked aloud, food still on his mind. The three of them laughed as they made their way into the grand building, walking through the bright lobby onward to their destination. They stopped outside a wood paneled door, Luke's eyes wandering for any indication to where they were. Casey watched as he tried to piece together the puzzle, a huge smile on her face when he finally concluded what was going on. He looked at her, his eyebrows raised wide, his mouth slightly ajar.
"Casey?" he leaded, "what…"
"Luke, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You are my best friend, my partner, the love of my life," she paused, her eyes brimming with tears of excitement and anticipation. "I don't want to wait to get married on some beach," she declared, grabbing his hands. "All I want for Christmas, all I want more than anything in this world, is for us to go in these doors, right now, and for you to marry me."
Luke was stunned speechless, looking back at Emily and Jason, who were waving and giving thumbs up of encouragement, and back to Casey, who had the largest grin she could ever imagine on her face. "Really?" he finally asked, his voice a breathless, higher pitch, clearly filled with surprise and happiness. She nodded. "Let's do this!" he cheered, scooping her up in a large bear hug, lifting her off the ground with a twirl. She laughed as he spun her around before planting a large kiss on her lips.
"Come on, guys!" Casey said as the door opened, greeted by the judge and a few chairs in the small space. Emily opened her bag, grabbing the bouquet of poinsettias and baby's breath that she had made, passing it over to Casey while Jason grabbed and shook out the black blazer that was folded underneath the flowers. He slipped it onto Luke before slapping him on the back, words of congratulations being exchanged.
As the judge began her decree, Casey and Luke faced one another, Emily and Jason on each of their sides. Casey felt love-struck as she stared into Luke's eyes, her heart pounding as she listened to the words of binding and dutiful responsibility to one another. The judge interrupted her gaze, asking her to sign a paper, to which she did, followed by Luke, Emily and Jason. They kissed, their friends clapping off to the side, now man and wife. It was much shorter than she ever could have imagined, but all she knew was that part one had gone off successfully. They walked back out the door, Luke wrapping his arm around her waist again, kissing her passionately, before whispering in her ear.
"Best Christmas gift ever," he said before placing another kiss on her temple. She grinned.
"It's not over yet," she said. "Guys, what time is it?"
"12:27," Mina replied. Casey nodded.
"Come on, we have to go, now," Casey ordered, grabbing Luke's hand to lead him back down the stairwell.
"What?" he asked, looking back at Emily and Jason, who were waving their goodbyes as Casey practically dragged him down the hallway.
"We're going to be late," she vaguely said as they walked down the stairwell and through the lobby.
"Late for what?" he asked again, confused once more. They walked through the large doors and out onto the sidewalk, Casey's head frantically looking around to see if an idle cab was in sight. She pouted when one wasn't, but not before Luke lightly grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"Casey, what's going on?" he asked again.
She took in a deep breath. She was hoping to surprise him again, but she couldn't be too greedy in her master plan of the day. After all, phase one went off perfectly, there was bound to be a small hiccup in phase two.
"We have to go to my appointment," she led. He raised an eyebrow. "To the doctor." He continued to look at her skeptically. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a rectangular box, a large bow on top of it, and placed it into his gloved hand. Curious and confusion in his features, she watched him as he opened it, his jaw drop, and then look back at her.
"So, come on," she urged, "we need to go or we're going to be late!" Her heart warmed as she saw a smile stretch across his face, but she felt like she was about to burst when she saw tears pricking the corners of his eyes. Her enveloped her, practically crushing her against his body, as the snowflakes continued to fall around them. She reached her arms around his torso, her heart pounding with joy. This reaction was better, she decided, than surprising him at the appointment. She had discovered three weeks ago that she was pregnant, and rather than tell him outright, she wanted to plan something special for him. They had briefly began talking about their destination wedding, but with year-end and Christmas approaching, it wasn't a topic of priority. But when she found out that she was pregnant, she wanted nothing more than to tell him in the most unexpected, spontaneous way ever.
This was a day she would never, ever forget.
#
"Luke!" Casey protested as crossed her arms, Luke swatting her away from the trunk of his Audi. "I can carry something."
"Nope!" he insisted. "Go inside and get warm. Junior doesn't need to catch a cold." Casey rolled her eyes.
"You do realize we live in a colder region than London, right?" she retorted.
"Well, I officially decided you're not allowed to go outside unless you're bundled in a parka, but we can discuss that later," he said with a goofy grin, her hitting his arm in response.
"Be prepared for some insanity around here," Casey warned as she walked up the steps in front of Luke, pausing when they reached the large, red door. "I think my Mom is going to cry a river when she learns everything." Luke nodded in awareness before placing a kiss on her forehead. Casey flung open the door, her Mom and George homing in on them as they placed their gifts down, exchanging hugs and pleasantries. Lizzie, Edwin and Marti followed right behind them. It was no sooner followed by a shriek when Nora grabbed Casey's hand, presumably to see her engagement ring, only to notice that a diamond studded wedding band was nestled underneath it. She grabbed Luke's left hand, seeing a platinum band on his ring finger, before pulling her in for an intense hug, then pulling her back out to look at her.
"You're married?!" she cried out. "But! But! But!"
Casey laughed. "Mom, let me get my coat off, first!"
"But!" her Mom said, her mind stuck in stuttersville. Casey gave Luke a sly grin as she slipped her coat off, taking Luke's as well and placing it into the closet. While George and Luke had merged into the hallway, watching the scene, her Mom still standing in the foyer, stammering and sputtering.
"I'm your Mom, I'm supposed to be there!" she finally bellowed out. A brief pang of guilt washed over Casey, but she shook it off, instead walking over to the Christmas presents they had tucked away in the box. Reaching for a smaller, rectangular one, Casey plucked it out and passed it to her Mom.
"Open it," she instructed. Her Mom wiped away a tear, looking at the present. "Open it, Mom," Casey urged. Her heart quickened as she watched her Mom's slender fingers pry open the red and green paper, greeted by a picture frame. The wording around the frame in primary colors reading "I love my Grandma," a sonogram behind the glass. Nora looked up at Casey, then back to the frame, then back to Casey.
"Oh my God!" she shrieked as she pulled her daughter in for another hug. Casey peeked over her Mom's shoulder to see George hug Luke and give him a pat on the back, Luke responding in the same fashion. She burrowed deep into her Mom's chest as she listened to her cry out statements of excitement, her own tears of happiness hugging her eyelids.
Yes, this was the best Christmas ever.
#
"Hey, I think I left my other glove in the car. Can I have your keys?" Casey asked, slipping on her coat.
"They're in my coat pocket," Luke called from the kitchen, where George had ceremoniously opened up a bottle of wine. Casey nodded to the instruction and successfully retrieved them, slipping them out of his pocket and into her bare hand. Stepping out into the cold air, she made her way to the Audi when a pair of headlights slowing down startled her. Straightening up, she noticed that the plates on the SUV were New York plates. She took in a sharp breath, but quickly let it out, opting instead to unlock the door. Not wanting to stare, she opened the door to the car and briefly searched the passenger's side before retrieving her glove. Pulling herself out of the car, she looked back over towards the SUV, only to notice a tall, darker woman alongside Derek as they walked up to the front door of their parent's house. Casey watched them as they made their way up the walkway; she saw that the door had opened, the woman walking in first. She was about to turn away, but she saw Derek look back.
They caught each other's gaze, and although it was only mere seconds, it meant so much. He smiled at her, she waved back, before he walked into the house, the door closing behind him.
Casey smiled as she briefly looked up at the night sky, the flakes of snow falling around her in soft, quiet fractals. No longer did any sign of turmoil resonate in her, no longer did she feel any anxiety bringing Luke home in fear of running into Derek. And although she saw him with another woman, it didn't hurt. In fact, it meant that he, too, had moved on.
Casey slipped her hand over her stomach, the very definition of love growing in her womb, looking through the window of her parent's home. Luke was laughing at something George said, a glass of wine in his hand, before he looked out the window and caught her stare. Grinning, she made her way back up the walkway and into the house.
"Find it?" Luke asked as she slipped her coat off.
"Yup!" Casey said as she hung the coat back up in the closet. She walked over to Luke before resting her head on his shoulder.
"I've got everything I could have ever wanted right here."
There you have it folks! The end of my tale. Sorry it wasn't a true DASEY but I felt this ending was more realistic. I do not own the original characters from Life with Derek. The other characters mentioned are my own. In case there is some confusion the Boston Emily is a pretty blonde girl Casey befriended during her college years/ post college years at DPI. She is not the London, Canada Emily who was Casey's best friend. Thanks!