Perfect Christmas

Miranda put her mug into the microwave and warmed up the water for her tea. It was Christmas Eve and her family had traditions. It was tradition for her, Tuck and Ben to put on their pajamas and watch Christmas movies until they all passed out in the living room. This year, it was just her and Tuck. She'd wanted to postpone it until Christmas night, but Tuck had begged her not to. She was glad that she gave in, they were having a lot of fun, eating popcorn and drinking hot chocolate. Although, it would have been a lot more fun with her husband next to her. Ben was currently living at his friend's place because Miranda had been convinced that she needed space. …You are literally breaking my heart, she remembered telling him. Between her OCD and her heart attack, his new job and her anxiety, she was all over the place and just needed time to heal herself away from him. Tuck was sprawled out on the other end of the sofa watching "Elf" when they heard someone fiddling with the knob. Miranda muted the movie as the doorbell sounded. "Who could that be?" She asked out loud. Tuck shrugged and picked up his phone, scrolling. At the door, she looked through the peephole and saw her husband standing there. It was weird seeing him on the other side of the door when all she could remember about her last few years was him next to her on the same sofa. She swallowed. "Hey." Her voice was raspy, something that she knew turned him on.

Ben cocked his head to the side. "Hey. Uh, sorry, I didn't call first."

"Oh, it's okay. Come in," she said holding the door open some more.

"Uh, I can't stay." Miranda tried not to let her face fall. "Just, uh, just wanted to drop these off for Tuck for the in the morning from me."

She looked down at the huge bag that Ben was holding, inadvertently looking at the front of his pants. "Oh. Thank you. But I put your name on all the gifts I got him."

His annoyance was written all over his face. "Why would you do that?"

"Well, 'cause they're from us."

"It's funny. I… I don't remember us going shopping together." Ben studied her.

"I just didn't want him to think that—"

"You called a timeout on our marriage?" He cut his eyes at her and her heart flipped.

"Okay. I'm sorry. Uh, thank you for the gifts," Miranda said taking the bag and sliding it into the foyer. "I'll make sure that he opens them." Ben nodded and paused for a second before turning. "Where are you gonna be tomorrow?" Even though she was the one who'd called "pause" on their marriage and hadn't seen him in two weeks, she missed him and wasn't ready for him to go just yet.

"On call. You know, Christmas is a big day for us."

"Oh, us, too. Uh, maybe I'll see you in the pit." She smiled widely at the thought of seeing him the next day.

"Maybe don't sound so hopeful that somebody gets injured in a fire on Christmas."

"Right. Right." Miranda leaned against the door, nodding. She shivered. It was cold outside.

"Ma! I made your tea! It's ready!" Tuck said coming to the door. He saw Ben and gave a huge smile. "Dad! You're here. Merry Christmas." The two of them hugged.

"Just brought your gifts. Merry Christmas, son."

"Are you coming in? We're watching 'Elf'. You love that movie."

"I do, but I can't…" Ben said looking at Miranda.

Miranda excused herself so that she could finish her tea. Certain that he would be gone, she went into the living room, holding her mug, Ben was sitting where she'd just been sitting. "You're still here." She smiled.

"I can leave if you want, but Tuck was begging me to stay."

Tuck looked up at her. "Please, ma."

"Oh, don't give me 'Tuck Eyes'," she groaned, giving in to her son once more.

"Yes!"

She turned to Ben. "I'm okay with you being here. It's Christmas."

"Thanks."

"Miller's place just ain't the same as being here with you guys."

"Our Christmas Eve movie was definitely missing your scene-by-scene commentary," she told him. The three of them laughed. When she realized that they were finding a groove, she sat down, cupping her mug. The warmth gave her goosebumps.

"I'm going to get us some more popcorn and chips," Tuck said. They restarted the movie.

"Did you get my text message?" He whispered when their son was out of the room.

"I did," she responded softly.

"I didn't get a reply."

"What did you want me to say?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. Anything."

Miranda pulled her phone from her pocket and tapped until she found his message. "Let's see… January 2nd." She ran her tongue along her bottom lip. "I miss you, too."

"And?"

"Of course, I love you, too, Benjamin." She watched him adjust his posture.

"Then…"

"I'm not there yet."

He put his head down. "I understand."

"Are you guys going to talk during the entire movie?" Tuck asked putting the bowl of snacks on the chair.

Ben pulled off his jacket as Tuck grabbed a pillow and settled on the floor. Miranda sat beside her husband, stiff. When the movie was almost finished, Tuck began snoring lightly. "I guess I should go," Ben said.

Miranda touched his leg. "One more movie won't hurt." She put on one of her favorite Christmas movies, a sweet romantic comedy, that made her lean back on her husband. He put his arm around her. "That feels good," she said absentmindedly.

"It really does." She tried to steady her breathing, but all she could do was smell his cologne and feel his strong arm across her body.

"I'm going to be honest, I don't know what's happening on the screen," he said.

"You've seen this movie before."

"But not like this."

"Like what?"

Ben held her tightly. "Where I want you so badly." She bit her lip, unable to respond. "You can say it."

"Say what?"

"That you want me, too."

She shrugged. "We're… separated, Ben." She said that like they hadn't had slipups even with their sabbatical. There were kisses and long hugs and one quickie just days after they made their decision. He came over to board windows for an impending storm. He'd nailed wooden planks to the window and then he'd nailed her.

"I don't care. I want you." They were quiet for a long time.

"Is that what you came over here for?"

"No, Miranda. Damn."

"I don't know. I'm confused. And I don't want to confuse you or Tuck."

He stood up. "I'm not confused. I know what I want." He held out his hand and waited for Miranda to take it. When she didn't take it, he sat back down, pulling her legs onto his lap and leaning into her. "I know what you want, too."

"What's that?"

He leaned in and kissed her. He pulled away and smiled easily. Miranda kissed him, putting her hands on his head. She stood up and put her hand out. He took it and she led him upstairs. They fell onto the bed, kissing. She moved her hips to the kisses and soon she was orgasming, moaning in her husband's ear. He laughed at her. "Did you just…?"

She blushed and nodded, "Yes." How horny must she have been to orgasm within seconds? She grabbed his shirt and kept kissing him, not wanting to break the contact, needing to taste him.

"How about we try this?" He asked touching her waist and wiggling his hand into her pajama bottoms. He pressed her button and she squirmed, wriggling out of her pants. He did the same and he entered her smoothly.

"Shit!" They said at the same time. Ben put his hand over her mouth, afraid that they'd wake up Tuck. She licked his hand and he used it to finger her as they made love.

"Ben!" She whined in his ear. He sped up and she clawed at his back, mad that she'd given in to his advances.

He groaned lowly. "I'm coming, baby. You want me to…?" She shook her head and held him tighter as she had another orgasm. He kissed her passionately as she screamed into his mouth. Miranda felt tears leave her eyes. "I'm sorry, baby." She nodded. Words were gone. She closed her eyes and pulled the covers up to her neck. The tears fell faster. "Miranda?"

"Just hold me."

"I can do that."

Miranda moved her body against his as they both fell asleep half-naked.

"Ma! It's Christmas!" Tuck said bursting into the bedroom.

Miranda made sure she was decent before sitting up. "Merry Christmas, baby," Miranda said with a smile. Ben sat up, too, shirtless. "Hey, dad." The teen chuckled.

"Get outta here and go make us some Pop-Tarts." Ben threw a pillow at the boy. "And Merry Christmas!"

"See?"

"See what?"

"Now he'll think that…" Miranda groaned and got out of the bed, putting her pants back on.

"This was never permanent, Miranda. We're still a couple, still married."

"I know, but—"

"But what?" He slipped on his jeans. "Did you have other plans? Are we not…?"

She shook her head and put her finger to his lips. "Stop it." He pulled her in for a kiss. "I'm almost at the point where I could be ready to ask you to come back home."

"Good." They kissed again. "Because I'm ready to come."

In the kitchen, Tuck plopped down two plates with Pop-Tarts on it. He gave them each a cup of coffee. "Christmas breakfast is served."

"Thank you, William George," Miranda said looking at her son. She could feel Ben staring at her. Tuck's phone rang in the other room and he left to answer it. "And don't touch those gifts!" Ben put his hands under his chin. "What?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

She grabbed a Pop-Tart and her coffee and walked into the living room, sitting on the sofa that was closest to the tree. "Can I?" Tuck asked. She nodded. "Where's dad? Did he leave?"

"I'm right here," Ben said sitting next to Miranda.

"What should I open first?"

Miranda smiled and pointed to a medium-sized gift. "That's from Grandma and Grandpa."

Ben put his chin on Miranda's shoulder. She put her hand back and rubbed his head. She knew they were falling into a rhythm and she really wanted to avoid it, but his smell… his touch… his presence—she couldn't bring herself to do it. They watched Tuck unwrap the gift and pull out a sneaker box. Tuck squealed. "That's good, right?" Ben asked. She nodded. "What kind of kicks did you get?"

"Kyrie's!" Tuck said pulling the shoes out of the box and showing them off.

He reached back under the tree and picked up a small gift. "What's that?" Miranda asked.

"It's for you," her son asked tossing it to her.

"Me?" She didn't remember the small gift. "From whom?" Tuck shrugged and picked up another gift and proceeded to open it.

"That's from me," Ben whispered in her ear.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Ben," she said pulling off the ribbon and pulling off the wrapping. She opened the small box and shook her head as she saw a jewelry box.

"Open it."

She did as she was told and picked up a necklace. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Help me put it on." He slipped the cool pieces around her neck, fastening it quickly. She turned to him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, hon."

"No problem."

"Dad, can I open one of yours?"

"Go for it," Ben said putting his arm around Miranda. She shrugged him off. He cleared his throat and they watched their teen open another gift. He pulled out a few video games.

"These aren't supposed to come out for two months."

"I know."

"Wow! Thanks, dad!"

"You're welcome, son."

"Ma, look!" Tuck held up the games and Miranda smiled. "Dad, this one is for you. From mom."

"You got me a gift?"

"Yeah, you are my husband, aren't you?"

"I… am, but—"

"And you got me a gift, too, did you not?"

"I did, but—"

Miranda chuckled. "Stop 'but'-ing and open it," she said softly. She looked over at Tuck who had on a pair of earphones she'd gotten for him and was playing a game on his Switch, ignoring them. Ben opened his gift and started smiling.

"You remembered?" He stared at her and then looked down to the watch she'd gotten for him. She nodded, the words getting caught in her throat. He picked it up and put it on.

"It's inscribed," she said when words decided to come back. He took it off and looked at it. The back of the watch's face said: "Me & You" along with their anniversary date.

"I love you," he whispered, putting the watch down and hugging her tightly. She closed her eyes as they kissed softly.

"I knew you guys would get back together," Tuck said pausing his game. Miranda took a pillow from the sofa and tossed it at him.

"I have something else for you," she said standing up and going up the stairs. "And for you, Tuck."

When she came back down, she grinned and handed over the giftbox she had in her hand. "Is that a chain?" Tuck asked as Ben shook it.

"How are you two going to share a chain?" She asked. Her heart thumped. This gift was everything—so important. What if…?

Ben opened the box and immediately began tearing up. "Is this what I think it is?" He asked lifting it.

"What is it? What is it?" Tuck asked.

"It's a pregnancy test," Ben said, his voice one level above a whisper.

"Ma, you're pregnant?" Miranda nodded. "Whoa!" He stood up and hugged her. Her heart melted at the thought of him no longer being her only child.

Ben's face contained ten different emotions in a matter of seconds. "I don't… have the words right now."

Miranda began crying. "But you're happy, right?"

"Hell yes!" He threw his arms around her and more tears fell across his back. "I am so happy."

"Me too!" Tuck said bouncing around. "We're having a baby. This is a great gift."

"I agree," Ben responded while kissing Miranda's cheek and staring at her.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said as Tuck tore into more gifts.

"I can't. I'll never stop looking at you like this," Ben said.

"You promise?"

"I promise."