The outside of my house was brightly decorated with small light bulbs, and the living room had a big colorful tree standing in it with various other Christmas decorations placed throughout the house. It was the first time since Scott's death that I had done anything for Christmas. During the past three years, Shawn and Hunter had come to my house, decorated it by themselves, and tried to make me happy. This year was quite different with Nathan helping me.

After I decided that I would be spending the holidays with Nathan, I called Shawn to tell him that he didn't have to visit me this year. I'm sure he was very happy about that, because he could spend Christmas alone with Hunter without having to worry about me having an emotional breakdown while they were trying to have sex quietly in my guest room.

Nathan came to my house the day before Christmas Eve to begin the decorating. First, we did the tree. It was the fake one I got when Shawn and Hunter did my decorating, because those two were too lazy to travel all over the state of Florida and find the perfect tree like I used to do with Scott. Nathan and I strung the while lights around the tree, and tried our best not to get tangled up in them. Nathan put the rest of the ornaments on the tree while I wandered room to room setting up little nativity sets and hanging up wreaths. I got to put the gold star on the top of the tree since I'm an inch or two taller than Nathan.

After a break of chocolate milk (we live in Florida, so hot chocolate isn't appropriate) and a horrible rendition of The Christmas Song, we headed outside. Nathan took the ladder and went about putting white lights across the front gutter while I did the same around the bottom windows. Nathan had a rough time at the beginning, trying to keep his big body balanced on the small ladder. When I finished laughing at him, he got a chance to laugh at me, because I had a terrible time trying to undo a huge knot of lights. It was nearing twilight when we finally finished, so we stood by the street and admired our work. Admittedly, the lights were a little crooked, but we had too much fun to really care.

On Christmas morning I was awakened by an early phone call from Shawn. He wanted to call and brag about how Hunter served him a wonderful breakfast in bed and all the gifts that were under their perfect tree. He was about to tell me about what he found in his stocking when Hunter cut him off, because he was anxious to give another Christmas gift.' Hearing about my friends' great Christmas morning made me happy and put me in a really good mood.

I spent the next several hours waiting for Nathan to arrive. I passed the time by fixing myself a delicious eggs and bacon breakfast. Then, I sang along to a CD of Christmas carols while I opened the gifts that my family had sent me from Detroit. Not long after I finished thanking my sister for the new Red Wings jersey, Nathan knocked on my door.

Okay, let's open presents, he said after he kissed me and threw his jacked on the back of my chair in the living room.

In a hurry? I asked, amused at his urgency.

I need a good gift. My mom sent me clothes. Nathan rolled his eyes and I laughed at him.

Sit down and I'll find it, I told him and started digging through the wrapping paper I had thrown about earlier and didn't bother cleaning up. I found the rectangular box under a wad of tissue paper.

Here it is! I shouted upon my discovery and handed the badly-wrapped gift to Nathan.

And I thought my wrapping skills sucked, he laughed after looking my handywork over.

Well, I had a whole roll of paper left and had to make the best of it, I explained with a grin. Now, open it!

Nathan ripped the decorated paper off to reveal a slender black box. He snapped the top up and admired a brand new gold watch. Nathan's ancient watch had finally stopped working a few weeks before, and he needed a new one so he would stop asking for the time.

Thanks, Kev. Now I don't have to hear you say Time to get a watch' all the time, he said.

Maybe you should've stopped asking for the time every five minutes, I joked, even though my old retort had started to annoy me. Hey, turn the watch over, I said.

Nathan lifted the watch out of the box and flipped it over to find a message on the band. I didn't want to give him an ordinary watch, so I added a personal touch by having the words Love, Kevin' engraved into the band.

I love you, Kevin, Nathan said and gave me a quick kiss.

I love you, too. Now where is my present? I demanded.

Hold on, he said and stood up from the couch. You stay here, he instructed me, and close your eyes.

I did as I was told, and even put my hands over my eyes, because I didn't trust my eyes to stay closed. This was obviously a big surprise.

I heard Nathan walk toward my front door. He opened the door, then said, It's outside and I'll be back in a flash. And keep your eyes closed.

I sat on my couch for only a couple of minutes before I heard Nathan at the front door. It sounded like he was having a hard time getting the door opened.

Are you okay, Nathan? I asked.

Yeah, just keep your eyes closed, he called back.

A few seconds later there was a loud crash as Nathan got the door opened and stumbled into the house. I heard him curse a blue streak, then slam the door. I really wanted to open my eyes and watch Nathan's struggle at the front door, but I kept them closed and laughed at his unique choice of words.

Nathan took a deep breath to calm himself down and said, Okay Kev, you can open your eyes.

I took my hands away from my face to see a little gold puppy wriggling around in Nathan's arms. I remembered one dinner a few weeks ago when I told Nathan that I had always wanted a puppy for Christmas when I was a little kid. And Nathan did it for me. Right then, my love for Nathan expanded into something that cannot be expressed in words.

Nathan, let it go, I said when the puppy wouldn't stop trying to twist its way out of Nathan's arms.

He gently put the little bundle of gold fur on the floor and it immediately ran over to me. I picked it up, and it kissed my face, covering me in dog slobber. I laughed at the messy sign of affection, and noticed the way the puppy's little blue eyes twinkled--just like Nathan's. I had already fallen in love with the dog.

When the puppy grew tired of kissing me and jumped to the floor to inspect the pile of wrapping paper, I looked up into Nathan's blue eyes to see them twinkling with pure happiness. Thank you, I said.

You said you always wanted one, and I fell in love with him the first second I saw him, Nathan said as he sat down beside me.

I love you, Nathan.

I love you, too. He looked at me and scrunched up his nose with disgust.

I asked of his expression.

I would kiss you, but you're covered in dog spit, he said and we both started laughing.

Our laughter continued as we watched our puppy roll around in the wrapping paper. It looked like he was trying to get himself tangled up. He was so cute. Then, he scared himself when he rolled into the side of a box and he jumped back with a yelp.

You know, he needs a name, Nathan said as we watched the puppy.

I studied him, watched him jump around full of energy. I saw the mischevious look in his little eyes, and the first name that came to my mind was,

Nathan repeated me.

I said, thinking that it sounded perfect.

Any special reason? he asked.

No, just seems to fit him.

Nathan watched our puppy for a moment, as he growled at the wrapping paper for not cooperating. You're right, Nathan said, he's a Cody.

Nathan and I spent the rest of our Christmas Day watching Cody explore his new home. We had a great ham dinner, during which I taught Nathan how to make the best biscuits ever. As Nathan and I ate at the table, and Cody ate from his bowl on the floor, it looked like we had the perfect family.

TBC