It was so warm. So cosy and warm. Susan rolled over onto a cold patch in the bed and sat up.
"Good morning beautiful." He walked in the door with a tray.
Susan smiled, leaning back on the pillows, pulling the duvet over herself. Mark put the tray on the end of the bed and threw her a jersey of his.
"Thank you." She pulled it over her head and perused the food. There was huge bowl of fruit that she'd never finish on her own – but those strawberries looked doable.
Mark sat beside her in bed and put the tray in front of him.
"Looks good." She smiled.
"Yah, yours is in the kitchen." He teased but she didn't pick it up until he grinned cheekily. He ducked to avoid the oncoming pillow-at-speed then handed her a spoon.
"Thank you," she nabbed a strawberry.
"Anytime." He rolled back out of bed and opened the curtain.
"You know every time you get up you leave a cold patch?"
He stuck out his bottom lip, "Look. It's snowing."
She climbed out of bed and went to the window to watch. Mark put his arm around her, pulling her closer.
"Merry Christmas." She nuzzled his neck
He nodded, "Merry Christmas indeed." He kissed her soundly. "So are we going to see Chloe and Suzie today?"
"Don't you have plans?" Susan pulled him back to bed, and breakfast.
"I'll call Rachel and I'm working…"
"Oh man." Susan interrupted.
"Yeah, well I didn't know there would be so many more appealing options." He kissed her hand and went back to his breakfast.
*~~~*
After a hot shower and a change of clothes Susan stepped into the kitchen. Mark handed her a mug of hot coffee and insisted she ignore the dishes and return to the lounge.
"I didn't know when I would get the chance to give it to you," Mark sat her down and put his own coffee on the table. He ducked under the tree, turned on the fairy lights and grabbed a small parcel.
"But since you're here…" he knelt on the carpet in front of her and handed her the parcel.
"Mark…"
"Just open it." He leaned on her knees
She opened it carefully, ignoring the insistence in his eyes.
Slippers. (as in woolly shoes for wearing inside when it's cold)
Susan laughed. "That's just what I need." She put her hands inside them and found there were two little gifts – one in each slipper.
Mark grinned when her discovery was evident on her face.
She pulled them out, putting the slippers beside her on the sofa. One was a jewellery box. The other, wrapped in tissue paper. Holding her breath she put the jewellery box aside and unfolded the tissue paper to find a packet of sunflower seeds.
She grinned and stroked his face, kissing his forehead impulsively. He picked up the jewellery box and held it up to her. She swallowed, unsure of what this could mean. But when she saw the hope and love in his eyes she opened it fondly.
It was a white gold ring with three tiny sapphires along the top. Her jaw dropped.
His face had turned very serious, "It's not…" he started to defend his choice but realised he couldn't lie to her, "I was going to say that it's not an engagement ring. But…"
She was watching him intently, holding the ring in her fingertips like it might break.
"Who am I kidding?" he shrugged, "I'd marry you in a minute. But it's yours either way – you choose what finger you put it on."
Susan forced herself to speak, "Mark. This is… amazing. I mean, the ring is perfect. But, are you sure it's not too soon?"
"Well, it's only been four months but…"
"No, I meant since Jenn."
"Oh. No," he shook his head, leaning on the couch, his head level with hers, "You see," he took the ring in one hand and her hand in the other, "I don't want you to leave, ever. I want to wake up beside you and go to sleep beside you and have the freedom to kiss you all the rest of the time."
"Could be drastically unproductive."
He nodded "The point is, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life finding out why."
"I guess it's a good thing I moved back home." She lifted her hand to his face, her smile lighting up her eyes.
He looked her straight in the eye, pleading her for a straight answer.
She nodded her head, letting her smile widen.
He forgot about putting the ring on her finger and kissed her soundly. "Don't scare me like that." He hugged her laughing.
"Your present is going to be hard to beat." She squeezed him closer to her.
"I haven't given it to you yet," he took her hand and looked her in the eye, "You sure?"
"I love you – I couldn't say no if I wanted."
He slipped the ring onto her hand and went to kiss her again.
"Don't you want to know what I got you?" she held his shoulders.
"YOU are the best Christmas present I could ever hope for. But go on…" he sat back down on the carpet while she ran back into the bedroom. When she didn't come back straight away he got up and turned on the gas fire. He was kneeling in front of the fire when she returned.
"Here you go." She knelt beside him on the rug and put a bag in front of him. "Sorry bout the wrapping – I didn't get a chance."
He put his hand in the bag and pulled out the first thing he found. The Les Miserables soundtrack.
"If you've got it already I can exchange it."
"No, I don't – always thought I should – but you got the Record – this is like a collector's item." He grinned
"Oh, I had no idea. Well, there's more."
He cocked his head to one side, with a cheeky grin and put his hand in the bag again. Bath oil.
"Nice." He nodded
"Yeah, well it's selfish really, because we'll share that one." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"We could have tried it out this morning."
She shook her head, "we'd still be in there. Totally impractical. But there's more."
He grinned tipped the contents of the bag onto the rug. An envelope and a small bottle. He picked up the bottle to examine the label.
"Chocolate body paint?" he read aloud.
She nodded, "tastes like that hazelnut chocolate spread you can put on toast."
"Dare I ask how you know?"
Susan looked at the fire to avoid his eyes.
He laughed at her, "I'll get that story out of you eventually," he guided her head with his hand, making her look at him. "Thank you." He kissed her chastely.
"Read the letter later." She kissed him again.
"Oh, I forgot." He pulled back, suddenly curious about the envelope's contents.
She put her hands over her face as he opened the seal.
"I'll do those dishes, she jumped up and disappeared into the kitchen.
Mark pulled out two sheets of paper covered in her writing.
Dear Mark.
You are amazing. This past six months could have been hell on earth. You have not only made them bearable, you have made parts of them bliss, and the rest better for it. I want to say I love you but I feel it doesn't quite convey my meaning. I absolutely adore you. You are my best friend, my confidante. I can tell you anything, I can trust you entirely. It comes totally naturally and I've never been there before. I didn't know I had the capacity to love anyone this much. You take my breath away, again and again. I don't want to let you go… ever. In fact, if possible, I'd quite happily spend a significant part of everyday for the rest of my life holding you so close I can barely breath – some things are more important than oxygen. I love to watch you sleep – it's an excellent reason to be late to work… amongst other things.
I have never worked with anyone like you. There may be better doctors in the world but the person on the other side of a gurney from me, should always be you. I can't think of anyone I work with better, or anyone whose presence gives me more joy.
You make me laugh. Sometimes I laugh till it hurts because of your quirky smile and charming innocence. Other times I laugh because I'm so happy that a smile simply won't cut it.
I am yours. In every way.
And I promise to be careful with you. At some point I can guarantee you I'll say or do something that will hurt you; but never wilfully. I have an overwhelming desire to protect you – even from me. I've loved and maybe even been loved before. But when the going gets rough, as it inevitably will, I realise that I'd rather get out than fight for it. I won't let that happen again. You are worth fighting for. So when the going gets rough, that's what I'll do.
This has been a very serious letter. Maybe too serious. But this is where I stand and you should know.
Yours,
Susan.
Mark got up to find her in the kitchen but when he looked up he saw her standing in the doorway watching him. Without a word he dropped her letter on the couch and approached her, stunned adoration in his wet eyes. She was trying to figure out what he thought. He took her head in one hand, her waist in the other. He was going to say 'I love you.' But words escaped in the breath that she took away the moment before he kissed her.
"Good morning beautiful." He walked in the door with a tray.
Susan smiled, leaning back on the pillows, pulling the duvet over herself. Mark put the tray on the end of the bed and threw her a jersey of his.
"Thank you." She pulled it over her head and perused the food. There was huge bowl of fruit that she'd never finish on her own – but those strawberries looked doable.
Mark sat beside her in bed and put the tray in front of him.
"Looks good." She smiled.
"Yah, yours is in the kitchen." He teased but she didn't pick it up until he grinned cheekily. He ducked to avoid the oncoming pillow-at-speed then handed her a spoon.
"Thank you," she nabbed a strawberry.
"Anytime." He rolled back out of bed and opened the curtain.
"You know every time you get up you leave a cold patch?"
He stuck out his bottom lip, "Look. It's snowing."
She climbed out of bed and went to the window to watch. Mark put his arm around her, pulling her closer.
"Merry Christmas." She nuzzled his neck
He nodded, "Merry Christmas indeed." He kissed her soundly. "So are we going to see Chloe and Suzie today?"
"Don't you have plans?" Susan pulled him back to bed, and breakfast.
"I'll call Rachel and I'm working…"
"Oh man." Susan interrupted.
"Yeah, well I didn't know there would be so many more appealing options." He kissed her hand and went back to his breakfast.
*~~~*
After a hot shower and a change of clothes Susan stepped into the kitchen. Mark handed her a mug of hot coffee and insisted she ignore the dishes and return to the lounge.
"I didn't know when I would get the chance to give it to you," Mark sat her down and put his own coffee on the table. He ducked under the tree, turned on the fairy lights and grabbed a small parcel.
"But since you're here…" he knelt on the carpet in front of her and handed her the parcel.
"Mark…"
"Just open it." He leaned on her knees
She opened it carefully, ignoring the insistence in his eyes.
Slippers. (as in woolly shoes for wearing inside when it's cold)
Susan laughed. "That's just what I need." She put her hands inside them and found there were two little gifts – one in each slipper.
Mark grinned when her discovery was evident on her face.
She pulled them out, putting the slippers beside her on the sofa. One was a jewellery box. The other, wrapped in tissue paper. Holding her breath she put the jewellery box aside and unfolded the tissue paper to find a packet of sunflower seeds.
She grinned and stroked his face, kissing his forehead impulsively. He picked up the jewellery box and held it up to her. She swallowed, unsure of what this could mean. But when she saw the hope and love in his eyes she opened it fondly.
It was a white gold ring with three tiny sapphires along the top. Her jaw dropped.
His face had turned very serious, "It's not…" he started to defend his choice but realised he couldn't lie to her, "I was going to say that it's not an engagement ring. But…"
She was watching him intently, holding the ring in her fingertips like it might break.
"Who am I kidding?" he shrugged, "I'd marry you in a minute. But it's yours either way – you choose what finger you put it on."
Susan forced herself to speak, "Mark. This is… amazing. I mean, the ring is perfect. But, are you sure it's not too soon?"
"Well, it's only been four months but…"
"No, I meant since Jenn."
"Oh. No," he shook his head, leaning on the couch, his head level with hers, "You see," he took the ring in one hand and her hand in the other, "I don't want you to leave, ever. I want to wake up beside you and go to sleep beside you and have the freedom to kiss you all the rest of the time."
"Could be drastically unproductive."
He nodded "The point is, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life finding out why."
"I guess it's a good thing I moved back home." She lifted her hand to his face, her smile lighting up her eyes.
He looked her straight in the eye, pleading her for a straight answer.
She nodded her head, letting her smile widen.
He forgot about putting the ring on her finger and kissed her soundly. "Don't scare me like that." He hugged her laughing.
"Your present is going to be hard to beat." She squeezed him closer to her.
"I haven't given it to you yet," he took her hand and looked her in the eye, "You sure?"
"I love you – I couldn't say no if I wanted."
He slipped the ring onto her hand and went to kiss her again.
"Don't you want to know what I got you?" she held his shoulders.
"YOU are the best Christmas present I could ever hope for. But go on…" he sat back down on the carpet while she ran back into the bedroom. When she didn't come back straight away he got up and turned on the gas fire. He was kneeling in front of the fire when she returned.
"Here you go." She knelt beside him on the rug and put a bag in front of him. "Sorry bout the wrapping – I didn't get a chance."
He put his hand in the bag and pulled out the first thing he found. The Les Miserables soundtrack.
"If you've got it already I can exchange it."
"No, I don't – always thought I should – but you got the Record – this is like a collector's item." He grinned
"Oh, I had no idea. Well, there's more."
He cocked his head to one side, with a cheeky grin and put his hand in the bag again. Bath oil.
"Nice." He nodded
"Yeah, well it's selfish really, because we'll share that one." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"We could have tried it out this morning."
She shook her head, "we'd still be in there. Totally impractical. But there's more."
He grinned tipped the contents of the bag onto the rug. An envelope and a small bottle. He picked up the bottle to examine the label.
"Chocolate body paint?" he read aloud.
She nodded, "tastes like that hazelnut chocolate spread you can put on toast."
"Dare I ask how you know?"
Susan looked at the fire to avoid his eyes.
He laughed at her, "I'll get that story out of you eventually," he guided her head with his hand, making her look at him. "Thank you." He kissed her chastely.
"Read the letter later." She kissed him again.
"Oh, I forgot." He pulled back, suddenly curious about the envelope's contents.
She put her hands over her face as he opened the seal.
"I'll do those dishes, she jumped up and disappeared into the kitchen.
Mark pulled out two sheets of paper covered in her writing.
Dear Mark.
You are amazing. This past six months could have been hell on earth. You have not only made them bearable, you have made parts of them bliss, and the rest better for it. I want to say I love you but I feel it doesn't quite convey my meaning. I absolutely adore you. You are my best friend, my confidante. I can tell you anything, I can trust you entirely. It comes totally naturally and I've never been there before. I didn't know I had the capacity to love anyone this much. You take my breath away, again and again. I don't want to let you go… ever. In fact, if possible, I'd quite happily spend a significant part of everyday for the rest of my life holding you so close I can barely breath – some things are more important than oxygen. I love to watch you sleep – it's an excellent reason to be late to work… amongst other things.
I have never worked with anyone like you. There may be better doctors in the world but the person on the other side of a gurney from me, should always be you. I can't think of anyone I work with better, or anyone whose presence gives me more joy.
You make me laugh. Sometimes I laugh till it hurts because of your quirky smile and charming innocence. Other times I laugh because I'm so happy that a smile simply won't cut it.
I am yours. In every way.
And I promise to be careful with you. At some point I can guarantee you I'll say or do something that will hurt you; but never wilfully. I have an overwhelming desire to protect you – even from me. I've loved and maybe even been loved before. But when the going gets rough, as it inevitably will, I realise that I'd rather get out than fight for it. I won't let that happen again. You are worth fighting for. So when the going gets rough, that's what I'll do.
This has been a very serious letter. Maybe too serious. But this is where I stand and you should know.
Yours,
Susan.
Mark got up to find her in the kitchen but when he looked up he saw her standing in the doorway watching him. Without a word he dropped her letter on the couch and approached her, stunned adoration in his wet eyes. She was trying to figure out what he thought. He took her head in one hand, her waist in the other. He was going to say 'I love you.' But words escaped in the breath that she took away the moment before he kissed her.