Year 19: Mulled Wine

Ryan darted Manhattan, buying last minute gifts for his family, Kelsi's mom, their friends at college, and their friends at various colleges around America. Kelsi had wanted to experience her first christmas in New York, so Ryan and Kelsi had decided to stay at their apartment for the holidays and spend their first christmas together as a couple. Ryan was just stepping out of Bloomingdale's when his cell phone rung.
"Hello?"
"Ryan, where are you? We still need to go grocery shopping to get the turkey and stuff, and the stores are going to be heaving with people."
"I'm just buying something for your mom." Ryan heard Kelsi sigh, and could imagine her rolling her eyes.
"You really don't need to get my mom anything."
"Don't lie, of course I do. She's like a second mom to be. Don't pretend you haven't got my mom and dad anything."
"...Okay you win, but don't spend too much." Scolded Kelsi. Ryan smiled.
"We'll see. I'll be home soon, okay?"
"Alright, love you." Said Kelsi, blowing a kiss as she hung up the phone. She sat down in the apartment, and looked around, content. Of course she had to buy something for Ryan's parents. They had paid for Ryan and Kelsi's apartment, against Kelsi's better wishes. For the past week, they had both been busy wrapping presents and decorating their lounge, where a christmas tree now sat in the corner, presents scattered underneath it. The biggest thing worrying Kelsi was cooking the christmas dinner. Neither her or Ryan were good cooks, and most things they cooked were burnt. Checking the clock, Kelsi noted the time. It would be about half an hour before Ryan got home, so she could check on her gift for him. Sneaking into the bedroom, she pulled the large box down from the top of the shelf. Carefully lifting the lid, she looked down at the red chemise she had bought. Her and Ryan, though they were sharing a bed, hadn't had sex yet, and though they had talked about it a lot, they had agreed to wait until Kelsi was ready. When she had been out shopping and seen it, she knew that christmas was the perfect time. She heard the front door unlock and she quickly put the box back on the shelf, and walked out of the room.
"Missed me?" Grinned Ryan, and he kissed her.
"Come on, lets go get that turkey before there's none left." She smiled, kissing his hand and going out to the car.

As Ryan woke up on christmas day, he could already hear Kelsi hard at work in the kitchen. The oven was on, already cooking the turney, and she was cutting up the carrots, ready to cook them too. She was in the middle of heating the wine up in the pan to make their mulled wine when Ryan came up behind her and hugged her, kissing her neck.
"Merry Christmas." He said, and she blushed.
"Merry first christmas together." She added, turning round to kiss him. "Your mom, dad and Sharpay's presents arrived yesterday, I put them under the tree." She nodded towards the few new boxes that were under the tree.
"Thanks." He looked at the bottle of wine already open, and the two wine glasses she had bought. "You do know we shouldn't be drinking that for another two years, right?" Kelsi smiled.
"It's Christmas, and we're not driving anywhere. I won't tell if you wont." She commented. "I thought we'd fly back to Albuquerque for New Years, Troy and Gabriella are flying over from California so it'll be nice to see them all."
"Sounds good, I'll try and book the tickets." Ryan quickly kissed Kelsi again. "Need any help?"
"Nope. You're a man you're useless in the kitchen. Go do manly things." She laughed, shooing him away with her hand, and taking a small sip of wine. Ryan laughed and went back into the bedroom where his laptop was. As it powered up, he pulled Kelsi's christmas present out of a side drawer. He hadn't put it under the tree as he wanted to surprise her.

After Ryan had booked their flights, Ryan and Kelsi sat on the floor opposite eachother, handing eachother presents to unwrap.
"Aww your mom got me some more music paper. I'll have to call her later." Smiled Kelsi. Ryan passed her her next present, and looking at the label, she groaned. "Sharpay? Sharpay got me something? I don't know if I should open it, it might be like....a bomb or something. "Ryan laughed.
"Just open it." He said, unsure about what it was either. Kelsi bit her lip as she unwrapped the present, and opened the box. Ryan was confused as she started laughing.
"Why? What is it?" He asked. Kelsi smiled, and read the note that was in the box.
"To my obvious future sister in law. No hard feelings I hope. I figured Ryan would be too loved up to get you one this year, so I'm carrying on the tradition. Love Sharpay." Ryan remained looking confused until he too burst out laughing as Kelsi lifted out a hat, very similar to one Ryan would've bought her.
"Oh wow that's just...argh I love Sharpay." Smiled Ryan, putting the hat on Kelsi's head. "Suits you too."
"I never said your sister had bad taste...Really." Smiled Kelsi, handing him a few presents. None were the special one from her yet. She wanted to wait until after dinner to give that to him. Thinking about it, she took another sip of wine to calm her nerves. When all the presents were unwrapped, with Ryan and Kelsi getting mostly practical gifts from their friends at college, and some joke ones from Troy and Gabriella, Ryan smiled.
"You've got one more present." He said.
"What? No I don't?" Said Kelsi, peering under the tree. From behind his back, Ryan pulled out the present.
"Merry Christmas." He said. Kelsi looked at the long parcel, and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a long box, and carefully she lifted the lid, and gasped. Inside was a 9 carat gold necklace, with a diamond encrusted treble clef hanging from it.
"Ryan...it....it's beautiful...." She gasped, nervously lifting it out of the box. Ryan leant forward, and placed it around her neck as Kelsi left her hair up. Kelsi smiled at him, and kissed him. "Thank you..." She whispered. They were about to kiss again before Kelsi jumped up, looking at the time.
"What's wrong??" He asked.
"The turkey!" She said, rushing into the kitchen area.

Opening the oven, she burst into tears. The turkey had been left on a little too long, and was now a dark brown. The vegetables were too soft, and the potatos burnt to a cinder. She sat against the worktop, sobbing. Ryan came over, and hugged her. "This was supposed to be perfect...." She sobbed.
"It is, Kelsi, I promise you, it is..." He said, soothingly.
"No it's not! I didn't want it to be like this! Everything had to be just....right."
"The dinner doesn't matter, seriously, I'll be just as happy with a turkey sandwich." Smiled Ryan.
"No, we were supposed to have the dinner and it was supposed to be really nice a-and then I was supposed to give you your present..." She sniffed.
"What present?" Asked Ryan.
"It doesn't matter now! Everythings ruined!"
"No it isn't honey, really....I'm with you, we've spent an incredible morning together so far, it can't get much better." Kelsi looked up at him.
"....You still want your present?" She asked, and Ryan nodded. "Okay you just...wait here I'll get it, alright?" Ryan nodded, and Kelsi wiped her eyes, and went into the bathroom with her glass of mulled wine to calm herself down.

While Kelsi was busy, Ryan decided to call his parents, and let them know how they were, and to thank them for their presents. A few minutes later he hung up, and turned around to find Kelsi, and his jaw dropped.
"....Oh....wow." He said, looking her up and down in the chemise. She did a little twirl.
"Like it?" She said, and Ryan nodded, silently, going over and kissing her. "....I'm ready." She whispered, before laughing slightly. "That's what all the wine drinkings been for....I've been scared."
"You're not drunk, right? I don't wanna be taking advantage..." He said softly, and Kelsi shook her head.
"I want us to be together...like that....more than anything else in the world. I love you, Ryan." She said softly. Ryan kissed her again, and stroked her hair.
"I love you too, Kelsi." He said, before following her into their room.