After a long delay, here is the final chapter of this Christmas story. The length hopefully can compensate for the delay. I do hope that you will like the ending. Please enjoy :)
This chapter picks up right after the last chapter, so you may want to review that part before proceeding just to refresh your memory.
Note: This fic is purely AU (Alternate Universe), which means that the story is completely different from the original Candy Candy story. But there are some elements from the manga that I've included into the story - you'll know which ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Candy Candy manga and all the characters in it, but the talented Kyoko Mizuki does. This fic is a product of my own twisted imagination and inspired by Mizuki's masterpiece. If any of the plots, specific scenes, or dialogues appears to be similar to that from another fic or story, it is purely unintentional and coincidental. 'Great minds think alike', after all.
The characterization in the fic is based on the Manga and not the Anime.
All I Want For Christmas - Part V
My heart was hammering against my rib cage as I remained stagnant, unmoving, overwhelmed by the rush of excitement that had been evoked by Albert's deep timbre.
He is here. Albert is really here!
Only minutes from now I would see him, and this was much earlier than I had thought. I hadn't expected that I would see him at all today. How should I treat him? I knew I should act normal, but would I be able to do that after all that had happened between us last night?
I was just overreacting. The fact was that he hadn't come here alone, and it was probably Lizzie who had made the suggestion to invite me.
What was the big deal anyway? We had only made love.
I heaved a long, wistful sigh. Of course it was a really big deal, at least for me it was. And it wasn't because of it being my first time – even though it was indeed my first time. It was because it had been with him.
Right at that moment, my mind began to wander, replaying scene by scene of our intimate encounter.
He had been so gentle, so tender, so passionate…
"Argh!" I suddenly let out a frustrated wail. I should stop my daydreaming and get myself ready instead!
Less than ten minutes later, I found myself standing in front of the tall mirror, fully dressed in a cashmere blend cream colored sweater that peeked underneath an unbuttoned gray wool coat over a pair of dark skinny jeans, while applying some makeup for the finishing touch.
My hair was the only thing that I had left untouched since there was just not enough time. The conditioner treatment for taming the unruly curls would have to wait until tonight. For now, to partially hide the unsightly, frizzy mess, I just pulled a red wool beanie over my head. And from what I could observe of my reflection in the mirror, the strategy seemed to be effective.
Satisfied, I reached for my shoulder bag on the desk and put Albert's neatly wrapped gift in it. Slipping the strap of my bag over my shoulder while zipping my knee-high boot with one hand, I made my way out of the room and sprinted to the front door, flinging it open carelessly.
Then just like that I collided right into a solid wall, letting out a loud huff due to the sudden hard impact that hurt my head a bit.
I realized I had been too busy fiddling with the buttons on my winter coat and hadn't paid attention to where I was going, but a solid wall? Since when there was a wall in front of my unit?
"Are you okay, Candy?"
The voice triggered me to take a step backward, and I tilted my head back, staring into a pair of mesmerizing blue pools. My heart instantaneously did a flip-flop. It wasn't a wall that stood before me. Rather, it was a six-foot gorgeous blond man grinning cheerfully at me.
"I suppose you haven't had your breakfast yet?"
"Umm… No," I answered in a slight dazed state.
His grin broadened, and I could see rows of perfectly aligned pearly white teeth lining his mouth.
He lowered his eyes and thrust a small brown paper sack to me, giving me no choice but to accept it. "Here… Sugar glazed donut and a can of latte macchiato, your favorite."
"Thanks, I guess," I replied with an unsure smile, clutching the sack in my hand.
"You're welcome."
"What are you doing here, Albert?" I asked him straightforwardly, unable to rein in the question anymore.
He appeared to have been taken aback by my question, flinching slightly. I discerned a hint of anger flickered on his face but it had vanished before I could even blink as his lips lifted into a smile.
"I just want to make sure that you're not going to run away from me again," he said quietly with no trace of humor in his voice. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, he turned his head sideways.
This time it was my turn to be left stupefied. "Huh?"
Without offering further explanation, he began to pace away from his spot. "We should go down now. Lizzie and my nephew are waiting for us."
Is he upset with me? I had heard his words perfectly but wasn't 100% positive that he was being serious. However, no matter what, I had to apologize and tried to explain myself to him even though I wasn't really sure how to best approach the subject.
Laura was right – I had acted rather rashly last night. I shouldn't have secretly walked away from him in the middle of the night. I admitted that I hadn't been able to think clearly last night. The aftermath of what had transpired between us had left me in turmoil, causing me to go into a panic mode.
I turned my head to the right and saw that he had continued moving farther. Quickly, I leaped in a jog to catch up to him. We walked side by side in silence toward the area where the elevators were located.
Our steps slowed to a lingering pace before we stopped completely in front of the elevators.
This could be the perfect time for us to talk.
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "Albert – I…"
When he spun his head toward me, a kind smile adorning his lips, I found myself suddenly become tongue-tied, my mind blank.
"What is it, Candy?" His blue eyes beheld mine in a gentle gaze.
As I opened my mouth to respond, the sound of loud chatter mixed with laughter diverted our attentions. Two women stepped out of the corridor and joined us, waiting for the elevator to come. Realizing that we had company now, I decided to postpone our conversation. The last thing I wanted to do was to broadcast my private matters to strangers.
Soon, the elevator car arrived and the four of us stepped into the enclosed chamber. Albert and I rode the elevator down to the lobby without exchanging any words while the two women continued their incessant chatting and giggling. I couldn't prevent a snide smirk from forming across my lips as I observed them.
The women had obviously attempted to gain Albert's attention by throwing flirtatious glances at him to which he had returned merely with a courteous nod and a polite smile. I could tell that the two women had been quite smitten the first time they had laid their eyes on Albert – but that was quite an expected reaction. Which normal woman with healthy eyesight wouldn't? Even without his formal garb, Albert still appeared stylish and strikingly handsome, donning a pair of jeans and a black sweater over a light colored shirt that was left untucked. All in all, it was easy to mistaken him as a model from a fashion catalog.
Before long the elevator car had reached the ground floor, and the doors parted open slowly.
I had just taken a few steps, vacating the elevator compartment when I heard Lizzie's enthusiastic voice yelling out my name.
"Candy!"
Seconds later, I felt her small body crush against mine, her thin arms wrapping around my torso in a tight hug. My arms automatically enclosed over her tiny body as a warm sensation filled my heart, a smile spreading on my face.
"Hi Lizzie." I patted her head affectionately. Just like me, she was also wearing a beanie, but hers was white. As a matter of fact, she looked simply adorable, decked in a cream-colored pea coat and a plaid black and red skirt.
"So is this your doctor, Lizzie?" an unfamiliar voice asked, ceasing my train of thoughts, as I raised my head to face the man standing in front of me. The second my gaze met his blue ones, I turned speechless, my mouth ajar. Am I hallucinating? But his voice sounds different, not as deep, and he has a British accent.
I could feel Lizzie pulling away from me slightly and answered, "Yup."
The blond man chuckled. "Hmm… She is pretty," he remarked casually. "I wouldn't mind to have a pretty doctor like her too."
I fidgeted uncomfortably at his blatant flattery. By this time, I was convinced that the man was not a figment of my imagination, and he must be Albert's long lost brother or something like that.
"I told you…" Lizzie replied in a childish condescending tone while she untangled herself from our embrace and stepped away from me, turning around to face the blond man. "But she is daddy's girlfriend, so you can't have her anymore."
My face became hot in an instant. "Lizzie!" I bellowed, shocked and embarrassed by her claim, while I could only smile awkwardly at the man chuckling before me. At the same time, I refrained from sneaking a glance at Lizzie's daddy who was laughing behind me.
Emitting another chuckle, the man hurriedly moved closer to us and extended his hand to me. "Hi, I'm Anthony Brown, Lizzie's cousin from London."
Oh right! Lizzie had mentioned about her cousin from London briefly on the phone earlier. But I had envisioned that her cousin would be someone from the similar age group as her, not an adult male.
I grasped his hand in a light grip and shook it briefly before releasing it. "Umm… Candice White. But please call me Candy," I told him as my eyes scrutinized his face, inspecting his facial features in details.
"Is there something wrong with my face, umm… Candy?" Anthony's blue eyes regarded me curiously.
"It's just that…" I began tentatively. "You and Albert – you two are not brothers?"
A look of confusion floated across Anthony's face. "Albert?"
"No, Candy, we're not brothers," Albert chimed in, stepping forward to stand next to me. "You're certainly not the first person who thinks that way though. We do possess similar features. Anthony is my sister's only son."
"I see," I uttered, still in a state of wonderment. "Wow! If I didn't know any better, I would think that you two are twin brothers."
"Who knows?" Albert shrugged, exchanging glances with Anthony. "Maybe we were in another lifetime."
The three of us broke into laughter.
When I felt a tug on my sleeve's coat, I lowered my head and found Lizzie smiling widely at me, her blue orbs dancing with merriment. "Candy – I almost forget to tell you that I love my present soooooo much." She threw her small arms around me in an embrace, and I drew her closer to me. "Thank you, Candy."
"You're very welcome, Lizzie."
Lizzie moved back a little and gazed at me. Her face contorted in a dramatic remorseful look. "I have a present for you too, but I left it at home."
"That's-"
"That shouldn't be a problem, Lizzie," Albert intercepted, forcing me to swallow back my words as I listened to him. "Candy is going to join us for dinner at home tonight, right Candy?"
"Eh?" What dinner? I didn't recall I had agreed to stay through dinner.
But instead of explaining, Albert totally disregarded my questioning eyes and directed his focus to Lizzie. "You know we should get going now if you want to make it to all the places you have on your list, Lizzie."
Lizzie swiftly let go of me and clung to her daddy's arm. "Then, let's go daddy! We better go now. I don't want to miss anything," she announced eagerly, which was followed by a chorus of laughter from the men, and I could only laugh along with them as we began making our way toward the front door.
But my laughing became stale at once when my gaze briefly met Albert's.
I could feel the jittery in the pit of my stomach and attempted hard to ignore the sensation but with not much success. Purposefully, I slowed down my steps, tailing behind them.
The way he had stared at me just now reminded me of last night, when he had completely enraptured me, seducing me under his charm. I had only then become aware that since last night, I had entirely become his.
*********ccccccc*********
Due to the holiday, the traffic was unusually light in the city, and the ride from my apartment to Upper East Side had not taken long at all. Albert's house was still within walking distance from the Central Park, yet he insisted to park the car in a public garage nearby the park. Crossing the Fifth Avenue, we then entered the park through its south end, east facing entrance, and then with Lizzie leading in front of us, we took a quick stride to our destination: the zoo. I wasn't sure that the zoo would be open on Christmas day but amazingly it was, unlike other zoos in the city.
Central Park was truly a remarkable historic landmark. It was like a piece of jewel hidden in the middle of the drab tall buildings that cluttered the Manhattan area. I might have lived in the city for a while now, but because of my hectic schedule, I had seldom spent my time at the park, and the zoo was one place I had never visited. Other than the zoo, the park had everything that could appeal to every age group. The amount of activities the park offered was staggering, from biking, jogging, hiking, and even rock climbing to ice-skating, horse riding, boat riding and many more. In addition, the park had everything from lakes to small ponds, to forest to great open lawn areas, from summerhouses to a medieval castle and outdoor amphitheater. It would require days to explore all the places and amenities in the park.
It was a nice day to be out in the park. The majestic blue sky hung above us with only thin wisps of clouds. Although the air was frigid, the sun transmitted sufficient heat to elevate the temperature to a comfortable level, perfect for outdoor activity. Nevertheless, the park was not crowded compared to how it was during the summer months.
Once we were inside the zoo, Lizzie became even more energetic than before, snapping pictures after pictures with her own digital camera, one of the Christmas gifts she had received I presumed.
"Oh my goodness! Daddy - did you see the one over there?"
"Yes, Lizzie. Aren't those sea lions amazing?"
I smiled wistfully, witnessing the father and daughter exchange, as we hovered by the sea lions exhibit, which was located at the heart of the zoo. Looking back, I had never thought that I would be able to see Albert as a father. He was a good one, I must say.
"It's a nice place, huh?"
"Excuse me?" I whirled my head to the side, facing the blond man next to me.
Anthony smiled and expounded, "Oh, I was talking about the park. It is such a nice place to be, so different. It makes you feel that you're not in Manhattan."
"That's true," I merely agreed, bringing my gaze to the Manhattan skyline protruding a distance away.
"How long have you known him?" Anthony suddenly asked, dispersing the period of silence between us, and when he noticed my baffled face, he quickly added, "My uncle."
Steering my focus to Albert who seemed to be preoccupied answering Lizzie's questions, I chortled. "Believe it or not – we met when I was only six."
"Really? That long?" Anthony's voice rose with astonishment. "Then you must be from Chicago too?" he ventured.
I nodded to affirm. "Yes, born and raised there. But it's only last year that I met him again after a long time," I explained.
"Is that so?" Anthony's brows shot up in surprise. "When was the last time you saw him?"
"About nine years ago."
"Nine years?" His blue eyes widened in astonishment.
I pivoted on my foot, turning my body toward him. "Long story," I answered tersely, unwilling to delve into matters that could only darken my mood, but decided to give him the condensed version. "Let's just say that we didn't keep in touch after I went to college."
Anthony kept mum for a moment before he uttered, "I see… But I'm glad you've found each other again. He has gone through a lot, and I truly wish for him to finally be happy."
I had no idea what trouble or misery Albert had gone through and deduced that it must be related to his late wife.
"It must be very difficult for him to have lost his wife so early in their marriage," I commented in a doleful tone and sank into silence as I found myself struggling to continue. Eventually, I managed to push the words through my shallow smile. "He must have loved her very dearly."
Hearing myself uttering the phrase felt like a hard slap on my face. The reality was that I wasn't the only woman in Albert's life.
"Umm… Actually, I don't think he had ever loved her," Anthony countered, his expression thoughtful.
His comment surprised me. But I didn't believe that was the truth.
"Do you know that he was at his worst state a week before his engagement?" he asked while his blue eyes focused on me, and for a moment I thought I was looking into Albert's eyes. "He even disappeared for several days. At that time, everyone believed that he had run away."
I kept my mouth shut, reprocessing the barrage of new information. I hadn't known anything about Albert's engagement or what had happened prior to that. Albert and I had very rarely talked about the past. He practically had not said anything about his wife. Similarly, I had not shared to him about Terry.
"Nine years ago, you say?" Anthony continued. "His engagement had taken place nine years ago."
What is he saying? Was Anthony trying to imply that Albert's peculiar behavior nine years ago had something to do with me? Could it be? Last night, Albert had mentioned that he had gone to visit me in the University yet had opted not to see me in person after he had found me with Terry. But how could that have anything to do with his engagement?
"Candy! Anthony! Are you guys coming? We're going to the Rainforest next." Lizzie's shrill voice called, causing Anthony and me to whip our heads in the direction of the voice, bringing my train of thoughts to an abrupt halt.
Albert and Lizzie were a distance away in front of us. Lizzie was waving her hand enthusiastically, and next to her, Albert only smiled faintly at us.
When my gaze in an inadvertent manner crossed with his, I briskly glanced to my side, eluding his eyes, Anthony's words echoing in the back of mind. What had happened nine years ago?
"They're waiting for us. We should walk faster," Anthony suggested, and then just as I was about to nod my head, unexpectedly, he leaned toward me, asking in a low whisper, "Should I start calling you auntie Candy?"
"What!?"
He laughed and immediately accelerated his pace without giving me a chance to recover from my discomposure as I scrambled after him, making our way toward Albert and Lizzie.
Then, the four of us proceeded to the Rainforest exhibit.
As soon as we stepped inside the building that housed the exhibit, I felt a humid and hot blast of air hitting my face. It didn't take long at all before droplets of perspiration covered my face. Was I glad that I had left my coat in the car!
The Rainforest was rather unique. It was not like a typical exhibit that only allowed visitors to observe from afar. The whole thing was actually a giant manmade enclosure that had been built to mimic a tropical jungle habitat, where zoo visitors could stroll on the wooden platform that meandered in a gradual ascending slope through the forest. Various species of trees and plants in different shapes and colors filled the space, and some of the animals were let to roam free out of their cages, colorful birds flying high and low, tortoises crawling on the beach, geese swimming merrily in the shallow stream. Being here surrounded by the tranquil ambiance of nature could easily make me forget that I was in a zoo in New York City during winter.
"Come on, Anthony. Let's go upstairs. They have a lot of neat looking snakes up there."
I heard Lizzie's excited voice as I stood leaning against a clear banister, watching a group of tortoises lying idle on the ground.
"Really? I would love to see that," Anthony replied while I turned my head to look nervously at them, Albert's back to me.
I hoped they were not going to persuade me to come with them to see those scaly, evil-looking serpents.
"Anthony - you and Lizzie can go ahead," Albert told them. "I will stay with Candy down here."
My pulse quickened in an instant. I should've been relieved to hear his suggestion, but I grew more nervous instead. This would be the first time since we had left my apartment that it would be just the two of us.
Anthony took a quick assessing glance at me before switching his focus back to Albert. "Sure – let's go, Lizzie."
Without being told twice, Lizzie had sprinted away, leaving Anthony to run after her, pleading for her to slow down.
I erupted into fits of giggles, seeing the rather comical scene unfold. But when I noticed Albert suddenly spin on his heel and begin making his way toward me, my laughing stopped. I had nearly forgotten that it was just the two of us now.
He ceased his steps and stood about two or three feet to my side, rotating halfway, so he was facing the banister, hunching over it slightly, his elbows resting on top of the wooden ledge.
Deciphering his body language, I perceived that he wasn't eager to strike a conversation. Hence, I just remained quiet and drew my gaze to the tortoises. But it was difficult to concentrate on anything while I fought to quell the rising disappointment. I guessed I had assumed wrong again, thinking that he wanted to talk in private.
However, only seconds later, I was forced to stop my brooding when his voice, sounding marginally nonchalant, reached my ears.
"I've been told that you can find the emerald boa curling in one of the trees here."
"WHAT!" I reacted in panic, instinctively latching on to his upper arm in a tight clutch. "Where? Where?" My eyes scanned the area in a frantic manner.
Even through my murky thoughts I could hear the word 'boa' very clearly, and that was not something that I would like to come face to face with.
When he burst into a loud guffaw, I became aware right away that he had been teasing me. I released my hold on him, casting him an angry scowl. "Albert! That is not funny."
"Sorry… I'm sorry, Candy." He struggled to speak in between laughter. "I was just joking." He took a momentarily pause until his laughing stopped before smiling ruefully, he continued, "There is no snake here – don't worry. They can only be found upstairs in the gallery."
Just like that, my irritation dissolved, and I stared at him in disbelief. "You still remember…"
"I remember that you're not fond of snakes, if that's what you meant," he pointed out. A soft nostalgic smile curved his lips as he continued talking, "You always shut your eyes tightly whenever you had to pass the reptile section in the pet store." He stopped briefly and seemed to ponder about something before resuming, "Then there was that one incident in the zoo when Neil sneakily placed a snake over your shoulders – you were quite hysterical then."
The image of a brown haired boy grinning mischievously flashed in my mind. Neil… That was one name I hadn't heard for ages. The boy could always manage to get under my skin. "That Neil," I muttered; a derisive chuckle escaped my throat. "He took pleasure in teasing me – that was all he was interested in doing whenever I was around."
Albert's lips curled up slightly in a playful smirk. "Everyone could tell that he was crazy about you, Candy."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his comment. "Oh please! Don't mention him again. He was just a bratty boy."
Moving one arm away from the banister, he shifted his position to face me sideways. "If he had been a bit nicer and perhaps more mature, would you consider going out with him then?"
"Huh?" I was left dumbfounded by his question and couldn't tell whether he was just teasing me again or not. But I decided to answer him anyway. "Why would I even do that? I just don't think I would. Besides, at that time, I was… " My voice trailed just above a whisper as I found myself staring fixedly at him, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne. "I was…"
He took a step closer toward me. With one eyebrow arched, he coaxed in a low voice, "You were…"
Nervously, I lowered my head to evade his expectant gaze, my heart thumping loudly. I couldn't tell him that I had been in love with him since high school. That was just simply silly!
"You were what, Candy?" he prodded gently as he gripped my chin gingerly with his fingers, tipping it upward so that I had to face him. His blue eyes gazed at me with an intensity that caused me to heave sharply as I held in my breath. I opened my mouth in a mechanical fashion to reply. But when I became aware that his focus had dropped to my lips, only an incoherent mumble emerged since all my thoughts had abandoned me.
As he leaned over, my eyes closed, and I could feel his warm breath ghosting over my skin.
"Look! They're still there."
My ears caught the high-pitched remark, and I snapped open my eyelids at once. Albert swiveled on his spot to face Anthony and Lizzie who were trotting closer toward us.
I could feel my heart beating so fast that I was afraid it might fly out of my chest. If we hadn't been interrupted, we would've kissed – I was sure of that.
"Are you two done exploring the exhibit?" Albert asked in a calm voice.
With a slight ironic chortle, Anthony responded, "Yes, we just zoomed right through it."
Lizzie abruptly jumped toward me while I could only stare at her blankly as I was still reeling from the brief interaction with Albert earlier. "Come on, Candy. Let's go see the polar bears now."
"Umm…"
Without allowing me a chance to answer, she had grabbed my hands and pulled me out of my standing spot, urging me to take a step forward.
I glanced at Albert, and he could only offer me a weak smile before I let Lizzie drag me toward the exit.
Polar bears, along with penguins and puffins, could be found on the opposite end of the Rainforest within an area designated as the Polar Circle. The Polar Bear exhibit was divided into three levels, allowing visitors to view the animals from above, underwater, and at rock level. The place could surely provide ample entertainment for children and adults alike.
Lizzie had been squealing nonstop since we had stepped into the area, wandering back and forth among the three levels as she trailed the movement of one bear as it dived into the water and back out to lounge on the rocks. Since it was only the two of us – I hadn't had a clue as to what had happened to the two men - I could only follow her along, occasionally hollering for her to wait for me. Anthony must have felt frustrated too earlier, trying to keep up with the sprightly seven-year-old girl. At the same time, I acknowledged that it was a blessing in disguise. With all the running, climbing, and yelling, I had no time to wallow in a daydreaming trance.
We were watching the bears playing with the balls in the outdoor viewing area when a hesitant voice called, "Elizabeth?"
Simultaneously, Lizzie and I spun in the direction of the voice, and I saw an unfamiliar woman with long brown hair hastening her steps to approach us, and before I could do anything, she had pulled Lizzie in a hug. But Lizzie didn't seem too thrilled to return the woman's gesture.
The woman pushed Lizzie away slightly from her and examined her face. "It is you," she exclaimed excitedly. "How are you doing, sweetie?"
"Umm… fine."
I could detect the agitation in Lizzie's voice but wasn't sure what to do in this situation. I didn't recognize the woman but Lizzie certainly did.
"Oh! Where's your father?" the woman suddenly asked, moving her gaze from side to side before it landed on me. "Who could this be? Is she the new nanny, Elizabeth?"
"Nope. She's not my babysitter," Lizzie swiftly corrected and then much to my astonishment, she quickly added in a voice that was tinged with pride, "She's daddy's girlfriend, and he's going to marry her soon."
"Is that right?" The woman turned her attention to me, her big blue eyes examining my face as if she were appraising a piece of merchandise, making me feel very self-conscious.
I shook my head feebly, emitting an awkward chuckle. "No, you see I'm-"
My attempt to clarify was cut short by the woman as she outstretched her hand to me. "Hi, I'm Denise, William's sister-in-law. It's nice to know that he has finally succeeded to move on past his grief after all this time."
To maintain politeness, I took her hand distractedly, making another attempt to explain. "But…"
Whatever I had been about to say evaporated from my mind when Albert suddenly appeared next to me and draped his arm over my shoulder in an affectionate gesture. Bringing his mouth close to my ear, he told me, "Candy – we probably should leave soon."
"Albert-"
"Hello William. Long time no see," Denise interjected smoothly. "I just heard the great news from your daughter that you are going to get married soon. Congratulations! It's about time!" Her gaze traveled to me, catching me off guard. "And I have just introduced myself to your lovely fiancée."
I became rigid instantly upon her insinuation. But a gentle squeeze on my shoulder urged me to turn my head toward my side, and Albert gave me a tender smile, reassuring me that I had nothing to worry about.
"Daddy-"
Lizzie's timid voice sliced through the thick cloud of silence among us, and Albert shifted his attention to Lizzie while she looked up at him warily.
"Lizzie," was Albert's only response, his tone almost somber. He then glanced over his shoulder and said, "Anthony – could you please take her?"
Anthony strode toward Lizzie at once. "Come on, Lizzie."
Without uttering a single word, Lizzie obediently let Anthony lead her out of the area.
"Well, Denise," Albert began in a polite voice. "I would love to stay and chat. Unfortunately, it's way past lunchtime, and I've promised Lizzie that I will take her to Chinatown. I'll see you around. Merry Christmas."
I whipped my head toward him in surprise at the fact that he had neglected to clear up the misunderstanding that I was his fiancée, but he brushed aside my bewildered look with a smile, his eyes gleaming warmly with affection, sending a rippling tingle along my spine. Wordlessly, he reached for my hand, lacing his fingers with mine, and with a gentle tug, he led me toward the exit, where Anthony and Lizzie had been waiting for us.
I had thought that he would let go of his hold on me after that, but to my utter amazement, he hadn't. He had continued to hold my hand in front of Lizzie and Anthony while he informed them that we were leaving, and he had not let go even as we headed back to our car. Only when he had to open the car door for me, he had released my hand.
Stealing a furtive glance at him driving next to me, I couldn't suppress a sigh as my lips spread in a contented smile. Hope poured over me, imparting warmth to the cockles of my heart. His behavior and actions along with the near kiss occurrence earlier provided more than enough reasons for me to believe that last night hadn't been just a passing moment between us. And from what I could perceive, this could be just the beginning.
*********ccccccc*********
We took our time enjoying a hearty Chinese Dim Sum lunch at a restaurant in which Laura and I had frequented in the weekend, when our schedules allowed. Sitting across from Albert, I had been a nervous wreck, spilling my tea and food here and there, and every time our hands accidentally brushed, I would squirm in embarrassment. I didn't understand why I had been so nervous though. We had held hands just moments ago, had almost kissed, and last night we had definitely done more than just kissing.
Thankfully, the situation had improved over time as I had become more engrossed with the ongoing conversation and had the opportunity to learn something fascinating about Anthony. While Albert was an animal enthusiast, Anthony was more into plants and had studied botany in his spare time.
It was already past three o'clock when we finally finished with lunch. From there, we went straight to the Rockefeller Plaza, and as we had expected the skating rink was packed with people, tourists and local New Yorkers alike. The place was festive as always during this time of the year, glittering with abundance of exquisite ornaments and colorful ribbons, the giant Christmas tree, dressed to impress with countless twinkling lights, standing tall as the backdrop. Christmas songs could be heard playing continuously in the background.
I had lived in New York City for five years now, but I had never skated there ever. And skating? I hadn't done that since… Terry.
It was years ago, specifically a few months before his proposal, when he had taken me to a less crowded outdoor venue in the outskirt area of Chicago. The ambiance had been so romantic. The snow was falling lightly upon us.
"Candy. Come on."
Lizzie's shrill voice shook me out of my reverie. I saw her glancing over her shoulder while skating in front of me. She seemed to slow down her pace slightly as she was waiting for me to catch up with her.
I sneered at myself and told her in a slight yelling voice, "You go on. I don't think I could go any faster than this."
Lizzie just giggled and swung her arms to propel herself forward, expertly merging into the faster lane, while I remained close to the edge of the rink with the other beginner skaters.
As I kept my gaze fixed on Lizzie's small figure disappearing in the crowd, out of nowhere, I felt an arm circle around my waist. Startled, I nearly lost control, wobbling in the slick ice, but I quickly managed to regain my balance. Soon, I could see Albert skating next to me.
My heart skipped a beat when he turned his head toward me, his concerned blue eyes scanning my face.
"I'm sorry. Did I scare you?" he asked, slowly retracting his arm from me. "I thought I almost caused you to trip earlier."
I chuckled bashfully. "Nah… It's okay. I'm just clumsy."
Cocking an eyebrow, he stared at me. "As far as I remember you were pretty good at this."
"Are you mocking me?" I furrowed my brows in annoyance, emitting a snicker. "You knew I was never good at sports, ice-skating included. Plus, it has been a while since I've done this," I explained while attempting to maintain my balance to keep up with his speed.
"You're kidding!" he remarked, astounded. "I thought you like ice-skating. We went to an indoor skating rink once with the zoo staff in the past, and Neil was there too." His tone abruptly changed, a thoughtful look on his face. "Wait a minute – now I remember. You fell… and he was laughing at you." As he turned to face me, his gaze softened. "And you were crying…"
"Then you suddenly appeared and took my hand, helping me to stand," I continued for him in a pensive tone.
Nodding slightly, he added, "And we skated together."
I lowered my eyes, looking down absently at the glistening ice below. "And you were holding my hand the whole time…"
"Just like this?" He grasped my gloved hand and gently held it in his.
My lips stretched into a demure smile as I lifted our joined hands briefly for emphasis. "Yes, just like this…"
Suddenly, he whirled his head forward and accelerated his stroking speed, dragging me across the ice.
I jerked him by the hand, throwing him a worried look.
He ceased in his track and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Candy. I'm holding you. You won't fall." His voice spoke of a genuine promise.
My lips puckered in scowl, but I didn't protest when he tugged at my hand to pull me closer to him as he laughed quietly. Then, hand-in-hand, we started to glide along the ice.
Feeling Albert's hand holding mine in a secure grip, I tried to hide the school girl's excitement within me as we glided smoothly on the slick ice, blending with the other hand-holding couples, secretly relishing being just like one of them.
And right at that time, the catchy, cheerful intro of Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' began playing, replacing the previous mellow song.
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you, yeah.
We continued to move leisurely along the smooth ice without saying anything for a few moments as I listened to the lyric of the song, which perfectly described my feelings.
"Today has turned out to be a day of many firsts for me." I heard my voice dispel the period of quietness between us as Mariah Carey's voice faded out in the background.
"Really?" His blue eyes twinkled with curious fascination.
"Yeah…" I uttered. "The first time, I've been to the zoo, the first time I'm skating here…"
My ears caught the sound of his deep chuckle. "You've been living here for a while now. Are you really a New Yorker?" He narrowed his eyes in feigned suspicion.
"Well… For your information I've lived here for at least five years, so technically I'm a legal resident," I asserted.
He tilted one of his shapely brows in a quirk and said, "If you put it that way, Dr. White, I don't think I can argue with you." In return, I could only giggle while he resumed talking in a normal manner, "It's hard to believe that you've been here that long, and we never crossed paths until last year."
"I suppose it's because I have mostly spent my time in the university and the hospitals," I reasoned.
"If I had known that you worked in the hospital, I would've made myself sick more often so we could meet earlier," he commented lightly, his mouth arching in a playful grin.
"You're funny, Albert," I told him in between giggles.
He glided past me and pivoted on one foot to a complete stop about a full arm's length away in front of me, forcing me to halt my stroke, my giggling gradually evolved into a quizzical smile.
"Have I ever told you that you have a beautiful smile?" he asked, his eyes studying my face.
I could only manage to shake my head in a silent reply as he twined his arms around my waist, pulling me to glide closer to him.
"You do. That's the one thing I can never forget about you, Candy, even from our very first meeting," he confessed.
"Albert…" I shuddered, but I knew it wasn't due to the cold. Rather, it was the intense glint in his blue eyes that had induced the jitter.
When he leaned in, his head descending toward me, I could foresee what he would do next and closed my eyes, anticipating the contact, my heart pounding fiercely. A moment later, our lips finally met, grazing against each other in a tender kiss. My arms roped around his waist, and I slid myself closer to him, pressing my body onto his. He tightened his arms around me and deepened our kisses, eliciting a moan of delight out of my throat.
"Uh hum… There are still a lot of young children here, you know."
Hearing the familiar teasing voice, we jolted away in an instant, disentangling our arms from each other.
The sudden, jerky movement would've caused me to fall ungracefully on the ice if Albert hadn't seized me by the elbow.
"Where is Lizzie?" Albert asked as he assisted me to steady my stance.
Anthony's lips curled up in a smirk. "I thought she was with you, but obviously that's not the case."
"I'll look for her," I quickly volunteered, skating past them.
"Candy!"
I heard Albert calling me, but I forced myself to keep moving forward without looking back.
"Did you just let your Cinderella escape, prince?" I could hear Anthony's stream of chuckles before it was swallowed by the background noises as I continued to skitter forward on my skate.
Anthony had been right. I knew I had really fled this time. It had been sort of a fight or flight situation, and I had chosen the latter. It was just simply mortifying to be caught in a compromising situation like that, and I didn't think I would be able to put on a calm and collected face in front of them after such an ordeal.
For someone who was as incompetent as me in skating, it was almost a miracle that I could manage to glide fast on the ice, maneuvering in and out of the crowds. But somehow I succeeded to control my balance, moving at a higher speed than what I normally felt comfortable with while my eyes swept the area for Lizzie's small figure. Luckily, it didn't take long before I found the blond girl.
Not too long after that, we left the plaza and headed straight to Albert's house. By the time we arrived at the house, it was already past six o'clock, but none of us were in a state where we would be so eager to devour a full dinner meal. So we agreed to postpone dinner and congregated in the family room instead to watch a movie that Lizzie had picked for us, her favorite Disney cartoon, Cinderella. Before that, she had handed me my gift, which turned out to be a pair of wool mitten - something that I had wanted to purchase. I wouldn't be surprised if she had received some help shopping for the gift. Lizzie's gift reminded me that I still had Albert's gift in my bag, and I made a mental note to present it to him before I went home tonight.
The truth was that I hadn't fully recovered from the small intimate scene that had ensued in the skating rink earlier, which had left me reeling with giddiness the entire time. Good thing, I could always count on Lizzie to detract me from focusing too much on my emotions.
During dinner, Lizzie couldn't contain her excitement and rambled nonstop, reflecting the whole day's event. About an hour later, the four of us returned to the family room to let our body digest the scrumptious seafood dishes properly. I was a bit drowsy from the exhaustion of the one full day of activity, and the glass of wine served with meal earlier combined with my full stomach had only exacerbated the effect. In the end, I had resorted to being a good listener while Anthony and Albert carried on talking about various topics.
Unlike earlier in the dining room, Lizzie had been mostly quiet this time. We knew why soon when we found her dozing off, curling up in a fetal position in the sofa.
Albert carefully scooped her up into his arms to take her to her bedroom. Without being asked, I decided to accompany him, just in case he needed assistance.
After laying her down on the bed, Albert pulled the blanket over her and deposited a goodnight kiss on her forehead before flicking off the light. In the dark room, I could only make his silhouette as I felt him grab my hand and lead me out of the room. Once outside, I passed him a questioning look, sort of my way of asking whether I should go home now. He didn't say anything, and instead he just towed me along across the corridor and down the stairs. I jerked my head toward him, wondering where he was taking me. But he only dismissed my puzzled face with a mysterious smile and continued leading me to move toward the foyer. We stopped momentarily by the door as he retrieved our coats from the closet. Holding my coat open in his hands, he urged me to wear it. Then, he shrugged into his and opened the front door.
As we stepped out of the house, I asked hurriedly, "Where are we going, Albert?"
"You'll know soon, Candy," he answered in a cryptic voice.
I rubbed my hands against each other vigorously in an attempt to warm them. The temperature outside had plummeted to what I presumed near freezing condition. It was a moonless night, and the sky was covered with thick layers of clouds.
"How about Lizzie?" I asked again and noticed the wisp of mist from my breath.
"She's sleeping like a log, and Anthony is there too if she wakes up," he responded while slipping an arm around my back, drawing me closer to him, and I immediately felt the heat radiating from his body. "Is this better?" His gentle voice rumbled against my ear.
His caring gesture evoked a stirring of emotions within me, and I could only answer in a nod, nestling deeper against him, a contented smile on my face.
It wasn't so late into the night by the Big Apple's standard, but it was oddly quiet in the street, the usual furious honking from impatient drivers missing. Tonight was Christmas after all. Maybe everyone just wanted to be home with their loved ones. I sighed, sneaking a glance at the man next to me. He still hadn't given me any clue as to where we were heading. I just couldn't tell what was really going on inside his head. Trying to read him was like trying to read a closed book.
After walking about three blocks, he slowed down his steps, and I saw a black carriage drawn by a white horse about a few feet away from us.
Realization struck me instantly, and I gaped at him. "Albert—"
He retracted his arm from me and stepped forward, offering a hand to me. "Shall we, my lady?" he told me with a slight bow.
Stifling a giggle, I took his hand and let him help me climb into the carriage.
He settled on the seat next to me and flapped the blanket open to cover across our laps and roll down to our feet.
I glanced at him in curious amazement.
A smile surfaced across his lips as he uttered, "In the past, whenever there was a carriage passed by, you would stand transfixed at it while raving about it." His eyes gazed tenderly into mine as I felt the carriage start to move, rocking us gently. "I've figured that you wouldn't mind riding one with me."
I was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say. I certainly hadn't expected that he would keep something as trivial as that in his memory. Yes, it was true. I had watched wistfully at couples riding on carriages, gushing to Albert about it, saying how romantic it was, while secretly wishing that I could ride one with him someday. And now my wish had come true.
"Candy?" There was evident worry displayed in his face. He must have wondered why I had become silent all of the sudden.
The corners of my lips tugged into a smile. "You remember that?" I asked with a hint of disbelief.
"Of course, I do," he replied. "And… I don't know if you remember, but today marks one very important occasion," he announced.
"Important occasion?" I reiterated, still uncertain what he was alluding to.
"It was a year ago when we had our surprised reunion in Lizzie's bedroom, Candy."
"Oh…" I let out in understanding.
Then, I suddenly recalled that I had left my bag in his house, my bag with his gift in it. Sighing out loud with disappointment, I told him, "Err… I left your gift in the house."
"Gift?"
"It was nothing special," I admitted, peering underneath my lashes meekly. "I'm sorry I wasn't sure of what to give someone who seems to have everything, and it is definitely not comparable to what you have given me. I didn't know what you could possibly want for Christmas."
A few chuckles flew out of his mouth as I stared at him in bewilderment. "I thought you should know by now what I really want for Christmas," he indicated.
"Huh? What?"
He swiveled his head to face me, bringing our gazes to collide. My heart instantly leaped in a frantic beating.
"Just like you, all I want for Christmas is you, Candy."
"Albert…"
One corner of his mouth lifted into a slanted a grin. "And now that I have you, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you will never runaway from me again."
My mouth opened spontaneously as I wanted to voice my disagreement but he didn't let me interfere and continued with his talk, "Last night, you've asked me to promise to never let you go. And now… Let me just say I intend to keep that promise for the rest of my life." He paused and fished a small item out of his coat pocket that I couldn't really what it was since it was shrouded in shadow. And at the same time, the memory of what I had said in his bedroom flooded into my mind.
I hadn't truly grasped what he was saying until I saw him extend his hands toward me, presenting the item.
"Candice White-"
I emitted a loud startled gasp as I stared at the beautiful diamond solitaire ring resting on the velvet cushion inside the box, tears pricking my eyes. My hands flew to my mouth, and I started to heave in a frenzied manner, fighting to hold the tears at bay. I listened to him utter the words, his voice competing with the loud thumping of my heart.
"You will make me the happiest man alive if you could grant my wish and become my wife. Will you marry me?"
Letting my hands drop to my lap, I stared at him unblinking. My mouth parted wide but I couldn't produce a single coherent word. So I just threw myself to him and pressed my lips against his firmly, my arms wrapping around his back. At this time, I could no longer suppress the tears and just let them fall freely, streaming down my face.
As I perched my chin on top of his shoulder, his deep chuckles filled my ears, his arms winding around me in an intimate embrace. "I'd take it that you just agreed to become my wife," his voice, laden with emotion, whispered.
"Oh Albert. Yes! Yes! Yes!" I breathed against his neck and then withdrew from him slightly to face him. I drew in a deep breath to compose myself. "Yes, I will marry you, William Albert Andrew," I said through a smile while my vision was blurred by unshed tears.
Heaving a long sigh of relief, he reached for my hand and slipped the ring on my finger while I watched in silence. My heart swelled with so much happiness that I felt it was going to burst soon.
This is really happening! I'm not dreaming, am I?
I lifted my eyes, and our eyes met in a warm loving gaze. His fingers moved against the skin on my face, gently wiping the tear droplets away. I placed my hand on top of his, causing him to stop his movement abruptly as he looked at me with questions in his eyes.
"I love you, Albert," I told him in a raspy voice as newly formed tears began to well in my eyes.
His gaze lowered as he leaned toward me. "God! I love you so much, Candy."
A second later, our lips clashed in a fiery kiss that instantaneously engulfed us in a whirlwind of passion. As our tongues continued to caress against each other, I felt his hands stroking my back.
Just when I felt my mind start to slip into a dreamy realm, he briskly pulled away, and I involuntarily let out a groan of protest.
"We better stop now before I lose my mind completely." He uttered breathlessly, his words intermingled with heavy panting while I could only nod mechanically in a daze.
Shifting in his seat, he placed one arm around my back and drew me close to him, coaxing me to lean against him. We stood still against each other and allowed our minds and bodies to relax.
Everything had felt surreal to me, starting from the party to last night to tonight… And now I was Albert's rightful fiancée.
My gaze landed atop the precious stone mounted on the ring on my finger. It sparkled brilliantly under the soft rays of light diffusing from the street lamps and other sources as the carriage rolled along the narrow residential street.
Just then, I remembered another item that was dangling on my neck that was not mine. Swiftly, I moved away from him to sit straight, bringing my hand to the back of my neck. "I almost forget to return the necklace to you."
"You don't need to return it to me anymore, Candy. It belongs to you now," he simply told me, his lips arching in a small smile.
Putting my hand down on my lap, I was stunned by what he had just told me. "But… Didn't you say-"
Without letting me continue, he interjected, "Do you know the significance of the necklace?"
"Yes, you told me that it is an heirloom jewelry," I answered right away.
A chuckle came out of his mouth. "That's not the only thing," he informed. "Only woman who is going to marry into our family has the privilege to wear the necklace – that's the tradition that has been passed for generations."
"But you didn't tell-" I stopped abruptly. My jaw dropped. It suddenly became clear to me. "I can't believe this! You have planned this all along, haven't you?"
He smiled calmly and said. "Candy – when we met again, I never thought that it was possible for me to fall in love with you again." He scoffed, "But I was wrong, very wrong."
"Again? Albert – were you in love with me before?" The volume of my voice had dropped to barely above a whisper.
Under the subdued flickering of lights from the street lamps, I could distinguish the tormented expression on his face as he answered in a low voice, "I can't recall exactly when, but for sure by your senior year in high school my feelings for you had fully developed into love."
My heart sank. I hadn't expected that I would react strongly to hear him say it in plain words since I should've been able to guess what his answer would be, from what he had told me last night, but I had. "Why didn't you tell me?" I heard my voice trembling with emotions ask.
He heaved a long sigh before he began talking in a solemn tone, "The circumstances were so much different at that time. You were still a minor in high school, and I was an adult male. Our society condemns such a relationship – I'm sure you know that." Pausing briefly, he turned his head to face forward, a dejected smile on his lips. "And at the same time, I thought you didn't care for me in that sense anyway – you only treated me like a brother. Therefore, I decided to never reveal my feelings for you." He returned his focus back on me. "But when you kissed me that night…"
I uttered his line for him, "You realized that I was in love with you…"
"Yes." He cast me a subtle, wry smile. "I was so shocked that I couldn't move and couldn't stop you from leaving."
"Eventually, you did go after me. But… you fell in love with someone else and married her instead." My voice had turned grave, affected by the seeds of bitterness that had been sown by jealousy.
He took my hands and held them in his. "Do you want to know what really happened, Candy?" His eyes searched mine as I nodded my head.
For another few seconds or so, he maintained his gaze on me before he removed his hand from mine and cleared his throat. "From the beginning, I knew that I would marry Michelle," he began. "Yes, it is such a stupid old-fashioned arrangement in the name of business, but I had accepted my fate." His eyes drifted lower. "Being the only son in the family, I had been designated as the sole heir, and I wasn't allowed the freedom to choose my own path. Besides, I thought my love was unrequited." He inhaled deeply and continued, "But everything changed after that night - It took me a while but I ultimately decided to make my own destiny. The week before my engagement to Michelle, I went to see you…"
His gaze went back to focus on me, and I could see pain clouding his eyes.
It finally made sense to me. All the pieces seemed to come together now. Anthony's story earlier… His words last night…
"And you saw me with Terry-"
"Is that his name? Terry?" he probed; his curious gaze settled on my face.
"Yes…"
"Did you love him?"
I let out a sarcastic huff at the question that sounded like an accusation to my ears. "I thought I did. It was never meant to be - Albert…" I looked pleadingly at him. "Can we not talk about him now, please? He had brought nothing but pain to me. I promise I will tell you all about him later."
Sighing audibly, he elevated his lips slightly in a rueful smile. "I'm sorry… I understand..."
A moment of silence descended upon us.
I could have just left it at that, but I didn't want to when there were still unanswered questions.
"So you just left after you saw me with Terry?"
I heard myself ask with a touch of irony in my voice.
At first he just stared at me before he turned his head away, expiring a defeated sigh. "I didn't have a choice - I thought I had lost you. Perhaps I should have fought for you first, but I didn't." His tone rose with frustration as he continued, "I never told you about myself I didn't know how you would react. So, yes, I ended up marrying Michelle. I didn't love her, but I resolved to become a devoted husband to her and tried to love her – still, I just couldn't."
I noticed the forlorn look on his face as his voice sank with anguish. "Gradually, my affection for her did grow and Lizzie was conceived by our first anniversary. However, the time that should have been filled with joyful laughter was transformed into mourning. Michelle died only hours after giving birth to Lizzie."
My heart pulsed with pain as I could see him struggling to control his emotion, his jaws clenched tightly. "I'm sorry…" I gripped his hand to lend him comfort while fighting the urge to weep for him, blinking back a tear.
"I felt completely at a loss. Suddenly, my wife was dead and I had a baby to raise in my arms…"
His grief-stricken voice echoed against the clacking of the horseshoes and the random noises from our surroundings as he stared at me, seemingly lost in his memory.
Looking into his hollow gaze, I gave his hand a gentle squeeze, conveying to him I was still here with him.
A moment later, he abruptly whipped his head to the front and shut his eyes briefly, his lips pressed.
Overwhelmed was an understatement to describe my current feelings right now.
I hadn't realized that there would be so much pain tainting our past – mine and Albert's. While I had been drunk, charmed and romanced by Terry, Albert had gone through a harrowing experience – possibly the lowest point in his life. Then in a later time frame, it was my turn, when I had been trapped in my own abyss after Terry had walked away from me.
"I don't know what to say… " I whispered after a few moments of absolute silence between us. "If I could just go back to the past to redo-"
"Candy – can we leave the past in the past?" he implored bluntly, forcing me to stop talking. "We're here now. Together. That's what really matters, right? His tender blue eyes radiated with warmth regarded me. "I just don't want to talk about something so depressing when we're supposed to be celebrating. If you wish, we can talk about it another time."
Guilt tumbled down over me, like falling rocks. What have I done? He had just proposed to me, and I had returned that by dragging him to rehash his painful memory. "Albert…" I uttered in a remorseful tone. "I'm so sorry for bringing up the past and ruining our night. You are right - the past doesn't matter anymore. We have the rest of our lives to make up for our lost times." A smile gradually formed across my lips.
He chuckled. "Don't worry, Candy. Our night is not ruined. And speaking of making up…" As he hit a brief pause, I thought I had just seen his eyes twinkle with something that resembled a playful gleam. "I don't want to waste anymore time – we can go to the city hall tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Are you suggesting that we will wed tomorrow, Mr. Andrew?" I asked disbelievingly. I suspected that he was just joking.
"Yes," came his curt reply, and then he added, "we can get married on paper first, and you can move in tonight."
"TONIGHT!" I blurted out, my voice ringing so loudly that it startled the carriage driver, causing him to throw me a cursory glance in annoyance. Instantly, I brought my voice down. "But what about Lizzie, what about your family, what about-"
He rudely interfered, "Candy—"
"Wha – Eh.. Uhm?" I sputtered indistinctly half in a daze, half in irritation by the way he had just cut me short.
"You talk too much," he murmured a complain against my mouth and kissed me ardently, his arms imprisoning me in a tight embrace, our bodies pressed against each other. The intensity in his kisses literally took the breath out of me as I gasped right into his mouth. A soft moan escaped my throat when his lips slipped from mine and traveled across the skin on my cheek to my upper jaw, leaving a trail of hot moist lingering kisses along the way.
"I wasn't kidding about you moving in."
Through a thick fog of desire, I vaguely heard his hoarse voice mumble against the underside of my jaw, and my head tilted to the side as I gave him more access, my mouth emitting indistinct noises.
He moved his mouth to my ear and clamped at the lobe between his lips in a light nibble, inciting indescribable pleasant sensations within me. "I want you to stay with me starting from tonight," he breathed into my ear.
"Yeah…" I whimpered throatily in a weak attempt to reply to him and felt him stiffen against me at once.
Then, without removing his arms, only slightly loosening his hold on me, he pulled away slowly, a grin spreading over his lips. "Yeah?" he asked, his eyes shining with glee.
Wearing a bashful smile, I nodded my answer. "Yeah-"
I barely opened my mouth to say something when he bent his head down to capture my mouth with his again in another round of burning kisses. My hands that had stayed dormant earlier traversed the length of his back upward to cradle his nape, burying themselves underneath his hair. I drew myself closer to him and savored the delicious taste of his kisses that slowly but surely pulled me deeper and deeper, submerging me in a sea of blissfulness.
In the frosty winter night, kissing and cuddling, that was how we spent the rest of the ride circling the Central Park, accompanied by the rhythmic tapping sound of the horseshoes hitting the hard asphalt, totally oblivious to the white glitter of snowflakes dancing freely in the air.
It didn't really matter when we would get married. It could be tomorrow or a week from now or a month for now. What mattered more was that after nearly a decade being away from each other, we were finally together in the most perfect sense - as a couple.
And that was all I wanted for Christmas.
THE END
I truly hope that you like the ending and enjoy the whole story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Once again, thank you for following the story. I wholeheartedly appreciate you taking the time to read this story, and I value each single comment, input, feedback, and suggestion that you have dropped here, in my blog, email, messages, etc. As a writer, I couldn't be more grateful to know that there are readers out there reading my story and finding it enjoyable.
Now that I'm done writing this, I can go back to hibernation. Just kidding :) I know I have Ninety Days and It's More Than A Fairy Tale to finish still. Please be assured that I will not abandon them and will finish them. That being said, however, I have to admit that I will not be able to update as often as I was before. My work schedule along with other real life obligations will not provide me with enough time to do leisure writing. But I will try my best to deliver a new chapter at least in a monthly basis, hopefully more.
Lastly, since this is the last chapter, I would be very interested to know what you really think of it, so please send me your comments. And as always I will welcome any suggestion to help me improve.
Notes:
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" is a song written, recorded, and produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Affanasieff.
The drawing in the cover image is by Nachi.
Update:
I'm actually continuing this story, sort of. It's in a drabble format as opposed to full length fanfic. If you're interested, you can read it in my blog.