Dec 30th
"We need to unpack, start the laundry and go grocery shopping," Elizabeth told Lucas.
"Babe, we just literally walked in the door. Let's take a few minutes to relax."
She smiled up at him and winked. "We've been relaxing for ten days."
"I agree but this…" he said, gesturing to the duplex. "This is OUR home now. We should let that sink in. Maybe start the laundry as you said, but also, take a bubble bath?"
"Alright and then after, grocery shopping," she told him, stretching up to kiss his delicious lips.
"Deal."
About two hours later, fully relaxed, they got into his truck and headed downtown Charlotte to get groceries. She was making a list on her phone.
"We need milk, cream for coffee…"
"Ick," he teased.
"Cream for my coffee," she said with a giggle. "Butter….hmmm. I want to make us something I've never cooked for us before. I found a few recipes on Pinterest. Made a board for it and everything."
"Of course you did," he muttered. "My ever organized wife."
"One day, you'll be grateful for my skills."
"Oh. I am," he flirted.
"Luke," she laughed, her face turning red. He squeezed her hand and laughed.
"New Year's Eve is tomorrow so we need champagne and some kind of dessert."
"Yes, good call. Also, we need to buy a pie for both Christmas dinners at our parent's houses."
Once they got to the store, she had quite the list. "Do you think I should get a part time job?" she wondered. "I mean, I know that we went over our budget and decided I didn't need to but…wouldn't it make things easier?"
"Well sure, but I thought we decided you need to focus on school, maybe finish your final semester early so we can get moving on your first property."
He got out and walked around to open her door. "Right, but I don't want you to get stressed, honey."
"I am the normal amount of stressed at work. Your not working but studying hard is a good thing. You are going to get your degree and start that property so we can both be earning an income down the road."
"So that we can have a good nest egg for building our family," she finished, agreeing. "You're right, Luke."
He took her hand and led her to the market, pulling a cart out for her.
She handed him the list so he could check things off as they went.
"I think I'll clip coupons from now on. Save as much money as we can," she mentioned, grabbing the fruit they wanted for New Year's date night-in dessert.
"Sure," he agreed. "Coupons are a good idea."
Her phone rang, her parents calling. Lucas answered it. "Hello?"
"Lucas, hi. How was your honeymoon?" Lynn asked.
"Perfect. One thousand percent perfect."
"Good to hear. Are you guys still coming to Christmas dinner on the 1st?"
"Yes. Beth is buying an apple pie as we speak."
"Great. Vi and Julie will be here too."
"So, two pies?"
"No, that's only six. There should be plenty."
"Great."
"May I talk to Beth?"
"Of course." He walked over to the bakery and handed the phone to her. "Its Lynn."
"Great. Babe, can you take the cart and grab the champagne and the milk and cream, please?"
"Sure." He leaned down and kissed her twice. "I'll be back."
"Hi, Mom," Elizabeth said, unable to stop the smile on her face.
"Hi, sweetheart. Lucas said your trip was amazing. Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Every minute," she said with a contented sigh. "It feels weird to be back to normal life. Making decisions on how to handle things, but not on my own, you know?"
"It's an adjustment but keep those communication lines open. About everything you can imagine. It will help you to always be in the habit of doing that."
"I'll remember that."
"Good. Now your father wants me to ask you if you and Lucas wanted to come over tomorrow night for New Year's."
"Actually, no. We have plans. Date night in."
"That sounds great. Maybe we can do the same. Its been a while. I hope you enjoy your evening then. See you on the 1st."
"Alright. Love you, Mom."
"Love you more."
Lucas walked up with an almost full cart and a grin on his face.
"Um, sweetheart, what is all this?"
"Groceries."
"Yes, I know but most of it is not on the list."
"But its things that I thought we might like to use for various meals, including what I want to eat for lunch at work."
"Okay then. I guess going off the list is fine….as long as we do get the things on the list too."
"I appreciate it," he said, kissing her again.
An adjustment. Yes, living with a man is definitely an adjustment. A good one though.
…..
"Casablanca again? Luke, it's a good movie but we've seen it quite a few times."
"Its the best movie and I thought you liked it," he said, sitting on the couch, his dinner plate in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.
"I did…do. I'm merely suggesting we watch something more festive. It's the holidays, sweetheart."
Elizabeth took the remote and found a repeat of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. "There. Better."
"Really?"
"What's wrong with The Grinch?"
"Its a cartoon."
"So?"
"Fine. Grinch first and then Casablanca tomorrow night."
"I had other plans for us tomorrow night," she flirted, putting her hand on his thigh.
He raised his eyebrows. "All night?"
She shrugged. "Maybe."
"What plans do you have?"
"So you've heard of breakfast in bed…"
"One of my favorite activities."
"So dinner in bed is the same idea. Then mojitos in the bath like on our honeymoon, maybe some dessert and then we can watch the ball drop."
….
The next night
"Another favorite activity," Luke declared as they ate dinner in bed the next night.
"I'm pretty sure anything that involves food and a lack of clothing is your favorite," Elizabeth teased.
"Guilty." Especially his wife and her lack of clothing.
"Question," Elizabeth said, setting her glass of wine down.
"Okay."
"In five years, where do you see us?"
"As in geographically? Or in general?'
"Well, mostly in general. I mean, do you still want to be working at Collins?"
"Nope. Absolutely not."
"Wow," she giggled. "Where then?"
"Five years? I guess I'd like to be heading towards working for myself. At 25, I'll have my trust fund so I'd like to open my own…"
"Hang on. Trust fund? How did this never come up?"
"I'm sure I told you. Grandpa set up a trust fund for me. I guess being their only grandchild has its perks."
"You didn't tell me. I just…well, I guess it doesn't matter. There are probably a hundred things we don't know about each other."
"A hundred? Like what?" he challenged.
"Hmm. Let's see…I hate Brussel sprouts. Anything that smells that bad, should not be put in anyone's mouth."
He laughed and put his now empty plate off to the side.
"Your turn, husband. Something I don't know about you."
"My first kiss was a girl I had a crush on in third grade. Gia. We were nine."
"Nine? Wow. That's young. How was it?"
"Wet and disgusting. I thought it must be fun and easy because I'd seen my parents kiss and Gran and Grandpa too. Not fun." Elizabeth giggled. He had to be so adorable at nine.
"Not at nine. But now? Do you think it's fun?" she asked, curious.
"Oh yeah. Another favorite activity." He brought her fingers to his lips. "I also see you managing your first property and us having a child who hopefully looks exactly like you."
They continued making plans and chatting until around midnight when instead of watching the ball drop, they toasted the new year together and went to bed.
…..
Elizabeth and Lucas dressed up and headed to her parents house in Hope Valley the next evening.
"Babe, what should we do next year for Christmas dinner? Should we have everyone over to our house or have three dinners?" she asked him.
"I'm not sure. What would you like?"
"I'd rather have just one meal. I could cook it. Your mom and Gran and Lynn could help."
"Let's see what happens, alright, honey? I'm sure when it gets closer, we will figure out what's best for all of us."
She was hoping to be pregnant by then but she kept that to herself. She would bring it up in a few months and see if he was willing to try earlier. After graduation worked for her.
He kissed her knuckles and kept driving.
As they walked into her parent's house a little later, they heard Julie and Vi talking in the kitchen.
"A boyfriend? Wow, Vi, that's great," Lynn told her. "How did you meet?"
"We work together. He's originally from London but is living here as he works on writing and publishing his next novel."
"Sorry to interrupt," Elizabeth said quietly.
"Beth!" Julie squealed, hugging her sister like it had been months. In reality it had only been since the wedding.
"Hey, Julie. Good to see you!"
"You too! Tell me about your honeymoon!"
"Tell all of us," Lynn said. "Let's bring the food to the table and say a blessing first though."
Lucas placed the pies on the counter, hugged his mother-in-law and father-in-law and then Julie and Vi.
As they sat down, they joined hands and listened as William prayed. After the Amens, Elizabeth brought the conversation back to Vi.
"Vi, tell us about your boyfriend. London, huh?"
"Yeah."
"What kind of novels does he write?"
"Mystery and Suspense."
"Fun! What's his name? Maybe I've read his book," Lucas said with a smile.
"His name is Lionel. He writes under the name Kyle Lampoon."
"Hm. I'll have to look him up."
"So, honeymoon," Julie interrupted.
"It was great. We went snowshoeing, and for a carriage ride and we ate yummy German food," Elizabeth told them.
"We made a gingerbread house," Lucas threw in.
His eyes traveled to the food on the table. "A ham?" he said, his eyes meeting Elizabeth's. "I thought you always ate chicken."
"I may have suggested we change it up this year," Elizabeth told him.
He cupped her face in his hands and tried not to cry. "I love you so much. Thank you."
She accepted his kiss and nodded. She knew how important a Christmas ham was in his memories. "I love you too."
Later as they sipped tea or hot cocoa in the family room where the tree and lights still burned bright, Lucas wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders as everyone opened a gift.
"I feel so lucky to have you," Lucas whispered in her ear.
"I'm the lucky one," she told him. She snuggled into his arms and watched everyone else around the room.
After gifts, William took Lynn's hand and they stood by the tree, smiling. "Lynn and I have news," he said, smiling.
Lynn smiled too. "We decided that we are going to adopt a child or two."
"You are?" Julie asked. "That's great!"
"Yes. We've been going through each step and have our names on a few lists. We are going to adopt an older child, or perhaps siblings."
Elizabeth stood and congratulated her parents. "That's amazing. I'm so happy for you."
…..
San Diego, Lee and Rosie's apartment
Lee and Rosie sat on the couch in their tiny apartment, enjoying the quiet togetherness they were blessed to have. Rosemary leaned back against his chest and he rested his hands on her tummy, hoping to feel their little guy move.
"Andrew," she whispered, flipping back to the beginning of the baby name book.
"Andrew James, or AJ," Lee suggested.
"Alexander."
"I like Andrew better." She marked a star in the book next to Andrew.
"Brody," she said next.
"Brady," he suggested.
"Hm. Bryan?"
"Too common."
She felt a flutter and smiled. "Did you feel him?"
He nodded, his eyes filling with tears. The love he felt for their child even though he'd never met him was huge.
"I have the perfect name," she said, gasping.
"Ok, what?"
"I heard this name on TV the other day," she said, flipping through the book. "Here it is. Zane. Zane Patrick, the Patrick after your brother of course."
He pressed his lips to her temple and cheek and then reached around to meet her lips. "Its perfect, sweetheart. Just perfect."