NOTES:
Yeah, it's been a while, huh? Lots going on, I got side tracked by what was supposed to be a one shot, yada yada yada. I didn't stop on this one, though, there are more chapters in the works, too. Hope you like it, leave a review…
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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
December 23
Gwen's house
5:16 PM
"Bye Mom!" Ben heard Army Girl call from behind him as the side door of the minivan slid closed with a thump. "Thanks again for dropping us off."
"Of course, Habibi. See you later tonight. Don't forget to tell the Tennyson's thank you." the woman called out as she backed out of the driveway for the two minute drive to their house. They could have easily walked from there to Gwen's, but the olive skinned girl successfully whined about the cold to get her mother to take them into his cousin's driveway instead.
Not that any of them complained about missing the walk - the air temperature had dropped along with the late afternoon sun after they left the mall, and Ben could see puffs of vapor from both girl's faces with each breath they took. He shivered in the breezy 34 degree air, silently regretting his earlier decision to not wear his winter jacket.
He blew out a big breath just to see how much of a cloud he could make as he followed the red haired girl to her front door, then stopped right behind her as she started fumbling in her pockets.
"Hurry up, Dweeb, open the door! I'm freezing out here!" he complained as he hugged his middle to try and block the cold. He was tempted to wrap his arms around her stomach to give her one more hug from the back - that always gave him a warm feeling, and it wasn't just from her body heat.
Ben appreciated they'd had more time together at the mall "Christmas shopping" than he expected - and to be fair, they actually even did some - and quality time with just each other as well as with the other two on their double date. Army Girl and Jorge were fun to hang out with, even with his Dweeb's reaction to finding out Jorge knew what their relationship really was. He was sure having their friends along tipped the scales in their parents' willingness to let them go to begin with; never mind that those two undoubtedly also used their alone time in ways none of their parents would approve of.
But his aunt and uncle were home, and his would show up soon, and Gwen had to be his cousin now instead of his girlfriend.
"Cool your jets, Doofus! You know Mom likes to keep the door locked all the time!"
Still, this was one last opportunity to indulge his feelings for his girlfriend. "All the time?" he replied with a smirk in his voice since she couldn't see the one on his face. "Sure about that?"
Before she could get the key out he stepped into her space anyway to press his front against her back. He reached his left hand around her side and turned the brass doorknob, feeling the latch bolt retract. He hesitated a long second as she pressed back into him before he opened the door, then started forward and pushed her through the doorway.
"Be-en!" she cried out, trying to sound irritated. He knew the difference between that and her happy-but-don't-want-to-show-it tone, though, and it would provide some cover if her parents were paying attention.
Michelle followed them inside, pulling the door closed behind her as she rolled her eyes while they put their shopping bags down. "Vous ne pouvez pas être sérieux les deux!" she muttered while glaring at them. "Quand vous serez pris, ce sera de votre faute!"
"Ça n'arrivera pas!" Ben replied quietly back at her through a grin. "Not because of that, anyway." Gwen just shook her head and shot her look-what-I-have-to-put-up-with glance at the ceiling as they walked into the family room, stamping their feet.
"Cold out there, is it?" Uncle Frank said drily from his reclining chair peering at them over the book he was reading.
"Yeah it is!" Ben agreed along with the girls, rubbing his hands together to warm them up.
"I hear wearing a jacket can keep you warm." the man said sarcastically as he refocused on his reading. "I'd have thought three teenagers would know that by now."
"That's two almost- and one barely-teen, Frank" Aunt Lily teased from the kitchen. "I hope common sense starts to kick in or they may never reach fourteen." She put three steaming mugs on the island between her and the family room.
"Here. Some hot chocolate will warm you three up." she added with a quick smile.
"You're the best Mom!" "Thank you, Mrs Tennyson." his Dweeb and her BFF said as they grabbed a mug.
"Thanks, Aunt Lily" Ben murmured as he took the last one. It came out more timidly than he wanted, something he felt a little confused about. His formerly chilly relationship with the often severe woman had warmed considerably since March, ever since he'd had a regular seat at their table for dinner almost every Friday night before the karate tournament and their last summer trip. Still, between the secrets he and Gwen kept from her, and her attitude towards him before all the movie nights, it was hard to not still be intimidated by her. God help him when she found out about them. He was glad the cold outside gave him an excuse for the shiver that thought caused.
But for tonight, anyway, the wry but friendly smile she gave him at his tentative behavior made him feel more at ease. Must be the holiday mood in the air…
Gwen turned to face her Dad. "Considering what a pain it would have been to lug around a bulky coat while we were at the mall all afternoon, I think we made the right call, Daddy!" she complained. "It was only cold for a minute."
"And we didn't have to worry about searching for a lost jacket" Army Girl smirked, "right Ben?"
"Aw, come on! That only happened once!" Ben sulked. "And it wasn't a jacket, it was my hoodie! And I wouldn't have even forgotten if you two hadn't insisted I try on that stupid sweater!"
His cheeks heated up about that unfair tease while everyone else had a laugh, but he saw Gwen take a half step towards him, like she did when she was about to give him a consolation hug - this wasn't the first time Michelle gave him a hard time him since her Halloween party, even if it didn't have a trace of being mean any more. He waggled his eyebrows at the Dweeb to let her know he saw, though, and her little smirk back let him know he'd get some sympathy later.
"Thanks for having me over for dinner, Mrs Tennyson. My Mom wanted you to know she really appreciates it, too."
"You're more than welcome, Michelle. You know that." Aunt Lily said. "Your mother said your father would come get you by 10?"
"Right. The Colonel and Mom are hosting a party for the senior officers on post, and those are really boring, so I'm happy to not be there. My brothers are staying the night at one of their friends from Angelwood, too."
Aunt Lily looked sympathetic, then glanced at her husband for a moment before turning back to Michelle. "Well, then why don't you stay the night here? You're always welcome for that, too, and I'm sure your parents would appreciate not coming here so late."
The two girls and Gwen's Mom traded looks, and the silent conversation finished in a flash when Michelle agreed with a smile. "That would be great! Thanks Mrs Tennyson! I'll check with my Mom, but I'm sure she'll say yes!"
So much for hoping he could stay the night in the guest room, but there really wasn't much chance of that happening anyway - Ben's parents were due to arrive along with Grandpa any time now, and they'd be taking him home with them after dinner. It was pleasant wishful thinking, though - his aunt and uncle didn't mind them staying up late, and other than the one time Uncle Frank came out unexpectedly and almost busted them, the two didn't worry much about getting caught snuggling close together as they watched a movie. And he'd spend pretty much all day with his Dweeb the day after tomorrow anyway, when the family descended on his house for Christmas.
- x -
"Ugh! Geez! Are we really expected to listen to this?!" Ben cried in disgust, after only the first ten seconds of the baritone voice with a distinctly Southern drawl started droning through the family room speakers.
"What's wrong with Elvis?!" his Mom yelled back, matching her son's tone and volume from the kitchen where she was helping his aunt with dinner. "Blue Christmas is a classic!"
"Nothing, if you're old as dirt!" he called back, making both Gwen and Michelle cringe at the bratty way he sassed back at his mother. "All these crooners we've been stuck with on this station are long past their expiration date!"
He got up from his seat on the couch, crossing the distance to the stereo cabinet as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "Luckily I have just the thing to replace all those old farts!" he said just loud enough for the girls to hear with a particularly wicked smirk. He grabbed a thin black cable lying beside the stereo, jacked it in to his phone and switched the tuner, silencing the speakers. Not that any of the teens in the room actually missed the sounds of Presley moaning out what was actually a very depressing song.
Certainly not something Ben cared to keep listening to, and not just because Elvis was a country golden moldie - there were more than enough tragic I-lost-my-love songs masquerading as Christmas tunes playing constantly everywhere he went; while they were at the mall he must have heard a dozen of them. If it was the 'most wonderful time of the year', why were there so many singers wailing about lost loves and how miserable they were?!
And dragging him down with them.
"Be-en" his Dweeb started to complain. "What are you doing?! You can't just change the station like that!"
"Sure I can! I know how the stereo works; I helped your dad put the cable there in the first place, remember?" he said, looking over his shoulder at her. "Just like this!" he said with a self-satisfied grin before turning back to his flip phone and selecting the perfect tune to remove the uneasiness the one he just interrupted caused him.
This was another case of using one of Grandpa's tricks to stop the nascent panic attack that threatened to overwhelm him again. Even though they'd gotten noticeably less frequent since the Thanksgiving camping trip, and he would never turn down the way his girlfriend could ease the pain, there was no way he could let that happen in this situation. Not in front of Army Girl, and especially not with his Aunt and Uncle and his parents watching. He knew Gwen would help him even with all of them there, but the fallout would cause so many more problems than stopping what everyone had to know was a cringy song anyway.
"Good thing I recorded that Dr Demento show…" he muttered as he hit the play button. He stepped back and turned to watch the reaction as the first notes of what sounded like what he just turned off started playing. Gwen and Michelle got matching confused looks as they both spoke up.
"What the… this is the same song?" "I thought you were gonna play something new?"
That lasted as the first four words came out in a nasally tone before the singer started the unique cartoon character stutter of the word 'blue', and their puzzled looks changed; Gwen got it first, which wasn't surprising considering she was listening to the Dr D radio show with him that Sunday night after Thanksgiving.
"Doofus! You did not just…" she started to say, trying to sound cross until she snorted behind the hand she slapped over her mouth trying to suppress a laugh.
Michelle followed close behind with wide eyes, bursting out "Ben! What the heck?!" as the singer continued mangling what was a depressing song into an over the top parody with a Porky Pig voice. It only took another two lines before all three were cracking up, completely ignoring the scandalized protests from the adults at the tune.
Which turned out to be totally bogus since almost all of them - Aunt Lily maintained her air of haughty amusement, but only just barely, hiding her mouth behind a hand the way she taught her daughter - were laughing as well by the time the equally nasal instrumental solo started. Kazoos are just hilariously ludicrous, adding to the overall absurdity of the song! Ben had retaken his seat on the couch between the two girls, as they both slumped against him almost crying from laughing so hard!
It was actually hard to tell if their parents were amused by the song or the kids' reaction to it. Not that that mattered, as the almost somber mood the first version of the song produced was replaced by howls of laughter, mostly from the men. Porky Pig singing Blue Christmas was as funny as a Three Stooges episode!
The song segued into another holiday tune send-up, again courtesy of the Dr D show, with only token complaints from the adults once it got going. Wreck the Malls was apparently a common point of view for them, based on some of the muttered agreements with the lyrics.
Twisted Sister's heavy metal version of The Twelve Days of Christmas put an end to Ben's playlist as everyone in the house besides him revealed themselves to be rock 'n roll Grinches, loudly demanding a return to "normal" Christmas tunes over his considerable objections.
"Come on Doofus! You're only pretending to like this just because of the cacophonous electric guitar parts!" the Dweeb declared as she swiped his phone from his hands with the lightning quick move she learned from Sensei and pressed the STOP button.
"Hey!" he complained, still as amazed at how fast she did that as he was the first time she did it to him. "The caco-what now?" he said, blinking his eyes in confusion over her obscure vocabulary. Only his Nerd Queen would use a word like that when she was really irritated.
"Cacophonous " Michelle parroted with a smirk before delivering a litany of similar words, making like a multi-lingual and very annoying walking thesaurus. "Noisy! Discordant! Cacophonique! Kakophon! Grating! Harsh! …"
"Yeah, yeah! I get it!" Ben grumbled, giving her a glare that had absolutely no effect. She just borrowed one of her friend's favorite gestures, sticking her tongue out at him. He shot her a dirty look in return.
"In other words, son," his Dad barged in from the kitchen where all the adults were hanging out, "a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds." The evil smirk he finished with was entirely uncalled for!
The other adults chuckled as Uncle Frank added "Let's get some regular Christmas songs going again, shall we?"
Gwen was already at the cabinet when her Dad finished and flipped the stereo control back to TUNER, and the speakers responded with an orchestra playing a familiar holiday instrumental. Ben rolled his eyes and snorted as she sat down next to him and slapped his thigh.
"You had your fun, Doofus! Now let the rest of us enjoy this music." He bumped her knee with his to protest, then left his leg pressed against hers.
Ben had to admit that the familiar classic Sleigh Ride coming from the speakers was infinitely better than the Shag Carpet version Grandpa inflicted on them in the RV a month ago. Only his Dweeb's charm made that cacophony tolerable!
And, yes, he knew about that word long before his traitorous father used it against him!
The radio station played a five song set of instrumentals, but luckily the DJ picked tunes that everyone liked. Even one that Army Girl really got spun up about - a bouncy combination of Let It Snow and Winter Wonderland that featured a cello that was as fun to listen to as it was to watch how the girl reacted to his description of it ("No, it is not just an overgrown violin, Ben!"). Whatever he gave up by not deliberately pressing his girlfriend's buttons so often, Michelle made up for when he teased her!
Mannheim Steamroller had some good versions of regular Christmas songs, even the ones that were toned down that Gwen liked so much. The adults liked the mildly electric way Steamroller played classic carols, and Ben decided when holiday music season started that he would at least not criticize songs his girlfriend liked, like Paul said. Besides feeling good because she enjoyed the music, Ben found he didn't really mind listening to them either - at least Away in a Manger featured some interesting guitar work, even if it was only acoustic.
The Christmas Eve/Sarajevo track, a live compilation of several carols by Trans-Siberian Orchestra that played next was one of his favorites; it had such great electric guitar riffs and power chords mixed with the orchestral instruments - pianos, drums, a flute, bells, even string bass and a cello - that it almost made Ben cheer when it got to the powerful ending! He couldn't help playing air guitar for the last five power chords.
And that was without cranking the volume up to 11 where it should have been, like he would have if he had been at his house!
The radio cut to some commercials then, as Ben and the girls chattered happily about the songs they just heard, and how Michelle and her family had seen Mannheim Steamroller live in Munich in 1997 before the Balkan fighting started.
The ads ended with a familiar tune that wasn't well received by everyone. "Ben! I thought we told you to stop playing songs like this!" his Mom not quite yelled from the kitchen after the first six words started.
"Hey! Don't blame me!" he called back, aggrieved at the unfair accusation. "This is the same radio station! They just started a new set - not my fault it was Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer!" Even though it was also on his parody song list, it got steady air play on the holiday-themed stations, too. And judging by the chuckles while it played, no one was really that upset by it. Swept up in the cheery music and happy, holiday vibe inside his cousin's house, he couldn't help sing along with the last part as a gag, in a very un-serious way, mimicking a Southern drawl at the lower end of his vocal range.
You can say there's no such thing as Santa,
But as for me and Grandpa
We belie-ee-eeevve!
He even followed up with the last line, trying his best to lower his voice to match the baritone at the end of the song.
Merry Christmas!
He didn't get a chance to take a bow for the sarcastic applause and catcalls the girls gave him - the next song was a 1961 comic blast from the past that he couldn't resist, a trio of high pitched voices that were supposed to be chipmunks with some guy named Dave always yelling at the snarky chipmunk named Alvin. Ben had a good time singing that one, copying the critter's tones and coming very close to being a fourth chipmunk voice. Michelle and Gwen's giggling and laughing egged him on, and the sparkle in his girlfriend's eyes when she looked at him was worth any small amount of embarrassment he might have otherwise felt.
That kept him going into the next song, the perennial favorite describing the Grinch as he looted all the Christmas decorations and presents in the cartoon special that always played on TV at Christmastime. This time Michelle joined in, a little timidly at first, but she got more into it as the song progressed, like she did when they did karaoke at her birthday party. Gwen sat there beaming at the two of them, too self-conscious to join in. Still, she was having as much fun as her best friend and the boy who knew he was more than that to her were.
Ben was surprised, then, when both girls complained when the next song started.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" "No! This is awful!" they both whinged during the first line of the lyrics.
I-iiii want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
"Are you guys nuts?! This song is the best!" Ben cried, then started singing along, again matching his parody voice with the original singer's. He stood up when the song got to the first bridge so he could act out the words.
I can see me now on Christmas morning
creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
to see a hippo hero standing there!
The adults laughed along with the girls at how he pantomimed the words as if he were sneaking downstairs, bouncing on his feet to the rhythm of the music with his hands held up at chest height, then dramatically opening his eyes as wide as he could.
Sometimes his past acting out as the class clown was really fun!
He heard Aunt Lily drily asking his parents "Is this normal behavior for him? We've never seen this side of Ben's personality before."
"He's in rare form tonight! We've only seen him do it to this song; for a couple years now." his Mom answered with a laugh, as he kept up his tongue-in-cheek performance, dancing a little jig to the short instrumental part that was punctuated with some lyrics he ad-libbed to.
Mom says a hippo
would eat me up, but then
The Dweeb says a hippo
is a veg-e-tar-ian
Gwen and Michelle were laughing at his antics and were caught by surprise when he suddenly grabbed the redhead's hands and pulled her up from the couch to dance with him. Gwen then did the same to Michelle as the three reacted to the bridge of the song, holding each other's hands in a circle.
Ben dropped their hands for the second part of the bridge and a repeat of his favorite stanza, again miming creeping down the stairs. This time, though, Gwen lined up behind him to do it too, her hands on his shoulders and her height advantage allowing her to peer around his head at the imaginary hippo in front of the brightly lit tree. Michelle ended up doing the same behind Gwen just before the last chorus of the song started. Both girls stood there still laughing as Ben finished by mangling the words 'rhinocerosesses' and 'hippopotamususses' the way the song did, wrapping up his performance with a little flourish and bow to go with his ear to ear grin as the parents and the girls hooted and applauded his impromptu show.
That had been a ton of fun, and he'd been able to include his girlfriend right in front of their parents! No one seemed to bat an eye, and the realization gave him that awesome feeling in his chest that up until today he only got when he and his Dweeb were on their own. Feeling it now, in front of their family, gave him some appreciation for the way his parents acted lovey-dovey at the 'all I want for Christmas is you' songs that used to make him pretend to retch.
It would have to be so much better when he and his Dweeb could show how they felt without having to worry about it!
- G -
A new set started with the DJ explaining it would be a sample of holiday favorites in other countries. The words might not be understood since they wouldn't be in English, but many of the tunes would be recognized. And the overall mood would certainly reflect the holiday spirit.
The first one was instantly recognizable to anyone where Spanish was common, as Ben had demonstrated only an hour or so ago when they left the mall. Maybe that was why 'Chelle got the goofy daydreaming look on her face like she had when Ben called out prospero año as her date for the day walked off towards his ride home.
That was followed by two songs in their original German, O Tannenbaum that was almost as common as Felice Navidad, but the second - Leise rieselt der Schnee (Snow Falls Softly at Night) - was new to almost all the adults in the house. Michelle seemed to know it, probably because she spent all that time at the Army post in Germany, as did Grandpa. And of course Gwen and her hero partner did as the brain bugs made her taste spicy brown mustard; Gwen shot the often oblivious boy a "watch it" look as she wondered what flavor his bugs gave off.
Then it was off to France as a new song started, another one where the quiet, beautiful melody was as well known as the woman singing it.
The French version of Silent Night gently ended and the DJ stayed as quiet as the kitchen and living room for several seconds before introducing the last song in the set. Even Ben got it, surprising even himself from the look on his adorable face by not breaking the calm, almost reverential mood.
"There's nothing more I can add to that except to say that Celine Dion's voice is as beautiful as the words - and hearing it in French reinforces the true meaning of Christmas. … This next tune is also well known in the French speaking world, a touching story of a romantic walk in snow covered woods. Even without knowing the language, the peace of the season should be apparent in the music. This is Le Sentier de Neige."
The adults returned to their conversation in the kitchen as the foreign tune started and got back to finishing preparations for dinner. Even so, the waltz-like tempo of the music and the lyrics of the song cut through that background noise, more so for Gwen and her classmate since their French teacher had played it in class more than once in the days before Christmas break started.
Ben also listened intently as his bugs translated the words that described a quiet stroll along a snow covered trail in a forest. His cheeks reflected the pink glow Gwen felt on her cheeks at the way the woman singing talked about kissing her love in the winter solitude. The way her Doofus hitched his breath when she caught his gaze at a key line stole her's away…
I told you I love you in the peace of the woods
…his sparkling green eyes momentarily lighting up with affection before he jerked his head to look apprehensively towards the adults - as much to mask the feelings he felt but found so hard to express even when they were alone as to see if the parents were paying any attention.
At least she thought he felt the same way as her, as she went over her plan in her mind again, when she would finally say the three words to him that she only recently could say to herself.
A part of her mind marveled at how songs could trigger such a wide array of emotions - in this case, deep and satisfying affection.
They could also be so troubling, when the words and tone almost forced her to deal with the dilemma she faced all during the first half of the year…
"Say goodnight, Ben" Aunt Sandra said as she opened the front door.
"Goodnight Ben" the cheeky little brat said with a smirk as Gwen's long-suffering aunt rolled her eyes in bemused irritation. His voice sounded like his usual brash self, but the look he shot her as he said it, full of… something she couldn't quite decipher, a mix of happiness and being sleepy even if he wouldn't admit how physically demanding Sensei had been that afternoon. And the odd sortof longing she'd noticed more and more over the past couple of weeks. Ever since she'd delayed her test for blue belt, when Ben had been so pleased that they'd be able to compete after all. Even if the little twerp tried to not show it.
That train of thought stayed with her after they finished saying goodbye the right way - with a grin and a wave of her hand from a yard away instead of the hug that had come so easily on their birthday and then seemed so wrong, especially in front of family - and she went back upstairs to get ready for bed. When she finished brushing her teeth and applying the various moisturizers her Mom and karate got her in the habit of using, she went back to her room and replaced the loose fitting sweats she threw on after her post-karate shower with her usual knee-length nightgown.
She turned off the room light and murmured the words to activate her nightlight charm, grinning slightly as she thought of how her Doofus would react if he saw it. He was always so fascinated when she used magic, looking at her with awe and even pride. Not in himself, of course - try as he did a few times, he didn't seem to have the spark - but in her, of all things!
As much as she liked it, that thought also changed her grin into a frown and added to the debilitating confusion she was feeling because of him - she couldn't tell what was going on in that pea-brain of his since the beginning of the year, and it was driving her crazy! And not at all in a good way… She cringed for a moment as she recalled the awful day in the dojo after a particularly bad nightmare when she ended up hurting her Doofus. The cringe turned into a small grin at how they ended that night snuggled against each other listening to the soothing music he played, despite that episode.
Only to fall asleep crying silent tears when she got home at how chaotic her emotions and feelings were. Not for the first time since that night, she thought again what are you doing to me, Ben?
She grabbed her phone as she sat on the edge of her bed, unable to not press the buttons that started a song she'd been listening to more than she should have since she heard it at school two weeks before the karate tournament. It wasn't a happy one - the music was beautifully melancholy and the words ate at her in a way she never knew she could feel. She knew she shouldn't start it again, but she was weirdly attracted to it like a moth was to a flame.
She pressed the Play button, set the nightlight charm to its lowest level and lay back in bed as the haunting melody and foreign, butter-flavored words lulled her to the familiar and unpleasant twilight between being awake and aware, and sleep…
.
Since the second week of the Fall semester, her French teacher at Angelwood played songs during class to get her students used to hearing the spoken language, starting with elementary tunes like Alouette and Frere Jacques. After a month or so the songs switched to mainstream contemporary favorites Ms Robere recorded the last time she was in Paris, including love songs that most of the class couldn't figure out. Gwen and Michelle did, though, along with one or two other kids. But only her bestie gave her the teasing, humorous smirks that Gwen could only roll her eyes at instead of trying to convince the girl again that Ben wasn't anything more than her cousin.
One day after class ended, while Michelle was busy with something at the office about her little brothers, Gwen stayed behind to go over her class notes before meeting her friend in the parking lot for a ride home. Ms Robere had left the cassette recording of a French radio show going in the background while she graded some essays the class just attempted, occasionally gasping and chuckling quietly, no doubt because of the humorously atrocious way the students could mangle what she always referred to as a beautiful language.
A song the class hadn't heard before started, so Gwen stopped what she was doing to focus on the new lyrics, and very quickly regretted doing so. The song, innocently titled Juste Toi et Moi (Just You and Me), turned out to be anything but, as the singer implied making love with his current paramour. Gwen's face burned as the translated words registered.
Juste toi et moi un peu trop sales
On n'a rien fait de mal
"Gwendolyn, are you all right? Your face is very flush…" her teacher asked, looking up from her desk with a worried expression.
"No, I'm, um… " she stammered, "isn't, um… isn't this song a little risqué?" she finally blurted.
"Risqué?" her teacher replied with a quizzical look. An understanding smirk replaced it as she murmured "Ah yes, the American tendency to public Puritanism…"
"Perhaps you've never heard some of these sentiments in French before," she continued, "but in US culture they certainly aren't something new, hmm? To be clear, this song is saying the singer and his lover physically indulge their romantic feelings and have nothing to be ashamed of."
"Why… why would you play songs like this?" Gwen asked plaintively, unaccustomed to such provocative lyrics. Her mother would be scandalized if she ever heard it!
"Well, as I said, students at your age certainly know such things as affection and physical romance, even if only by hearing about them. They are, after all, a significant part of the culture." The young woman paused to let that sink in.
"They are even more so in France. To truly understand the language one must also know how the culture influences it, and vice versa. So in my class you will learn French culture as well as the language, including various forms of romance - this song is very popular in Paris, for both the music and the sentiment."
She paused for another moment to consider Gwen with a knowing look. "But from what I've overheard, it seems you may have more actual experience with what the singer is saying?"
"What?! How… why would you think that?!" Gwen asked in astonishment as the burn in her cheeks started to feel like flames.
"Oh, come now, ma chère, even we teachers hear about your petit ami mystérieux." the older woman tittered behind a sunny smile.
While they were talking, the song that started the conversation ended as a new one began whose melody and easily understood lyrics demanded that Gwen split her attention from the conversation. Titled D'amour ou d'amitie (Love or Friendship), according to the DJ Celine Dion released it over six years ago. It even got moderate air play for a couple months on American foreign language radio, including a station her Mother favored at the time, Gwen suddenly remembered. The melody was hauntingly beautiful, but it was long before the summer she got the brain bugs so she didn't pay attention to words she couldn't understand.
It wasn't until just now that Gwen found out what the song was about - a woman torn between the friendship love she feels for a special man, and wanting it to become romantic love. But the singer doesn't know how to make that happen since she doesn't know if that's what the man wants.
Je ne sais pas où je suis quelque part dans sa vie
(I don't know where I am somewhere in his life)
He's so close to me
Yet I don't know
How to love him
Let's talk about love
Or friendship
Hearing and understanding it now was too much, amplifying the nightmares and the nonsensical boyfriend gossip going around school that were overwhelming her while she was struggling to deal with her feelings and what to do about her Doofus - her cousin.
Ever since their birthday party, Gwen had wrestled with the question she and Ben asked each other - What do you want? - after they seemed to patch things up after the ice ball incident. Once the initial awkwardness started to ease - it took a few months, but by the beginning of April they stopped jumping whenever they unconsciously touched each other - and they got back into their movie night routine, Ben made no more attempts to show anything but being friends.
At least any that were obvious, especially around other people. But there were small things that Gwen felt could be more than just that - stolen looks while she was tutoring him and when they were hanging out that showed genuine affection before quickly changing to embarrassment when she caught him, sitting so closely to her that they often touched from their knees to their hips until they ended up leaning their bodies together (which sometimes made her insides all jittery, but she didn't know why), and unconscious hand holding when a movie got intense that a year ago would have been too gross to tolerate except as a prank.
Then there were the songs he learned specifically to play for her, tunes that had more than an undertone of sensitivity the normally brash boy had never let her see before. He insisted there were no hidden meanings, and at first she took that at face value. But the lyrics were more often than not pretty direct, even if the underlying music was more of the hard rock he preferred.
She even caught herself doing the same things to him, and for some reason she felt weird about when she did. The easy way she used to touch him before New Years had become so uncomfortable after the hugs they shared outside the ice rink, all because he stole her first kiss and then retreated back into himself. Despite inexplicably wanting to give him a peck on the cheek like she used to, especially after he did something cute (which happened more often than she would have thought), she successfully suppressed the urge whenever it came up. The sick part of her brain actually missed doing that.
And there was his almost fierce determination to face her in the karate tournament in less than two weeks, even when the other kids in the dojo teased him about it. More than once she overheard snippets of conversations - 'Dude, why are you going off about the match? You know you aren't going to beat Feet of Fury, even if you get past the other green belts!' 'Or maybe he just likes getting his ass kicked - the view of the ceiling looking up from the mat must be amazing!' Ben would scowl but only tell them to stuff themselves (something he adapted after Sensei caught him dropping an f bomb once - his punishment was doing all the after-class cleanup by himself, twice!).
Unexpectedly, the person she expected to be the main instigator of snark like that never joined in when he heard it; Paul would just chuckle softly before smirking in a weird way at her Doofus and deflecting the conversation. Gwen saw him give her the same look a few times, too, for some reason the blond boy never explained. She just figured that was because of her decision to delay her progress to blue belt until after summer.
None of that made sense to her! She couldn't tell what Ben was thinking, why he acted so weird and twitchy, and the little twerp wouldn't explain any of it! And the strange and wrong feelings she had… sometimes because of the way he acted, but often when he wasn't around and she still had them. Feelings that made her feel good - hanging out with Ben was fun, it made her happy, she just liked being with him whatever they were doing - before she caught herself, and abruptly and forcefully made herself stop because they weren't good!
They couldn't be! She just couldn't act on them!
Ben was her cousin! Her family, a friend… her Doofus!
That was d'amitié, not d'amour!
Wasn't it?
But… if they did get together like that … could it work? Did she want it to?
Did he?
Gwen shook her head to clear those thoughts and the craziness she'd been feeling for the past several weeks that justified the nickname Michelle christened her with. Emotional turmoil she had successfully suppressed in front of people - her family, the kids at school and the dojo, especially him! Until it boiled over when they were supposed to be only sparring and she unconsciously punched him so hard it left that ugly bruise on his shoulder. One she felt guilty for giving to him, and then again when she used her mana to heal it and she liked the feel of his chest against her palm…
Her teacher noticed the storm of weird thoughts raging in her head while they were talking and gave her a friendly but quizzical look.
"Are you saying the stories are not true?"
"I… well, that is…" Gwen stammered a non-denial as her face got hotter at the implication her teacher seemed to be making.
"That is answer enough!" the French woman laughed lightly. "Perhaps songs like this, that you seem to like listening to, strike a chord with you for more than their melody, n'est-ce pas?"
Gwen blushed even harder and looked away, and didn't answer. How could she?! She didn't feel what the woman was insinuating! It was as absurd now as it was when Marci said it last year after she read his messages from the phone her former friend stole.
Because Ben didn't feel that way for her! … Did he?
Her teacher laughed again.
"You don't have to answer. It's enough that you understand and enjoy the songs, maybe with a special someone as well, yes? Even if he can't understand the words, the music itself is pleasing enough."
.
Those months between Ben's first kiss and the episode when she finally accepted her true feelings for him, that she only really believed when her BFF made her face them - in a clothing store dressing room of all places! - were one of the hardest times of her life. And yet all of them had gotten her to this place, physically and emotionally, where she knew she loved the cute, goofy boy in the room.
They were all so worth it!
And soon, she'd tell him. Just like in the song…
Gwen caught her boyfriend's eyes as the song finished and, seeing that none of the adults were looking in their direction, gave him a soft smile for a long second. The look he sent back made her heart race so that she had to look away instead of rushing to hug him. She knew how he felt about hiding what they were to each other - he'd said it more than once - and like him, she ached with the desire to show it anyway, but this just wasn't the right time.
Not yet…
- L -
Lily hummed the last notes of the French song as she did her part of making dinner with her in laws, the last one in the set of foreign language holiday tunes. She looked to where the kids were lounging in the family room, enjoying the songs and the overall festive Christmas mood. The sight of the three of them sitting next to each other on the couch warmed her heart as she reflected on how much her daughter and nephew had changed over the last couple years; three years ago they could hardly stand to be in the same room for long, and now her Silly Bean and her incorrigible cousin sat so close they must have been constantly bumping shoulders as they reacted to the music, swaying slightly to the beat.
Their closeness could have been another source of family drama, due to her brother and sister in law's recent misgivings about how the two kids seemed closer than just being friends. Would have, except for the addition of Gwen's friend Michelle sitting just as close to Ben on his other side. The boy who used to be so fidgety and allergic to "girl cooties" didn't seem to mind the incidental touches that happened from being so physically near the two girls. This was something her daughter also wouldn't tolerate back then without at least a shove and some sharp words, truth be told. Now, though, none of them seemed to even notice.
That wasn't quite true, either, the older redhead realized after a moment, when Ben turned his face away from Michelle as a distinct pink flush rose across his cheeks. At the same time Lily recognized the phrase 'I love you' of the song and wondered at what she saw - was the boy suddenly aware of and embarrassed by his physical closeness to his crush, or was his shyness the result of also hearing je t'aime, words that even in a foreign language would often cause awkward squirming in most pre-teen kids. Even without knowing the translation, the mood of the song was impossible to miss, but… Could the exotic looking - and French speaking - girl cuddled against him have said those words to him in a more private setting?
Lily often liked to think the cute, olive skinned girl Gwen inexplicably became friends with was a large part of the changes in the other two. It wasn't just that Michelle was academically able to keep up with the red head - and sometimes even turn the tables when she helped Gwen with their French class essays. Michelle's inclination to be "huggy", as her daughter used to complain about, had been a noticeable influence to Gwen becoming more physically affectionate. As was her grandfather - Max's hugs for both of the kids during and between their summer trips surely also got Gwen used to being more outwardly affectionate with Lily and Frank as well as her aunt and uncle.
And even with Ben, much to all the adults surprise - it wasn't all that unusual since the start of school for the two to share a non-accidental touch to a shoulder or hold a hand. Except for Max, now that she thought about it; the old goat never was, instead just barely smiling to himself in an almost smug way when the kids weren't acting like their recalcitrant ten year old selves.
Lily noted that Michelle's influence extended to Ben, too, at least the way she saw it. Although it seemed obvious to her, she wouldn't be surprised if Sandra and Carl didn't agree; but they never really saw their son and Michelle interact. On the admittedly few situations where she observed both kids together, the seemingly obnoxious way they treated each other was an obvious dodge to having affectionate feelings for each other. It was almost textbook behavior according to the child development class she took as part of her psychology degree; Lily wouldn't be surprised to see more overt PDAs between the two by the time they got out of middle school. They seemed to be on the brink of it right now, but that was probably due to the general holiday influence.
Or maybe from the song that just finished; it was mildly suggestive, after all. Lily liked to think she was conversant in French, but other than recognizing limited phrases of the song that just finished - even without knowing the language "I kissed you" wasn't that hard to figure out - she couldn't quite decipher the details of the lyrics. She got the general romantic gist of it though, as she glanced more than once at Frank while the music played. She saw looks on the smitten kids' faces that seemed to approach how she felt about her husband. She was sure the flush on Gwen was due to some embarrassment at how her friend and her cousin looked at each other, though. Being a third wheel had to be difficult sometimes.
So it wasn't at all surprising to see the Arab girl encourage and at the same time tease Ben when he started the ad lib music performance when the novelty holiday songs were playing. Or to hear her escalate it now that a new set of pop tunes started. Lily was initially perplexed at Michelle's challenge for the boy to sing without goofing his way through it - this was Ben they were talking about, after all, what else would he do - but then she remembered Gwen talking about how he surprised his classmates when he played and sang with his friend's garage band at that dance. Her daughter came very close to gushing over that, truth be told, and Lily started thinking maybe Sandra and Carl were actually on to something between the two cousins.
What she saw at Michelle's birthday squashed that line of thinking, though, when the girls convinced Ben to play his guitar along with the karaoke machine. The birthday girl was quite taken by how he performed then, seemingly for her; not to mention that he'd let her put theatrical face makeup on him that rivaled the Ziggy Stardust look Lily remembered from her school days. Michelle was remarkably talented in that art, with even Ben conceding what she did to him wasn't 'totally dorky'. And that the girl standing shoulder to shoulder with her daughter looked 'so cool'.
In the end, that episode held more sway than his parents' suspicions; it just made more sense from the developmental psychology point of view that the boy would be infatuated by the exotic looking girl. Besides, even though Gwen and Ben had outgrown their childish antipathy towards each other, the idea that either of them somehow developed romantic feelings was just absurd - if for no other reason, they were too young.
- B -
The radio show started another couple of minutes of ads, so the kids gradually restarted their conversation after the awkward silence that followed the unexpected love song, with lyrics that gave him the familiar and blissful tightness in his chest he felt whenever he was with his Dweeb. A feeling that even the gross taste of sour cherries and the pinch behind his eyes from his brain bugs couldn't mask. Happily, none of the adults could tell what the words meant or how they affected the two cousins as they continued preparing dinner without any suspicious glares.
When the next set started, it was thankfully back to pop holiday tunes. Ones that he and the girls grew up with and could keep doing their spontaneous karaoke to.
Not like Ben had any choice. He had to after Army Girl challenged him the way she did when Little St Nick started.
"We know you can mangle comedy songs, Ben. Can you sing regular songs in a normal way?" she smirked at him as The Beach Boys song started a new set. "Or can you only be a goofball?"
"Of course I can! You've heard me!" Ben snorted back.
"Ah, singing backup in a garage band is one thing, but carrying a tune by yourself is very different." she said. "Don't get me wrong, I meant it when I said you sounded good at the dance. But songs like these" she nodded towards the speakers, "are different. You can't hide behind your fancy guitar work if you mess up!"
"Think you're up for it, guitar man?!" the olive skinned girl dared in that smug way she had.
The smirk on her face was too much! He knew these songs as well as anyone, including the totally obnoxious girl. He'd heard her singing voice when she and his girlfriend convinced him to play guitar along with the karaoke machine at her birthday party. Michelle proved she had a good voice, just like his Dweeb said, and her implication that she was better than he was really set him off.
There was no way he'd admit his wasn't at least as good! Better for this tune, in fact, since it was done by a bunch of guys. His voice would blend in well now that he grew out of that annoying little boy falsetto.
So he jumped in at the second verse, confidently singing words normally used in the band's songs about muscle cars like Little Deuce Coupe, that instead described Santa's sleigh. It was easy to sing along with the energetic holiday rock classic; if only he had his axe so he could add some personalized riffs to wipe off the girl's smirk, it would be perfect.
Well, the way the girls were acting made it perfect anyway, all grins and dancing on their butts where they sat. Not that Ben paid much attention to the dark haired girl after he shot her a 'how bout them apples' look and focused, like usual, on the redhead next to her with the sensuous moves and beaming smile that lit up his world.
Even after Michelle decided to join in with him as the soprano voice for the oo-ooh Merry Christmas lines to his close-to-baritone ones of Christmas comes this time each year at the end of the song. The girl really did sound good, harmonizing with his voice as well as she did when she sang karaoke. The pleasing sound must have been why Aunt Lily had that small grin he saw when he glanced towards the kitchen. Kinda weird, but better than seeing the not-quite-glare she still used on him that went with the recent parental rule changes.
When the song segued into the silky smooth baritone of Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song, Ben just listened after The Beach Boys hit ended. It wasn't that he couldn't harmonize with the classic song - even Ben had to agree the man's voice proved why the song was so popular decades after Cole passed away - it was just that it wasn't his style at all. Too quiet, too subdued… too much like the way he sang the unplugged rock songs he did for Gwen just a week ago when Grandpa mysteriously disappeared for an hour.
So of course Michelle wouldn't let him sit this one out…
"Don't stop now, Watch Boy! Doing a Beach Boys cover is one thing, let's hear how you do with a quieter one!" his nemesis for the evening just couldn't let it go.
"Nuh uh" he said gruffly as he shook his head sideways. "Definitely not my thing!" he declared as he tried to avoid what he knew would become an uncomfortable situation. He could deal with small PDAs like holding hands and quick kisses when they were around their friends at the mall, but doing songs like this were really hard to hide how he felt. Having his voice catch from the lump he'd feel in his throat, even for a second, would invite more attention from his parents than he was ready for. And even if they didn't notice, Army Girl definitely would and she'd never stop giving him crap about it!
But his Dweeb ignored what she knew he was trying to do, because of course she did!
"Come on, Ben, we know you can do upbeat songs. Show that you can be sensitive, too." she said in that low, irresistible voice.
She gave him that look that went with it, the sparkling, puppy dog eyes and the smile he couldn't ignore! Then she twisted the knife.
"Like you have for me." she murmured in a way that made her friend turn her head and gape in shock at what the absolute Dweeb just admitted. So much for keeping that between the two of them!
When Army Girl shot him an admiring look of all things he knew he'd been hooked.
Ben stared at his irresistible girlfriend for a second before whispering "No fair!" Then he took in a deep breath knowing there was no way out now and focused on the song playing through the stereo speakers.
Not that he didn't give one last try to turn it into a prank. He picked up the song as the first verse transitioned to the next, and tried taking a not-quite-serious approach at first, exaggerating the first couple of lines.
… and folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows
a turkey and some mistletoe …
Gwen's happy anticipation morphed into such a look of disappointment that he had to stop before he really got started, as he adjusted his voice to be sincere and match what was coming from the speakers. His didn't sound anything like Nat King Cole's honey smooth tone - his voice wasn't fully developed yet, but the squeaks and cracks had blessedly stopped - as he made his early teen tenor harmonize with the older man's baritone.
A conversation Ben had with Paul raced through his thoughts, when they talked after his school dance about playing subdued songs for an audience and not being shy.
"If you're gonna play a tune, don't be timid. Especially if the style calls for playing softly, be up front with it. Piano and pianissimo don't mean weak! You've got good technique, great tone and rhythm, you can interpret different styles really well - use all that to your advantage!"
"But what if I mess up?" Ben asked, admitting one of his personal fears. After all the screw ups he made in front of his class in elementary school, when his classmates gave him shit and laughed, even when he was really trying to be serious… It had been one thing when he believed he couldn't be as good as them (or as her!) and played up being the class clown. But he was good at playing guitar, and liked that those same kids acknowledged it; he didn't want to give that up. And he sure didn't want to ruin how Gwen viewed him now that he had something that she openly admired him for.
"Keep doing what I've already heard you do - yes, I've heard your goof-ups and mangled parts! Be bold, own it but don't let it own you, and keep playing!
You're the cockiest son of a bitch I've ever met - don't worry, you're getting better at not being too annoying about it." the tall blond said as Ben started to frown. He pressed on before Ben could even start to protest.
"It's one of your best assets when you're performing. That goes double for singing, too. You've got a good voice - lots of people whose opinion about this is worth listening to, not just me - so if you're gonna sing do it with authority! And if you're going to do it for Gwen, you know she's gonna like it no matter what you think of it or whether or not you do it perfectly! It's a chance for you to give her a gift - don't dick it up by being bashful!" Paul finished with a grin.
That advice came back in a rush, the way it did when he sang for her a few days ago. The look in her eyes was enough to make his fear disappear to nothing then, so he decided to do it again. Everything besides her and the song faded into the background…
So of course everyone in the kitchen had to listen even if they pretended not to. In spite of that, Ben couldn't stop without becoming more embarrassed, so he did what Paul said and stepped it up, singing a bit stronger than the music but still blending with the song.
Thankfully, he got to the ending without making any strange sounds despite the calm nature of the song. The looks on the girls' faces - Michelle's a mix of surprise and approval, his Dweeb's a reprise of the happy appreciation and tender affection she gave him the last time he did something like this - was all he focused on so he wouldn't have to face the astonished looks the adults had as they stared from the kitchen.
although it's been said
Many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you
Mer-ry Chris-tmas to-oo youuu…
As the song ended the pink and green dots appeared again on the red stone around Gwen's neck, racing once through the black lines before blinking out. Luckily only Ben saw it, as all the other eyes present were fixed on him. Which wasn't that bad when Ben saw his girlfriend twitch and almost stood up; she was on the verge of repeating the mind bending hug and kiss she spent a few dozen heartbeats giving him after his unplugged performance for her last week.
He almost wished she hadn't held herself back, even if he knew their parents would totally have a cow over it.
The uncomfortable attention the adults were giving him continued until the lights in the room and on the tree flickered momentarily, causing the looks by their parents to turn bewildered and anxious as his Dad complained.
"Again?! Just like before… I put all new lights in the fixtures, and I had to get completely new strings for the tree. I don't understand it!"
But the flickering stopped almost immediately, and Ben's performance earned an awkward quiet that lasted long enough that he started wishing the universe would swallow him whole to stop the raging emotions that were swirling in his stomach. He was afraid he overdid it and the accusations would start any second…
To his amazement it was his own mother who gave him the way out of this predicament, whether she meant to or not. She shot him a glance that almost looked like motherly pride before it turned pragmatic.
She cleared her throat when the radio started playing the next non-descript carol, breaking the un-natural lapse in conversation and said "Ben, we're almost ready for dinner. I put some bottles of Pinot Noir and Sancerre in the garage fridge when we got here. Would you go get them?"
Ben blinked his eyes in confusion as the fog cleared from his now very self-conscious brain. "Hunh?! … The what now?" he managed to say without croaking.
The blond woman replied with a short chuckle and a wry grin. "Sorry. The bottles of red and white wine. There's two of each. … Oh, and a couple bottles of sparkling cider for you and Gwen and Michelle."
"Oh… yeah, sure Mom." he said, wishing his speaking voice right now had the assurance he felt when he was singing for his cousin. Sounding like a wuss was almost worse than getting called out for acting so emotionally out of character. He started shuffling towards the garage, and reached for the doorknob when he heard Gwen behind him.
"Hold up, Ben, I'll give you a hand."
He nodded, not really trusting his voice to not give away what he was feeling, and held the door open for her. Once they were through, he carefully closed the door behind him instead of the usual almost slam. He took a step towards the fridge, unconsciously looking at the smooth concrete floor before raising his head to see his Dweeb watching him with concern clouding her glistening green eyes.
"Are you ok Doofus? You look kinda… lost."
The glib denial was right there on the tip of his tongue, but he decided to tell her what he was feeling instead. "I, um… no, I'm not…"
He took a deep breath before continuing. "My chest is all tight, and it's hard to breath, and my insides are all twitchy, and…"
He looked deep into her eyes. "And I almost want to puke, but… but it's the best feeling and I wanna…"
He hesitated to finish, lost for the right words.
Not surprisingly, Gwen did it for him. "Want to hold you and kiss you and cuddle, just the two of us…" she murmured, completing his thought.
"Yeah! I want to give you the feeling I have!" he gushed. "You feel it too! I know you do! That's why the lights buzzed and flickered, like they did the year before last. But you aren't pissed off now like you were then, and I saw your necklace do the pink and green dots thing when the lights all flashed!"
He blinked and looked down at his shoes, as another wave of uncharacteristic self-doubt and crazy feelings swept over him - he hoped he was right, but what if he wasn't? What if he just wanted it to be true, but he was too far out ahead of what she felt, like he was last year? What if he was about to mess everything up again?!
"Unless I'm just…" he swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, the kind he got when he knew he was overthinking things and being so… so emotional that he couldn't think straight and blurted out words… like he used to tease her for doing.
"Do you know what I mean?" he croaked out as he ducked his head.
There was another awkward silence and he was sure he screwed up again. And then his Dweeb whipsawed his emotions again…
"Yes, Doofus!" the beautiful girl said quietly but emphatically. "I do! I know exactly what you mean!"
She looked meaningfully at the closed door to the kitchen, then stepped towards him. "Maybe this will help…" she murmured before wrapping her arms around his back and kissing him deeply and tenderly. It wasn't a makeout one, or like she did when he had a panic attack; this was her showing the affection he felt.
She broke it off but kept holding him in her arms. "Like that?" she asked softly.
"Yeah." he replied the same way. Only now he felt so much emotion he thought he'd burst and he wished he was wearing the watch so he could let it out the way he used to. "But I still want to go XLR8 and run… "
Gwen must have forgotten how he did that with her because she unexpectedly got a downcast look. "By yourself?" she said sadly. "Yeah, I guess that… "
"NO!" Ben exclaimed, rushing to reassure his girlfriend so she wouldn't feel the self-doubt she just got him over. "No! Not just me! I want to pick you up and carry you like we did last year when Grandpa disappeared after… at the beginning of July!"
Gwen perked up with a surprised look. "You remember that?!"
"Of course I do! That's one of my best dreams! I always have you with me in that one!"
He brought up his right hand to caress her cheek and almost whooped as her eyes lit up again along with the smile spreading over her face. He smiled back at her for a long moment, basking in the amazing feeling they shared.
It didn't last as long as he wanted, though, as they remembered the chore that was taking too long to finish, and Gwen glanced at the door to the kitchen.
"It's not fair!" Ben complained, not for the first time. He knew what she was looking out for, what she was worrying about.
"What?"
"I want to do all this stuff in the open, not hiding! I want my parents and uncle Frank and aunt Lily to see how good you make me feel! They can do it, why can't we?!"
Gwen gave him an understanding look. "I feel that way too, Doofus, but we can't. Not yet."
Ben gazed back at her mesmerizing eyes. Then he felt that goofy, smitten look on his face that only she could make him have. "Then you need to cover up your Keystone. It's doing that light show again!"
He turned them so they could see their reflection in the windshield of the parked minivan so she could see the pink and green dots racing. "See?!"
Gwen gasped as she finally got a look at what Ben had been seeing since before Thanksgiving. She let go of him and turned to face her reflection while the racing dots traced through the lines on the charm for a few more seconds. He laughed quietly as she brought up her left hand to touch the red stone and her jaw dropped at the sight. He hugged her from behind and peered over her right shoulder to see her reflection in the glass.
"So that's what you've been talking about!" she murmured. She looked at his reflection when the dots disappeared, the green chasing after the pink, her eyes wide. "Does that happen often?"
Ben let her go and walked to the fridge so they could get back in the house before his Mom got suspicious. "Not a lot, but I think it might be increasing." he said as if what they just saw was only mildly interesting.
He grabbed the wine bottles and stepped out of the way so she could get the cider ones. "You better hide it again." he said, letting his gaze fall from her eyes to her chest, er, throat. He looked back up at how her eyes smoldered at him and could tell his feigned indifference was driving her crazy! Just like he intended - it was always one of the most awesome things he'd ever see, but he couldn't pass up the prank opportunity either.
He only kept it up for a second though. "You know, I hate that you have to hide that, too. That's the coolest thing I've ever seen!" The way her face lit up when he said it… It wasn't why he did, but he loved her reaction!
"Now that I think about it, even if you hide the charm the necklace is right there. How come no one sees that?" he wondered.
Gwen closed the fridge door before answering. "I use a spell to keep people from noticing it. Or the Keystone." she replied. "Like you said I should."
"Oh. Cool!" he said when she reminded him that he came up with the idea at Thanksgiving. But… "Wait - then how come I can see them?"
Gwen got an adorably shy smile. "Because I want you to! You gave it to me, after all! … I figured out how to make the spell selective. I always make it so you can see them, Doofus, 'cause I know you won't give it away."
"Come on, we need to get back inside!" She leaned into him to give a quick kiss to his forehead. "I'm hungry!"
He returned the beaming smile she gave him as they went back to the kitchen.
Yeah, Christmas with his girlfriend really was wonderful!
.
.
/
Songs for this chapter:
Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley
Blue Christmas (parody), as heard on the Dr Demento radio show, artist unknown
Wreck the Malls, Bob Rivers
Twelve Days of Christmas, Twisted Sister
Sleigh Ride, Boston Pops
Carol of the Bells, Mannheim Steamroller
Away In a Manger, Mannheim Steamroller
Christina's Eve/Sarajevo, Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,
Little Saint Nick, The Beachboys
Feliz Navidad (Spanish/English), Jose Feliciano
O Tannenbaum (German),
Leise rieselt der Schnee (German)
Silent Night (French), Celine Dion
Le Sentier de Neige (French),
Juste Toi et Moi (French), Indochine
D'amour ou d'amitie, Celine Dion
The Christmas Song, Nat King Cole
Underneath the Tree, Kelly Clarkson
Jingle Bell Rock, Hall & Oates
All I Want for Christmas, Mariah Carey
Let It Snow, The Piano Guys
O Holy Night, Weezer
Baby It's Cold Outside, Idina Mendel / Michael Bublé
Believe, Josh Groban