Chapter 7

I picked up a small 4ft Christmas tree at a local hardware store and a single strand of LED lights to go on it. She picked out a small box of balls and a few extra ornaments. We did our shopping together most of the time but sometimes separately, which was Okay with me.

I found a beautiful small gold heart shaped locket and had our tiny pictures put in it and had it engraved with ‘I love you, Lonnie.’ I hoped she liked it. She didn’t have any jewelry at all and I wanted to do something special for her. Next, I found a pair of beautiful 1-carat diamond stud earrings and had them gift-wrapped. I knew she would have to get her ears pierced to wear them and hoped she liked them. I didn’t know if she had ever had her ears pierced before but it was time. The last thing I did was find an engagement ring. I searched hundreds of rings and went to several stores until I finally found what I was looking for. It was a beautiful traditional filigree ring with a large 2-carat diamond; I had never seen anything like it before. I knew it was meant for Casey’s hand; she was my princess and nothing less would do for her. I got her a couple of little extraneous gifts, a t-shirt and a pair of shorts I thought would look good on her and a Baby Doll negligee from Victoria’s Secret.

She asked me what I got her and I pretended to be mysterious. I put my presents for her under the tree and didn’t hide them. She found time to do some shopping and put presents under the tree for me. We spent time together and her Christmas break was wonderful.

I had decided to fly us up to Portland Maine for a few days, eat some lobster, and have fun. We loved the trip and swore we would go back for a longer trip soon.

We were back home on the 23rd of December and excited about our first Christmas together. I bought a duck at a local butcher shop and looked up online how to roast it in the oven. Casey looked up how to make a simple dressing and we figured out some veggies we liked that we would cook.

Casey remembered a girlfriend from the café that didn’t have any family, called her, and asked if she would like to join us for Christmas dinner. I loved that about her, she was a loving, caring, generous person to a fault. She wanted to help everyone, especially those less fortunate; I hoped her friend could come spend time with us.

Her girlfriend was free and agreed to come by Christmas day for lunch with us. I went out and picked up some generic presents for our guest and a gift certificate. Casey went out also and picked out some nice things for her including some clothes and everything was gift-wrapped.

Christmas Day, we busied ourselves with getting our first Christmas dinner together with roasted duck, dressing and veggies. I had 3 bottles of a nice white wine chilling and a frozen pumpkin pie thawing.

I hoped everything turned out wonderful and her friend had a good time with us for Christmas. Casey was the love of my life and nothing was more important to me than her happiness.

About 10:30, there was a knock at the door and Casey went to answer it. Moments later Casey led our guest into the kitchen and introduced us. “Lonnie, I’d like you to meet my friend Sarah Mathews,” she said.

I reached for her hand “It is an honor to meet you Milady,” as I bowed deeply, took her hand and kissed it. “Your presence at our Christmas Dinner is both wonderful and appreciated. We’re honored you can be here with us,” I said to welcome her. Her eyes were as big as saucers. Casey grinned widely as her friend stood there with her mouth open in silence.

“He’s my knight in shining armor,” Casey said, still grinning.

“The love of my life has invited you here, and I share her desire to spend this most special of days with you,” I said. Her mouth was still hanging open and eyes blinking. She was a cute girl with a nice figure but not beautiful like my Casey. I reached down and gave her a hug and she still seemed dumbfounded. Casey hugged her too as I went back to working on lunch. Casey and Sarah worked on the dressing and vegetables while I worked on the duck

The duck turned out crispy and delicious on the outside, moist and tender on the inside and the dressing was wonderful too. I was completely impressed with all of our newfound skills and told them both. We stuffed ourselves and enjoyed the companionship.

We finally put away all the leftovers and I warmed up the pumpkin pie and set out the whipped cream. We settled into the living room with desert and wine and enjoyed our time together. Sarah seemed a little melancholy as I said, “Santa brought presents for all the good girls,”

Casey grinned widely and asked “Are we good girls, Santa?”

I laughed, “Yes, I think so Baby.” I reached under the tree and grabbed a small package for Casey that I knew was her necklace. I also handed a small package to Sarah with her name written on it, which she looked at with curiosity.

“I didn’t get you any...” she teared up and looked down at her gift. She sat there a couple of minutes before looking up at us. I nodded at her.

“We love you,” Casey said. “Merry Christmas! It’s not about getting or giving,” she said to both of us. “It’s sharing your blessings with others, and spending time together,” she added. Tears filled my eyes as I tried not to cry at her thoughtfulness and the love I felt for her.

Tears rolled down Sarah’s face as she opened her gifts. Sarah hugged us both and thanked us after every present she opened, and she had several.

Casey opened her necklace and was in awe. She opened the locket and read the inscription and tears rolled down her face. She moved over close to me and hugged me closely, “You are my one and only,” she said quietly. I put it around her neck and she fingered and admired it. She opened a couple of her other gifts and Sarah did too. They were carrying on and Sarah was thanking us profusely for her gifts.

I handed Casey the earrings box and opened one of her gifts to me. She stared in disbelief for a minute when she opened it, her mouth hanging open.

“You’ll have to get your ears pierced if they’re not already,” I said, knowing that I had never seen her with any earrings. She looked like a deer in headlights as she stared at the large diamond studs in her hand. Diamonds really must be a girl’s best friend, I thought. Sarah looked over at her and her eyes got big too. “They’re real,” I said as they looked at each other briefly and Casey launched herself into my arms from the side of the couch. She pushed me back as she smothered me with kisses and straddled my hips.

She pushed me back and sobbed as she wrapped her arms around me and told me how much she loved me. She kissed me fiercely as Sarah stopped what she was doing and watched. Casey smothered me with kisses and tears as Sarah looked on.

Finally, Casey sat up and resumed her seat on the couch next to Sarah. She had opened the last of her smaller gifts and had one left. Sarah and I had opened all our presents and I poured us all another glass of wine.

“I have one more present for you my love,” I said. She looked at me with curious eyes. I handed her a small gift-wrapped box with a local jewelry store name on it. She opened it slowly as Sarah watched.

“I think we’ve already decided what we want,” I said as she slowly tore off the wrapping paper. She looked at me expectantly.

“I love you Casey,” I said as she got down to the box and looked at me. “There is nothing more I would love to do than share the rest of my life with you and make you happy,” I said, as her eyes got big. Sarah was watching us with eyes as big as saucers again too. I got down on one knee as she opened the small box and her eyes filled with tears. “Will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?” I asked as I took her hand in mine and kissed it.

Tears filled her eyes as mouth hung open. She was silent for a few moments as she looked at the ring, and then looked back at me trying to process what I had just asked her. “Yes, Yes, Yes,” she screamed as she lunged at me, tackling me to the floor. Sarah watched the commotion unfolding in front of her as tears welled up in her eyes too.