Christmas morning. Harper and Abby had come downstairs holding hands with Abby right beside her girlfriend. After their return home last night Harper’s mom had given Harper and Abby permission to sleep together in Harper’s room. The two of them had smiled and after a very long day and night the two said their goodnight’s to everyone.
The family the next morning had been happy with cheer and smiled at the couple. They all knew everything would be okay from here on end.
They spent the morning together and after Ted’s call he came into the room with Tipper having gone over to him. The two of them smiled and Abby looked at them and smiled too. She had never had a family much less a Christmas in over ten years. Despite how things had gone down she had still woken up beside the woman she loved on Christmas morning and that was all she needed, well almost.
Abby turned to Harper and placed a kiss on Harper’s cheek. Harper smiled.
“I’ll be right back okay?” Abby said to her.
“What are you-,”
But before Harper could add more and before Abby could answer she got up and walked over to Harper’s parents.
“Ted, Tipper, I was wondering, do you think I could talk to you for a minute?”
Harper’s parents looked at each other.
“Sure,” said Ted.
Abby turned to look at Harper for a quick second who had her head turned and was talking to her sister’s. She then followed Ted into his office, closing the door behind them.
“Everything okay, Abby,” Tipper asked.
“No yeah everything’s great,” said Abby, “I mean at least I think it is. I um…I know how bad things got last night and I’m sorry.”
Tipper shook her head, “It wasn’t you’re fault, sweetie and you know what it certainly wasn’t Harper’s either. We’re starting to understand why she kept it a secret.”
“Thank you,” said Abby. “Things didn’t go exactly as I’d planned them. When Harper invited me I had this whole thing mapped out but then things spiraled out of control and… Harper and I have been together for a little over a year now. When my parents died Christmas stopped meaning anything to me until I met her. I love Harper. I guess what I’m asking for now is if I could get your permission.”
“Permission for what?” asked Tipper.
*****
When the three of them returned Abby went over to Harper and smiled.
“Everything okay?” Harper asked.
“Everything’s great.”
“Well okay,” said Sloane, “I think that’s about all of the presents.”
“Actually,” said Abby, “there’s one more.”
She got up and walked to the far end behind the tree. She knelt down and reached under grabbing the final present that John had hidden last night after everyone had gone to bed.
Harper saw the small box in her girlfriend’s hand. She looked up at Abby with a look of surprise. The other’s in the room were surprised as well.
Rather than the tradition of getting down on one knee Abby took a seat next to Harper.
“Baby,” said Abby, “I know things got a bit crazy this past week but I would take crazy if it meant being with you. I don’t want to lose you either, I don’t want to lose what we have and the life that we’ve built. I honestly can’t imagine my life without you in it. You are my person, you always have been. I love you.” Abby opened up the box, “Harper Caldwell,” she said, “will you marry me?”
Harper looked at the ring and then at Abby and smiled, “Oh my god, yes.”
“Yes?” Abby asked.
Harper nodded. Abby smiled and took out the ring, sliding it on Harper’s finger. The two of them got close.
“I love you,” said Harper.
“I love you, too.”
The two of them kissed passionately and they could hear the family clapping and cheering. Once they were done they hugged tightly. They pulled apart, Abby looked over at John who smiled and nodded. Then Harper looked at Abby with a smile, Abby smiled back, and Harper looked down at her new ring.
Kissing Abby once more Harper got up and walked over to her parents. “Thank you,” she said to them.
“We love you sweetie,” said her mom.
“Nothing could ever change that,” said her dad.
Harper leaned into hug her parents.
Her mom smiled, “Can I see it,” she asked.
Harper held out her hand.
“Oh, me too, me too, me too,” Jane said as she shot up and walked over.
In the corner John and Abby had already stood up and he had his arm wrapped around her and kissed the top of her head. Sloane had walked over to Abby and smiled. Things had been a bit frosty between them since Abby’s arrival but now Sloane smiled at Abby and held out her hand. Abby shook it, a way of calling it a truce.
Harper looked over at Abby and walked to her now fiancé. The two of them stood close together and Harper wrapped her right hand over Abby’s waist. There was no thing as perfection but now at least they were finally happy and that was all that mattered.