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<\/p>\n\u00a0Rolling Stone<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A Perfect Christmas Eve<\/b><\/p>\n
Most people called me flighty. Impulsive was also a common description along with a ladies\u2019 man and a flirt. I hate to admit it but, yes, more often than not I found myself in one of those categories. I lived for the moment, trying to get all the fun and excitement possible. The future? Oh, who cares about that. I\u2019ve got my whole life ahead of me to worry about that.<\/p>\n
But one day something changed.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t quite know how it happened and couldn\u2019t have told you when it was happening but looking back now I can see it plain as day. I\u2019d always heard Pa say when the right girl came along I\u2019d want to settle down although I never truly believed him. I think he was even beginning to wonder if I was an exception…<\/p>\n
Then one day,\u00a0she\u00a0came along.<\/p>\n
Our relationship started off on the wrong foot. Having heard about my reputation, she had determined she would NOT be counted as my latest conquest. She avoided me at all costs and on the rare occasion she happened to bump into me, she gave me the cold shoulder.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t believe it at first.\u00a0Me\u00a0turned down by a girl? Little Joe Cartwright, Casanova and heartthrob of the Ponderosa…well, probably all of Virginia City, had actually found a girl immune to my charms. I didn\u2019t even know that was possible.<\/p>\n
But I wouldn\u2019t have been Joe Cartwright if I\u2019d\u00a0given up that easy. Something told me she was different than any other girl I\u2019d met. I felt drawn to her for some reason. I didn\u2019t understand why at the time, but I had a hunch and I had learned by experience to respect my hunches.<\/p>\n
It was actually Pa who got her to accept a supper invitation at the Ponderosa. In the presence of my family and Hop Sing I watched her walls slowly crumble and she began to open up. I thought she was beautiful before but after hearing her laugh and seeing the twinkle in her blue eyes, I knew I was falling in love.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to believe that was a year and a half ago today.<\/p>\n
I fingered the quilt coving my bed, a present she made me for my birthday a few months ago.\u00a0At her request, Pa had dug out some of our old clothes from the the keepsake box in the attic and\u00a0she had created this beautiful \u201cmemory\u201d quilt. Each of the different fabrics represented some memory\u00a0from years past. Some were small, trivial things, some were funny, others were sad, but all were very special to me. There were even a few pieces from back when Mama was alive, I noted touching a white sprigged red square that once had been her Christmas dress.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t entirely made of\u00a0old fabrics though. My fingers brushed across a powder blue piece the same shade as her eyes. By adding in a few new pieces along with the old, she had created just the perfect combination of past memories and future dreams. Our future dreams, I reminded myself.<\/p>\n
A smile comes to my face and I chuckle. Pa says I\u2019ve been smiling so much my cheeks are going to hurt but I can\u2019t help it. I just can\u2019t seem to keep from smiling when I think of the special surprise I have planned for tonight.<\/p>\n
You see it\u2019s Christmas Eve. As always, Pa is hosting the annual Christmas Eve Gala but for some reason this year he\u2019s gone all out with the preparations. Hop Sing has been baking cookies and pies and cakes for days and the last time I checked, there hadn\u2019t been an inch of empty space left on the dining room table and he was still baking. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if we had to set up another table just to hold it all. Pa\u2019s even hired a lady to decorate the house for Christmas this year so everything would look perfect.<\/p>\n
Too much fuss and bother,\u00a0Hoss and complained though he had been smiling. I chuckled. Perhaps my little plan might be partially to blame.<\/p>\n
Now I\u2019ve always loved wintertime and especially Christmastime. It\u2019s just a magical time of year. It\u2019s a time of giving gifts and thinking of others; a time when families, and friends, come together to share in the joys of the season and reminisce on years gone by. I love the freezing cold weather and the sparkling snow. I love the way the house smells of pine trees and cinnamon and all sorts of goodies.<\/p>\n
And after today, I\u2019ll have a new reason to love this time of year. Why you may ask? Well, maybe you\u2019ve already guessed, but in just a few hours I am going to be engaged. That\u2019s right, tonight I am going to propose to the love of my life.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s definitely the most wonderful time of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Little Brother, you about ready? The guests are starting to arrive.\u201d Hoss poked his head in my room.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, yeah, I\u2019m ready.\u201d Suddenly my throat felt dry and my hands began to shake. I don\u2019t know why. It\u2019s not like I\u2019m nervous. She\u2019s the one for me and I know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Marriage is a big step though, especially when you\u2019ve been single as long as I have. Ok, maybe I am a little nervous.<\/p>\n
I heard Hoss step into the room and from the corner of my eye I saw him studying me closely. \u201cYou all right, Joe?\u201d His large hand came to rest on my shoulder.<\/p>\n
I nodded. \u201cYeah I\u2019m- I\u2019m fine.\u201d I folded my hands behind my back to hide their trembling.\u00a0Maybe he didn\u2019t notice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you better tell your nerves that or you\u2019ll have two left feet on the dance floor and she\u2019ll be bound to pick up on something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Darn it. So much for mister calm cool and collected.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do have the ring right?\u201d In order to keep my plan a secret, I had decided to have Hoss hold onto the ring until it was time. It wouldn\u2019t do to have her find it too early after all.<\/p>\n
He patted his jacket pocket with smile. \u201cYep, got it right here, little brother, and right here\u2019s where it\u2019s staying \u2018till you\u2019re ready for it. Don\u2019t you worry about a thing. Just enjoy the night with your girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
I chuckled softly then smiled, punching Hoss\u2019 arm lightly. \u201cCan you believe it? I\u2019m gonna be an engaged man by the time tonight\u2019s over, Big Brother.\u201d I held up my left hand. \u201cYou see this? By this time next year there could be a wedding ring on that hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t count your chickens before they\u2019re hatched. You ain\u2019t asked her yet. There\u2019s a chance she could come to her senses and say no.\u201d<\/p>\n
The smile slipped from my face.\u00a0She wouldn\u2019t, would she?\u00a0\u201cYou don\u2019t think she will say no, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoss laughed. \u201cNah, I\u2019m just joshin\u2019 ya.\u201d Seeing I wasn\u2019t totally convinced, he squeezed the back of my neck as he continued. \u201cHonestly, Joe, there ain\u2019t no doubt in my mind about what her answer will be. That girl\u2019s perfect for you and you for her. She adores you and anybody who doesn\u2019t see that\u2019s got to be blind. I\u2019m really happy for you, little brother.\u201d<\/p>\n
My smile returned and I felt a bit easier. \u201cThanks, Hoss.<\/p>\n
-\/-\/-\/-\/-<\/p>\n
Although I had seen the decorations going up, I must admit I was speechless when I walked down the stairs. Pine boughs adorned every possible surface and the matching wreath on the door was trimmed with a bright red bow. The whole room was aglow with candles creating the perfect romantically festive atmosphere. A spring of mistletoe hung over in the center of the room which had been cleared of its usual furnishings to serve as the dance floor. The tree it had taken us three days to find- Pa insisted on having just the right one- stood proudly next to the bottom of the staircase, all decked out in popcorn garland, bright red ribbons, homemade gingerbread, flickering candles, and various other ornaments. At the very top sat Mama\u2019s angel.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t help but smile.<\/p>\n
I was old enough now to know the angel wasn\u2019t really Mama but seeing in it\u2019s usual place made me feel as if she were really here tonight watching. For a moment I thought I saw the angel wink it\u2019s beady eye at me. I shook my head.\u00a0That\u2019s impossible.\u00a0But as I kept watching I could almost swear I saw its smile grow larger. Whether I really saw it or just imagined it, I\u2019ll never know, but I do know it helped calmed my nerves.<\/p>\n
-\/-\/-\/-<\/p>\n
The evening passed quickly as it always does when you\u2019re having fun. My girl looked beautiful…well she always did but tonight she looked positively radiant. Her powder blue dress matched the color of her eyes to a T and her hair was done up in tiny ringlets pinned in a cascade down the back of her head. There was no competition, she was the belle of the party tonight. I was one lucky man.<\/p>\n
I danced every dance with her until she begged me to let her rest a spell then I was happy to just sit on the sidelines by her and talk. I saw Pa watching us and I smiled. It must be odd seeing me being content to sit still and watch others dance for a change. Maybe I\u2019m getting old.\u00a0No,\u00a0I shook my head and squeezed the hand of the girl next to me.\u00a0I\u2019m just in love.<\/p>\n
Now refreshments had been served and folks were beginning to get their second wind. The floor was once again a bustle of activity as the band began to play and couples began dancing.<\/p>\n
It was time.<\/p>\n
I left my girl sitting by the punch table and wove my way over to Hoss to retrieve the ring, quickly slipping it into my pocket. With my family\u2019s well wishes still ringing in my ears, I returned to her side.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy, my, my, don\u2019t you look lovely tonight. I do believe you must be the prettiest girl here.<\/p>\n
She giggled. \u201cWhy, thank you, kind sir. And don\u2019t you look very dashing tonight as well. \u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t suppose such a beautiful young lady would consider honoring a fellow with a dance?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFlattery, huh?\u201d She laughed. \u201cWell, I suppose I can spare one dance for such a handsome young man.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bowing low, I extended my hand. She placed hers in mine and I pulled her gently to her feet. My heart fluttered at the smile she gave me as I led her onto the dance floor. The band was playing a waltz, I realized with a chuckle. I couldn\u2019t have planned it any better. She snuggled against me as we circled the room, moving as one.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Joe, I wish tonight would never end,\u201d she whispered in my ear after a few moments. \u201cSpending Christmas Eve with my favorite person…nothing could make this evening more perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled.\u00a0Her evening\u2019s about to be even more perfect.\u00a0I glanced up.\u00a0We were now in the center of the dance floor right below the mistletoe. I don\u2019t know who\u2019s idea it was to hang the mistletoe there but I was happy they did. I couldn\u2019t think of a better spot. I caught Pa and Hoss\u2019 watching from across the room and winked. Pa smiled back, nodding, while Hoss grinned and flashed me thumbs up.\u00a0Here\u00a0goes.<\/p>\n
I stopped dancing and stepped back to look into her face, her expression one of puzzlement. Taking her hand in mine, I reached up to gently caress her cheek before picking up her other hand. \u201cSweetheart, it\u2019s\u00a0you\u00a0who makes my days perfect. I think of you every second and can\u2019t wait until we are together again. You\u2019re the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning and the last before I go to sleep at night. I never knew it was possible to love someone so much until I met you. You complete me. You make me want to settle down and think about the future.\u201d I paused and shook my head. \u201cNo, you\u00a0are\u00a0my future. You\u2019re perfect for me, in every way. I love you with all heart, more than anything else in the world, and there\u2019s just one thing I want to ask you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vaguely I was aware of the stillness around us. The band was still playing but all dancing had stopped. But I had eyes for only one person and nothing else around us mattered. I dropped to one knee, pulling the box out of my pocket and snapping it open to reveal the diamond ring nestled on the velvet bed inside. She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth and I saw tears in her eyes as I asked the fateful question.<\/p>\n
\u201cWill you marry me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Click here for the 2018 Advent Calendar – Day 5 – Fall Leaf aka The Greatest Gift<\/span><\/a> by Questfan<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n