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“An apology.She’s pretty mortified by what she did.”He stepped closer and his warmth and scent immediately surrounded me.“She gets so caught up in things.I think she was blinded by heremotions.”

I took the envelope.“I can understand that.I’ve been a bit overwhelmed for a solid year.”I bounced my eyebrows at the source of my emotional overload and threw the envelope over my shoulder.“I’ll read her mea culpalater.”

“But you’ll read it?I want you two to work this out.”He stood there pleading with his big blue eyes, knowing I was incapable ofsayingno.

“If she’s on board, I’m onboard.”

“Good.Now the real surprise.”The envelope was forgotten as he took me in his arms.“This is a three step process okay?”He was vibrating.It was so adorable.“Step one.”He handed me a folded up piece ofpaper.

I eyed him suspiciously as I unfolded it.On it was hishandwriting.

The past is a feeling we cannotshake

Our loved ones a part of us even astheyfade

The future with you is all Icansee

Today is allIneed

My love for you will always growbrighter

Shining down on the generations thatfollow

What started as a newbeginning

Will live on as happily everafter

-Colt

I smiled.“You actually signed this one.”Then I frowned.“Crap.Now I have to fix your Christmas present.”I’d taken all those poems I’d made into art and created a book for us to keep on ashelf.

It really wasn’tcompletenow.

“Well, let’s worry about that present after you open mine.MerryChristmas.”

“It’s not Christmas yet.What’s with the funny business,Mister?”

He ignored me completely.“Open it andfindout.”

“Shouldn’t we wait until Christmas?”Whenmypresent would beready.

“No we should not.When I called Adam and told him my idea he was very excited and a little pissed he hadn’t thought of it himself.Elizabeth is getting one just like it, but from adifferentyear.”

Because that wasn’t confusing at all.“What’s in theblackcase?”

He kissed my cheek and reached around me to start opening the case.“If you won’topenit.”

I batted his hands away.“I’vegotit.”

“Good.”He kissed me behind my ear as he settled his hands on my hips, his front tomyback.

I flipped the latches and lifted the lid.Sitting in a perfectly molded foam casing was a shining goldOscar.

My heartstopped.

“What is this?”I knew whatitwas.

“Pickitup.”