Free Over the River and Through the Woods by Lacey Weatherford Page B

ones, all the while wondering what Micah was doing. I wanted to call him, but the charger for my phone was in his car and I hadn’t even had the chance to ask to borrow one. Plus, I needed to be with my family, just like he needed to be with his.
    My eyes grew heavier as the night wore on and finally my mom suggested that I go to bed, which was fine with me. I slowly made my way up the stairs and down the hall to the comforts of my childhood room, complete with soft, plush, inviting decor. I grabbed a pair of old pajamas from my drawer and put them on before crawling under the thick, inviting blankets.
    ***
    The sound of someone knocking on my door woke me with a start and I bolted upright in bed, noticing the bright light streaming through my windows. Wait. It was morning already?
    “Honey?” Mom’s voice drifted through the door.
    “Yeah?”
    “Sorry to wake you, but you have company. Micah is here to see you.”
    Glancing at the bedside clock, I realized it was almost noon. Good grief! I thought. I guess everything finally caught up with me. “Can you send him in here?” I asked.
    “Sure, sweetie.”
    Jumping up, I ran into the adjoining bathroom, digging in my drawer for an old brush before spying a toothbrush. First things, first. I quickly brushed my teeth and rinsed out my mouth, before dragging the brush rapidly through my hair. I finished just as the knock sounded at my bedroom door.
    Hurrying out, I opened it to find Micah standing there looking all fresh, shaved, and showered. Even with the bandage over his eye, he was still the hottest guy I knew.
    “I thought maybe you were avoiding me this morning when I couldn’t reach you,” he said with a wink.
    “Never,” I replied, gesturing for him to come inside and closing the door behind him. “I was simply being lazy.”
    “You deserve it.” He glanced around the room. “It still looks the same in here.” Walking to my dresser, he picked up the framed photo of us together at one of our Homecoming dances. “You still have this?”
    “I told you. I never stopped loving you.” I sighed. “I hated you too, though. At least before we figured this all out.”
    Turning to face me, he smiled. “That’s all behind us now, I hope. I came over this morning to bring you a Christmas present. I didn’t get to give you one yesterday.”
    “What are you talking about?” I asked with a laugh. “You gave me all sorts of goodies yesterday! A stocking, breakfast, games to play—I loved it.”
    He laughed and shook his head. “I told you—all of that was from Santa .” He was sticking to his story. “This is my gift. Yesterday, when we had to leave the hospital separately, I realized I don’t ever want to be anywhere without you again. You were all I could think about all night long. I got up first thing this morning and talked to my parents, telling them everything that happened between us. They took me shopping for your gift as soon as the stores opened.” His face grew serious as he pulled a small box from his pocket and popped it open, revealing a sparkling diamond ring inside. I gasped. “Felicity, will you marry me?”
    My heart was pounding, racing wildly as I stared at him. Tears leaked down my face and I couldn’t believe the good fortune that had brought us back together. “Yes,” I whispered, nodding my head in case he couldn’t hear me.
    Taking the ring out of the box, he slid it gently up my finger. It fit perfectly. “I love you,” he said. “I’ve always loved you.” His lips descended to claim mine, once again, and I held onto his broad shoulders as he kissed me fervently, relishing the joy that spread through me.
    “I feel so bad!” I said when we broke apart. “I didn’t get you anything!”
    “Are you kidding?” he said with a laugh. “You just gave me the one thing I’ve always wanted. You! This is the best present I’ve ever received in my life.”
    And he kissed me, again.

 
     
    Part Two
     
    Christmas