Holiday Sparks

“I need to talk to you about something. I was going to do it today.”

“Well, that sounds ominous.”

He rubbed his hands over his face. “Not exactly, but it’s going to take more than the five minutes you have to take a shower.”

“Tell me tonight.”

He slumped back against the pillows. “Yeah, we’ll talk about it tonight.”

She sat back down on the bed. “Ben.”

“No, it’s not earth-shattering. And it’s not about you and me. Not really.”

“Jeez. That makes it sound even better.”

He sat up and kissed her hard. “Nothing that would come between us.”

She frowned and stood up. “Okay. If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

“Then cook me an awesome dinner and I’ll forgive you anything.”

If only it were that simple. He listened to her shower turn on and fell into a fitful sleep.

He woke to cold feet and an empty house. His six-foot-four-inch frame was not meant for a queen-sized bed. He threw on his clothes and headed downstairs. Darcy left a half pot of coffee behind, but it was stone cold and smelled old. He dumped the pot and rinsed it out, grabbing a soda from the fridge on his way out the back.

They weren’t exactly hiding their relationship, but the mothers on the circle were too nosy for their own good. He had about an hour before he had to pick up Brittany. She had a half day, which put him firmly in Uncle Ben territory.

John had to work and he’d planned on spending the day with his two favorite girls. After a quick shower, he decided to grab lunch for the three of them and bring Brittany to the store. She’d get a kick out of the lights.

He parked across from the elementary school. Minivans, SUVs and station wagons lined the street. Buses dominated the parking lot and there were a staggering number of little people scattered everywhere.

They were experiencing a mild winter, leaving muddy slush and dirty snow as the dominan

t color of the landscape. He spotted Brit’s bright-red scarf and cap and one arm in the throng of excited kids.

He’d be pretty excited if he had two weeks off too.

Brit carefully listened to the crossing guard and hurried over to him. “Hiya, Uncle Ben.”

“Hiya, Britzilla. Ready to blow this pop stand?”

“More than. I have to read five books over vacation. My teacher sucks.”

Being more of a doodler and sketcher than a reader, he sympathized. “Sorry, squirt.”

“What are we going to do today?”

“I thought we’d stop by my girlfriend’s work and see if you could meet her. And you could see the tree I did.”

“The cool lights one?”

“That’s the one.”

“Excellent.” She hopped into the cab of the truck and slid into the passenger seat. “You’re not going to kiss and stuff, are you?”

He checked to make sure she was buckled in and started the engine. “I’m probably going to kiss her.”