Except they were so far from ending. Their story wasn’t over. It felt like it was just beginning, every single day that they woke up together. Every single night when they fell asleep together, wrapped up in each other. It was a new beginning. Another day in their forever ever after.
“Did you buy the turkey?” Ambi ran up to greet him the second he bustled through the front door. They now lived in a large, three-story antique house. It was over a hundred years old and even though it started out as an unlivable death trap, they’d brought it back to life over the years. It was now nearing completion. He couldn’t complain about it being a money pit. Ambi loved it too much and her love for it might have worn off on him just a little.
“Yes, yes I got the turkey.” He set down the overflowing grocery bags. “And the other hundred things on your list.”
Ambi twisted her hands in front of her and bit down nervously on her bottom lip. “It’s just that- well- this is the first Thanksgiving that we’ve actually hosted. Everyone is coming, even Marcella.”
“She always knew that we’d end up together. She’s baking a special cake just for our anniversary. I can’t wait to taste what flavor she’s invented now.” It just so happened that they’d been married on Thanksgiving three years ago. Of course, Marcella was there. Of course, she’d baked a cake just for them. Pumpkin chai spice. Of course, tasting it was like being ushered through the gates of heaven.
“Your dad and my mom though. God. I just hope that they don’t wind up hating each other. That would be really awkward for us to have to police between then. Maybe it’s a bad idea to have everyone over. Maybe-”
“It’s a great idea.” Trey stepped over the overflowing bags with the groceries spilling out onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around Ambi and she melted against him, some of her tension draining away. “And don’t worry about them, they’ll figure it out.”
“It’s just- don’t you think it’s weird? That they’re- together?”
He grinned down at his wife as he smoothed some of her raven black hair away from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. “Nope. Not at all. They were in love from the minute we took them on that trip to Mexico.” Instead of going alone after Christmas, he and Dale had joined Ambi and her mom. It shocked everyone, his dad and her mom included, that there was a spark there. Two years later, Dale finally got brave enough to ask her out, and ever since, they’d been going pretty strong.
“This puts a lot of pressure on me. What if I screw up the turkey? What if I undercook it and end up poisoning everyone?”
“I think you’ll do just fine. Just ask Marcella’s opinion. She’ll be here in a couple of hours.”
Ambi let out a little screech of horror and began to gather up the groceries. Trey helped her carry everything to the kitchen and set it on the counter.
“Don’t worry. You can always blame anything that flops on me. Everyone knows I’m a terrible cook.”
“That’s not funny.” Ambi shot him a death glare.
“It’s a little funny.”
“So not.”
“Yeah, it kind of is.”
Ambi stuck her tongue out at him and began loading the fridge up with vegetables. He set out the dry goods, the box of stuffing, the cranberry sauce, the bag of potatoes, cans of corn. They’d have enough food to last a century.
“You know what isn’t funny?”
Ambi whirled. “I can only guess.”
“How much I love you.”
Her lips wobbled into a smile and she couldn’t hide the sheen in her eyes. She ducked her head, shaking it as she continued unpacking. “You always know just what to say, don’t you?” she quipped, but he could hear the smile in her voice, even if he couldn’t see her face.
“I think so. I got you to marry me, didn’t I?”
“Some days, I wonder why,” she remarked dryly as she slid a container of milk into the one open space still available in the overstuffed fridge.
“Because I’m amazing,” Trey deadpanned.
She turned, hands on her hips, but she couldn’t keep a straight face. She had to giggle. “Geez. And so humble too. How did I ever get so lucky?”
“Luck has nothing to do with it.” Trey sauntered over and pulled Ambi into his arms. He placed a searing kiss on her lips and for a minute, she forgot all about their stressful Thanksgiving dinner that was still hours away and melted into him, kissing him back. He wanted to ask her if he could take her upstairs, or maybe just on the kitchen counter, but he knew better than to press his luck. “Like I said,” he murmured against her lips. “I’m just that awesome.”