Chapter Twenty-Four

Setting her mug of tea on the small end table, Stephanie wrapped the blanket around herself and laid her head back against the couch cushions, a tear escaping down her cheek. Her chat with her family had left her feeling lost and out of sorts.  Everyone had looked so good, seemed so happy. Even her little baby niece, “Baby B” as Mark had dubbed her had gotten in on the conversation.  She had pressed her little face right up to the screen, touching it with her chubby little baby fingers, waving at her Auntie. 

She missed them so much.  It hurt more than she wanted to admit that she couldn’t be there with them.  Even now, she hadn’t been able to pull herself out of the funk she had fallen into after that conversation.  

But, she had pasted on a smile and endured the evening at Darcy’s, escaping as soon after dessert as she could without seeming rude.

Now all she wanted to do was sit here and watch her movie and wallow in her misery and loneliness.  She huffed out a breath.  So she was feeling sorry for herself.  So what?  No one was here to see her moping around nearly in tears because she was all by herself.  She shrugged her shoulder.  No one had to know she occasionally broke down and had pity parties for herself.

Picking up the remote, her finger paused on the play button.  Every year she, Mark and Ben laughed their way through the antics of Chevy Chase and the Griswold Family Christmas.  This would be the first time she watched it alone.  She hadn’t been able to bring herself to even take it off the shelf it last year.  Pressing play, she burrowed down into the couch.  The opening credits hadn’t even finished when the doorbell rang.  Frowning, she hit pause, unfolded herself from her cocoon and headed to the front door.  She paused at the mirror in the hallway, pushing at her hair, her glasses.

She had changed when she got back from Darcy’s into her favorite lounging around clothes and pulled her hair back into a haphazard ponytail.  She shrugged at her reflection.  The only people she knew in California were with their families.  Besides, she had no one to impress tonight.

Tugging open the door, her eyes widened in surprise.  “Richie, what are you doing here?”  And how did you know I needed someone tonight?

He looked her up and down.  She looked like she was dressed for bed.  He checked his watch.  It was only 8:30, too early to be bedded down for the night, at least for him anyway.  “I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d stop by.”  He tucked his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels. “Can I come in?”

She stepped back, looking him up and down as he moved past her.  “Since when is Burbank in the neighborhood for you?”  He lived in Calabasas, a good twenty minutes away.

He turned to face her, “do I really need a reason to stop by?”

She shook her head.  “No.”  She moved past him and opened the closet, handing him a hangar. “I’m sorry.  I’m afraid I’m not very good company tonight, Rich.”

Her eyes, her face held a world of sadness tonight.  He reached for her hand, “you look so sad sweetheart.  What’s wrong?”

She led him to the living room and picked up the remote.  “It’s just been a very difficult day.”

Before she could crawl back into the couch he tugged the remote from her fingers and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her.  “Holidays are always hard when you don’t have your family around sweetheart.”  It had to be especially hard for her this year, seeing her whole family on a tiny computer screen instead of in person and with no one here to ease the pain of being without them.

Laying her head against his chest, she slid her arms around his waist and let him hold her. How did he know?  How could he know that this was exactly what she needed tonight? Someone to hold her, soothe away the sadness and aching loneliness that never quite went away.  She closed her eyes and soaked in his warmth.  It didn’t matter.  He was here.  She relaxed more fully against him. That was all that mattered.

At her soft sniffle he slid two long fingers along her jaw, under her chin and gently raised her head. Those pretty kaleidoscope eyes glistened with tears in the dim light.  He recognized each and every emotion that swam there.  He had seen them in his own eyes more times than he cared to count in the last few years.  He had found his comfort in whatever bottle had been close at hand. Still turned to it more than he let on to anyone.  He didn’t want that for her.

He pressed his lips to the crown of her head.  Tonight, even as he drew his comfort from the flowers and midnight of her shampoo, her perfume, he would give her whatever she needed.  “Come on sweetheart, let’s sit down.”

Together they curled up on the lounger end of her sofa.  He pulled her forgotten blanket over them and picked up the remote.  “What are we watching?”

Sucking in a tremulous breath she forced the tears from her eyes and her voice.  “Christmas Vacation.”

Richie smiled as he hit play.  “Great choice.”

Snuggled up against him, his heart beat strong and steady in her ear.  Under the blanket, his hand found hers and he pressed it to his chest.  When she looked up, his warm, whiskey-colored eyes were trained on her, not the television screen.  She needed to be with him tonight.  Tonight wouldn’t be the night they did the deed, but she needed to have him here with her.  She tilted her head just a little and her lips met his.  “Thank you” she whispered against his lips before kissing him again.  “Thank you for being here tonight.”