Unforgettable Christmas Dreams: Gifts of Joy

by Rebecca York

  Lars held it out and admired it. “God, Sonia, it’s breathtaking. I love it. You’ve taken art form to a whole, new level. Must’ve been very time consuming to make.”

  She ducked her head and chuckled. “Yes, and one of the reasons why I decided not to go for a bigger tree this year. Too much trouble involved. By the way, there’s an on-off switch on the back of the box for the LED light inside.” She turned it on and smiled. “See?”

  Lars carefully put the box down on the coffee and took her in his arms. “Thank you, love, it’s perfect.”

  Sonia planted a kiss on his mouth. “You’re very welcome. Shall we sample my new dip recipe before it gets cold?”

  Lars gave her one more squeeze and saw another picture of Sonia’s husband on her breakfront, albeit in a different pose.

  He obediently spooned dip onto a Christmas plate and helped himself to some pita bread, lost in thought.

  Well, what did I expect? That she’d pack up her husband’s pictures and store them away, just because she’s dating me?

  “Hmm, this dip’s fantastic,” he told her. “How long before dinner?”

  “About half an hour. I’ll be making gravy, but instead of mashed potatoes, I tried something different.”

  No time like the present. “Um, I have something different in mind, too.”

  He caught Sonia’s uncertain smile. “May I have refill?” he asked.

  “Of course, I’ll be right back.”

  Once she was in the kitchen, Lars fished the ring box from his pocket and set it next to the dip within easy reach.

  And ignored the smiling face of Sonia’s late husband staring at him from all four corners of the room.

  When she returned with the flutes, he rose from the couch and gently took them from her. He drained each glass and onto the table they went.

  “Hey, Lars, those drinks were for both of us, you hog.”

  “Humor me.”

  Lars grasped her hands in his, and carefully got down on bended knee, mindful of the brace strapped around his ankle.

  Sonia tried to pry her hands loose, but he held them all the tighter. “Are you serious?” she asked. “You’re going to hurt yourself again.”

  “Bet your ass I’m serious,” he chuckled. “The contortions I’m going through alone should prove it. Please keep still and hear me out.”

  Lars reached over and picked up the tiny velvet box. “Sonia, we may not have known each other long, but you managed to capture my heart the very first day we met. I love you, dear one, and want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  He flipped open the box, removed the ring with steady fingers belying his nerves, and held it up.

  The oval diamond surrounded by tiny emeralds in the platinum setting was so brilliant the facets sparkled across the stunned woman’s face.

  “Oh, dear heavens, Lars,” she stammered. “You mean you want to…to marry me?”

  Jesus, why is she so surprised? A woman like Sonia doesn’t sleep with a man she doesn’t care for or maybe love. I thought we were on the same page. Was I wrong?

  Lars forged ahead and nodded with a tender smile. “Yes. Don’t you recognize a proposal when you hear one? I asked you to be my wife, and I’m hoping you’ll agree.”

  Sonia’s cheeks turned bright red. “Yes, of course, I understood your message, but you’ve taken me by total surprise. I don’t know what to say. Why can’t we leave things the way they are?”

  Lars felt his bad ankle grow as stiff as his reaction to her less than enthusiastic response, and let go of her hand.

  “Won’t you please think it over before you say no?”

  Her eyes were everywhere, except for on his face or the ring.

  “Please try to understand. I’m not sure I’m ready for marriage again,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  Lars averted his eyes, struggled to his feet, and placed the ring in her hand. “Then, consider the ring a token of my affection. Keep it, even if you don’t want to marry me,” he said. “Besides, I knew before I opened my mouth you weren’t ready to commit, but foolish me took the chance anyway.”

  She stared at the ring in her palm and then returned it to its box. “How could you know such a thing?”

  Lars tried to conceal the hurtful disappointment pounding his heart. I must try to remain reasonable and calm, if the woman’s ever going to change her mind. “Listen, let’s not cause a scene we’ll both regret,” he said in a neutral tone. “Besides, it’s Christmas, our first one, and I’d rather not remember it as an epic fail.”

  “Epic fail?” she repeated. “You just don’t get it. All I said is I’m not ready to get married again. Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the rest of our Christmas.”

  “Oh, I get it, all right” he said a tad louder. “Your house is like a museum filled with artifacts. Everything in here’s a reminder of your past. If you had feelings for me, like I’d hoped, you wouldn’t have invited me over to eat a holiday dinner under the watchful eyes of your former husband.”

  “You have some nerve,” she told him. “Your highness comes steamrolling in here, criticizing how my house looks – I didn’t think my dead husband’s photos, well, I didn’t think about them at all. They’ve been here a long time.”

  Lars nodded. “Yeah, you didn’t think, that’s the key phrase. Sorry, but the pictures make me uncomfortable. Like you don’t care enough about me, or want to be in my life. Call me childish, but’s that’s the way it is, when a guy’s trying to measure up to the one who came before.”

  Sonia shook her finger at him. “You’re missing the point. That shadowbox should prove I do want to be in your life.”

  Lars lowered his head and got right in her face. “Missing the point? I don’t think so! If it’s all the same to you, I won’t have the ghost of Christmas past imposing himself on our relationship.”

  Sonia’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly do you mean?”

  He opened his arms and turned a full three sixty. “Look around here, Sonia. There are pictures of your deceased husband everywhere, may he rest in peace. He’s looking at me from every which way. Almost like daring me to take my pants off in his former home. How do you think that makes me feel?”

  ***

  Sonia’s gaze swept over the furnishings, the knick-knacks, and the pictures of David, and suddenly understood why Lars would surmise she’d kept those photos displayed to preserve the past – which, in turn, prevented her from moving forward.

  Geeshe, the man is right. If I look at this room from his point of view, it does resemble a shrine.

  Sonia concealed a smile. “Well, now you know how I felt when that slutty ghost of Christmas present sashayed into your house when we first made love,” she stated. “Besides, what about Jeff? How do you think he’ll take to having a step mother?”

  “Jeff adores you, Sonia, almost as much as I do. I didn’t ask his permission to marry you, either, and I’m glad. This way I won’t have to go home and disappoint the child because you said no.”

  “I didn’t say I wouldn’t marry you, Lars. I specifically told you I wasn’t sure I was ready yet. There’s a difference.”

  Lars’s expression changed from disappointment to slight optimism. “I know you well enough to realize you wouldn’t lead me on, if there was no hope,” he said. “Please, take all the time you need. I’m willing to wait.”

  Sonia put her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest. Hearing a normal heartbeat told her more than his declaration – he meant what he’d said, and would pressure her no further.

  Lars gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. “Hey, no sense in letting that prime rib go to waste, is there?” he asked.

  Sonia shook her head. Lars was ever the perfect gentleman. “Give me a second, and then I’ll go make the gravy.”

  She walked over to the little Christmas tree and placed the ring box beneath its tiny boughs.

  She also picked up the n
earby picture of David and, without a word, put it inside her desk drawer.

  It was a start.

  Chapter Seventeen

  New Years Day 2019: Sonia…

  “Please allow me to introduce our guest of honor, and the newest member of our Chamber of Commerce,” Mayor Flynn said in his cheerful, booming voice. “The people of this town have much to be grateful for regarding Sonia Mattson’s unique contributions to our Magical Christmas event that took place in town hall since before Thanksgiving. Her hard work and dedication not only cemented our children and grandkids beliefs in Christmas miracles this holiday season, but her skills with a camera captured their special moments with Santa to live in their hearts forever. Ladies and Gentlemen, Ms. Sonia Mattson.”

  Sonia’s spine stiffened when he announced her name and she cast a worried glance towards Lars. “Just breathe,” he murmured, and the exaggerated, toothy grin he sent her way almost made her giggle.

  Her poise restored, Sonia returned his smile and stepped onto the stage.

  “Good afternoon, my fellow townspeople.,” she began. “First, please let me share how honored and humbled I am to have been accepted into the Little Silver’s Chamber of Commerce. When I created Sparkles of the Season six short months ago, I had no idea I’d also be generating bonds with established business owners in this community, many who’ve become friends, rather than business associates.”

  The burst of applause was unexpected, and Sonia paused with a smile.

  “Thank you, everyone. I’m very lucky to have found my niche due to the kindness of this lovely town, beginning with the trust you bestowed on me when you awarded Sparkles of the Season the task of delighting your youngsters during the Christmas season, by photographing them with Santa. I still have pictures of Santa and me from when I was a child, and know how much those special mementoes are treasured.”

  “I also want to extend my gratitude to the committee for choosing my border designs for the photos. Your faith in me made dozens of children who were hospitalized during Christmas happier with your generous donations as well.”

  The applause was deafening and Sonia knew she’d soon be revealing a surprise – to everyone.

  She turned and presented her back to the audience. “Excuse me, please,” she said over her shoulder. “I promise this won’t take but a minute.”

  She quickly unpinned the ring from inside her bodice and held it tightly in one fist.

  Facing the crowd once more, she looked at her mother and sent her a wink. “Speaking of photographs, I recently acquired a hard lesson about life’s precarious timing – that is, when to let go and what to hold onto.”

  “I won’t get into the specifics, as they are personal ones. As I’ve mentioned, keeping mementoes from the past can be treasured, but some reminders of that past are better tucked away. It doesn’t necessarily mean you never view them in your mind with fond or loving remembrance, the importance lies in embracing the here and now, and who you care for.

  “In other words, you can either spend the rest of your life in the dark with your memories, or welcome the new who shows up and turns on the lights.”

  “Sparkles of the Season originated from a dream based on my past, and I’m thrilled beyond measure to where it led me. Being said, I’d like to present the man who turned on the lights paving my way to the future. You all know him as the Jersey Giants ace field goal kicker Lars Whitney.”

  Sonia turned to her left and gestured to the man she loved standing behind the side curtain. “Please, Lars, come on out and join me.”

  Lars walked out on the stage with a nervous smile amid a standing ovation. Sonia noted he did his best not to limp, and her heart went out to him – she hoped the stunt she was about to pull wouldn’t be…what had he called his original marriage proposal?

  Oh, an epic fail…

  “Speech, speech!” the crowd hollered.

  Sonia finished applauding and took his hand, as he leaned towards the microphone with a smile.

  Lars cleared his throat. “Thank you for your kind ovation,” he said. “Your support and affection means a lot to me and my family, much more than you know. I do miss playing football, and my physicians assure me I should be returning to the field with the team next season.”

  When the folks began cheering and whistling, he held up a hand until they were silent.

  “Thank you, but there’s more. If someone had ever hinted anything good or special would have come from my injury, I’d have said they were blanking insane. None-the-less, if it weren’t for that clumsy defenseman who broke my ankle, I wouldn’t have met this beautiful young lady Sonia Mattson.”

  Sonia squeezed his hand as the assembly clapped.

  When they were finished, Sonia took her turn at the mike. “I have one more announcement to share, and then we can get on with enjoying the catered buffet and the three-piece band, all of whom are members of the Chamber and generously donated their enterprises for this occasion.”

  Sonia looked at Lars. “I’m blessed and honored you asked me to become your wife on Christmas, even though my answer wasn’t quite what you’d hoped for,” she told him. “Your patience with me is undeserved, and why you didn’t stomp out of my home that day remains a mystery.”

  A few chuckles were heard from the audience, but most of the folks were on the edge of their seats, quietly waiting for what came next.

  “May I have your hand, Lars?” she asked. When he complied, she slid the diamond ring onto his pinky finger. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

  Lars looked down at his hand. When their eyes met, he gave her a loving smile and chuckled. “I think this belongs elsewhere,” he said.

  Tears of joy slipped down Sonia’s cheeks as he took off the ring and placed it on the ring finger of her left hand.

  The assembly roared with whoops and cheers as the couple embraced and shared a passionate kiss.

  Mindful of their audience, Sonia stepped away from her man. “In case you didn’t notice, he said yes,” she shouted to them. “Now, who else is ready to celebrate?”

  The End

  “A life worth living is one that proceeds, not with caution, but hopeful risks of creating a bright future.” Sonia Mattson.

  The End

  Note from the Author

  ~Dedicated to the Readers Who Keep Coming Back for More~

  Thank you for reading Sparkles of the Season. I hope you enjoyed the story, as much as I loved writing it, and I’m sure you’ll be thrilled with the entire collection: Unforgettable Christmas Dreams

  Thank you for supporting my work. Where would I be without you? Your comments and reviews inspire me to keep writing.

  If you enjoy my books, please leave an honest review. Authors live and die by their reviews. The few extra seconds it takes are really appreciated. Thank you!

  Other Books by Susan Jean Ricci

  For a full list of Susan’s catalogue of over 30 books, please visit her Amazon Author Page:

  https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Jean-Ricci/e/B0094H8BEC

  Susan Jean Ricci’s Books are also part of these multi-author collections:

  Sweet and Sassy Heroes

  Unforgettable Charmers – Unforgettable Hunks

  Sweet and Sassy in the Snow: Find Your Winter Romance!

  Unforgettable Thrills - Passion and Power (The Unforgettables Book 9)

  Love, Christmas - Movies You Love (The Holiday Series Book 2)

  Favorite Holiday Recipes From the Authors of Love, Christmas 2

  Book Bites 11: The Authors’ Billboard Book Bites

  Sweet and Sassy at the Beach – Get Swept Away!

  Sweet and Sassy Weddings – Happily Ever Romance

  Sweet and Sassy Valentine

  Sweet and Sassy Christmas – A Time for Romance

  Unforgettable Heroes – Unforgettable Passion

  Unforgettable Christmas – Gifts of Love

  (The Unforgettables Book 3)

  (The Unforgettables Boo
k 3)

  About Susan Jean Ricci

  A USA Today, Award-Winning Author, SUSAN JEAN RICCI is best known for her Cindy’s Crusades Series, starring the hilarious duo Cindy and Jay DeMatteo. These cherished characters are first introduced in the novel Dinosaurs and Cherry Stems, and return to entertain you in the sequel The Sugar Ticket. Their mischief making continues in these shorts: Two Miracles for Christmas, A Valentine’s Day to Remember, Falling for Niagara, Christmas With Niagara, and The Blind Seer.

  Ms. Ricci is also privileged to have her most recent titles featured in the Authors’ Billboard Collections, as well as in Uvi Poznansky’s Love in Times of War, and the Annie Acorn Anthologies.

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