Lawfully Festive

by Natalie Middleton

  “You won’t have to wait long.” She said as she blushed.

  * * *

  Jerry was dreaming.

  “Don’t go, don’t go. Please wait.” Jerry called out. His team members didn’t listen and still went inside the house. He was frozen in his spot. He tried to reach out to them and pull them back, but it didn’t work. He saw Riley smile at him and walk towards the house. Jerry rushed to stop her from entering. He stood in front of her, but she just laughed and went the other way.

  “Come in with me, Jerry. Come, let’s go,” she called out. Jerry tried to hold her hand, but it slipped. He tried again and again.

  “Riley, don’t go in the house. It’s not safe,” Jerry called out. She gave him a weird look, and slowly walked in the house. Jerry ran behind them to try and protect them. But before he took a step inside the house, he was thrown back. The house was burning.

  Everybody he loved and cared about was dead. And he was all alone.

  Jerry’s eyes flew open. He sat up sharply. His breathing was hitched and his heart was racing. He threw his blanket and ran outside his room. Riley! He had to check if she was safe. He came out to the living room and stopped. Riley was sitting there with a big plate of food! Relief flooded him. She was okay. He felt his throat constrict.

  He slowly walked back to his room and fell on his bed. He picked up his phone and dialed his each of his team members and wished them for Christmas. He needed to hear their voices and know they were okay. He didn’t let them in on the real reason why he called them. That would have made him the team’s laughing stock for the next few months.

  “Yo, man. Merry Christmas.” Jake, his best buddy from his team said. Jerry swallowed. His nightmare felt so real, he couldn’t believe Jake was okay. On that fateful day, Jake had been behind him before they entered the house. That was what saved both of them.

  “Merry Christmas. You alright?” Jerry gripped his phone hard, waiting for Jake to respond.

  “Yeah man, I’m in Arizona with my wife’s parents. What happened to you? Are you okay?” Jake sounded concerned.

  “I—I’m okay. I’ve come to Massachusetts for Christmas. My dad’s friend from his army days invited me over. I’m spending Christmas with his family,” Jerry replied.

  “That sounds nice. Well if you’re going to be travelling for Christmas, then you ought to come here. Wait hold on, Alice wants to speak to you.” Alice was Jake’s friendly wife. Jerry loved her as much as he loved Jake. Jerry had been a little slow to accept Alice, but once he realized his friend Jake wasn't going anywhere even though he got married, he accepted her.

  “Hey Jerry, Merry Christmas! Heard you're off gallivanting somewhere in the country. Where are you?” Jerry felt a warmth spreading in his chest.

  “Merry Christmas! Yes, I'm visiting one of dad's veteran friends and his family. It's been great so far.” Jerry couldn’t help but smile. Alice caught on to his tone and pounced on it.

  “Ooo, that sounds promising. Any female friends you made there?” She quizzed. Jerry colored.

  “I—I...how did you know?” Alice laughed.

  “Who is she? Come on, spill the beans.” Alice probed.

  “I-I…” he stuttered.

  He took a deep breath. There was no point hiding it from Alice. She would weasel it out of him and then tease him mercilessly.

  “Her name is Riley. We met on the way to Northampton. Her car broke down and I— helped her out.” His mind flashed back to the brief time they had known each other for.

  “Oh you rescued a damsel in distress. Good job. So, what’s cooking between you two?” She said.

  Jerry sighed. “I don’t know if anything is cooking yet. I really feel a connection to her. You know, what you said you felt for Jake, only, I never believed you then. But I believe you now. It’s so surprising how I feel so deeply for her. And I have this—this hunger to know her better. It just—I’m not sure it will work out. There are too many complications.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, I’ll fill you in on it later. You have a blast with Jake. I’ll see you after the New Year,” he said.

  “Okay, see you. I’ll have you know, I’m going to get it all out once we meet. But I do really have to go now. Bye.” She hung up. Jerry took a deep breath and checked up on all his teammates. He couldn’t imagine any of them getting hurt, they were his family. He fell back on his bed in relief. They were okay!

  He freshened up and walked to the living room with his present. Martha saw him enter and she enveloped him into a warm hug.

  “Merry Christmas! Oh! Is that for me?” She said as Jerry handed her a gift-wrapped box. “Ed, he got us a gift,” she called out to Edward who was sitting on the couch. He walked over and examined the box.

  “You shouldn’t have, Jerry. This is too much, we can’t accept,” Edward said. Jerry shook his head.

  “You were the only person dad mentioned frequently from his army days. I knew your friendship mattered to him. This is nothing. Besides, you and Martha opened your home for me. I really appreciate it.” Jerry was firm. Martha smiled and opened the box.

  “Oh this is lovely! Ed, look, what a lovely photo frame. This is perfect.” Martha hugged him hard. Edward shook his hand.

  “If it’s not too painful for you, Edward, I’d love to hear stories of my father,” Jerry said.

  “Of course, I’d love to. But first, grab some food. Martha’s cooked up a feast,” he said.

  Jerry took a plate and looked at the table. He could almost hear the table creaking and groaning because of the weight. Jerry counted a roast chicken, some honey cured ham, eggs, two salads, a cake, some pudding, some eggnog, some mash, a cranberry sauce, and some sausages. He loaded his plate and sat on the couch.

  “Your father and I first met when we were assigned to Operation Bright Star in Egypt. We trained together with Egyptian forces. I was alone and feeling homesick, and missing this one here.” He pulled Martha closer.

  “And your father was the one I would talk to. You know how he was, quiet and contemplative when anyone spoke. I don’t know what it was that he used to say, but I used to instantly feel better.” He looked at Jerry.

  “Those conditions were harsh. Many of us couldn’t deal with the heat. It was oppressively hot in Egypt, and we trained in the open desert. We couldn’t adjust to the food, the weather would kill us, and there were so many bugs at night. It was a true test of our tolerance. But your father,” He paused to think.

  “Your father kept our whole unit together. We would spend every evening talking about one thing we really loved back home. Keeping these memories alive would help us push through. He wasn’t in charge though.” Edward pointed a fork at Jerry.

  “It was all unofficial. But he was our leader. His support helped me get through a tough military training program.” Edward smiled as he reminisced the past.

  “Father never spoke much about his time in the army. I hadn’t been home for a long time, probably since I left to go to college. We used to talk, but of course, those were often about my time in college and whatever was going on in my life. I miss those conversations.” Jerry sighed.

  Edward reached over and squeezed his hand.

  “He was a very private man, even when we spent time together. But he was honest. And he had his way of making sure we were taken care of. Even after we retired from the army, and moved on, he called up every few weeks to take a complete report. The way he used to talk about your mother when we were in the field, he made her come alive for all of us. Did you know, we all came to visit you once for the holidays. I think you were too young, you don’t remember.” Edward said fondly.

  “Martha, do you remember? We visited them in Oregon, the full team?” Martha nodded.

  “I do. All eight of them with their wives and children. You were too young though, I don’t think you would have remembered.” She furrowed her brows.

  “I do remember you were a very friendly boy. You came up to all of us, and spent time pl
aying on our laps. It was so easy taking care of you. Ed played airplane so many times with you. You giggled and laughed so much. We loved it,” Martha said. She and Edward smiled at each other. Jerry scrunched his face trying to recollect that particular visit. He drew up a blank.

  “That’s why when I heard about Charlie, I had to find out about you. Over the years, he was the only one who called as frequently as he did, especially after your mother died. I was still in touch with the rest of my team, but nobody made me feel taken care of like Charlie. He was a true friend,” Edward said, wiping away a tear. Jerry gave him and Martha a weak smile.

  “We’re so glad you could make it here. Please come over and visit anytime you feel like. We’re always in town for Christmas, and you’re more than welcome.” Martha’s genuine invitation made this throat feel heavy.

  “Could you tell me more stories please? I would love to know how he was when he was young,” Jerry said, looking hopeful. His father had been away a lot when he was growing up, and after his mother had died, he had withdrawn into himself.

  “Of course. Where should I start?” Edward rubbed his hands and took a seat beside him.

  * * *

  Riley waited nervously at the top of the stairs. She had already given her parents their gifts in the morning. But last night’s conversation with Jerry had given her a perfect idea for a gift for him. She was going to get him his own Rick & Morty ugly sweater. The only problem is, she would have to gift it once the holidays were over. Her go-to store in New York would have it, and then she would only have to figure out the shipping.

  Her feelings for Jerry were deepening the more she got to know him. She had opened up to him so easily. It usually took her a long time to warm up to a person. Her heartbeat sped up at the thought of seeing him again.

  She could hear voices from the living room as she approached. She heard words like ‘war’, ‘raid’, ‘training’ and stopped to listen. Her eyes widened as she heard Jerry describe some of his close encounters. All her earlier excitement to see Jerry vanished.

  The fact that Jerry worked in a dangerous profession hit her like a ton of bricks. His job involved him flirting with danger every single day he was out in the field. She couldn’t deal with that. She hadn’t dealt with her father’s term in the army. Thoughts of Jerry rushing in headfirst in a dangerous situation flooded her mind. She heard him narrate his recent raid, the same story he had told her a few hours ago. But this time, the impact and reality of the situation hit her hard. He could have died. He could have died, and we could have never met. Can I deal with this?

  Her head started to pound. She couldn’t be with someone like this. Their geographical distance apart, she couldn’t be with someone who was in a job that was fraught with danger. Her heart broke as she came face to face with reality. She could not be with him. She had to pull back. Tears stung her eyes.

  She swallowed and made her way back to her room. She quietly closed the door and leaned against it. She felt every ounce of strength leave her body. Why did Jerry have to be in law enforcement? And why did she have to fall for him? That realization surprised her. Had she fallen for Jerry? In such a short time?

  “All I know is, I want to spend more time with him. I want to get to know him. I feel safe with him. Is that even possible in such a short time?” She said it out loud.

  In her heart, she knew she was falling for Jerry. But his job! She couldn’t get that out of her mind. She couldn’t be with a lawkeeper. That required too much strength, which she was sure she didn’t have.

  She fought back tears as she sat on her bed. She had struggled with her emotions even when her father was away.

  “I cried so much when Dad had to leave. I—I can’t be with someone who puts his life at risk everyday. It would kill me when he went out on the field. I—I think I should just be friends with Jerry. Yes, this was a short lived holiday fling.” She whispered softly to herself. Her heart protested. She wiped her tears.

  Her chest felt heavy when she thought about Jerry. All the time they had spent together had really made her want more. Jerry was a wonderful person, and in their conversations, he had shown how vulnerable and honest he could be. She really appreciated men who were in touch with their emotions. All the men she had been with in the past were flippant about emotions and not at all genuine. This connection she had with Jerry was special, she was sure of it.

  She would pull back. As gently as she could. Being friends wouldn’t be so bad. Would it?

  Chapter 7

  Riley carefully descended and entered the living room. Her mother noticed her and came up to hug her.

  “You look pale honey, are you alright?” Martha sounded concerned. Riley nodded. She lifted her plate and loaded it with sausages, roast meat, and some pudding. She took a deep breath and pushed her feelings away.

  “So, which movie are we watching?” She beamed. Immediately, a discussion started about Christmas movies and which ones they had and hadn’t seen. Her mother flipped through different channels. Then her face brightened.

  “Honey, can you check if that Kate Winslet film is up on Netflix? I think it's called The Holiday. I’d love watching that again.” Martha said. Edward switched to Netflix on their TV and immediately found the movie.

  “You’re in luck, Martha. Fill up your plates, kids, we’re starting the movie marathon with The Holiday.”

  Jerry went to get some seconds. Riley looked at her empty plate and reluctantly went to the table. Jerry looked at her and flashed her a smile that made her weak in the knees. Her resolve hardened the next minute and she focused on carving the ham. Her hands shook while she carved and the knife didn’t move much. Jerry put his hand out and gently took the knife from her hand. Riley swallowed. Jerry quickly cut a portion of ham and put it on her plate. His fingers accidentally brushed hers and she gasped at the current that passed through her hand at his touch. She swallowed.

  “Thanks.” Riley avoided looking at him and sat on the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jerry pick up his plate and sit on a chair. The movie started playing. Her mood improved.

  Riley loved this movie. She had seen it so many times, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. I feel like Amanda, coming home for a break, she thought. The idea that a character from her favorite movie resembled her made her giggle. Jerry looked at her and smiled, waiting for her to share the joke, but she sobered up and focused on the movie.

  Riley felt her heart melt when Cameron Diaz kissed Jude Law. It was one of her favorite moments in the film. Whatever Amanda did went so against her character, she was analytical, she was hardworking to a fault, and she was methodical, even with her emotions. And here she was, in an alien place, falling in love just as spontaneously. She had wanted to kiss Jerry when they sat by the fireside last night, but she had controlled her feelings.

  “I’m not supposed to be falling for him. Yet my traitor mind keeps thinking about him.” She grumbled. She frowned and looked outside the window, hoping the snow would be a distraction. It was snowing outside, and all she could think of was walking in the snow with Jerry. She squeezed her eyes shut and watched the movie. Thankfully the narrative had shifted to Kate Winslet.

  Her mind wandered to unlikely couples. Kate Winslet’s character in the Holiday was the typical girl next door, the doormat. And she flew halfway across the world and found love. She flew to LA. Riley’s eyes widened. She pursed her lips. Just like the universe to send her such an obvious sign when she had decided she didn’t want to fall in love with Jerry. She crossed her hands.

  I do not want to fall in love with Jerry. I DO NOT want to fall in love with Jerry.

  She repeated this over and over until a scene from the movie commanded her attention. However, it didn't take long for her to get distracted. Her mind wandered to Jerry. She stole a glance and saw him picking at the food in his plate. She squashed an urge to go and talk to him and open up.

  This friendship business was proving harder than she thought.

&nbs
p; * * *

  Jerry loved watching The Holiday. He was surprised, he didn’t expect he’d like a movie without any action in it. Both the stories and the characters spoke to him. He could truly relate to how Jude Law felt for Cameron Diaz, and Jack Black’s rising emotions for Kate Winslet felt so much like his own emotions for Riley. Yes, their relationship so far had been spontaneous. Yes, there was so much about her that he simply did not know. But he wanted to spend time peeling layer after layer. For two people who didn’t know each other, they had already shared quite a lot about their lives.

  Words from the Pastor’s sermon came back to him. He had never really focused on love, but truth be told, he had never found anyone interesting enough. But watching his best buddy Jake fall head over heels in love had opened him up to the possibility of a forever kind of love.

  Jake had once said to him,“The best part about falling in love with Alice was that I never realized I had fallen in love. I Just woke up one day and felt a desperate sort of ache because she wasn't there with me. I stopped fighting it that day.”

  He never understood the meaning of those words till today.

  He felt strongly about Riley. He had no doubt he was falling for her. He had not opened up to anyone like that before. The future was uncertain, but he knew for a fact that he wanted her in his life, in spite of the challenges.

  Small things about Riley really drew him in. He loved that naughty smile she gave just after she’d made a quip or said something sarcastic or witty. Every time she got excited, he would notice a spark in her eyes. When he looked at her right now, he could see her twirling her hair because she liked something from the movie. She was adorable.

  As he watched characters on screen fall in love, he couldn’t help but feel helpless. Helpless because a woman stranded outside Boston was slowly-- no, rapidly making space in his heart. And he did not mind.

  Chapter 8

  Riley did whatever she could to stay out of Jerry’s way for the rest of the day. She disappeared after The Holiday stopped playing. Jerry waited for her for half an hour before he realized she wasn’t coming. He frowned. Something was wrong, he could definitely feel it.