by Ashley Blake
“Thanks Jack, I really appreciate that, and you know what? I like seeing you guys around here. Oh! I almost forgot, I have some news for you and Mary.”
Mary and Jack were all ears, waiting to learn what he wanted to tell them. I was curious also because I had no idea what he was going to say, this was news to me that he had something that he wanted to share with them.
Caleb grabbed my hand and Jack and Mary’s faces started to light up. “Emma is now my girlfriend, we have been dating for a couple of months. I wanted to share that with you both because you were the first people who said that we should be dating.”
“Hey! That is great news!” Jack was all grins.
“Yes, that is wonderful you two.” Mary couldn’t stop smiling at us.
“I think we should all go out together for a cup of coffee after the holidays. By the way, what are your plans for Christmas?” I turned to look at Mary first.
“My children and grandchildren are coming to Chicago next week so I will have a lot of visitors in my condo.”
“Oh that sounds nice Mary. Jack, what about you?”
“The same goes for me. This year everyone is coming to Chicago. Next year, I think we are all supposed to meet in California to stay with my daughter.”
“That sounds wonderful Jack. I hope you both have a fantastic time with your families.”
“And what about you two? What are you doing?”
“I am going home to Wisconsin to see my family. I didn’t see them at Thanksgiving because I went home with Caleb to meet his family.”
Jack looked very surprised and a big grin spread across his face. “Oh how nice, you met his family, I think that’s terrific. And Caleb, what are your plans for Christmas?”
“Just going back to New York to see my family, and then hopefully, Emma will want to go to Cancun with me for a few days after Christmas.”
I was completely shocked. I had no idea that he was planning any kind of trip and I’m sure I looked silly because I was sitting at the table with my mouth wide open.
Caleb chuckled as he looked at me. “What do you say, does Cancun sounds like fun?”
A huge grin spread across my face as I jumped up from my seat to give him a big hug. “Cancun sounds like heaven, I would love to go with you!”
We spent the rest of the party chatting with other guests and moving around to visit people at other tables. The sweetest part of the night for me was when we all gathered around the piano and sang Christmas songs. Jean and her assistant played for us and it was so much fun. I saw Jack reach out and hold Mary’s hand, and I nudged Caleb so that he could see it also.
“Aren’t they sweet?”
“Yes, they are.”
Caleb turned to look at me as everyone was singing ‘O Holy Night’.
“So are you. You make me so happy Emma and I am so happy that you came into my life.”
I looked at him and smiled as tears glistened in my eyes. I had never felt so happy in my entire life. “Ditto.”
EPILOGUE
Eight Months Later
Caleb’s gallery opening was a huge success. His parents and Colton flew in for the opening and he was so nervous to have his dad see his work, but once his dad saw how talented Caleb was, he completely changed his tune about wanting Caleb to work with him. He finally understood that this is what made his son happy and it didn’t hurt that Caleb was able to make a living doing it. In addition to the several works of art that he had sold around the city, Caleb sold six paintings that night. Kelly and David showed up to support him and I think that really helped to put him at ease.
Caleb and I had been on several double dates with Kelly and David, and David and Caleb really hit it off. Kelly and I were so happy about that because we knew how hard it was to find another couple to do things with where everyone meshed and got along. Caleb and David even hung out together alone sometimes. They both liked soccer, so they would often go to Fadó to grab a beer and watch a game.
Marta and a few other students from my design class also went to the opening. Marta and I completed our books at the end of the school year and we put together some really awesome mock campaigns. We worked together all throughout the school year and we had developed an incredibly complimentary working relationship. We really respected each other’s ideas, and we always listened to each other and bounced ideas off of each other. We scored interviews as a team at Ogilvy & Mather, Leo Burnett, Digitas and few other smaller agencies. We were offered positions with a few companies but we accepted the position at Ogilvy & Mather. We were so ecstatic because it was our dream job and we made that dream come true with our hard work.
A week after the gallery opening, Caleb and I were lying in bed when he turned to me and told me that he had something waiting for me downstairs. We went down to his art studio, and he walked over to the easel that was always covered whenever I would go over to his place.
“I’m giving this to you today because it is exactly the one year anniversary of the first time I saw you. I knew that you were different from any girl I had ever met in just those few brief minutes we spent chatting, and you made a huge impression on me Emma. I never expected to meet anyone as incredible as you, you have really changed my life in the best way possible. I hope you like it.”
He removed the canvas and staring back at me were my own eyes. He had painted a portrait of me and he completely duplicated everything about me that first night that we met right down to my jeans that fit just right. It was amazingly beautiful and I was so flattered. Tears stained my eyes as I turned to him in awe.
“Caleb, I don’t know what to say, this is absolutely gorgeous. You painted all of this from memory, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“How did you do that? You didn’t even see me for very long.”
“Something about you intrigued me from the first second that I saw you, so while you were standing talking with your friends, I studied you and committed everything that I could about you to memory because I knew that I wanted to paint you.”
“Well you did an incredible job, thank you for the gift. I will cherish it forever.”
I reached up and pulled his face down to mine for a kiss.
“I love you Caleb.”
His smile reached his eyes as they searched mine. “I love you too.”
~*~*~*~
It's funny how life works out sometimes, isn't it? After I broke up with Jordan my whole plan was to just focus on me for the year, really get to know myself and focus on doing well in school. I never, ever expected that I would meet someone as incredible and gorgeous as Caleb, but I did, and he turned my world upside down. I tried to ignore my feelings for him in the beginning. My head was telling me no, I thought he was just a playboy…a big flirt…but my heart knew better. So while my head was saying no, my heart was saying yes. And my heart won. Jack was right when he told me that life has a funny way of making choices for you and not the other way around.
Caleb gathered me in his arms and held me close. “You know, even if I had not met you at that party, I would have met you volunteering. I really believe that it was fate that brought us together. There is no doubt in my mind about that.”
“I think that you just might be right about that, Mr. Morgan.”
“I like having you in my life Emma, I like having you by my side. You’re a perfect fit for me.”
I looked up at him and smiled. “Ditto.”
