180 Days

by T. E. Ridener

  Mrs. McIntosh bypassed them without saying a word, without so much as a glance in Lydia’s direction as she carried a crock pot—filled with her famous mashed potatoes no doubt—into the kitchen.

  She refused to let her mother’s displeasure with her ruin this night. At least she’d shown up to do some good for someone else.

  “How did you pull this off?” Lydia asked, turning to face her grinning boyfriend. “You even got our parents involved?”

  “Of course I did. I knew we wouldn’t be finished with what needed to be done until late, so I called Tula up and we made a new plan. I hope you don’t mind. I know you were looking forward to having Christmas Eve dinner with our parents, but—”

  She silenced him with a love-fueled kiss. If ever a kiss could exist in which a person conveyed how they felt for another, this was it.

  Callum sucked at her bottom lip and wrapped his arms tight around her, keeping her close as the commotion around them faded away. When they kissed, nothing else existed except for him and her, the sound of her heartbeat, and the taste of his mouth. She could live comfortably in those sensations alone.

  “Careful,” he whispered huskily when she nipped his lip. “I may be forced to take you somewhere and have my way with your sexy little elf self, Lydia.”

  “I wouldn’t mind that.” She replied breathlessly, pulling back to gaze up at him. “You are incredible, you know that?”

  “You’re incredible.” He corrected, smiling. “I appreciate your help today.”

  “I hardly did anything. I just played chauffeur.”

  “No, baby.” He pushed her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at her. “You did so much more than that and you don’t even realize it.”

  “I guess I’ll just have to take your word for it.” She tiptoed to kiss him again, but paused when she heard someone clearing their throat.

  “We’re ready to eat.” Her father said, giving them a sheepish grin. “And you two have earned it after all the Christmas miracles you’ve pulled. Get on in the kitchen.”

  “Yes, sir.” Callum held her hand in his and led her down the hallway. She was glad to see the pictures on the walls again, just as they should have been, and she was even happier to see the smile seemingly permanently placed on Kelly’s face as she prepared a plate for Justin.

  Their gazes locked for a few seconds and Kelly mouth, ‘thank you’, but Lydia knew she couldn’t take any credit for everything Callum had done. He was the one who deserved to be thanked, and maybe she would do just that when they left.

  Repeatedly.

  Preferably naked.

  —————

  Callum

  There was always something so magical about Christmas morning. It wasn’t necessarily the gifts beneath the tree or the anticipation of waking up to see what Santa had left for him, but mostly the opportunity to make new memories. Memories that helped him get through rainy days and made him smile when he wasn’t sure he could, and this year, miraculously, he was getting to share it with the girl of his dreams.

  Gazing at her sleeping form as they cuddled together in her bed, Callum couldn’t help but to smile. He was so damn lucky to have her and he thanked his lucky stars every day.

  “I love you.” He murmured, burying his face into her hair and inhaling the sweet-smelling scent of her shampoo.

  “Mmm.” She mumbled, shifting slightly and getting more comfortable as she slept.

  It wasn’t that he wanted to wake her up just yet, but it actually kind of was. Sometimes he just didn’t want to share her with her dreams.

  Lydia’s time was almost up and he wasn’t the only one counting down the days. Jeb had mentioned it a few times in the past week alone, but Callum kept reassuring him that she wasn’t going anywhere. She was happy and she wouldn’t leave them.

  He had to believe that—he did believe it. Even Aggie had said she’d never seen Lydia so happy before and happiness was a key factor in whether she returned to Vermont or not, right?

  Pushing the blankets off his body and slowly sitting up, he gazed out the window and watched the snow fall, so gently and calm, as the sun began to rise.

  He couldn’t help but to compare the snowfall to how he’d fallen in love with the girl snoring softly behind him.

  It was unexpected and welcomed, just like the moment he stepped into the McIntosh house and laid his eyes on Jeb’s ‘cousin.’

  It was beautiful and serene, just like their first dance in the bar.

  It made his cheeks red, just like the naughty little comments she made when she was feeling particularly frisky.

  It warmed his heart, just like her very existence did.

  Lydia was as unique and beautiful as every snowflake falling against the windowsill. Her past didn’t matter to him. The person she’d been before she became Lydia McIntosh was of no concern to him and he prayed she would always know that.

  When it came to Lydia there was no trans involved at all; she was simply a woman. A beautiful, sweet, fun woman—his woman.

  He eyed his coat, which was hanging from her doorknob, and felt his pulse accelerate. There was something inside his inner coat pocket that proved his insanity when it came to what he felt for her.

  His feelings were intense and always had been when it came to her, but the little box in his coat pocket might just send her running for the hills.

  Jeb promised it wouldn’t, but what did he know? He wasn’t in love with a ticking time-bomb, and he meant that in the best way possible. Lydia had been through a lot, more than any one person should go through, and her battle was never over.

  He hated the fact she had to constantly fight for what she believed in, to be who she wanted to be. It wasn’t fair. Her, Benji, and Ags deserved to live happy lives just like everyone else. What did it matter if they decided to do so as a man or woman? Hell, even as both, in Ags’ case.

  That was supposed to be the beauty of being human and there were people who made it ugly and shameful every day; all because they felt threatened by someone else’s ability of pushing the boundaries on what had always been viewed as ‘normal’.

  There was no such thing as normal. The world was changing and people needed to get on board. Their bigotry would destroy them, one by one, and they would end up miserable just like Lydia’s mother.

  Who wanted to live that kind of life?

  His heart pounded hard against his ribcage as he glanced at his coat again, feeling his stomach twist into nervous knots and the weight on his chest only got heavier as the seconds ticked by.

  He couldn’t take it anymore.

  Moving as quietly as a cat, he grabbed the box from his coat and got back into bed, gently poking Lydia’s shoulder with a trembling finger.

  “Merry Christmas, Lydia.” He whispered. “Wake up.”

  “Mmf.” She groaned, rolling further away from him. “Five more minutes.”

  “I can’t wait five more minutes.”

  “Callum.” She whined, but she hardly sounded mad at him as she turned over to peer at him. Her dark curls hid half her face from view, but one sleepy green eye locked onto his gaze as she sighed. “What’s wrong, baby?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. It’s Christmas morning. Nothing can be wrong on Christmas.”

  “The day is young.” She grumbled, slowly sitting up and running her fingers through her hair. The blankets fell away from her naked breasts and he sucked in a quick breath.

  Now is not the time to consider making love to her again. Wait a few more minutes.

  Curling one leg beneath himself, he threw caution to the wind and held the box out for her to see. When her eyes landed on it, her mouth fell open.

  Good-good or good-bad? He wondered, chewing his inner cheek nervously.

  “Callum...”

  “Before you say no, please just hear me out.” He said, popping open the box. Inside was a small silver ring with a halo of gemstones that wrapped all the way around the band, but what he
knew would grab her attention was the beautiful topaz stone surrounded by aquamarine and white sapphires.

  Her eyes didn’t stray from the ring as she slowly nodded.

  “Lydia, I realize you are not a princess that needs to be saved by a handsome prince.” God that sounded cornier than he intended. “You are strong, intelligent, beautiful, and incredibly independent—just like Cinderella.”

  “Huh?” Her eyes snapped up to meet his and he smiled.

  “I pay more attention than you think I do. I recognized the song you were singing in my kitchen the morning after we...you know. I may not understand French, but I know that tune,”—she blushed—“and I knew in that very moment how much the movie must mean to you.”

  “Or Ags opened her big mouth.”

  “No, she didn’t. I swear she didn’t.” He laughed, feeling sweat trickle down his temple. “But Laney may have mentioned it was your favorite movie at some point. Anyway, as I was saying, in the story of Cinderella, she’s known for being knowledgeable, witty, fashionable, and generous. I think that describes you perfectly.”

  “Well, I don’t know...”

  “I do know. I see it every day. I know you’re involved with more charities than just Tula’s Christmas organization. Jeb’s told me the stories about how you go out of your way to help kids get clothes for school and how you do fundraisers to help kids like you get the guidance they need in a safe environment. That’s what makes you so beautiful, Lydia. Don’t you see that? You fight so hard for what you want, but you fight harder for others to have it easier than you did. Your heart is so pure and wonderful and I am greatly honored that it feels the same way about me as mine feels for you.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath and pursed her lips together. The water glistening in her eyes could either be a good thing or a bad thing, he just had to say what he wanted to say and see what happened.

  “I love you, Lydia. I’m in love with you and I have been for a long time. Maybe it seems rushed that all it took was a few months to wrap me around that little finger of yours, but I’m there, baby. I’m there and I have no intentions of unwrapping myself. I want to be with you for the rest of my life and I want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted. Haven’t I proved the past doesn’t matter?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “Good. Because it doesn’t. Hell, even if you were still a guy I’m pretty sure I’d turn gay for you.” He chuckled quietly. “You are the most amazing creature I’ve ever met and I never want to let you go. Please let me show you what love is on a daily basis, for the rest of our lives, as my wife.”

  She opened her mouth to say something, but he quickly lifted his hand to stop her.

  “And for the record, it’s totally legal for us to get married in the state of North Carolina. I don’t care if we have to travel to the next city to do it. I want to be your husband.”

  “Callum, I...”

  “And if you say no, that’s okay, too. I mean I’ll understand if you want to say no. I won’t push it, Lydia, but I—”

  “Yes.”

  He blinked. “Yes?”

  “Yes.” She nodded eagerly, smiling. “A thousand times yes, Callum.”

  “But I didn’t even ask you properly.” His shoulders slumped and he felt like kicking himself in the ass as he wiped the sweat from his brow. Proposing was never as easy as they made it look in the movies.

  “Oh. Well, would you like to ask properly?” She asked, biting at her lip.

  “Will your answer still be yes?”

  “Of course it will, silly.” She laughed. “But, I need to ask you something before you ask.”

  “Okay.”

  “What about children?” Her smile faded and sadness clouded her eyes. “Don’t you want them?”

  “Someday.”

  “But I can’t give you children.”

  “We’ll adopt.” He took her hand into his, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, Lydia. I just,”—he sighed and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers—“Right now all I can think about is putting this ring on your finger and letting the world know you’re off the market.”

  She searched his eyes, tears still glistening in her own as she offered him a warm smile. “Then do it.”

  Plucking the ring from the box and holding her hand like the delicate flower he viewed it as, Callum swallowed his nerves into place.

  “Lydia Jane McIntosh, will you marry me?”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Lydia

  All throughout the day she couldn’t stop staring at the ring on her left hand. It was so beautiful, so thoughtful, and she knew the smile on her face wouldn’t go away anytime soon.

  Never had she imagined falling in love, let alone getting engaged. She’d dreamt of it countless times, but now it was reality and the feeling was indescribable.

  Christmas was turning out to be wonderful as she exchanged gifts with her friends and her siblings. It was hard to ignore the tension between Jeb and Ags, and a part of her really wanted to ask what was going on, but she was certain it was something that would work itself out soon—at least she hoped so. It was Christmas; worrying could wait for tomorrow.

  Laney and Benji, however, were being too cute for words as they presented each other with thoughtful gifts. Her sister had gotten him a new set of headphones because Benji lived for music. He thanked her with a timid hug and then presented her with a small box wrapped in shiny green wrapping paper. It was easy to see he’d wrapped it himself because of the massive quantity of tape used.

  “Oh, Ben. You shouldn’t have!” Laney gasped, pulling the necklace out to examine it. A rhinestone ‘L’ sparkled as the lights hit it and her eyes glittered with happiness as she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

  No one said a word, but knowing smiles were exchanged as Benji grinned and lowered his head, undoubtedly hiding his red face.

  “What time do we have to be at your parents’ house?” Callum asked after they were finished opening presents.

  “No later than two.” Jeb answered him, sprawled out on the couch with his legs crossed at the ankles. “If we get there a minute past two Mom will never let us live it down.”

  Laney groaned in agreement and rolled her eyes.

  Lydia was nervous about going to her parents’ for Christmas. Thanksgiving had been a miraculous feat. Even having dinner at Kelly’s had been somewhat civil, but she wasn’t stupid enough to believe her mother actually wanted her at her house for Christmas Day dinner.

  She probably didn’t even get me a gift. She thought sadly. Not that a gift even mattered—but it was the thought behind it. There used to be a stocking hung on the wall with her name stitched on it.

  That’s not my name anymore.

  Callum took her hand into his, kissing her fingertips. It was amazing—as if he could actually sense when her soul began to ache. She couldn’t help but to wonder if that’s what true love meant; being empathetic to your lover’s emotions.

  “Your parents are coming, too, right?” Jeb questioned, glancing up from the book Lydia had gotten him.

  “I reckon so.” Callum nodded. “My mom’s bringing some of her strawberry mush.”

  “Oh, strawberry mush!” Laney gasped. “I love that stuff.”

  “Strawberry mush?” Ags blinked in bewilderment. She toyed with her dark burgundy hair, glancing at Benji as if he knew what they were talking about.

  “You know, it’s where you mix whipped cream and jello together with fruit salad, marshmallows, and cottage cheese? It’s so good!” Laney groaned, practically salivating at the mouth.

  Lydia remembered such a recipe, but the memory seemed so distant now. Maybe her Gran had made it once, or another relative. Either way, she was looking forward to trying Mrs. Reynold’s strawberry mush and she prayed the rest of the day would go smoothly.

  And it did, at least for a little while.

  They all arrived at the McIntosh residence at exactly two o’clock
and while Ags kept second-guessing whether she was welcome there or not, Jeb insisted that she was. Lydia appreciated that a lot. Her brother was making an effort to make her friends feel accepted and that’s all that mattered to her.

  However, she really couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more behind his friendliness towards Ags than just southern hospitality.

  The odds are too slim. She thought as she carried a bag of gifts inside and immediately sought out her father. Laney and Benji is coincidence, but Jeb and Ags would be pushing it.

  “There’s my girl.” Her father said happily, wrapping her up in a big hug. “Merry Christmas, honey. I’m glad you could make it.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Daddy.” Lydia kissed his cheek and sighed, inhaling the scent of his cologne as he held her close.

  “Just don’t pay any attention to your mother.” He whispered before pulling away, greeting each of his children in turn.

  Lydia wasn’t sure what he meant by that until she entered the kitchen. Her mother went rigid when she saw her, a frown anchoring her lips down as she spun away from her and began mixing something in a bowl.

  She hesitated for a split second. “Hey, Mama.”

  “Hello.” Mrs. McIntosh replied, her voice reminding Lydia of a robot. It was void of emotion.

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” But she already knew the answer to that. It was the same answer she got on Thanksgiving and the same one she got again last night. Her mother would always tell her no, no matter what it was.

  “No, thank you.”

  Yep. She knew it.

  “Hey, Mama!” Laney practically skipped through the doorway and twirled like a ballerina, wrapping her arms around Lydia and nearly knocking her down in the process. “Need any help?”

  “Yes, Laney. That’s so sweet of you. Would you mind taking the rolls out of the oven and putting them in a bowl for me?”

  “Can’t I help, Mama?” Lydia asked once again, hopeful that her sister’s presence may make her mother think twice about shooting her down.

  “No, you cannot help, Jonathan. Go into the living room with the rest of the men.”