December 13th

I take another sip of my hot cocoa and stare up at the intimidating tree that stands a few feet in front of me. It looks great in the living room but there's too many showing branches and the lighting is dim. I sigh and reach for the box of ornaments, taking out the first one I see.

Standing up, I stride over to the tree and place the golden ornament on a branch, just above a light. The piece of metal glistens onto the other branches, and I temporarily loose track of what I'm supposed to be doing.

I'm grabbing another few ornaments when a knock sounds on the door. Setting the pieces back in the box, I move to answer the door.

"Harry?" I ask upon opening the door. The confusion in my voice throws him off guard as he taps his fingers against the doorframe.

"Not happy to see me?" He says with a playful tone. I shake my head and step to the side so he can come inside the warm house.

"No, just surprised," I promise and hook my arm in his as I lead him toward the living room.

"What are you doing?" He questions, motioning toward the piles of decorations covering the carpeted floor.

"Christmas decorating." I smile and place my hands on my hips.

"Well, then I'm leaving," he begins to walk back toward the door but I jump out and grab his wrist before he can do so.

"Please stay." I poke my bottom lip out, knowing this simple gesture will change his mind. He groans and nods, returning to the living room.

"What do you need me to do?" He asks a few minutes later. I grab the box of garland and point toward the stairs.

"Hang the garland on the balcony." I say and watch as he makes his way up the stairs. I return to my place beside the tree and pick up the few ornaments I had earlier, placing them on the tree.

An hour later, the tree looks great and the balcony is expertly hung with garland. I take Harry's hand once he finishes and we admire our little, but effective work.

"Now we can relax," he grins and pushes me toward the couch. I wiggle out of his hold and walk around to the end of the couch where he can't reach me.

"We aren't finished. We still have the lights to hang up outside and the little villages need to be set up. Oh, and we also have to put up the stockings." I list our many chores on my fingers. I look up to see Harry trying to make an escape toward the door.

"Harry!" I whine, stepping in front of him. I know I sound like a brat but I need his help, or otherwise it won't get done today.

"Fine, I'll help you," he groans with a roll of his beautiful eyes.

"What do you need me to do?" He asks.

Satisfied, I go over the easiest thing to do, but it will take the longest.

"You can start hanging the lights outside," I say and walk outside to show him where they're supposed to be hung.

"Yeah, yeah. Go inside and set up your villages," he interrupts my explanation and kisses my lips, pushing me back inside the house.

I retrieve the boxes of Christmas villages from the attic before beginning to place them on the mantle over the fireplace. I know this is something my mother and I usually do but it needs to get done and she told me that it was fine if I did it without her.

Outside, I can hear Harry cursing and complaining as stomps across the top of the house. I feel slightly guilty for making him do all this work so, once I'm finished, I head into the kitchen to make some more hot cocoa. I'm just putting the marshmallows into the steaming liquid when the front door swings open, revealing an exhausted Harry.

"It took me three fucking hours," he complains and sinks into a chair at the kitchen table. I put a considerable amount of whipped cream on the top and slide it across the table to him.

"Thanks," he takes a sip as I do the same with a cup of my own. I glance out the window and notice that the sun is retreating behind the horizon. How long has it been since we started?

Harry and I finish out hot cocoa and go into the living room to spend the remaining time we have before my mother gets home. I plop down on the couch and pull the blanket over us as Harry turns on the television.

My eyes spot something and I quickly grab the remote from Harry's hand before he can protest. I settle into Harry's chest once Law and Order begins playing and snuggle closer to him for warmth.

"At least it's not a stupid Hallmark movie," he remarks, relaxing a little.

"Hey," I lean up to where we're eye level, "don't make fun of my Hallmark movies." I grew up watching Hallmark movies and I'm not about to let Harry bash them.

"Your Hallmark movies have no plot whatsoever. It's just about love and shit," he challenges.

I shake my head, "they have a plot. And it's not crap. Maybe you're just too blind to see what's really going on."

"Well, they aren't realistic."

"Why not?" I knit my eyebrows together.

"Because there is no such thing as a happily ever after." He argues.

I sit up, letting the blanket fall off of my shoulders. "There is. If you find the right person," I point out. Call me mushy or what, but I do believe in a happily ever after. Or at least something like that.

"Something always goes wrong."

"Yes, but if they love each other enough, they'll find a way to get back to each other."

"Every marriage I've ever seen has ended in divorce. No happily ever after there," he scoffs.

"Because you haven't seen true love," I say and climb off of the couch.

"Jess-" he starts and tries to grab my hand.

"Why are you so against the fact of someone finding love?"

"I'm not against the fact! I just have never found love to be what everyone says it is."

"Well, then, maybe you should try," I say and disappear into the kitchen. I rest my hands on the edge of the sink and stare up at the window, trying to collect myself.

One minute we were watching a movie and the next we're arguing about something totally irrelevant. I was trying to calm down but everything I've ever thought about love was being smacked down by Harry. Maybe he is right. Maybe there is no happily ever after.

I shake my head, refusing to let the thought enter my mind. I've seen true love before. In my parents, grandparents, my whole family. Everything has worked out just fine. Sure, there have been some hardships, but in the end everything is fine. Just because someone doesn't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

I'm too infatuated by the words of Harry that I almost don't hear him enter the room. I sigh, trying to get my thoughts under control, and spin around.

"Are you crying?" His face turns to concern and he immediately closes the space between us.

"No," I say and wipe my cheeks just to be sure. I don't remember crying...

"Oh good," he breathes and leans against the table.

"I'm sorry," we both blurt out at the same time. I smile and motion for him to go first.

"I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that nothing concerning love has ever worked out with me." He takes my hands.

Something tugs at my heart from his words. Being a son with no father and a mother who works all the time must be hard. Immediately, my mood softens and I lean into him.

"I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to get worked up like that. I was being irrational." I still believe that there is a happily ever after, in some cases, but I choose not to dwell on that.

His pushes a strand of hair out of my face and kisses my forehead. "It's okay." I lean in closer to where our lips are brushing together. Harry's large hand comes up to cup my face as he pushes them together, soft at first but gaining intensity.

Before I know it, his free arm is wrapped around my back as he pulls me closer. I run my fingers through his hair and smile at the sound he makes as I do so.

"Dammit," Harry pulls away too soon. I reach for him again but he gently pushes my hands away and motions toward the door. Outside, I can hear the faint sound of someone walking up the steps.

"Thank you," I mouth just as my mom opens the door. She opens her mouth to say something but stops short when she sees Harry standing beside me.

"Hi Harry!" She smiles and pulls him into a hug after setting the groceries down on the counter.

"The house looks lovely! The lights are gorgeous outside!" She smiles and I catch Harry winking at me.

"Harry helped," I gush and she beams at him.

"You must be tired. Would you to stay for dinner? It shouldn't take long," she begins unpacking the plastic bags.

"Thank you for the offer but I promised my mum that I would be home for dinner," he politely declines, and her smile never falters. She just nods and continues unpacking.

"Thank you today." I tell him once we get outside. It's cold out here but I would rather us talk out here than inside where my mother can hear.

"Come here," he opens his arms and I walk into them without question. The sweet smell of mint floats up where I am and I smile at the familiar smell.

"You'll have to come over and help us decorate since I did this," he says as I walk him to his truck. It's pointless, really, but walking with him means having more time.

The Christmas lights create an intimate setting as we stop by his car door.

"Of course. I'm sure Anne will love that," I smile at the thought of her coming home from a long day at work and finding her home decorated.

"I'll see you later," he kisses my cheek and then my lips. I watch as he climbs into his car and backs carefully out of the driveway. I wait until his car is gone before retreating back inside
the house.

Notes

I've been working on this chapter for a few days now so it would mean a lot to me if you could share your thoughts! I don't know when I will update again because I have a choral thing tomorrow night and then the next night I'm going to see Mockingjay :) But, if you comment and vote like crazy, I'll find a way to reward you all with a chapter!