Fragment #5 - Not all the Christmas presents are for Christmas

"See why I didn't want to do it?"
She looks so much like a child sometimes...
"It's important for them, hun. Your dad helped a lot. He called me every two days throughout your whole captivity to check for some news."
"What? Why?"
"Because he was asked by his embassy to stay in France and not get involved. The only person that had contact with the police and your kidnappers as well, was me."
"It shouldn't have been this way. My dad should have been the one doing that. It's his fault after all."
That anger again. Come on, don't play their game, honey. This anger should be directed towards those guys, the ones that made you suffer, not your dad who, if he's got bad qualities, loves you and would have given you his life if he had to. She looks at me. And calms down almost immediately.
"I... I'm sorry, love." Silence and then: "Ok, I'll call Sasha and Cameron, and then we'll open our presents, ok?"
I smile. Yes, that sounds like a nice plan. While she grabs the phone again, I get up and go to the kitchen. I think we deserve a little snack. I don't even know what time it is, and honestly, I don't really care. I'm walking on clouds since she's been back. The time and place has no meaning to me anymore. I fix some tea, make some toasts, get the jam and chocoloate spread out, mix some fruit juice, and when all is ready, set it on the table. She soon comes out the bedroom, wearing only one of my shirts. I'm speechless. This woman has got a way of infinitively reinventing herself, and at the same time, staying the exact same person I fell in love with. What would I become without her?
We sit down, facing each other. She starts eating with quite an appetite. I fetch the presents. Quite a generous Santa, this year. Mum and Dad got me a couple of books, and Charlie's got a nice bracelet. Sasha gave us a set of coffee cups and a CD and Cameron found an old edition of the Tempest for me, and another CD for Charlie. Only two presents left: Paul's and mine for Charlie. Paul's is a gorgeous little summer dress. I already know it will suit her perfectly. Her brother has always been good with presents. Mine is little. While she tears the paper, I step slowly beside her. When she puts the little red box on the table, I take it, and get down on one knee.
"Charlie, listen, I know it might seem out of place and context. But I love you. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
I take a long breath. My hands are shaking a little. I try to stay focus on Charlie but I can't help thinking a bit about Beth, and how she let me down... No. This is what I want, and I will let no one take it away from me.
"Charlotte Mary Paulette Collomb," I open the ring case. "Will you marry me?"
She looks at me. And after what seems to me like an eternity, she smiles.
"Yes. Yes, Steve Sean Brymer, I want to marry you."
I stand up and kiss her furiously. I'm all happiness. She's here, with me, in my arms, all softness and gentleness, and we'll never be set apart.
After a little while, we settle down and she says with a tinckle in her eye: "Don't you want your present now?"
"I already have my present: it's you."
She laughs. "Well, that's flattering, but I've got you another present."
Really? When? She didn't move from here. She comes closer to me and opens the buttons of the shirt she is wearing. I start to smile but she says no with her head. I don't know what's going on. She takes my right hand and very slowly, sets it on her belly, just below her belly button. Her skin is soft and warm there. It's one of my favourite parts of her body. I still don't understand. I tell her so. She stands up straight and pulls my head towards her. She puts it against her belly, my ear on har skin, and the next thing she says I hear as if it was coming from inside her.
"You're going to be a daddy."