Chris Lorenzo scowled as he pulled his car into the only parking spot he could find. It was a good city block walk to the mall entrance. Normally he wouldn't have minded the walk, but today it was just another annoying sign of the season.
The weather itself seemed more as if it belonged up north than it did in Palm Beach, Florida. It was a damp, gloomy sort of day, and the sun stayed hidden behind the dark gray clouds that threatened to unburden themselves any minute. Chris just knew that the moment would happen as he was walking the distance from his car to the crowded mall.
Between the traffic of black Friday and the weather, he would have been better off going straight home from work, instead of coming here. He would have been safe and snug there by now. Home... he thought, cheering up immediately, despite the minor annoyances of the day. He remembered just why he was here at the mall anyway.
Rita. Christmas was only a month away, and he still needed to find her the perfect present. Just the ordinary and usual wouldn't do this year. Because this year she wasn't just his best friend, she was something deeper.
Chris was determined to get her something that held real meaning to it, something that when she opened it, she would have no doubt of how much she meant to him. He knew just what that gift would be too. Patting his breast pocket, he congratulated himself for his brilliance.
Entering into the jewelry store, Chris went right away to the glass counter where all the engagement rings sparkled underneath. An elderly man with white hair greeted him with a smile.
"Good afternoon, young man. How may I assist you today?"
Chris was awed a bit as he stared at the beautiful rings below him. They were all very gorgeous, but too flashy for Rita.
"Yes...I am looking for an engagement ring," Chris said, as he pulled a small object from his breast pocket.
"This was made here about thirty -six years ago. It was part of a set, and belonged to my fiancée's father. The engagement ring is no longer in the family, but I was wondering if it would be possible to have a duplicate of the original made for me."
"May I see it?" the elderly jeweler asked as he held out his hand. He gave it a closer inspection with his eye magnifier, then handed it back to Chris.
"It's truly exquisite, it really is.... and yes I can see that it was made here at our store. I could look into our older records if you want. Would you know the name of the person who purchased it?"
"Fontana...Donald J. Fontana."
"Ahh, yes...I believe I do recall that name. He was a regular customer of ours for a number of years. If you will excuse me, I will go and look up those records, sir."
"Of course." Chris said, feeling absolutely wonderful now. He had been a bit afraid that having a duplicate made would be impossible.
While the jeweler who waited on him was off searching for the designs, Chris's thoughts drifted back to the conversation that had inspired everything he now was hoping for.
They had been getting ready to go out for Thanksgiving dinner, and Rita had been anxiously searching through her jewelry box for the other pearl earring that Tom and Sue Lance had given her on her sixteenth birthday. She had been worried because she couldn't find it, and in her searching she had accidentally knocked her jewelry box over, spilling it's few treasured contents to the floor.
Chris hearing the cry of her frustration, bent down to help her pick everything up, and that's when he had found it. A mans wedding band.
"It was my Dad’s," she said, reaching out a trembling hand and taking it from him.
"It's very beautiful," Chris said, watching as she held it in the palm of her hand, as if she was afraid to really touch it.
"He had it specially made...My mothers engagement ring, her wedding band.... and this ring...they were all a part of a set that he had designed himself. They all matched and they were so beautiful together...." She smiled. "I remember when he first showed me my mothers engagement ring...it seemed to me like it was made for a princess. He let me try it on, and I begged him endlessly to let me wear it all the time, even if it was too big for me."
Chris watched her as she relived forgotten memories. He would never forget how her eyes shined brightly with unshed tears, making her look more vulnerable then he had ever seen her.
He resisted the sudden urge to take her into his arms just then, afraid that doing so would somehow be an invasion of her privacy.
Her hand closed tightly into a fist, abruptly ending her venture into the past.
"He told me that it would be mine someday...that I was his princess and he would give it to me because my mother wanted me to have it. He used to wear her wedding band on the little finger of his right hand, but he told me that one day, the entire set would be mine..."
"Then they must be very special to you," Chris whispered comfortingly.
Sadly she shook her head. "No....when he went bankrupt, I guess he was forced to sell both rings...they took most everything from him. He never said anything about it to me, but one day, he just wasn't wearing her wedding band anymore. All her jewelry had to be sold, but he just couldn't sell this. He used to tell me that she had put it on him and he had never taken it off since... and I guess he never did. All those years she had been gone, and I never once saw him without this ring. When he died, I just never gave it any thought...but when I was older, Tom and Sue...they handed me an envelope, and his wedding band was inside it. A former employee of his who still felt some loyalty to him had overseen to his funeral and all the arrangements. He had good intentions and had the ring removed from my Dad’s hand because he knew it was the only thing of any value left, and he thought that it would be of more use to me, then just being buried in the ground.
Rita dropped the ring back into the jewelry box. "Anyway, it's all I have of his."
Chris shook away the lingering memories of that evening. He hoped like hell that the jeweler would be able to find the designs for her engagement ring.
After what seemed like an eternity, the jeweler came back out with a smile on his aged face.
"Good news, my boy. I found the designs for that ring you want made...but just out of curiosity, I decided to follow a lead on the Internet. I learned that the original engagement ring, and the wedding band have both been available for sale for almost year now. The lady who previously owned the pieces passed away, and her family auctioned off several wonderful pieces of her jewelry to a jeweler up in Pensacola. He is willing to hold them for you if you are interested, but I have to warn you, the price, especially for them both, is very high. If you'd like me to have the duplicate made of just the engagement ring, I could do it for much less."
Chris couldn't believe the stroke of luck that had come his way. He knew he was meant to buy Rita this set. There was no other alternative if he followed his heart.
The elderly man called the jeweler in upstate Florida, and Chris spoke to him over the phone. The cost was much too extravagant and way out of Chris’s price range, but that didn't matter. He put down the entire three thousand he had set aside for Rita’s engagement ring as a deposit instead, and promised the man he would meet personally with him in another two weeks to pay it off and pick up the rings.
Now all he had do figure out was exactly how he was going to do that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rita sat with her eyes fixed on her father’s wedding ring as she thought about her past and how much a part of it this ring was. It had been a part of a set of three...three symbols of love that had been promised would last forever. Father, mother, and daughter... Now there was only this one ring left, and somehow, though it was very precious to her, it had lost all of what it had stood for. It held no future for her now, as it was supposed to. After all, she could never really give it to Chris, as much as she would like to. Her father had taken his life wearing that ring... had lost all hope for his life wearing that ring. How could she give it to Chris as a symbol of hope for their own future now?
She couldn't. Chris was her future, and that was what she wanted to invest herself in now. He had taught her to let go if the past, that she didn't need to hold on it anymore because she had so much more to cling to... she had him.
Could she sell this ring though... the only tangible thing she left of her family’s?
Yes, she believed she could, for Chris and for their future. Chris deserved to know just how much he meant to her. Of course he knew she loved him, but this was a way she could let him know that all of his dreams were hers too, that he was what her heart treasured most now.
She picked up the ring, clasping her fist tightly around it. She knew she could easily sell it for a small fortune. "I'm sorry Daddy," she whispered, wiping away a single tear. She picked up the phone and began to dial as she looked at the faded photo of Chris as a young boy beside his grandmother. As she waited to be greeted on the other end, she thought of the Christmas present she would give Chris that year.
They had gone to his grandmothers beach house over Thanksgiving weekend, just to prepare it for the winter weather. After working all weekend, they had decided to take a walk along the beach before heading back to Palm Beach. Chris had taken her hand and guided her along an overgrown path that led to the beach below.
On the way, they had passed a pile of rubbish and what remained of the burned out structure. Chris had stopped and stared.
"What's wrong, Sam? " Rita asked as she saw a hint of grief pass across his face. He looked so sad so suddenly that it scared her.
He smiled, shaking his head, as he reached out and brought her closer into his embrace. "Did I ever tell you about the time I broke my grandmothers heart?"
"No, I don't think you could have ever done that Chris... break her heart I mean."
"No, I did Sammy. When I was fifteen..." He didn't speak for another minute as he allowed his memories to come forward now. Rita saw that it was hard for him to talk about it, and gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she waited patiently for him to continue.
"See...there used to be a gazebo right here," he said pointing to the wreckage. My grandma Rose and me... we would come out here almost every night." He gave a small chuckle." She always had a cup of tea, and some milk and cookies for me on a tray. There was even a swing built in it...and we would just sit on that swing next to each other and look out over the ocean. I never knew my grandfather, but she told me so many stories about him while we sat out there... in a way, I felt like I did know him, you know?"
Rita hadn't said a word, but she gave him a small smile, the only thing he needed from her to go on. "He built the gazebo for my grandmother as a wedding gift to her. He brought her here on their wedding night and surprised her with it. She told me that every night, weather permitting, they would sit out there just holding hands and talking. She told me how glad she was that I was there with her now that he’d passed away, glad she could now sit out there with her grandson."
"It sounds so beautiful, Chris." Rita could barely speak she was so overcome with the image he’d painted for her.
"It was, it really was. As I grew older, I would come out here alone a lot, just to think. And I’d always remember my grandmother’s stories, and how much she loved my grandfather. I guess it amazed me that two people could really love each other like that... I mean my parents sure weren't much of an example ...they didn't even know how to be friends yet alone how to love someone else... even their own son.
"No Chris...I'm sure they love you in their own way." Rita said, wanting to take away the pain she could hear in his voice.
"Maybe, but that isn't much comfort when your just a kid. It was my Grandma Rose who taught me about love, Sammy. I used to sit here and just think about my future. I promised myself that one day I would have a love like my grandparents had. I pictured bringing my wife here, and sitting on the swing, holding her hand and telling her how much I loved her...how much I would always love her..."
"But then it caught fire?" Rita asked him.
"Was set on fire actually.... by me. I was fifteen. One day my parents both came to visit me at the same time. It was over Christmas holiday, and I was supposed to go to Europe with my mom on a ski trip. Well, my father showed up unexpectedly, and the entire time they spent here, they did nothing but fight with each other. Then the night before my mom and I were supposed to leave, I overheard them arguing about me. My mom had just been called back to re-shoot some scenes on a movie she had just finished. I heard her trying to make a deal with my dad to take me with him for the rest of the holiday break so that when she told me we weren’t going to Europe, she could say ‘sorry, but look, surprise, your dad is taking you to New York instead’. Only my dad wasn't cooperating with her plans. He had an important trial coming up and told her right out that having a kid hanging around would only get in the way."
"Oh God, Chris...you heard all that?"
"Yeah... I guess I just lost it then. I got so angry at them, and it hurt so much. I remember running to the gazebo just so that I could get away from them. And then as I was sitting there, I thought of the oil lamp that and the matches that my grandma kept there, under one of the seats. I don't know why I did it, but I did. I loved that gazebo, Sammy. It stood for all I ever wanted and dreamed of for myself. It was proof that love really did exist. But I just stood there crying and watching it burn, until they found me there.
Rita turned out of Chris' embrace to look at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her. "I'm sure she understood, Sam. She knew you were just hurting so much inside. She loved you."
"She did understand, Sammy...and she forgave me right away, but still I had no right to do that. I broke her heart, and she was the one person who didn't deserve it."
"I think you broke your own heart even more, Chris." Rita said, giving him another hug, as she stared at what remained of the destroyed gazebo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Cap, I need a day off. I have some personal business up state next week."
"Sorry Lorenzo. Can't do it. I need you and Rita here to clear the unsolved homicide file. The Commissioner is on my butt for a perfect record by the years end."
"Cap, there’s only one on record, and it happened over ten years ago. Besides, when the victim was found, all that was left was a bag of bones. You know we tried for awhile there, Cap, but it's a dead end case now. Tell the Commissioner to let it rest, Cap. I need a day off."
"What's so important anyway, huh?" Cap asked him.
"Rita’s Christmas present."
"Yeah? What’d you get her?"
“An engagement ring,” he grinned.
“Well, well. Finally settling down and doing right by that beautiful women of yours, huh?”
“Yeah, I figured maybe it was time, considering we already live together and all,” he kidded. “But this is no ordinary engagement ring, Cap.”
“No? What’s so special?”
“It’s Rita’s mother’s engagement ring. She showed me her father’s wedding ring and told me that they were a set, but her father had to sell off her mother’s wedding band and engagement ring to pay off some debts, so she only has the one. But me, being the brilliant detective that I am,” he boated, “found out that the other rings are up for sale in Pensacola. I already put down a deposit. All I have to do is pick them up and pay the balance, if it doesn’t kill me first.”
“I take it the cost doesn’t compare to that of a normal engagement ring.”
“Nope. It’s way out of my ballpark, so I’m selling the beach house. That’ll give me plenty of money.”
“But the beach house? Your grandmother’s place?”
“Yeah, I don’t use it much. I can live without it.”
“But you love that place. It holds a lot of memories for you.”
“I know, but doing this for Rita is worth it, Cap. I love her. I just want to show her how much.”
That conversation had taken place two weeks ago. And now, only a week before Christmas, Harry Lipshitz stood by the window in his office, peering through the blinds as he waited for his wife to arrive. Watching Chris and Rita, he couldn't help but laugh at his two detectives. They were a match made in heaven those two, and if he didn't know it before, he certainly did now. What he had learned about those two was a story one could only read about in books. But with them, it was for real. It was their life, their love.
He had been impressed with Chris when he had confided in him about the engagement ring for Rita, and about wanting to buy the other ring as well to complete the set for her. He was especially impressed that he was selling the beach house that his grandmother had left him so that he could buy the rings. If he had ever had a son, he couldn't have felt any more love or pride in him, then he did for Chris at that moment. Chris was everything he could wish for in a son.
If anyone deserved Rita, it was Chris, he thought. He had never given much thought to having a daughter of his own before. After all a man usually wished for a son at some point in his life. A daughter, however, had probably been what Fran had desired most. Unfortunately, they hadn't been blessed with either.
He had Fran and his career, and he was contented with that... until they had met Rita. It had been her who first brought about his regrets for what he and Franny had been denied having. Somehow she had found a soft spot within him... one he had never even known existed. He had fallen in love with her, with the charm that was all her own, and with the eagerness she had for life. What he felt for her was more of a protective and nurturing feeling, and he realized that seeing her smile each day was the second best thing in the world to him, after seeing his wife’s.
It was when he had met Chris and Rita that he began to wonder what it would have been like having a son... having a daughter. To him, Chris and Rita were as close as he would ever get to having either, and he knew Franny felt the same way. Still, he couldn't help but wish that it were really true... that Chris and Rita were their own children. He glanced up at the clock, noting that his wife would be there any minute now. While he waited for her, he thought about the reason she was coming.
"Oh Heschy, really? He is giving her a ring! Oh I am so happy for those two. They are so adorable together. Oh... Oh no... No, no, no, Heschy! Oh this is horrible... You've got to stop Chris from selling that beach house...he can't sell it now!"
"What? Why...Franny...I thought you of all people would be happy for them... I can't stop Chris from selling his own beach house.... He’s a grown man...besides, he needs the money to buy Rita the rings...."
"No Heschy. You don't understand Rita is selling her father’s wedding band to have a gazebo built for the beach house...It's her Christmas present to him. He can't sell that house!"
"Rita’s selling her fathers wedding band? Are you kidding me? Chris is buying her the matching rings to complete the set for her...she can't sell that ring!"
It really hadn't been too funny at first, once they had learned of the situation Chris and Rita would soon find themselves in. Fran had done nothing but worry and fuss about it until soon he began to feel a little anxious as well. After all, two people they cared about very much were sacrificing a huge part of themselves so that they could make the others hearts desire comes true. They loved each other very much indeed, but Harry wondered if maybe it was too much. A love like theirs was very rare, and very special, but also very unpredictable. Harry wondered if perhaps a love like that could ever exist for very long in reality.
It was only a brief moment though that Harry before he came to the conclusion that none of that mattered. Chris and Rita were going to have an extraordinary Christmas if he and Fran had anything to do about it. They would see to that.
Peeking through the blinds, Harry watched Chris lean over and place a quick kiss on Rita's cheek, causing her eyes to light up and her face to break out in a blissful grin. Despite everything, he thought, those two would never really be unhappy as long as they had each other.
A minute later, Franny walked through the door, in typical Franny fashion. As always, her arrival caused quite a stir in the homicide department as she called out her greetings and placed a huge tray of homemade cookies by the coffeepot.
Fifteen minutes and a conversation with his secretary Gracie about God knows what later, Fran finally opened the door to his office.
"Are you ready yet, Heschy? I saw the kids leave for their lunch break five minutes ago!"
"I'm right behind you, dear," he forced a grin for her, knowing better not to say a word about the fact that he had been waiting on her. On his way out, he gave Gracie a wink, and she winked back at him with a knowing smile. What that woman put up with, he thought. She was irreplaceable, that was for sure.
They had found Chris and Rita sitting at a table, eating their lunch and quietly talking. As luck would have it, all the other tables were already in use.
"Hey Franny... over here!" Cap called over to her, as he held a tray in his hands "Chris and Rita will share their table with us, won't you?" he asked, as his eyes told them it was more like an order.
"If we have to," Chris joked, provoking a glare over the glasses from his captain. It was Rita, of course, that softened their captain’s facial expression and earned his smile.
"Sure Cap...here, take my seat. I'll move over so you and Franny can sit together," she said, moving next to Chris, not surprised to feel his hand brush her thigh the second she sat down.
"Thank You Rita. It's nice to know that at least one of my detectives know how to show their captain some respect." He seated himself, and a minute later Franny joined him, carrying their drinks.
"So Chris, Rita, what are your plans for Christmas this year?" asked Fran, only five minutes after she had seated herself.
Rita looked up at Fran, rather surprised and a little suspicious about her asking that question. She and Fran had talked about this already. Fran was letting her borrow a picnic basket for the day, so that Rita could take Chris on a picnic brunch out at the beach house and surprise him with the new gazebo. She had paid more then she should have to be assured that the gazebo would be finished by Christmas day, and as it stood right now, they had told her that it should be done the next day, two at the most.
Glancing over at Chris, Rita smiled, while at the same time sending a quiet warning to Fran. "Just spending the day with each other, like always. Why Fran?"
Harry held his chuckle back, so that his wife would not hear it. He could hear the warning Rita was trying to convey to his wife to not say a word of what she knew. It didn't take most people very long to realize that Franny liked to talk...a lot.
"Well...I was just thinking how nice it would be for all of us to have dinner together. We could eat around four or so, that way you two could still spend some quiet time alone if you want." Fran said, not seeming to notice that she had Rita slightly worried there for awhile.
"Ah ... Fran... Cap... I thought you both were Jewish?" Chris asked, amused and confused.
"We are." Harry piped in, shrugging. "Still, we have a little celebration of life in general. So how about it, you two...Fran can make a turkey with all the trimmings and she makes some mean pies!"
"Oh, well then... thank you Fran, that's very nice... what do you think Chris?" Rita asked.
Chris swallowed his mouth full of cheeseburger. "It sounds great to me Sammy."
He gave a sideways look to his captain. Harry caught it and smiled back .He knew Chris was even happier about these plans for Christmas day. Now, they would have some place to go to show off Rita’s present.
“Well, it’s set then! The four of us will have Christmas dinner together. Won't this be wonderful!" Fran squealed excitedly now. Only Harry knew the real reason for her happiness. Franny was going to have her family for Christmas dinner.
After lunch, Fran and Rita walked ahead, Rita giving the occasional answer to Fran's cheerful banter. She was just as happy as Fran was about the plans for Christmas day. It had been a long time since she had celebrated Christmas in such a way.
"It's really going to be a wonderful day, Rita." Fran said, as she reached out and touched her arm. "I just want to thank you and Chris... I know you have the brunch and the gazebo...I just want you to know this means a lot to Heschy. He thinks of you kids as the children we never had... and so do I, Rita. You're everything I would have wanted in my own daughter."
Rita was touched by Fran’s words. She looked back to see Chris and Cap walking together and talking.
"So, Lorenzo... did everything go as planned on your day off? " Cap asked.
"Sure did, Cap. The beach house has been sold, and Rita’s rings are all wrapped up. She has no idea."
Harry laughed. "Lorenzo, you've got it bad. Rita has you wrapped around her little finger."
“There is no other place I'd rather be. You know what's it's like... I've watched Fran whip you for years."
Harry nodded slightly. "That's because I know I'm a lucky man, Lorenzo. I don't take that for granted. You’d be wise to remember that."
"I honestly don't think I could ever forget, Cap."
The men walked on, watching their ladies talking with each other. Cap chuckled at his wife, hearing bits and pieces of her conversation with Rita about how she makes her stuffing.
"Hey, Chris about Christmas dinner with us... I know you have plans to give Rita the rings and all, so I just want to tell you thanks for agreeing to join us. Fran's always missed having a family at this time of the year. In her heart, she looks at you and Rita as part of our family. That’s why she's so excited your coming. It really does mean a lot to her... me too."
Chris didn't say a word, but he was deeply touched.
They quickly caught up to Fran and Rita. Chris wrapped his arm around Rita’s shoulder and pulled her close to his side, and Harry put a light hand on Fran’s back to guide her along as she continued to chatter. While Chris and Rita sent each other a silent message that they needed to talk alone later, Harry and Fran both smiled secretive smiles to each other as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toady’s the day... Chris thought as he woke up and looked at the time. It was five-thirty, Christmas morning, and the sun hadn't even rose yet. Today he was going to ask Rita to marry him. He looked down at her as she slept peacefully in his arms... one hand pressed against his chest and the other draped around him in an effort to keep him close to her. She was shivering a bit, so he brought the blanket up to cover them and softly pressed a kiss on her temple as he gently shifted her to lie against him... skin on skin, heartbeat to heartbeat.
He would be the happiest man in the world if he could wake like this every day of his life. All he treasured was by his side, and he realized that his life was truly complete. All his hopes, his wishes, and dreams that he’d ever wanted out of life, he had them all with Rita right there in his arms. There had been a time in his life when he had lost faith in love, had doubted that it would ever really be a part of his life. Now he wondered if he'd even be able to draw a single breath if he had to live without it... without her...
Rita woke, just as Chris was drifting back to sleep and the sun’s first light was beginning to peek through the curtains. Feeling the warmth of his body, she snuggled even closer to him, loving the security and contentment she felt just lying there, breathing in his scent. It's Christmas day, she thought... today was the day that Chris would know she was ready to let go of the past and take hold of the future. And today was the day that he would know what it was she hoped for her future.
She closed her eyes and listened to the steady beating of his heart. It surprised her when she felt a tear slowly trickle down her cheek, thinking about how much she loved the man beside her and realizing that it no longer frightened her to love him as much as she did. Love wasn't something to fear as she had done in the past. All her life she had craved it, but she had also run from it, afraid that she would eventually loose it anyway... until now. Through all the years they’d been friends, Chris had slowly and unknowingly, taught her all about love. If she were to loose this man beside her, she knew that a lifetime of all the pain and heartache she would feel would never compare to even one minute of the joy and happiness she felt now.
Rita stared at him for a while and then decided enough was enough. It was Christmas morning, and she didn't want to waste another second of the day. She giggled to herself a little as she began to trail her finger up and down his chest, following it with tiny little kisses.
Chris, not yet back into a deep sleep, pretended to be, and mumbled something, hoping to convince her that he still needed more wakening yet.
Rita began to slide her hand further down his stomach now, her kisses still following, as she softly whispered to him. "Sammmm... It’s time to get up..."
He enjoyed the efforts she was using to try to wake him, and he wasn't ready for her to stop just yet. He let out a soft snore now and tried to roll over to his side.
“Chris.... Wake up... it's Christmas!" Rita whined. He let out a chuckle at hearing the way she sounded, almost as a child does when trying to wake their exhausted parents up on this day. "Oh you... are you already awake!" She sat up and hit him with her pillow, pretending that she was annoyed, which only made Chris laugh harder. He grabbed her and brought her back down next to him again, beginning to tickle her. It wasn't long before their laughter settled down and soon became soft moans and whispers. Their teasing turned into kissing, and their tickling into tender loving strokes.
They spent Christmas morning in bed, alternating between making love and talking. It was ten o' clock by the time Rita was finally able to convince Chris that they really did need to get up and get the day started. It was eleven by the time they had finished showering and dressing and were finally out the door.
"So where are we going anyway, Sammy?" Chris asked mischievously as Rita drove them to the beach house.
"I told you Chris...I thought we could have a picnic brunch out on the beach."
"So why are we going this way...you don't want to go to our usual spot?"
“I just wanted more privacy, that's all...besides it's on the way to Cap and Franny’s.”
"Sammy... we had all the privacy we needed back at the loft...why are you dragging me to the beach for a picnic?" Chris asked, sensing he was beginning to get on her nerves and enjoying every minute of it. He decided to continue on.
"You know, I didn't see any presents for me under the tree this morning when we left...is this little ride of ours going to lead to my Christmas present Sam?" he asked.
Rita was trying hard not to laugh, despite his aggravating questions. He wasn't making this easy on her, but she knew he wouldn't.
"You already got your Christmas present from me.... remember this morning?"
"Cute, Sammy. Real cute." Chris said, but then became quiet. "Hey Sammy," he pleaded just as a little boy would... “When we get home tonight, can I play with my Christmas present again?"
Rita’s eyes darted over to look at Chris. He didn't seem too unhappy with what he thought was his present was after all, although he was still pretending to pout like a little boy. She let out a laugh.
As they arrived on the road that led to the beach house, Chris became unusually silent, wondering just what she was up to bringing him out here. Hoping that he wouldn't have to explain to her now why they had no right to be out here anymore. He didn't own the beach house anymore.
Rita stopped the car, and took out the picnic basket and blanket. Chris got out, and wrapped his arm around her, hoping she had no intention of stopping off at the house for any reason. He sighed in relief when she began to lead him along the path that led to the beach.
Rita talked as they walked along, secretly anticipating his reaction when they came to the gazebo. She had been out to see it two days before and it was beautiful. She had seen how it looked when it had first stood in Chris’s photo, but when she had seen it for herself, her breath had been literally taken away by the wonderful job the workers had done for her. Around the outside, she had ordered rose bushes to be planted around and they stood, fully in bloom, their wonderful scent mingling together with the fresh pine of the new wood. She hoped that they were still as beautiful as they had been then.
They were there now, and she knew the very second Chris' eyes saw the gazebo. She heard the sudden stillness of his breath, and stopped walking as he stopped. He stood there, staring at the gazebo, but not saying a word.
"Merry Christmas Sam." Rita said quietly to him.
After a moment of frozen silence, Chris turned to her. “Rita, what is this?" He didn't know what else to say, or how to react to this.
"It's a gazebo, you silly... It's my Christmas present to you... Isn't it beautiful?" She replied, excitedly, thinking that his lack of enthusiasm had to do with the total shock of his gift.
"But... I don't understand... Sammy, how... I mean..."
She laughed at his questions. "Sam... It’s Christmas magic that’s how. Now come on, let's go inside." She reached out and took his hand, leading him up the three steps to enter the gazebo. Built all along on the inside of the gazebo walls there was a window seat, which could be lifted to find storage space underneath. Several baskets of hanging flowers and plants floated from the roof, but otherwise, nothing else hid the gorgeous view of the ocean and beach from where the gazebo sat at the top of the hill.
None of that though caught Chris' attention now. Instead he stood staring at the porch swing that hung from the center of the gazebo. In the middle of it sat a huge white bear with a red Santa hat, holding an envelope that said "For You, Sam... Merry Christmas."
"Rita..." For the first time in his life, Chris felt truly speechless. He was amazed at what he was seeing and in awe of Rita for making it happen.
"Chris? You like it, don't you?" she asked, sounding a bit anxious now.
"Oh God Rita, of course I like it... Honey, I love it. It’s beautiful... I'm sorry. I guess you just knocked me off my feet, Sam. Come here, you." He stretched his arms open wide for her, and she came into his embrace.
"Rita, this is awesome... it really is... I just can't believe you did this.”
"Let's go sit down, Sam" Rita said softly, as she backed out of his hug, and took both his hands.
They sat there on the swing for awhile, enjoying the peaceful silence that surrounded them, and not feeling the need for words. Any thoughts about what would become of the gazebo after today was put into the back of his mind as he held Rita against his chest and gently moved the swing back and forth with his foot. He realized that though he hadn't planned to give Rita her Christmas present this way, he couldn't think of a better time to do it, then now. It would be just as he had once dreamed he would one day do... though he had never imagined he would be asking anyone as wonderful as the woman sitting beside him. Then again, he had never imagined anyone loving him as she did or loving someone as much as he did her.
He broke the gentle silence and turned her so that he could see her beautiful eyes as she looked at him while he talked. "Sammy..."
"Hmm..." she hummed softly, as the fog of contentment lifted from her.
"Would you like your Christmas present from me now?"
"Do you have it with you?" she asked him curiously.
"Yep," he smiled, patting his jacket pocket teasingly. "But you gotta come get it first."
Rita sat herself up and jokingly made a grab for him. Instead he caught her by the arms and gave her a kiss. At first it was just playful, an attempt to keep her from getting to the gift, but soon it turned into a more serious and emotional kiss, and Rita could somehow feel that Chris was speaking to her through it. When the kiss broke, she stared into his eyes, searching for what was going on inside him.
"Sammy... you know how much I love you, right?'
"You tell me all the time, Chris, and I love you just as much."
Chris reached inside his pocket and took out a small box. He looked at it, and then up at her. "Rita... I love you so much...heart and soul...I want to be able to tell you that every day for the rest of our lives...I want to wake up every morning with you by my side.... I don't want to have to wonder how long it will be till my luck runs out and I lose you. I don't want to worry that one day you won't be mine anymore. I’ve waited too long to tell you how I really feel about you, but I don't want to repeat that mistake again... I love you and you love me, Rita...and nothing else matters.”
"Oh Chris..." She was touched by his words and by what she somehow felt was coming next. Wanting to reassure him, she reached out her hand to caress his cheek. Instead, he took her hand away from his face and held it in his own, before kissing her palm and placing the small gift-wrapped box there.
"Merry Christmas Sammy."
She first looked at the box, then up at him, wanting this to be the anticipated moment she hoped it was.
"Open it, Rita." he gently urged her.
She slowly began to open the box, every now and then pausing to look up at him and smile.
"Hurry Sammy. You’re killing me here," he urged her teasingly.
"Usually boxes this small make me a bit nervous, but..."
Chris watched her face, and though he could always read what she was feeling, he had no idea now, because her expression was blank as she simply stared at the rings. He reached inside the box, and carefully took the engagement ring out.
He slid from the bench, and got down on one knee in front of her "Rita... Just saying I love you doesn't begin to describe how I feel for you. But honey, I want to spend every day of my life showing you how much you mean to me." He gave her hand a soft squeeze.
"Sammy... will you marry me?"
It was a few moments before she was able to speak, but he patiently waited until she was ready. He held her shaking hand in his own, gently caressing it.
Chris had never really doubted what her answer would be. What they had was beyond any doubts and fears anymore. It had taken some time, but he believed now that their relationship had triumphed through the obstacles and was now ready to move forward. He felt it in his own heart, and he believed Rita did too.
She began to cry, but they weren't sad tears. She was nodding her head yes, and smiling her beautiful smile at him, but still unable to speak.
"Is that a yes, Sammy?" he asked, with a small chuckle of relief just the same.
"Oh, Chris... yes, yes." Her head kept nodding yes, even though she had found her voice again."
Chris pulled her into a hug. "You said yes!" He tipped his head up skyward and yelled out. "She said yes!"
Rita began laughing through her tears, and Chris realized that he still had something else to do yet. He sat down next to her and took her hand. "I believe this belongs to you."
Rita stared at the ring on her finger now. Her mother’s engagement ring. "How... I mean... I don't understand?"
"Sammy...remember? The miracle of Christmas?" Chris reminded her, as well as avoiding answering her questions with the true answer .She was still holding the box in her hand, and now he closed the lid, and gently pushed it towards her.
"Sammy... you have them all back again... they are yours now to do with as you'd like. Since the engagement ring was always meant to be yours, I'd like for you to wear it, but if you 'd rather not use the wedding rings, I completely understand. I just wanted them to be back where they belong."
"Thank you so much Chris...I still can't believe this is for real."
Chris laughed. ”Sammy, look where we are... we are in a gazebo that you had built for me! This is amazing... you are amazing... this whole day is amazing!"
"Yeah...it is, isn't it?" She replied as she snuggled closer into his chest. “Like a Christmas miracle.”
They spent the rest of their time at the gazebo snuggled together in each other’s arms as they talked and ate their brunch. Each kept their secret of just how the gifts they had given the other was paid for, though the thought of the other finding out constantly nagged at them. Newly engaged, and already they were keeping secrets from the other, afraid of the tension it might cause. They both knew they couldn't allow their engagement to start that way. They had to be honest with the other, and they both decided they would be, the very next day. After all, today was Christmas and they wanted the magic to continue for just a little while longer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They were all sitting in the living room, with a fire glowing in the fireplace, despite the sixty-degree weather outside. Fran had all sorts of decorations for both Chanukah and Christmas placed all around the house, and it really did look very festive. They had all just finished eating the wonderful dinner she had prepared for them, and now they just sat chatting comfortably with each other.
Harry and Fran had both pretended to be completely surprised with the kids announcement that they had just gotten engaged, and Fran really was floored with the engagement ring Rita wore on her finger. "It's very breath taking, Rita!" Rita told her the entire story about it being a family heirloom, and how it now held so much more meaning to her, because it was also her engagement ring from Chris.
"And will you marry with the other ring...the wedding band?"
Rita hadn't even given this much though yet, but now as she looked over at Chris, she said she thought she would. The two belonged together after all. She suddenly wished she had her father’s wedding band to give to Chris now.
"Oh... isn't that just sweet, Heschy? I suppose you'll give Chris your father’s band then as well?"
The words were out before she realized what she had said, but as soon as she spoke them, a sudden quiet fell, and she looked upset with herself. Chris, who had no idea what was going on, looked slightly amused at all this, while Rita just looked sick.
Harry was the first to speak; cutting into the tension that had taken the place of their chatter. He and Fran hadn't planned for things to go this way, but heck, he thought, why not have a little fun with the whole thing. It wasn't exactly the end of the world.
"You know what I think would be perfect, Fran...picture this...the kids getting married in the gazebo!"
Fran looked at Heschy, and decided he was up to something. She was only too glad to play along too. Chris sat silent now too, looking just as sick as Rita did.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you, Chris? Rita?" Fran asked them both.
Rita was anxious to get off the topic of the rings, quickly agreed with Fran that yes, she really did think the gazebo was the perfect place for their wedding.
"Of course it would be...don't you think so Chris...after all, that is where you proposed to Rita...and where you put that beautiful engagement ring on her finger."
Harry chuckled at the sight of Chris and Rita as each began to turn shades of green.
Harry was having the time of his life right now, but he decided enough was enough. "Fran, why don't we give the kids their presents."
Fran got up to get the gifts from under the tree. Seeing Chris and Rita look the same shade as the Christmas tree made her a bit nervous as well. She had just shampooed the carpeting, and didn't relish the idea of doing it again anytime too soon.
She handed them each a very small box, one much like Chris had given Rita.
Rita gathered her wits and quickly stood, looking at Chris. "Wait...Chris and I have something for the two of you also.
She retrieved the box from where she had placed it under the tree when they had first arrived. When she seated herself again next to Chris, he took her hand and smiled at her, looking a little more at ease as well.
"So what? Should we take turns, or all open up at once?" Harry asked aloud.
Franny spoke up "Let Chris and Rita go together first, then we'll go"
Chris and Rita smiled at each other, then opened their gifts. Cap and Fran sat watching them, afraid to even blink in case they missed anything.
Chris held up a key, one that looked very familiar to him. Then he realized just what it was a key to. His beach house! No.... the beach house...someone else's now.
Rita lifted the lid to her box, and stared in shock at her father’s wedding band. She felt almost lightheaded to see it now...especially after seeing her mother’s rings in the same way earlier. But how was this possible, she wondered. She had sold this ring...she certainly never expected to see it again.
They both looked up questioningly at Cap and Fran. Cap just sat there, nodding his head and beaming.
"Merry Christmas!" shouted Fran excitedly.
"But... I don't understand,” Rita said, as she looked down at the ring, then over to Chris. He stared into the box that she was holding, seeing her father’s wedding band there. He didn't understand either.
"We were the people who bought the ring, Rita. We also bought the beach house. They are your Christmas presents from us."
"You sold the ring?" asked Chris, not understanding what was going on. Why would she sell her father’s wedding band?
"Then," Rita looked over into Chris's box, seeing the key that lay inside. "You sold the beach house?" she asked, not believing he could do that.
"And you and Cap bought them both?" asked Chris as he looked over to the couple who were simply beaming and nodding back at them. "Rita...Look...I wanted to give you the rings so badly for Christmas, so that you would have the complete set...but I couldn't afford them unless I sold the beach house. I'm sorry, I had no idea you were planning the gazebo for me honey."
Rita smiled at him, still in a state of disbelief over the whole day." I had to sell the ring, so that I could afford to have the gazebo built "
"But Sammy...your father’s wedding band...I know how much it meant to you. That's why I wanted to get the rest of the set. Something good that you could hold onto from the past..."
"Well...the gazebo was more important to me Chris... I wanted you to know that you could still dream about the future."
They both looked at each other, and then began to laugh. Cap and Fran, who were all along trying to keep their own laughter from erupting, let loose with them.
After a few moments everyone began to calm down. Chris and Rita grew serious again now. "Fran...Cap...look...what you two have done is amazing...and we both appreciate it so much, but really...these gifts are just too generous for us to accept. We want you to take them back, please." Chris spoke, as Rita agreed with him by nodding her head.
"No way.... We don't want them, they belong to the two of you...and we want you to have them." Cap replied.
"No, really Cap...we just can't accept them." Rita insisted.
"Yes you can, and you will...I'm your superior, remember...You will do as I say!" Cap demanded.
"Look Chris, Rita," Franny added, with an imploring tone, "we wanted to do this for the two of you. You both mean so much to us. Heschy and I... well, we don't have any other family to do stuff like this for. It would really mean a lot to us and make us happy if you would please keep the gifts. They are yours, and they will always be yours. Please"
Rita felt bad for Franny. She certainly understood what it felt like to have no one to buy Christmas presents for... at least until she had met Chris... and then Cap and Fran.
"It's just that...well...what we got for the both of you isn't that much. And the ring...the house...they are more then you should have given..."
"Why...we aren't suffering one iota, Rita... and we won't. This is nothing to us. Now I insist you keep your gifts, and that's that! Now, come on Heschy let's open up our gift from the kids.”
It was only one box, and they both shared the task of opening it. Fran lifted the box lid, and inside were what looked to be legal documents.
"Well, well...what is this?" Harry asked as he lifted out the documents and began to read them. Fran leaned closer to him so that she could see. After a few seconds, Cap looked up at Rita, then back down to the paper. Chris and Rita knew the exact moment Fran had understood what the document said when she let out an excited squeal.
"Oh Heschy... do you see what it says. Is this really legal?"
Harry looked up at Chris and Rita. "It will be once we sign it, dear."
"Just like that? Really?" She looked at Rita for confirmation.
"Really, that is if you want this." Rita said, now smiling. She had been slightly nervous about this at first, but Chris and Rita talked it over and they both believed it was the most perfect gesture they could give to them.
Harry stood up, and walked over to Rita, opening his arms for her. "Rita...you have just made me the proudest man on earth!" he told her. Fran got up and joined the two of them. "I just can't believe this is possible... but thank you so much, Rita...you've made a dream come true for both of us."
Chris stood there grinning from ear to ear as he watched them." Hey can a soon to be son- in-law get in on this hug?" he asked.
"Oh...that's right, Heschy. Chris is going to be our family too... real family. Isn't this wonderful?" Fran gathered Chris into her arms as well.
After a few moments, they once again began to settle down. "This has been the best Christmas, hasn't it Heschy?" asked Fran, who was still holding Rita's hand.
"It definitely has been... but tell us...how did this come about, I'm curious?'
"Well.... Cap, you thanked me last week for agreeing to come today, and Fran thanked Rita. You both told us how much it would mean to the other. And well, Rita and I got to talking. We knew you both wished you had a real family, and we were touched that you thought of us as that. We wanted you to know that we felt the same way. You both know that Rita has no family of her own. And so she needs parents, and I need in-laws. Well, we asked George about it, and he got a friend of his to draw up some papers. Rita will be your adoptive daughter and everything will be legal, as long as you both are willing to sign it."
"Oh Heschy, get a pen for heaven’s sake. Of course we are going to sign it. I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to be a mother... and to Rita especially. I've always wanted a daughter like you, doll. Thank you, Rita. I mean even if you don't really need a mother anymore. It means everything to me that you would choose me to be your mother now."
Rita wiped her tears away. "Fran, thank you for thinking of me as your daughter. I do need a mother sometimes, and I'm so happy that you are going to be her from now on."
Harry got a pen and set the documents on the table. He signed his name first, right at the line that said adoptive father.
He straightened up, beaming over at the new addition to his family, as Fran came over to add her signature. When she had finished she cried. "I'm a mother, Heschy...I'm a real mother."
Cap looked over at Chris, who had his arms wrapped around his new daughter. “Hey. Watch it, Lorenzo... I haven't given you my blessing just yet to marry my daughter!
Rita looked up at Chris and rolled her eyes, with a trace of pretend annoyance in them. "Parents!" she whined jokingly to Chris, as they all laughed.
A group of carolers could be heard making their way down the street, so the four found their way to the front porch to greet them. Chris wrapped his arms around Rita, shielding her from the cold, as they watched the carolers sing O Holy Night. Cap and Fran, however, had their glance fixed on something better, their daughter and her fiancé.
"Merry Christmas. May you get all you wish for this holiday season," the singers said before heading on their way.
“We already have everything we need right here,” said Cap. “We’ve got our family.”
The End
Disclaimer;The idea for this story was borrowed from O' Henry’s short story 'The Gift of the Magi'. We do not own any of the beloved characters that appear in this story, and of course you all know that we borrowed then as well. Long live Chris and Rita! I would like to thank Linda for being such a wonderful editor and a good friend as well... even though she does have a thing about commas... hehehe.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, one filled with many blessings, but love most of all.
Please send any comments you have to Lisa.