by Holly Martin
‘I know you’re not having an affair.’
‘You seem pretty confident about that.’
He rolled on top of me, pinning me with his delicious weight as he kissed my neck making me shudder with desire.
‘Well no other man could make you scream and moan and shout like I can so I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t go anywhere else.’
He kissed me again, the simple touch of his lips turning me into jelly. I wrapped my arms round him.
‘You’re absolutely right about that.’
*
Proposer’s Blog
Christmas Proposal 77: December 24th. Craig and Freya’s Proposal. Location: Above the River Thames.
Craig and Freya have been together for ten years, they have three beautiful children, four dogs and a pig.
They first met at a flower arranging contest. Craig entered on a dare – he’d had no formal training in this area, but surprisingly had quite the talent for it. He found himself in the quarter finals against Freya, who had done several courses and was furious that Craig was showing her up with his skills.
They battled through the semi-finals and faced each other again in the finals. By this time Craig knew he was in love, and the angrier Freya became the deeper in love he fell. Wanting to see a smile on her face rather than the scowl, he deliberately decapitated two of his roses and lost.
Freya agreed to go out with him for a congratulations drink and that was it. Craig knew that this was the person that he was going to grow old and grey with. On their second date they talked about getting married, having children and their hopes and dreams for the future. Freya always said if they got engaged she didn’t want a long engagement that dragged on for years – knowing this, Craig never found the right time to propose. Money was an issue when they first got together and there was no way they could afford anything fancy – or anything at all in fact. They moved in with each other and shortly after Freya became pregnant with Alexa. Jacob arrived two years later and a year after Seb completed their family.
There was always better things to spend their money on than a big fancy wedding, like trips to Disneyland with the kids or an Australian cruise. Being married no longer seemed like a priority. Having fun as a family seemed much more important.
Craig’s not sure why now it seems important, but he wanted to do something to mark their ten year anniversary and this seemed the right thing to do.
I was particularly nervous about this proposal as it was very weather dependent, if it was too windy or rainy then we couldn’t do it. We wouldn’t know until an hour before whether it was going ahead. We had a back-up but it wasn’t anywhere near as good.
Fortunately we got the go ahead and Craig and Freya boarded a helicopter for a romantic trip down the River Thames. I could hear the pilot pointing out all the sights over the intercom as I waited impatiently on the helipad. I knew the exact moment that Freya had spotted the proposal. As they passed over a barge, flowers spelt out the words ‘Marry Me’ and the scream was so loud, so high-pitched that I had to take my headphones off. I chanced putting them back on a few moments later and thought something was wrong because I couldn’t hear anything at all apart from the noise of the helicopter. Then the pilot explained that Craig and Freya were far too busy celebrating their engagement to take in any more of the sights.
The helicopter came into land and although the rotor blades were turned off it was a good few minutes before the happy couple finally emerged, grinning like Cheshire cats.
Proposer’s Blog
Christmas Proposal 78: December 24th. Simon and Dawn’s Proposal. Location: Mosaic Glass Studio
Simon and Dawn have been together for three weeks. When I asked that question two weeks ago and Simon said one week I actually spat out my tea. But it turns out they’ve been friends for years. It was Simon that introduced Dawn to her now ex-husband, Jake. Simon was going out with Dawn’s sister Penny at the time and Penny thought it would be cute if they could double date. Dawn married Jake and soon after Simon and Penny broke up. For five long years Simon would come round to see Jake and Dawn, slowly falling in love with his best friend’s wife. He had no idea the feeling was mutual. When Jake left Dawn for someone else and they divorced, Simon was already in a relationship with someone else. Simon stayed in contact with Dawn though and it became very obvious that they both had feelings for each other. When Simon broke up with his girlfriend they both said they didn’t want to waste any more time with anyone else when they were so clearly meant to be together. After just a few days they knew this was where they were supposed to be.
Mosaic Glass Studio is a unique place, you can choose which colours you want in the piece and Philippe will design and blow the most marvellous pieces with the colours all interwoven in beautiful layers.
Simon took Dawn to a private session and Dawn chose which colours she wanted in her piece. Philippe blew, shaped and forged an intricate shape but as he left it out on the side to cool, it was clear it was the letter E. I loved that Philippe was not doing it in the correct order, making it harder for Dawn to guess what was going on.
As Philippe created a dazzling array of blue and gold in the shape of a Y Dawn looked even more baffled. Slowly each letter of ‘Marry Me’ was created but in a completely wrong order. When Philippe presented the finished piece I could see Dawn trying to work out what it said. EYMRARM. Philippe tutted, shaking his head dramatically as he realised his ‘error’. He slowly rearranged the letters and turned up the lights. When he stepped back Dawn gasped. She stared at Simon in shock. She looked back at the proposal and back at Simon.
‘It’s too soon,’ Dawn said and my heart sank. She was going to say no.
‘It’s not, you know that. I know every little thing about you – your favourite food, your favourite music, I know you hate roses and love peonies. I know you love the rain rather than the sun. I’ve been in love with you for six years, and I’m going to be in love with you for the rest of my life. I’ve been there with you through the good times and the bad, let me be there for you through the rest of it too…’
At this point anything further that Simon was going to say was smothered by Dawn kissing him.
Eventually they pulled apart and Dawn was nodding. I didn’t dare approach with the champagne and flowers, not wanting to celebrate until it was confirmed.
‘Is that a yes?’ Simon asked.
‘It’s a yes.’ Dawn replied.
Phew, I have never been so relieved to hear those words before.
*
I woke early on Christmas Day, full of excitement at what the day would bring, especially at the gifts I had got for Harry. I wanted him to wake up so we could start our first proper Christmas together but he was still fast asleep. Daylight had just started to break the horizon outside.
I looked up at him from my position on his chest, he didn’t look like he was stirring any time soon.
Feeling a bit mean, but not enough to stop me, I grabbed the end of my hair and tickled it gently under his nose – he batted it away without waking up. I giggled and tickled him again. He rubbed his nose and I saw his eyes flutter open. Quickly I put my head back down on his chest, pretending I was still asleep as I felt him stretch beneath me.
‘I know you’re awake,’ Harry muttered, running his hand down my back. ‘You’re going to pay for that.’
I looked at him, grinning mischievously. ‘It’s Christmas, we should get up and see what Santa has brought us.’
‘Sadly Santa doesn’t exist. I learned that when I was very young.’
‘What do you mean he doesn’t exist? Who would have left this then if it wasn’t Santa?’ I gestured to his filled stocking at the end of our bed.
Harry followed my line of sight and hesitated when he saw it. I watched his reaction carefully, biting my lip. Suddenly he burst into a huge grin. Shifting me off him, he grabbed the stocking and pulled it onto his lap.
‘I can’t believe you filled my stocking.’
I smile
d at his enthusiasm as he pulled open the top. ‘Not me, Santa.’
He pulled out two small clementines, a Terry’s chocolate orange and a few gold chocolate coins. At the bottom of the sock, wedged right in the end of the toe, Harry struggled to pull out a new iPhone cover with a photo of us on the back.
I smiled when I watched him switch the covers straight away, feeling a small smug smile of satisfaction that if I couldn’t mark him as mine with a wedding ring, I had at least made my mark on his phone.
I was still smiling when he kissed me hard, his hands immediately sliding under my T-shirt, pushing it up my body.
‘I love my present,’ he mumbled against my lips. ‘Let me give you yours.’
‘Ha, you’re such a pervert. These are just for starters, I think Santa has left far more downstairs.’ I wriggled from his grasp and he sighed with frustration.
‘There’s only one thing I want to unwrap and it doesn’t come with a bow.’
‘Later, I promise. I want to see you unwrap all your gifts first.’
I pulled on his hoodie and as he made a grab for me I ran out the room.
I had already lit the fire in the front room, put on some cheesy Christmas music and shoved the turkey in the oven by the time Harry had made it downstairs. His eyes bulged when he saw all the presents I had bought for him.
‘We said we weren’t going to waste our money on big extravagant gifts.’
‘Spending money on you is never a waste,’ I said, using words he once said to me against him.
‘I have gifts for you too but…’
‘Let’s do yours first.’
I didn’t care what he had got me. I was more excited about his reaction to my presents, especially the last one.
I patted the floor next to me and he knelt in front of me, tenderly brushing the hair from my face.
‘I’m so happy we’re finally celebrating our first Christmas together – but I wanted to celebrate all the Christmases that you missed too. It breaks my heart that you never had the Christmases that other children had, the traditions, the turkey, the latest cool toys.’
‘None of that matters now. My past is in the past. I don’t want to dwell on it.’
Oh crap. Almost all of his presents were dwelling on the past.
‘You are my future. You’re the only thing that matters to me now.’
I smiled at the sentiment but looked down at my pile of crappy presents that suddenly seemed like a terrible idea. Oh well, it was too late now.
I pushed the first large box towards him.
He smiled like a big kid and tore at the paper, seconds later revealing a build-your-own Star Wars Death Star.
He laughed when he saw it and I smiled in relief.
‘All the cool kids had one,’ I said, remembering how delighted Jack was when he received one for Christmas as a child.
‘Oh I do love you,’ he said, laughing to himself as he examined the back of the box.
‘Open the next one.’
He grabbed the next box with more enthusiasm. He laughed again when he saw the Mr Frosty, ice crunchie maker.
‘Oh I always wanted one of these.’
‘Well now you have one.’
I watched him open a Lego castle set, a remote control race car, some spokey dokey beads for his bike and three Transformers. Each time he unwrapped one, his grin grew bigger and bigger. Until there was only one small box left.
He grabbed it and tore at the paper but I stopped him.
‘All these were about your past… but this one is your future, our future.’
He was still grinning when he finished tearing off the paper and lifted the lid. I watched as he stared at the tiny red Christmas stocking, the smile slowly falling off his face. After what seemed like an age, his eyes eventually found mine. ‘You’re pregnant?’ he whispered.
‘We’re pregnant.’
He stood up and the box fell to the floor. He pushed his hands through his hair as he stared down at the tiny stocking.
I was stunned at his reaction. Of all the presents I had got him, this was the one I was most excited about, most sure about. We were going to be parents, how could he not be happy about this?
It had obviously come as a shock for him. It had been a shock for me too when I first thought I might be pregnant, but by the time I’d taken the pregnancy test the day before, I wanted it to be positive more than I’d wanted anything else. When I saw that little blue line confirming that I was, I had sobbed big happy tears of joy that I was carrying this baby that was half Harry, half me.
I waited for the shock to recede, for him to be happy about this, but he looked terrified.
His parents had been rubbish and I guessed that he might be scared about his own parenting abilities, although I could find no fear in that.
‘Harry, you’re going to be a marvellous dad. You’re kind, generous, strong. You’re funny and…’ I trailed off as he stared at me. I looked down at the stocking and picked it up, fingering the words ‘Baby’s First Christmas.’ I swallowed down a sob at the horrible thought that Harry might not want this baby, our baby. I ran my hand over my stomach protectively.
Suddenly Harry’s hands joined mine stroking over my nearly flat stomach.
‘We’re going to have a baby?’
I stroked his face and nodded.
His mouth was suddenly on mine hard, cradling my body against his as he pushed me gently back onto the floor. He tore his mouth from mine just for a second as he pulled my top off and I realised his cheeks were wet with tears. I held him close to me, abandoning any thoughts of preparing our Christmas lunch. He trailed kisses across my shoulders and down towards my belly where he placed lingering, loving kisses all over my stomach. He slid my pyjama bottoms down and moved his way back up my body, fastening his mouth over mine as he sank deep inside me.
‘Thank you,’ he said, as he kissed me again.
‘For what?’
‘The best present ever.’
*
I felt Harry’s stomach growl hungrily beneath me.
‘You hungry?’
He held me tighter against him. ‘I’m happy staying here.’
Christmas seemed to have been almost cancelled completely. Although the turkey was cooking nicely, we hadn’t prepared any other vegetables or trimmings to go with it. I had envisaged we would open our presents, prepare and eat lunch, go for a walk along the Thames after and then back to watch bad movies and eat crap. But instead we had spent the morning making love, kissing and making love again. This officially was my best Christmas ever. I didn’t need the ring on my finger any more to feel secure in our relationship. Harry loved me and whenever he was ready, or even if he wasn’t, I knew we would be together forever. And now two was about to become three.
‘I’m sorry I scared you.’
‘You didn’t scare me.’
I leaned up to look at him, arching my eyebrow.
‘I was shocked, not scared. You’re on the pill.’
‘Yes but I had that bug last month, I couldn’t keep anything down – including, I suspect, the pill. I know we didn’t plan this but…’
‘It doesn’t matter, you’re carrying our baby, I couldn’t be happier.’
I smiled. ‘So you’re not scared?’
‘Ok, ok I was petrified when you told me. Hell, I’m terrified now. I don’t have any good parent role models to look up to, I’m not sure what kind of dad I’ll be...’
‘A wonderful one, one that cares and loves his child. You have so much love in your heart Harry, our child will want for nothing.’
‘I want this – I want to be that great dad who plays with his kids in the park, teaches them things and spoils them rotten. I’m going to be the dad that does all the feeds and the nappies and the late night drives to get our kid to sleep. We’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to cry and scream with tiredness and frustration, but we’re going to do this together and I cannot wait to travel this part of my life with you. We’r
e strong but we’re even stronger together and when either of us fall, the other will be there to pick each other up.’
I leaned up to kiss him and for a moment, as he caressed my bare back, I thought he was going to make love to me again but he pulled away.
‘You haven’t opened your presents yet. Here.’ He threw me his hoodie. ‘Put this on, I won’t be able to concentrate on anything if you’re sitting next to me naked.’
I did as I was told, as Harry had the decency to pull some shorts on. Then he pulled me onto his lap, nuzzling against the side of my neck. ‘You have definitely won the whole “who bought the best present” war, firstly with all my cool toys and then with my child. There is no way I could top that.’
‘It doesn’t matter, you could give me nothing and I wouldn’t care.’
‘Well I did a lot better than nothing.’ He pulled the first large box towards us. I tore at the paper excitedly. ‘Happy with nothing eh?’ Harry laughed at my enthusiasm.
I lifted the lid and shifted the tissue paper to one side. Inside was a silvery pearl satin dress. I stood up and pulled the dress out as the length slithered to the floor. The fabric sparkled as it moved. It had one shoulder strap embellished with sequins and beads that cascaded down the front towards the opposite side. It was stunning.
‘I thought you could wear it on New Year’s Eve at Alexander’s winter themed proposal.’
‘I love it, thank you.’
I yanked Harry’s hoodie off.
‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m trying it on.’
‘No, you can’t wear it now.’
‘Why not?’
‘It will kill me.’
I ignored him and pulled the dress on – it fitted beautifully, the satin feeling cool and light against my skin. I looked over at Harry and I could see all humour had faded from his face. He stood up, towering over me.
‘You look incredible. Dance with me.’
‘To Slade’s “Merry Christmas Everybody”?’
Harry shrugged. ‘The song doesn’t matter.’
‘We can do better than this.’ I went to the stereo and put on a CD and then came back to him.
As Christina Perri started singing, ‘A Thousand Years’, Harry put one hand at my waist and the other in my hand as he pulled me towards him, kissing my forehead.