Denny
I bite my lip as I carefully place the roof on the gingerbread house. I step back slowly, waiting for a moment, fervently hoping the whole thing doesn't just collapse.
When it stays standing, I sigh in relief and turn to the next page of instructions so I can start decorating it.
I finish just before Robin comes home.
I know that my house, which is from a kit I bought at the store, isn't as good as the ones she makes from scratch and sells at the bakery. But I wanted to do something special for her since she's been working so hard, and after we finally talked about having kids, I thought it would be cute to present her with a gingerbread house that had a little family in front of it.
This kit had the house and several gingerbread people. A mom, a dad, and three kids. There's even a gingerbread dog.
She comes into the kitchen, smiling when she sees me. I go and kiss her, waiting for her to see my creation.
When she does, she glances at me. "Denny? What's this?"
"I built you a gingerbread house," I answer shyly. For a moment, I think I might be a colossal idiot. Why did I build her a gingerbread house? She makes gingerbread and gingerbread houses for a living. She has ten different kinds of gingerbread at the store. Some stale thing from out of a box isn't going to impress her.
Then she says, "Denny, it's beautiful." She moves over to it, bending down to study the little family on the front lawn. "Is that a dog?" She laughs delightedly, tapping each of the gingerbread kids gently on the head. "I think three's good," she agrees.
"So... you like it?" I wonder nervously.
She straightens back up and hugs me. "Of course I do, Denny. I love it. Did you think I wouldn't?"
I shrug self-consciously. "Well, yours are better," I point out quietly.
"Oh, Denny." She leans up and kisses my cheek. "It's a private gift. It's the thought that counts." She squeezes me happily. "A man's never built me a house before," she teases.
I blush and grin. "Sweetheart, I will build you a village if that's what you want."
She shakes her head. "I only need you, Denny," she replies sincerely. "Plus I don't want you to start having traumatic gingerbread flashbacks."
I chuckle, giving her another kiss. "Thank you, Denny," she murmurs. "I love my gingerbread house, and my gingerbread family."
"We'll have to make it bigger soon," I suggest.
She nods. "Yes, we will," she agrees.
I hold her tightly, excited about what the future holds for us.
