Second time lucky

64

Somehow we had managed to resort back to our version of normal since that trip. It had been ten days since I dragged him up to the top of the mountain, and it was now Christmas Eve.

Ava and Brett would be coming over tonight, occupying the guest room so that we could do gifts tonight. Hannah and Kyle were also going to join us with Ryan, that way everyone could spend Christmas Day with their families.

I had a simple dinner in the oven, home made lasagne because we would have enough traditional food for weeks after tomorrow. The tree was put up and decorated finally and I'll admit this was the first year that I really enjoyed doing the Christmas scene.

The kids were finally old enough to be really excited by Christmas and Santa Claus, and it was our first Christmas all together as a family, which made it all the more joyful for me - especially when all four of us decorated the tree together.

I may have taken a lot of pictures during that family experience.

All the adults had decided that the kids gifts would be the better ones and that we would do couples gifts for each other. Which was honestly a lot of fun to pick out.

The kids ended up with a bunch of coloring stuff and despite us saying no, Ava and Brett bought the kids a bunch of play dough and tablets - one of the perks of being the aunt and uncle. We had decided to go a little more convenient for Ryan. He was an only child and I knew they didn't have the yard we did, so we bought a small kids trampoline for him. It had taken some persuasion with Kyle but eventually Hannah got him to cave.

The wine from dinner was buzzing in my head as we opened our gifts. Hannah and Kyle got a weekend spa retreat from us, and a couples bowling night from Ava. Brett and Ava ended up with axe throwing tickets and then because we knew they hadn't been on a trip in a while we had the kids write them a card with a free vacation to Riley's parents in Hawaii.

Brett tried to protest that one but Ava just cried a bunch of happy tears. Then it was our turn. Apparently some planning was done on their part, especially when they ushered us back into our own yard.

I remembered telling Kyle when we were together that I really wanted a wooden gazebo with build in benches so I could sit out here in the shade. What I didn't expect was that they had somehow found a way to not only get us one, but out it together in the exact spot I had imagined.

"It's perfect." I squeezed onto Riley's hand, staring at the white painted wood wrapped in little white lights.

"So I think we all lied when we said the kids would get the better gifts." Ava was grinning.

"How did you know?" Spencer asked looking at me with an appreciative grin before turning to our friends.

"Well, there was some things I learned when I dated your fiancé." Kyle chuckled as he kissed Hannah on the forehead.

"Thank you, all of you!" I smiled widely moving to hug each and every one of them.

Kyle was last and everyone seemed to understand when I held onto him a little longer than everyone else. It wasn't because we wanted to explore each other intimately like we had once tried, but more that we both understood that we were both happy and grateful to each other and the joy we had both found.

"I can't thank you enough." I spoke softly.

"I always told you, you deserved the world." He squeezed me one more time and let me go.

After that we all settled in for the night, drinking wine until Kyle, Hannah, and Ryan went home and everyone else went to bed.

....