Pretending to Be Andersen

Hand Carved Surprise

        James and Lilly left me the option of inviting her over for Christmas but with so many people already here, I didn't find it fitting for our first time seeing each other. The event was bound to be filled with all sorts of emotion and I didn't want to do that in front of people I barely knew.

        "There you are," Vincent's voice echoed slightly in the empty hallway. "What have you been doing?"

        "Just, uh... just sitting around," I stammered. "Look at this picture I found"

        Vincent walked my way. He wrapped an arm around my waist and looked at the frame in front of me. He was quiet for a short while as he absorbed the contents of the photograph.

        "You really look like your dad," Vincent stated. "The shape of your eyes and face, your smile, and even that blue eye is from him."

        I tried to smile, my lips trembling at the thought that just occured to me. "Maybe that's why my mother couldn't stand to even look at me after the accident...."

        I could see my own sadness reflected in Vincent's face. How was he able to mirror my emotions so easily? How could he care for me that much?

        His green eyes just stared at me for a moment, the overwhelming sadness matching mine. But then something changed. Vincent blinked and the sadness was gone, replaced by something else. Something much darker.

        But just as soon as it appeared, the wave of emotion was gone. Vincent cleared his throat. "Do you want to go watch a movie with the family? I can understand if you wouldn't be up for it, though."

        "That's where I was on my way to when you found me," I told him.

        "Alright, great, let's go before they start the movie without us." He clapped his hands together and flashed a mischievous smile.

        I knew that look all too well. Slowly, I began to back away out of arms reach.

        It was too late.

        Vincent lunged at me, folding his arms around my abdomen. He tossed me over his shoulder so that I was hanging upside down against his back. I screamed, struggling to get free. All in vain, of course.

        I giggled uncontrollably as he jogged to our destination.

        When we ran into the Theatre, every set of eyes were directed at us. Some laughing at our youthful jubilance, like Lucas, Lakyle, James, and Rebecca. Others rolled their eyes, hiding their smiles, like Walter and Lilly.

        Near the front, there was one giant bean bag left unattended. Vincent made his way to that one, throwing me, gently, on top before jumping next to me, himself.

        "What are we watching?" I asked no one in particular as I fixed my seating.

        "An old John Wayne movie," Walter replied, clicking the screen to life and turning the lights down. "Rebecca's favorite."

        I settled in next to Vincent, ready for the movie to begin.

*                     *                    * 

When the credits began to roll, I looked over at Vincent. His head was in my lap and he was half asleep, his green eyes struggling to stay open.

        All around, the family slowly began to get up and leave. Aunt Jill and Aunt Sam carried Haruhi and Kale, both asleep, from the room. To my left, Lucas lay asleep with his hands folded under his head. Zach, with his arm around a groggy Blake, made his way through the maze of seats.

        I ran my fingers through Vincent's hair and kissed his cheek. "The movie is over, dear," I whispered in his ear.

        A smile spread like wildfire across his lips, though his eyes were still closed. "Dear?" he repeated. "Since when do you use any pet names? Does that mean I get to use them, too?"

        I frowned a little. "I was trying it out. Not sure how I feel about it." I shrugged. "Let's get you to bed."

        Vincent rolled to his feet, trying to steady himself enough to help me to mine. Not wanting to knock him over, I scooted myself off the bean bag and got up without any help.

        I looked over at Lucas again and let out a small laugh. "You two are like children, I swear," I said to Vincent, motioning to his sleeping twin. "I would carry him out of here, like your aunts did with their children, but I don't think I could carry that weight."

        Vincent laughed, too.

        If it wasn't for the fact that Vincent now had some scruffy facial hair and Lucas was still so clean shaven, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart when they were sleping. Lucas looked so calm and young, so full of life, when he wasn't glaring or furrowing his brow at me.

        I leaned down and shook Lucas' shoulder gently. "Time to wake up. The movie is over," I told him softly.

        Lucas groaned, wrinkling his noseand pressing his eyelids tightly together before opening them. The sight of me standing over him must have stunned him because he didn't move right away. However, when he did move, he rolled to his feet in the same fashion as Vincent.

        "Thanks," he said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Thanks."

        "No problem," was all I said.

        Vincent grabbed my hand and lead the way out. Before the door closed, I could hear Walter and Rebecca laughing at something from up on their nesting area.

        We walked in silence down the hall. I kept looking back at Lucas to make sure he wasn't falling asleep while walking. Vincent was nearly asleep already. The only reason he was still moving was because I was pulling him along. Children. They were children, really.

        I stopped in front of Lucas' bedroom door. Without a word, the blue-eyed twin shuffled inside, not even bothering to close the door as he stripped down to his boxers on the way to his bed. I thought about closing the door for him but I simply shrugged and continued on to Vincent's room.

        I guided my boyfriend to his bed. He crawled in immediately, not even bothering to pull the blankets over him. I considered undressing him to make him more comfortable while he slept. At the very least, I could remove his long-sleeved shirt and let him figure out the pants whenever he woke up in the middle of the night.

        And so I did. Slowly and carefully, I began to pull Vincent's shirt up and over his head. Except once it was off, his hand latched on to it.

        "Miss Clark," Vincent breathed, feigning a sleepy shock, "are you trying to undress me?"

        I rolled my eyes. "If I wanted to see you naked, my dear, I would have started with your pants," I retorted.

        "My dear.... I like this." Vincent's eyes closed again, his grip on the shirt loosening. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

        "What time is it?" I felt around in my pockets for my phone, which was not there. "I must have left my phone in the Theatre. I'll be right back."

        I ran back down the hall and through the doors of the Theatre. When I rounded the corner, my eyes were drawn to the last two people left inside.

        Walter was kneeling before Rebecca on bended knee.The Bacon woman's hands were covering her mouth and she looked like she was about to cry.

        I just walked in on a proposal.

        Without really thinking, I ran back to Vincent's room and jumped in the bed next to him. 

        Startled by the sudden shaking, Vincent shot up with his arms in a defensive position. "What? What's going on?"

        "I think Walter just proposed to Rebecca."