After the tree excursion, we got the tree home and decorated it. Mel helped us, and we did an excellent job. Next came the tree topper, which Dad always put on it to finish it up. He took it out of the package, and we stood there waiting.
He walked over to Mel and said, "I think this year, someone special should place the angel on top of the tree."
She looked at him. "Oh, I couldn't. It's tradition, and I don't want to break tradition." She gripped my arm firmly.
He looked at her. "Well, sometimes it's a wonderful thing to start a recent tradition. Melinda, if anyone deserves to place the angel, that person is you."
She looked up at me, and I nodded as she released my arm. She reached for the angel, taking it in her hands carefully. She stepped on the step stool and placed the angel on the top, but it wasn't secure and fell to the ground, shattering. She quickly got down and ran over to it. She picked it up with her bare hands, cutting them as she said, "What have I done? I'm so sorry, Mr. Shaw! Please forgive me! I didn't mean too!"
She stood in front of Dad sobbing, holding the broken angel as her hands bled.
"I'm so, so sorry. I ruin everything," Mel choked out as she cried. Dad looked at her with concern, and she continued, "I ruined the dance for Liam, and now I broke your beautiful angel. Everything is my fault. I don't deserve to be here. I don't deserve your kindness. I deserve nothing. I deserve punished." She sobbed, and we looked at her as she spouted those words.
"Who says you deserve nothing? Who told you that?" Dad asked in a calm tone.
"That's what they said, and they were right. I deserve nothing," Mel said as she fell to her knees, still holding the angel.
I walked over and knelt in front of her and took her hands carefully. "That's not true. You deserve everything."
"I broke your dad's angel." She looked at me with tear streak cheeks.
"It's okay. We can replace it. Mel, you didn't deserve what they did to you that night, and they were wrong. What they said was wrong. You deserve love and kindness because that's what you are. Your loving and kind," I said to her. "Why don't we throw this away and get your hands cleaned up, okay?"
She nodded, and I helped her up. We went into the kitchen.
"Dad, is she going to be okay?" Elijah asked.
"Eventually," Dad reasoned.
"What causes her to react like that?" JJ asked.
"When the angel fell and broke, it must have triggered her memory of that night," he said.
I pulled out a trash can and helped her empty the broken angel into it. Then I grabbed a hand towel and placed her hands under the running water as I washed her hands off, making sure all I removed the broken glass.
"I'm sorry, Liam," she whispered.
I looked at her. "Mel, it's okay. What happened in there?"
"I don't know. The minute the angel hit the ground and heard the crash, it was like reliving that night repeatedly," Mel answered.
I thought a minute, then asked, "Were you near any glass that night?"
She thought a minute, then said, "They dragged me behind a dumpster. They knocked two glass containers over, breaking them. Then everything happened so fast."
I sighed as I pulled her to me.
"You're not mad at me, are you?" Mel asked me.
"Mel, I could never be mad at you. What happened that night was not your fault," I said as I held her in my arms.
Mom walked into the kitchen. "Melinda? Are you feeling better?"
She nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry about the angel, Mrs. Shaw."
"Oh honey, it's fine, and please call me Elena, and you can call Mr. Shaw, Jordan," she said, giving her a soft smile.
"Thank you, Elena," she whispered.
"Liam, why don't you take Melinda upstairs to change and your dad will go get another angel," Mom suggested.
"Sure. Come on, Mel," I said, leading her upstairs.
Mom walked back into the living room. "Jordan?"
"Yeah, hun?" Dad asked.
"Would you be a dear and go get another angel?" Mom asked.
"Yeah," he said, grabbing his coat and keys, then leaving.
"Woah. Dad didn't even fight you on this one," Elijah said.
"There's a reason, and you'll see," Mom said to him.
A while later, Dad returned with an angel as Mel and I came back down after she changed. He pulled the angel out of the bag and handed it to Mel. She refused it, and I said, "Take it. Trust me."
She reached over and took it. Then I lifted her as she placed the angel on top of the tree with JJ helping her secure it. Then I lowered her down, and Dad plugged in the lights. The tree looked beautiful, along with the angel at the top.
She looked at dad. "It looks pretty, doesn't it?"
"More than you know," he said to her with a smile.
"Thank you, Jordan," she said.
Dad looked at her, and a smile curled upon his lips when she called him by his first name.
"Any time, Mel," Dad responded.
We all looked at each other in shock. That was the first time I had ever heard Dad call anyone by a nickname before except for JJ, Junior, and RJ for apparent reasons.
I wrapped my arms around Mel from behind as she looked at the tree, and I held her.
Christmas break didn't just comprise decorating, but other things. Although watching Frazier get wrapped up in lights was always a fun time for Dad and Ryan.
We were in the kitchen, helping Mom with baking when he and Ryan came in laughing.
"I swear Frazier gets worse and worse every year. Hi honey," he said, kissing mom.
"What did that idiot do this time?" Mom asked.
"Well, he thought it would be great to rig up a Santa and reindeer along with the lights. He ended up falling off the roof with Santa landing face down right on his family jewels," Ryan said with a chuckle.
"Please tell me you got pictures," she said.
"Oh yeah," he said, showing her the pictures, then the rest of us as we all laughed. Ah, Clark strikes again.
We frosted cookies. I took my finger, and with a flick, I placed frosting on the tip of Mel's nose. Everyone stopped and watched us. She stopped and exclaimed, "Liam! Why did you do that?"
"I have no idea what you mean," I shrugged.
She glared at me as I whistled while frosting cookies. She wiped frosting off her nose. Then she took her finger with coating and flicked it at the side of my face.
"Mel," I said with a look. She whistled as she went back to frosting her cookie. I wiped off the icing. "Cute."
She shrugged, then I grabbed some frosting and said, "Hey." She turned, and I shoved frosting into her face, then it was on as she grabbed some frosting and shoved it into my face. That was all they wrote, and we smeared icing all over each other. The others laughed as we engaged in a frosting fight.
Ryan whispered. "Is this okay with you?"
"I'm more than okay with it," Dad laughed as the rest laughed with our frosting war. We stopped and smiled at each other. I placed my hands on her cheeks, kissing her. She reached up and put her hands on mine.
Finally, mom said, "Okay, you two. Go get cleaned up while we clean up this mess."
We ran upstairs. As soon as we reached my room, we stripped off our frosting riddle clothes. Mel ran and hopped into the shower, letting the water cascade on her. I opened the shower door and got in.
I took some shampoo, washed her hair, got all the frosting out of her hair, and then washed my hair. We both washed up and rinsed off. I got out, wrapping a towel around my waist and then I wrapped a towel around her. She got out and grabbed another towel, drying her hair.
"I can't believe we got into a frosting fight," she said to me.
"Why? We got into a cake war," I said to her. I sat down on the side of the bed and patted between my legs as she sat down. I finished drying her hair, then tossed the towel aside. She handed me a brush, and I started brushing her hair.
"Liam, can I ask you a question?" Mel asked me.
"Sure," I said, brushing her hair.
"Does it bother you that we haven't done more than kiss and cuddle? I mean, most guys would want to go further. Is it because of what happened to me?" Mel questioned.
I stopped brushing her hair, then started again. "No, because I'm not a dick like most guys."
"What?" Mel asked.
I stopped brushing her hair, and she turned to look at me. "Look, I don't want to rush you, and I know you have been through a very traumatic experience. When the time is right, we'll do more, okay?" She looked at me a bit confused, and I said, "Turn your head." She turned around, then turned back to me. "Turn around so I can finish brushing your hair."
"I get it. I mean, why would someone want someone who's damaged, like I am," Mel sighed.
I stopped brushing her hair and looked at her. "Hey, look at me." She turned to look at me. "I want to be with you, but I also want you to be comfortable when we do more. Plus, I have never been with a girl like that."
"Never?" Mel asked.
"Nope," I replied.
"How come? I mean, look at you," she said.
"Because sex to me isn't a casual thing, and I want it to be with someone I love. Eventually, I want it to be with you, but I'm fine with how things are progressing," I said to Mel. She gave me a soft smile, and I turned her head and finished brushing her hair.
We eventually got dressed and cuddled up on the bed, watching Christmas movies.
Christmas Eve came, and everyone came to our house. We had dinner, and later on, we exchanged gifts. After everyone exchanged gifts, it was mine and Mel's turn. She handed me a box. I opened it. Inside was a book called 1001 ways to prank people with a year supply of sandwiches. I chuckled at it and kissed her. She knows me so well. Pranks and food, my two favorite things.
Then I crouched and picked up something from under the tree. It was a small square box. Mel opened it to find a charm bracelet. I pulled it out and explained each charm. "This charm is for our love of food. This one is for the craziness between us getting together. This one is for the stars in your eyes. This one is that you have my heart."
"And this one?" She asked, holding the tiny globe.
"Because you are my world," I answered, looking into her eyes.
She looked at me and placed her hands on my face as she kissed me. I put my hands on her waist as I kissed her back. Afterward, I helped her with the charm bracelet.
"This by far my favorite Christmas gift," she smiled.
"Good, because I have one more surprise," I said with a smirk, and she gave me a look. I grabbed her hand and led her to the front door. I handed her a coat while grabbing mine. We walked out and in front were sleighs waiting for everyone. Yep, we were going for a sleigh ride.
I helped Mel into the sleigh and climbed in after her while Nik and Leo joined us. The others all got into the other sleds. We covered up with blankets as we went for a ride.
"How did you manage this?" She asked.
"It helps when your grandfather is a well-known man. I explained everything to him, and he thought it was a superb idea," I said with a devilish smile.
She looked at me, then at Nik, who said, "Yep."
She snuggled into me, and I wrapped my arm around her. Who would have thought the girl that drove me nuts the start of the school year would have captured my heart? I didn't, but I was glad she did because I couldn't imagine my life without her. The night I saw her broken, broke me. It was at that moment I knew no matter what; she needed me, and I made a promise I would be there for her forever.
Melinda Michaelson has my heart forever, and that's fine by me.