Lee stood on the doorstep trying to balance a bakery box, several bottles of wine, and a basket of flowers in one hand while knocking on the door with the other. It took some ingenuity and his chin, but he managed not to drop anything.

As he waited for someone to answer the door, he peered out at the street and grinned at the site of the Vette parked in front of the house for all to see instead of hidden down the street or a few blocks away.

He’d have to move it later, after everyone left, but that was a small price to pay for spending the weekend alone with his wife. Dotty and Lillian decided to take the last train into Manhattan for a weekend of shopping and YULETIDE celebrations. The boys planned to spend the weekend with their father. Now he just had to keep his fingers crossed that Joe actually followed through, and picked the boys up tonight. 

He heard the lock click and turned just as the door opened.

“Hi, Lee, Happy Thanksgiving. Let me help you with that.” Jamie reached for the listing flowers a moment before they toppled from Lee’s arms, then Jamie stepped back allowing him to enter. 

“Thanks, chief. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.” He took a moment and inhaled the delicious SCENT coming from the kitchen. “Hmm . . . something smells wonderful.”

“Grandma’s baking her special Thanksgiving bread.”

Lee couldn’t recall smelling freshly made bread before today. He’d forever associate the yeasty-aroma with the holiday SEASON.

“Come on, worm brain, the parade is about to start.” Phillip shouted from the family room.

Jamie raced into the kitchen to deposit the flowers on the counter, and then raced back to the family room.

Following along at a more sedate pace, Lee walked into the kitchen. Dotty reached into the oven, and pulled out a loaf of bread. After she placed it on a rack to cool, she turned to him. “Happy Thanksgiving, Lee.”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Dotty. Something smells wonderful. Is there something I can do to help?”

“Not at this time. We have everything under control. Here, let me have those.” She relieved him of his burdens, placing the wine in the fridge. “Amanda should be down in a few minutes. She had a run in her STOCKINGS and went to go change.” They could hear the inane banter between the parade’s co-host signaling the start of the festivities. “Let’s go watch the parade.”

He held out his arm, Dotty took his elbow, and he escorted her to the family room. She halted their progress half way through the dinning room.

“Oh, where are my manners? Take off your jacket and get comfortable. No need to be all dressed-up.”  She helped him slip it off, and patted his chest, right over his shirt pocket. “Umm, Lee . . .?”

She patted him once again before slipping her fingers into his pocket, unearthing Amanda’s engagement ring. Her quirked eyebrow and grin told him he had some explaining to do. “How long have you been carrying this around?”

Busted.

He had no one to blame but himself. If he hadn't been in a rush to leave, he wouldn't have forgotten to place Amanda's rings in his bag. Instead, he slipped them into his pocket. At least, Dotty didn't find her wedding band. “Not long. A few weeks, maybe a month.”

“Well, don’t you think its time to put this where it belongs?”

“Yes. I’m just waiting for the right time.”

“Hello, Lee. I didn’t hear you come in.”  Amanda greeted as she walked down the stairs.

He smiled. Once again, she saved his butt. Dotty squeezed his elbow drawing his attention away from Amanda.  “There’s no time like the present. Trust me.”

Dotty’s comments made it impossible for him to deny her request. He just hoped Amanda would forgive him. With a slight nod at his mother-in-law, they resumed their trek and met Amanda on the landing.

He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, and then he pulled her into his embrace and whispered in her ear, “I’ll explain everything later. Trust me.”

Stepping out of her embrace, he held both her hands in his and slowly sank to his knees. Funny, everything faded away when he looked into her eyes. However, he knew Phillip and Jamie came into the hallway at Dotty’s urging, and they all stood by and watched him.

“Amanda,” his voice cracked, and he swallowed once to clear it. Again, he looked into her eyes. He read the confusion in them, and smiled reassuringly.  “Amanda King, you are the best, the bravest, most beautiful woman . . .”

She grinned at the familiar words. “I love you, too!”

“Then, will you marry me? Will you let me be a part of your family?” He didn’t realize he held his breath until he exhaled at her nod.

“Will I marry you? Of course, I’ll marry you.”

A loud whoop from the boys cut off the rest of her words. He slid the ring on her finger and his family rushed to congratulate them before he had a chance to stand up. After being hugged and kissed by Dotty, and then high-fived by Phillip and Jaime, he finally pulled Amanda into his arms and kissed her.

“All right, now that the mushy stuff is done, can we get back to the parade?” Phillip quipped.

Dotty wrapped an arm over each of the boys and led the way into the family room, hand and hand, he and Amanda following behind. The boys stretched out on the floor, Dotty sat in the wing-backed chair, and he tugged Amanda down next to him on the couch just in time to hear the local television personality read the statistics on the band currently marching down 34th Street.

The HOLY Trinity High School Marching Band played their version of Burl Ives’ HOLLY, Jolly Christmas. Lee smiled and snuggled Amanda closer to his side. This year really would be a holly, jolly Christmas for Lee, his first as a married man.

End