he smile and say something kind and wonderful? Now, the clinic was in the black. Everything he’d predicted had come to pass. Six more months and his student loans would be paid off. For now, every extra cent went toward the loans and the cheap apartment they lived in.
Ian had worked even harder than she had in this past year and a half. He was as bone weary as she was, but it had been his decision to keep the clinic open twenty-four hours a day. When he came home at 11 P.M., he was on call during the night. She could count on one hand the nights he got to sleep through until morning. When Ian fell into bed, they cuddled and told each other it was just a few more months, then it was all going to be worth it. Every night he kissed her and thanked her for working at his side. Sex was just a sweet memory. Both of them were too tired to put forth any real effort, always promising one another the weekend would be for lazing about and making wild, crazy love. It never happened, though. The weekends were devoted to emergencies, grocery shopping, laundry, and her stint at Heckling Pete’s.
They had a covering doctor now and a covering office manager. It had been Ian’s idea so they could start the first of the new year fresh and with energy to spare. As if she would ever have energy again. All her git up and go had departed a long time ago. She wasn’t sure about Ian’s stamina. He looked weary beyond words. Was success worth all of this sacrificing? Their youth was gone, if they’d ever really had a youth. The early years of their marriage were gone, never to be recaptured.
The years between thirty and forty were supposed to be prime years. Would hers and Ian’s be prime?, She wished for a crystal ball. She was still daydreaming when Ian walked through the door.
“It smells like Christmas in here,” he shouted.
Emily threw herself into his arms. “You’re early. Why? Is everything okay?”
“Of course. I came home to check on you. I called Garret to come in and cover. Allison is going to stop by and pick up the work I know you didn’t do. She’ll do it this evening.”
“Are you really home for the night?” Emily asked in awe.
“Jesus, Emily, I try, I really do. Let’s not get off track here. I’m here and we’re going to glue ourselves to each other. I say we light the fireplace, pop some corn, and look at that gorgeous Christmas tree. Did you do all that yourself? It smells great. I’m sorry about all the past Christmases, Emily.”
“Shhhh, me too. This is now and we’re going to enjoy it. I can hardly believe Christmas is just three days away. Shall I bake a turkey?”
“You bet. With all the trimmings. Let’s go to midnight mass too.”
“Oh, Ian, really. Do you mean it?”
“I certainly do. We have to try going to church more often. We’re going to start doing a lot of things we never had time for. It’s time for us, Emily.”
“Like what?” she said, snuggling into the crook of his arm.
“Like we should go ice skating when the ponds freeze. We should go to the mall and browse around, maybe take a ride to the shore and walk along the boardwalk and huddle into our winter coats. Remember how we used to do that? We’d walk for hours, freeze our tushees off, and then go for hot chocolate. I want to do that again.”
“Oh, me too, Ian. I’d love it. What else?”
“Let’s go to New York to see all the Christmas decorations. We can ice skate at Rockefeller Center.” Emily clapped her hands in delight. “We can browse down Fifth Avenue and look at all the wonderful window displays. We’ll buy ourselves new outfits while we’re there.”
“Pinch me,” Emily gurgled. Ian obliged. “Ouch! Anything else?”
“How about five days in the Cayman Islands? Just you and me. I think we can take five days off around the middle of January if you want to go.”
“Do I want to go? Do I want to take another breath? Of course I want to go. Pinch me again.” Ian pinched her a second time. “Okay, okay, this isn’t a dream.”
“It means more now, doesn’t it. I think we’re both really going to appreciate it after all our hard work. We can’t stay anywhere that’s really expensive and we’ll pretty much have to eat on the cheap because the air fare is expensive. Do you care about that?”
“Not a bit. Is this our Christmas present?”
“No way. I bought you a present. Did you buy me one?” he asked slyly.
“Yep. Oh, Ian, you are absolutely right, it means more now. I’m going to mark it off on the calendar and count the days, but not right now. Right now I want to stay here with you.”
“Where you belong. God, I love you, Emily. You are one of a kind. You are the kindest, the warmest, the gentlest, the most generous human being I’ve ever met.”
“Oh, tell me more. More,” Emily begged.
“Not until I change my clothes, make a fire. Hey, does that fireplace really work? What’s for dinner? Let’s eat in front of the fire.”
“I think it works. The box of firewood the last tenant left is still in the corner. It should burn well. We’re having pepper steak. Go ahead and get changed. I want to plug in the tree lights.”
“My God, Emily, it’s beautiful,” Ian said, backing up a step to view the magnificent fir. “Where’d you get all the stuff? How long did it take you? I thought you didn’t feel good.”
“Doing it made me feel better. I just have a scratchy throat. Really, I’m fine.”
“You’re the best, honey.”
Emily smiled and smiled. She smiled all evening long. She continued to smile when they made love far into the night. The smile stayed with her when she slept and was still with her when Ian nudged her in the morning and invited her to take a shower with him.
“I’m making breakfast for us this morning,” he said.
“In that case, I’ll have eggs, French toast, and bacon,” Emily called over her shoulder as she scooted for the bathroom. “Make the coffee dark and sweet and don’t forget the orange juice.”
“You got it. Last night was great, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, yes. I’m greedy, though. I want more.”
“Okay, same thing tonight. I’m going in for four hours. I have a kid I have to check. He’s worrying me. I might have to put him in the hospital.”
“Over Christmas?”
“I’ve been pumping him full of antibiotics but he isn’t responding the way he should be. He’s running a fever too. He’s a great little kid. Keeps asking me if I’m going to make him better. I tell him I’m going to try my best. He wants a pair of ice skates for Christmas. The family is too poor for gifts. I bought a pair for him, Emily, and a pair for his sister. Do you think it’s okay? I mean will his mother think I’m—you know.”
“Ian, that’s wonderful. His mother is going to be very grateful. Thank you for doing that.”
“Yeah, well, I did it for a few other kids too. Actually,
