After I'd read Kaethel's post in the Feedback thread on Wendy's story, I felt compelled to write this. So blame her.


Marry in Haste - Their First Christmas.
An Epilogue by Tank

Lois made her way about the modest dwelling. The decorations had been up for over a week and she still wondered how they had been able to get so much stuff up in such a small place. Nearly every available shelf, or spot on a table, had some sort of Christmas paraphernalia on it. Every square inch of free wall space sported Christmas related scenes, or the cards they'd received from friends and loved ones. It was their first Christmas as a married couple and both of them were going all out.

Lois had to laugh. Neither of them, before, had been really much into Christmas. They had seen the season as hypocritical, and totally commercial. Not the either of them were particularly religious by nature so it wasn't a question of any 'true meaning' of Christmas being lost. It was just the seeming artificiality or the whole thing that had grated for so many years. But now that had changed... for both of them. Being in love had something - no, everything to do with that change in attitude.

That was why Lois had made a point to get home before he did. She had just finished securing his final present and wanted to get it properly wrapped before he got home. She frowned, thinking of her poor husband having to work on Christmas Eve. She knew he would come home tired and sore from another hard day, but she also knew that her surprise would perk him right up. She grinned as she allowed her imagination to paint a pleasant picture as to just how 'perked up' he might get.

***********

The present had been wrapped and Lois took one last look at herself in the mirror as she heard his car drive up. She made one last adjustment to the Santa Hat she was wearing and gave an ineffectual tug at the hem of her short and sexy, red negligee. It was the one he'd bought her in celebration of their dual declaration of devotion to each other.

Knowing that children could only ruin their relationship, they had both promised the other that their marriage would be childless. They had known that if children were to be brought up properly they'd have to become the primary focus of that couple's life. Neither had wanted to do that. They were more than content to immerse themselves in their love for the other, and not share it with anyone else. So, in a unique celebration of their commitment to each other, they had both undergone surgical procedures. Lois'd had her tubes tied, and he'd had a vasectomy. Now there was no danger of little feet pattering around the house, even by accident.

Lois wet her lips in anticipation as the front door opened and her husband came through. She could see he was tired, but the smile on his face when he spied her standing there told her that she was the balm to sooth his aches and pains.

He quickly tossed his jacket aside and in two long strides had her in his arms and was soundly kissing her. Lois thought she was going to melt under the intensity of his kisses and his obvious love. But then she always felt like that when he kissed her.

Fighting off her own impulses to continue, Lois managed to break his tender embrace. "I've got a special present for you," she said, her breath just a touch baited.

A playful leer came over his features. "I think I've already got my special present. Making love to one of Santa's little helpers will definitely give me that Christmas spirit."

She laughed. "No, that's for later." She handed him a brightly wrapped box. "I want you to open this now."

His gaze washed over her, With her Santa's hat covering her head, and her flimsy nightgown causing him flush with the heat of its promise, she could practically read his mind. Raised his brow, he accepted the shoebox-sized package and tore at the holiday -themed paper and ribbons.

Once the festive wrapping had been removed he was confronted with a plain cardboard box. In fact, it was a shoebox. Again his brow raised as he looked at his wife.

"Open it." Her excitement was palpable.

He flipped the lid off the box and stared in at the contents. His initial confusion quickly gave way to surprise, then a sly grin stole over his face. The box was literally filled with long silky strands of dark hair. He reached in and fingered the shorn locks. His grin widened as he looked toward his beloved wife.

Lois answered her husband's grin with a wide one of her own as she ripped off the Santa Hat and tossed it across the room. She gave her head a shake to allow the newly short layered do to fall into place.

"I got a haircut."

"So I see."

"Do you like it?"

"Come here."

Lois backed away in mock shyness. "But, Tank, what about the rest of the presents?"

"What presents?"

He pulled her to him and captured her lips once again, only this time there was no thought of stopping to open any more presents. Those could wait until tomorrow... or maybe the next day.

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER...