All I Want Is You

Sitting at the Rathbone table was like be in a slightly organized zoo. And I loved it. I loved that I couldn’t stop laughing long enough to eat, I loved that his mother insisted I call her Mom and I loved how they all watched Jackson and I with smiles.

The flight to Texas had been long and uneventful and when we had landed, I knew right away that I loved these people, and that I loved Texas as much as Jackson did.

“...and he was just the cutest little baby. Curly hair, just like he has now. And all the ladies would say how beautiful his eyes were.” Jackson’s mother was telling us about baby Jackson.

I smiled and thought about a baby Jackson. I couldn’t picture it. I wasn’t great with babies.

The table was packed full of aunts, uncles, cousins, cousin’s kids and even a few neighbours. It was complete chaos, as Jackson said it was during every function.

The topic switched to Jackson’s cousin Mary and her new baby Samuel. He was cute and Jackson’s mother was enamoured with him.

“My mom has been waiting for Melissa or I to have a kid since we were like 20.” He whispered, a crooked grin on his face.

“Oh.” I said. I hoped she didn’t expect one from us anytime soon. We would have to leave that one to Melissa.

After our mock Christmas dinner, as we called it, since it was only the 20th of December, we opened gifts. Well, just one’s involving me and Jackson. We had got wonderful gifts from my parents and they had been pleased with theirs.

“And this one is for Lizzie.” Jackson’s dad said, handing out gifts from under the tree like a Southern Santa Claus.

I took the gift and delicately pulled off the wrapping paper. Jackson sighed, impatient with my unwrapping method.

“Calm down!” I said, chuckling as I pulled off the last of the paper. I gasped and looked up at Jackson’s parents.

“We bought it Singapore, just before Jackson was born. Jackson’s father gave it to me, and we want you to have it now. I know you haven’t been together very long, but I just have a feeling. I want you to have it.” His mother said, smiling at me.

Tears slipped down my cheeks. They had only known me for 3 days. But I was staring at the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. I looked at Jackson.



“I had nothing to do with this.” He said, his face equally surprised as mine.

“Thank you. It’s beautiful.” I whispered.

I slipped the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly. Our little present fest was interrupted by Dean the cat. Dean used to live with Jackson until things got too busy in LA. Jackson didn’t know it, but Dean would be coming back to LA with us.

.......

We were leaving today. Today was also Jackson’s twenty fourth birthday. I rolled over in the bed, pausing for a minute to watch his sleeping form.

“Happy birthday.” I whispered into the crook of his neck.

“Mmmm.”

I burst into a fit of giggles. He opened his eyes, smiling sleepily. He opened his arms and I laid down in them. I tilted my head up to kiss him.

“I got you something.” I said, smiling a devious grin.

“Like what?” He breathed into my hair.

“Well, it’s furry. And fat. And quite cuddly.”

“I don’t get it.” He said.

“Dean is coming back to LA with us! I don’t go to school anymore and I’m not at the office a lot so I thought he could stay with me.”

“Oh, you’re sneaky!” He said, kissing my forehead.

We got up and got dressed then, packing all our stuff. We would be having dinner with Jackson’s parent and sister at a local restaurant before we got on the plane and headed back home.

I was so excited to spend Christmas with Jackson.