Status: Updated 2/25/14.

Stop Believing in the Lie

The Perfect Christmas

The following morning, I woke up in Alex's strong, yet comfortable and warm arms underneath my huge, warm comforter. I felt his thumb lightly stroke my cheek as I tried keeping my eyes open; I was really not ready to get out of bed yet.

"С Рождеством Христовым, Амелия."(Merry Christmas, Amelia.)

"Buon Natale, Alex."(Merry Christmas, Alex.) I mumbled into his chest.

"Ready to get up?"

"No."

"But, it's Christmas."

"No..."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes."

He laughed causing his chest to move.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Cause you're funny. Duh."

"Shut up."

He wouldn't stop.

"Fine. I'm up." I said untangling myself and sitting up.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too."

I then drifted to sleep on his shoulder.

"Amelia? You awake?" he said shaking me.

I refused to answer.

"Amelia, come on. You can't be tired."

I regretfully answered him.

"Yes. I can." I said with my eyes still closed.

He tickled me this time.

"Alright. I'm up for sure." I said pushing on him.

"You sure?" he said as he pushed me down and laid on top of me.

"You think you're all that and a bag of chips, don't you?"

I smirked and waited for a response. He smirked right back.

"Well...yeah and so are you."

I pressed my lips to his and wrapped my arms around his neck. My hands pressed down on his back as the kiss got deeper. When he placed his lips to my neck, I heard my mom call our names.

"Amelia! Alex! Are you two up yet?"

"Fuck. It was just beginning to feel really good." I said flinging my head back onto my pillow.

"We still have that date we talked about yesterday. Only hours away. Only hours."

I nodded.

"That's still forever."

He smiled and kissed me.

"You can wait. We can wait."

I smiled and kissed him back.

"Yeah! We're up! We'll be right down."

After putting on a bra and using the bathroom, we made our way downstairs.

"Where are you guys?" I asked as I didn't see them in the living room.

"In the kitchen."

Walking into the kitchen, a wonderful aroma filled my nose; it smelled delicious.

"What are you cooking?"

"A brie and prosciutto tart." my mom answered.

A goofy smile appeared on my face. Alex looked at my face and laughed.

"What's with the face?"

I shook my head.

"That's one of her favorite foods." my mom answered.

"Вы так странно."

"Спасибо."

"What?" my dad asked.

"He said that I was so strange and I replied with thank you."

"That's gonna take a lot to get used to. A third language."

"You can say that again. Anyway, what are our plans for today? Well, besides, breakfast, that is."

"Opening presents and heading to the ice rink before coming home for dinner. Just the four of us."

I smiled. I really loved the idea. Skating on ice, outside? Fuck yeah.

"That's an awesome itinerary!" I said excitedly.

Everyone laughed. After eating, we headed to the living room to open presents. Before we got there, I hugged Alex.

"Happy?"

"Of course. It's been so long since I've skated outdoors."

"How long has it been?"

"Nearly a year. You?"

"Way longer. During the Lockout which was supposed to be my rookie year."

I nodded.

We sat down on the floor as did my parents. There were a few presents under the gorgeous tree, but that didn't matter; I was with a few of my loved ones.

"Who wants to go first?" I asked.

"You can go first if you want to." my mom said.

"No, someone else go first."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Well, in that case...."

My dad had gotten my mom perfume, some jewelry and a couple candles while my mom had gotten him cologne, shirts and a new pack of nasty cigars; don't know why he smoked the damn things, but whatever. I let everybody go, but Alex and I. I don't know why I did that, but I did. I got Alex the typical things, clothes and cologne, but thankfully not cigars; he can't stand them just as much as I can't. There were five presents under the tree, but I didn't know who they were from. Well, obviously they were from the people sitting around me. I had gotten a few pieces of jewelry, but the nicest thing he got me were a new pair of ice skates; I was speechless. I hugged him as tightly as I could.

"I love you." I whispered into his ear.

"I love you too."

"This is the best gift I have ever received. Ever.Thank you."

"My pleasure."

I cried softly and briefly as he held me close.

"May I look at these?" my mom asked after we pulled apart.

"Of course." I said with a smile.

She was in awe as was my father. I laughed seeing the looks on their faces.

"Damn. They look amazing. When did ya get them?" I asked.

"I ordered them about a month or so ago. I knew you'd enjoy another pair, so I got them customized also."

I looked at them again and saw my number from juniors, my last name and my two favorite colors, yellow and red which were in a crazy design. I still had that smile on my face as I leaned into Alex. About an hour and a half later, it was nearly noon and we were out the rink as I donned my new skates. I skated around for a minute or two as Alex watched in wonder with a smile on his face. I couldn't help but giggle every time I went past him. I was stopped by him as he grabbed one of my hands and pulled me toward him and kissed me. Flash. That was surely my parents.

"You are amazing. I can't believe this is just the first time of me seeing you skate."

I blushed.

"Come skate with me then." I said pulling on his hand this time.

I skated ahead of him as he followed behind and quickly caught up to me.

"You know, we should have some kind of shootout sometime like in practice." he said.

"We can do that?"

"Of course. We just gotta ask Jose and Varly about it. Sure they be fine with it."

"Can't wait to beat your ass!"

"I don't know about that." he said shaking his head.

"You'll see. I'll beat your ass. The thought doesn't blow your mind? Your girlfriend beating you in a shootout?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Ok." I said laughing.

He laughed as well and we continued to skate. Come six o'clock, it was dinner and were sitting at a table with my parents. A dinner spread of antipasti, roasted turkey along with braised carrots, fennel bulbs and sweet potatoes, potato gnocchi in an amazing marinara sauce and for dessert, tiramisu, which is a personal fave of mine. It was the same meal I've had for my entire life, minus the tiramisu; I didn't develop a taste for that until a few years ago.

"So, did you two have fun today? It looked like it." my mom asked.

"Absolutely. He told me how amazing I was at skating."

"Is that so, Alex?" my dad asked.

"Of course. And I told her we should see who would win in a shootout."

"I immediately told him I was gonna beat him. He seriously doubts it, though."

My parents began to laugh, which meant they couldn't believe he was thinking that.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing, Alex. Nothing." I said biting my lip.

"Ты говоришь мне позже."{You're telling me later.) he whispered into my ear.

"Конечно, Алекс. Конечно."(Sure, Alex. Sure.)

"Anyway, how is everything?" my mom asked looking toward Alex.

"Delicious. I've never had this kind of meal at Christmas."

"What do you usually have?"

"Well, I grew up eating roasted piglet, blinis, Russian fish salad and Russian teacakes..."

And then he went on describing the meal and that he eats very similarily at Christmas nowadays. When it came time to leave, I was really sad, but I couldn't wait to go back to Virginia with Alex and to get back to work.

"Have a safe trip, you two. Ok?" my mom asked after hugging me and Alex.

"We will. I love you." I said hugging her again.

"Beat him like he's never been beat before." she whispered into my ear.

I smirked and nodded.

Then, I hugged my dad and told him I loved him before we left.

"Ok. Tell me why your parents were laughing earlier." he said buckling his seatbelt in the passenger's seat.

I let out a laugh.

"You sure you wanna know?"

"Yeah."

"They laughed because of how good I am when it comes to shootouts. They always put me in them when I played. I was one of the best in my league, like you and Sid."

"Oh, that makes sense then. Do you miss it? Playing hockey?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I wish I could've a career out of it, but with me being a woman, that was shot out the window." I said as a couple tears ran down my face.

"I would've loved to see you play." he said wiping away my tears.

I smiled and turned to kiss him.

"I love you. You know that? I love you." I said through blurry eyes.

"I love you too." he said making it deeper.

And then off we were to the airport. When we got home, we dropped our stuff by the door and he carried me to the bedroom. Yeah. We couldn't help but think about that date we talked about yesterday, on the way back from the airport. Clothes were practically ripped off and I was tossed onto the bed. The sex? Making love? It was the next best present that I received today.
♠ ♠ ♠
Russian Christmas Dinner
I was looking up Christmas dinner for Italy and Russia and this is one that I found for the latter.