Operation Beautiful

It's seven in the morning. Everything is planned out, everything in place. I knock quietly on Emma's front door. Lorraine lets me in, a big smile on her face.

"It's wonderful to see you Corey." She wraps me in a motherly hug, her eyes widening as she sees what's in my hand. "Is that for Emmaleigh?" she asks.

"Well...I would like to give it to her...if you don't mind."

Her smile only grows wider as she squeals and pinches my cheek. "Oh, you! Just wait here one second." She disappears down the hall, coming back with Mark's hand in hers. "He wants to..." she whispers in his ear.

Mark frowns. "I'm supposed to be all stern now, aren't I?"

Lorraine elbows him while I shift awkwardly from one foot to the other.

"Well, my wife's elbow has been very convincing. I don't know why, but Emma was crying yesterday and if you make her cry, I will personally snap your neck." His stern frown is replaced by a small, self-satisfied smile. "Hey!" he says quietly to his wife. "That was pretty good, wasn't it?"

"Very good," she jokes. Mark just smiles and winks at me.

"We'll talk later. Meanwhile, Emma is still sleeping. You know where her room is, right?"

I creep down to her room, turning the handle as softly as I can and shutting the door behind me. She looks so beautiful lying there: her golden-brown hair curling around the pillows away from her face, the slight smile on her lips, her...well, her lips...okay, now is not a good time to get distracted.

I set up quickly and sit by Emmaleigh, trying to move her properly into my arms. She half-wakes up as I do so, facilitating my effort to pull her into my lap.

"I'll check my BS later..." she moans. She always was a pretty heavy sleeper. I suppose expecting her to have woken up by now was a mistake on my part.

"Emmaleigh," I call softly. She just stirs a little, the smile growing slightly on her face. I can't help myself. I kiss her on the cheek. "Emmaleigh?" But she still won't move, so I kiss her again. This time she stretches, her arms reaching back, her fingers tugging on the hair at the nape of my neck.

"What are you doing here, Corey?" she mutters sleepily, the smile still on her face. Suddenly she snaps awake. "Corey?"

But before she can react properly, her attention is caught by the post-its we had written on arranged neatly on the wall across from her:

I ❤ U

There's a strangled squeal as she turns to me. "It was you?!"

I nod shyly and then reach for the bouquet on the bedside table. "I, uh, I wasn't sure if you'd like it so..." She tackles me in a hug, sending me smack! up against the headboard.

"I can't believe you did that!" Her eyes are shining with happiness, her mouth in an enormous smile. We lean towards each other but she stops suddenly, biting her bottom lip in a way that drives me crazy.

"I, uh, I just woke up."

I can't help my smile. Yes, I though of this as well.

"Well, if you'd like a mint..." I say, taking one out of the box in my pocket and popping it into my mouth. "...you're welcome to one. But I believe the box is now empty."

Her face is a mixture of confusion, disgust, bashfulness, excitement and happiness. Her fingers find their way back into my hair, her eyes staring into mine from mere centimeters away. She's hesitating, embarrassed.

"You're supposed to close your eyes," I say quietly, leaning forward to close the distance. And any hesitation she had before is gone.