Can You Keep a Secret

We waved the remainder of Eric's family off a few days after Christmas. It was freezing cold outside, but we wanted to see them off. 

I had had an amazing time with everyone. It was always the same. There were only good times when it came to spending time with people that were like family. We even got a peak at Lindsey's dress.

"Well, I guess the cool Staals are all gone now..." I sighed out. 

Eric scoffed. "Yeah, and the awesome one is left."

"Eric, I haven't married into your family nor did I change m last name to Staal," I pointed out. 

He gave me a look. I giggled at the dead panned expression on his face. Without any warning, Eric was pushing me down into the two feet of snow piled up on his front yard. I screamed in shock of the cold snow surrounding me. 

I reached up and pulled him down, as well. Eric fell in the snow beside me. I could already feel my fingers and bare toes going numb. "Thanks, jerk," I called out, trying to get up. 

Eric tugged me back down. I fell in the snow again, my face getting covered by the white powder. "Eric!"

"Baby, scream my name louder!" he called out. 

I groaned loudly. I took a handful of snow and rubbed it in his face. "You are so getting it now!" he yelled. 

I laughed, trying to hurry back to the house. Eric pinned me to the ground, his butt planted on my legs. He pushed me down and began covering me with snow. 

"No, Eric! Come on, I was joking!" I pleaded. My small hands did nothing to block the snow from landing on me. 

Eric chuckled. "I don't believe you," he announced. 

I felt the snow crunching under me as I wiggled, desperate to get out of the frozen water. Eric only pulled me down to the ground again. 

"I'm sorry! You're amazing, I'm sorry!" I begged between laughing. Eric held me to him as he grabbed handfuls of snow. I screamed just as the snow covered my face and head.

I hadn't played in the snow for years. I almost felt like I was six years old again and my older brother was letting me play with his friends outside in the snow. Despite the cold and my frozen phalanges, we stayed in the snow for another ten or fifteen minutes. 

The sky was clouding up and the sun was dipping below the horizon for the night when Eric finally fell back with a content sigh. 

I laughed, ignoring my chattering teeth. "Come on. Let's go inside and warm up," I suggested happily. 

To say I was in a good mood was an understatement. Being with everyone made me happy and winning our snow battled just elevated that. I liked being with Eric a lot. Things were never down or angry. He was a good guy and he was an awesome friend. 

I pulled on his hand, dragging him up to his feet. "I think my toes might be done for," I I admitted. 

Eric gaped at my feet. "What is wrong with you? Why would you be outside with no shoes?" he demanded. 

"I didn't exactly expect to be outside for long," I told him. 

I rushed to my room, ready to strip and pull on my warm clothes. Eric had disappeared somewhere else. I tugged on a pair of dry under clothes followed by sweat pants, a T-shirt, and a sweat shirt. I pulled socks on over my toes, hoping that I might be able to warm them up next to the fire place. 

"My Lord, I love you," I gushed once I saw the lit fire. Eric laughed as I hurried over and huddled up. 

"Want some hot cocoa?" he asked, already heading to the kitchen. 

I nodded my head. "Yes, please."

By the time Eric was in the living room again, I had nestled several blankets and pillows around me. He laughed at me. "Cold?" 

"Nope," I replied sarcastically. 

Eric took the next to me. I happily sipped the hot cocoa he handed to me. I don't know what he did, but his hot chocolate was always the best. 

I leaned my head against his shoulder, watching the fire. "Did you enjoy Christmas?"

I smiled. "I did. It was a lot of fun. I miss everyone already," I said. 

I could feel him nod. "We'll see them all this summer for the wedding."

I grinned. "I can't wait. Marc is so happy... They'll be an amazing couple. It makes me happy the way he is with her. He's so head over heels..." I babbled. 

Eric was quiet for a few seconds. "They will be a good couple. He really loves her," he mumbled. 

My eyes drooped as I began to feel the heat from the fire warming my body. "Do you think you'll find someone like that one day?" I asked. It was hard to picture Eric with anyone. No one seemed good enough for him. 

"Eventually I'll find someone who loves me just as much as I love them. We all do at some point, you know?" he responded carefully. 

"Will you make me a promise?" I asked quietly. 

"Sure. What about?" he asked. 

"Promise me you'll only marry someone that your family approves of and not a whore," I answered. 

He held out his pinky. When I was younger, pinky promises had been the law. Not a single pinky promise was to ever be broken.

I looped my finger through his. "Promise," he told me. "And promise me that Ray and I can interrogate the guy that asks for your hand in marriage."

I nodded my head. "Promise."

Eric's arm lightly draped over my shoulders. "Feeling warmer?" he asked. 

I nodded my head, my eyes closed. "Yeah."

"Good," he mumbled before taking another sip of his hot cocoa.