Together by This Christmas Tree

cally mcgregor

I added another bra to my suitcase, Garrett leaning on my club chair in the corner, smirking at the texts blowing up his phone. “I think Sumner’s pissed John’s going to England with you.”

Suddenly, my heart and insides turned to ice and everything began to fall apart, and things trickled as I went into my closet, losing my fingers in my bright blue bridesmaid dress, a strapless number that made me look ... beautiful. “What if he’s happy with her, Gare? Then what do we do?” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair like I was giving up, like I was little and it was that easy. “I don’t want to fuck up their relationship, Garrett. I want to be happy-”

“And you’ll be happy with John.” Garrett’s voice was firm, his arms wrapped around me gently as I continued adding piles to the same suitcase I had when I met John, falling apart at the edges but filled with too many memories to throw away, too many little things wrapped up inside it.

I said nothing, and kept packing, until a knock came from my bedroom door and Damien’s high pitched voice, which meant he and Isabelle were making out on the couch, yelling that he got it.

And who walked through my bedroom frame surprised even me, a suitcase in one hand and a beanie covering caramel hair. John Cornelius O’Callaghan stood in my white washed doorway, looking sheepish. “Sumner and I kind of, uh, got in a fight. Is it okay if I crash here tonight?”

I couldn’t help it. I smiled, walking forward and taking his suitcase and throwing it on my bed, giggling a little at the desperate look on his face. “Let’s make it an event! We can kick Damien and Isabelle out and we can watch movies and eat our hearts out; you for Sumner’s anger and me for, well, me.” Garrett winked at me, sneaking out and throwing a arm of goodbye up. John smiled, I smiled, and Garrett did too, awkwardly crossing his arms over his chest.

His green eyes pierced my own, his breath tingling down my neck as he smiled at me, his voice husky. “Sounds like a plan.”

My heart was beating in my ears, and suddenly, everything stopped. Because it didn’t matter if I ended up with John or if he ended up with Sumner. What mattered was that he was there for me if I needed him and I was there for him, and that when the time came, we could both be ready for wherever life took us.

And that just seemed to be the way my life was heading.

I smiled, grabbing all the blankets off my bed and pushing them towards the faded leather couches, smirking at John as piece by piece, like everything else between us, we built our fort, our lives, our romance, or what remained of each.