Together by This Christmas Tree

john o'callaghan

I breathed carefully into the phone, wanting to make sure I didn’t sound creepy while I panted from carrying the food up the stairs with Garrett telling us to pivot every so often.

When the phone stopped ringing, I seemed to have caught Cally in mid-laugh. “Hello, babe. What’s up?” She said, and I could hear the sound of the bar in the background, and Timmy yelling out orders in the background. Cally had introduced me to Timmy the week before, curling her hair in Cally’s kitchen when I had come to visit with a cake. I liked her, and I figured she’d be a bridesmaid, if Cally said yes to me. I loved her so much, and her laugh.

“Hey, babe. What are you up to?” I asked, deciding to play it cool before pulling that out on her. She had fifteen minutes before her shift ended, and it was a five minute drive to her house. I had to occupy her for ten minutes for things to work out just like I envisioned them to. It had to be perfect.

I could hear the smile in her voice. “Nothing, just trying to end my shift by doing almost nothing, as usual. Besides, Timmy’s shift ends with me, so we were thinking of taking a drink in the last few minutes of our shift, as always.” I could hear her excitement. I knew she loved when I randomly called her, she said it made her feel wanted.

“Well, don’t drink too much, because I have a surprise for you,” I said, teasing her a little bit, not telling her where we were going or what we were doing. I could hear glasses clink and hear her shallow before she finally spoke again.

“Well, okay, but that depends, do I have time to shower?” I chuckled, her voice whiney and cute. “I mean, I smell like a bar and look like shit.” I laughed myself, going all lovey-dovey and knowing, somehow, things would be okay, despite the knot in my stomach and the slight blush on my cheeks.

“I bet you look amazing, love. Nothing could ever make you look like shit. Except for, you know, actual shit.” Cally laughed.

“Okay, well, babe, I’m going to go home and shower real quick then will you come get me? Remember, my car’s in the shop this week and-” I smiled, loving the way her voice sounded as she checked out, obviously in a hurry.

“Only if that means I get to blindfold you on the way over here,” I said, and Cally smiled and laughed really loud, something I used to hate but now absolutely adored, the way it sounded like bells.

“Whatever you say, John O’Callaghan.” She hung up and I wished I could see her walking back towards her apartment, and suddenly, I was much more afraid now of actually proposing then ever before. And with each moment it was scarier.