Down To You (The Love On Edge Series) (9 page)

“My father gifted my mother with a two week trip to Australia for Hanukkah. They left this morning, therefore, their usual New Year’s Eve party is canceled. I thought, rather than allowing the deposit to be wasted, that it would be a better idea to celebrate a new year and a new start with all of your closest friends.”

Brant and Holly stared at Sloane speechless and astonished.

“If you will let me. I’d like to throw you the party, no- The wedding of a lifetime,” said Sloane with a wink. Holly was stunned.

Brant replied, “We couldn’t possibly accept this.”

“Oh, but you will, for the sheer purpose that if I have to wear a purple frock in the middle of the damn woods like last time, the woods that made me sneeze, I will die on the spot! Your first wedding was a woodman’s dream but an allergy sufferer’s nightmare!” remarked Sloane heatedly.

Brant and Holly recalled their first wedding, which was quaint and sweet. They were married on the first day of spring as the chill from the winter was just leaving the air. Their ceremony was private and charming, held right in the same clearing where Brant proposed in Wallford Forest. Sloane, a severe allergy sufferer had sneezed through the entire affair. Brant and Holly couldn’t help but laugh at the memory.

Sloane continued, “Everything is paid for; the venue, the caterers, the DJ… The whole lot. All I have to do is make a few last minute adjustments to the party plan.”

“Sloane,” said Holly, “we could never repay you for this…”

Sloane laughed at her friend, “The proper response when a friend gives you a gift is thank you.”

Both Holly and Brant smiled widely as they thanked Sloane. 

“Ballroom at the Bell. Wow…” remarked Brant.

“What will we wear?”

“Marv and I have that covered. Don’t you worry,” said Sloane slyly.

Holly couldn’t believe it. Brant was back in her life, they were getting remarried at the poshest ballroom in town, and all their family had merged together to celebrate the holidays. It was like a miracle.

“Oh!” Sloane exclaimed, “I forgot one thing! I went shopping today”

Sloane threw two large shopping bags at her friends; a Banana Republic bag at Brant and a White House bag at Holly.

“Go upstairs and put those on! You’re under-dressed!”

Brant and Holly did as they were told. They ran up the stairs like a couple of school kids, but halted when they reached the dark of the hallway. Holly slumped against the wall as a wide smile grew across her face. Brant lifted his arm and caressed her rosy cheek with his sturdy hand, “It doesn’t quite feel real, does it?”

Holly placed her hand on top of Brant’s as her engagement ring caught the light of the hall sconces. She grabbed his hand gently, and pulled it to her lips, kissing him ever so softly.

“No, honey. It feels like a dream.”

*****

Holly looked at herself in the floor length mirror in awe. She couldn’t believe Sloane had found it: A dress that looked nearly identical to the black lace dress she had worn on her first date with Brant. She shimmied the fabric over her curves, and happily, it fit like a dream. She slipped her feet into a pair of black peep toe pumps and tousled her hair into sultry, soft waves.

So this is what it was like to feel spoiled.

After one last glance in the mirror, Holly stepped into the hallway and went downstairs where the party was waiting for her.

*****

Brant was standing at the bottom of the stairs talking to Luke and Greg, when his heart quickened. Holly descended the staircase gracefully, looking remarkably like she did on their first date. Brant loosened his tie and flattened it against his blue button down shirt. She looked incredible. Holly watched Brant as he drank her in as a feeling of supreme satisfaction washed over her. She had never seen him look so good, or so confident before.

Brant’s friends noticed that his attention was broken by Holly’s appearance, and Brant pardoned himself saying, “Excuse me, fellas…”

Brant grabbed Holly’s hand as she came down off of the bottom step and pulled her towards him. The heady scent of his cologne was intoxicating as Holly nestled her face in the curve of his neck. Suddenly, the song on the radio changed and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” played loudly out of the speakers. Holly and Brant couldn’t resist dancing in the middle of their living room next to Marv and Tressa. Sloane and Luke joined them, and everyone was having such a great time.

Doris was in the dining room setting the table as the glorious aroma of a home cooked turkey filled the air. Harry had just come through the kitchen door carrying a freshly carved turkey which was adorned with all the trimmings. Randy and Greg helped carry various side dishes to the table. It was very much a joint effort by all.

Everyone began taking their seats at the massive dining room table. Sloane motioned for Brant to have his seat at the head of the table; the king’s seat. Holly sat right next to him with her hand still in his. The table filled up quickly with Marv sitting at the opposite end, and everyone else crowding the middle. There was just one seat that remained vacant; the chair to the right of Marv. Holly took notice.

“Are we missing someone?” she asked with a curious look upon her face. Some of the guests looked around in confusion while Marv, Brant and Sloane smirked in pure delight.

Marv said loudly, “Hmm… I wonder who could be missing?!”

Suddenly, the kitchen door swung open and a middle-aged blonde with a radiant smile and emerald eyes emerged in the dining room. She couldn’t have been a day over fifty-five, but she had the body of a twenty-something. Holly’s eyes broadened at the sight of her.

“Momma?!” Holly shouted in pure joy. Her chair slid out loudly from the table as Holly ran in her high heels to her mother, who she hadn’t seen in over two years because she lives so far away.

“Momma! I cannot believe that you’re here!”

Gloria McCresson held her arms out to her only daughter as she beamed in delight.

“I’m so happy you’re here!” Holly delighted.

“Thank Brant. He flew me out this morning!” said Gloria, in response.

Holly was amazed. She looked back at Brant with an expression that was so full of meaning and emotion. As tears of joy began to flow from Holly’s eyes, she exclaimed, “Thank you all so much for being here! I love you all and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my life!”

Gloria hugged her daughter, thrilled to see her so happy. Marv wiped a tear from his eye. It was a long road home for Holly and Brant, and finally, here they were, back to normal again. No, better than normal. They were rising to a better life together. Marv’s heart soared with happiness.

Gloria, still beaming from her daughter’s huge welcome, grabbed Holly’s hand and said, “Now let’s see that ring!”

Holly showed off her new/old engagement ring with pride. “Good job, Brant… I see you took my advice.”

Holly looked back at Brant once again, and he winked at her, barely able to contain his amusement.

*****

The Christmas Eve party began winding down around midnight and thanks to the overabundance of wine and eggnog being served (courtesy of Sloane), everyone decided to call the Edgemont residence home for the evening. Luke, Greg, and Sloane camped out in Holly’s furnished basement. While Luke and Greg were banished to sleep in sleeping bags on the floor, Sloane cozied up in her candy-striped pajamas on Holly’s futon, as comfortable as can be. Meanwhile on the third floor, Brant’s parents took the back guest bedroom, while Marv and Gloria awkwardly took the front guest bedroom. The only thing keeping Marv off of the couch was the promise that he wouldn’t try anything fresh.

As the house quieted down and everyone fell asleep, Holly and Brant still had an important job to do. Holly went to the large coat closet by the front door and removed the child safety lock from the handle.

“Money was really tight for me this year, so this was the best I could do…” Holly said apologetically. As she opened the closet door, Brant looked at Holly as if she was insane. The closet was filled to the breaking point with presents.

One by one, Brant and Holly placed the brightly colored gifts under the Christmas tree. When the last one was under the tree, Holly yelled out, “Is that it?”

“No,” Brant said with a laugh. He continued, “Follow me.”

Brant led Holly out to his truck where he pulled the cover off of his flatbed to reveal even more presents.

“These kids are spoiled rotten,” remarked Holly bluntly as she
laughed at the sheer amount of presents they were to receive this year.

“
There’s some things in there for you, too,” said Brant as he nudged Holly with his elbow playfully.

*****

After the presents were under the tree and the candles were doused and the music ceased, Brant and Holly enjoyed the warm serenity that had enveloped them. Although the house was quiet, it was filled with everyone who loved them. Brant and Holly slumped down on the couch, dead tired but still aglow from the amazing day that just passed.

Holly shook her head in amazement, “I never knew it could be like this.”

“Well, you know, we could do this every year if you wanted to.”

“I’d like that...” said Holly honest
ly.

Brant kissed Holly on her forehead, as he pulled her closer into him.

“Hey,” said Holly, suddenly realizing she had no idea where everyone was sleeping. “Where did you tell my Dad to sleep?”

Brant started laughing hysterically.

“What?” said Holly with no idea what was so funny.

“I put him and Gloria in the third floor front bedroom together.”

Holly’s eyes went wide.

“I owed the guy a favor. Gloria said he could stay as long as he kept to his side of the bed.”

“Oh my God!” said Holly as she began to laugh.

“Now if you have a new brother or sister nine months from now…”

“Jesus, don’t even joke like that!”

“Where did you tell Sloane to sleep?”

“She’s on the futon downstairs…”

“With the guys?”

“Yeah, she made them sleep in sleeping bags on the floor. Luke didn’t seem to mind, but Greg was kind of annoyed!”

“That’s because Luke has the hots for Sloane, and Greg still hasn’t forgiven her for Karaoke night three years ago,” said Brant referring to the incident where Sloane sang “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” to Greg on the stage at Crooner’s Karaoake Bar in Devon.

“Ah, yes. Now that was funny.”

The pair continued to talk until they were too tired to go on. They walked down the long hallway towards their bedroom, quietly peeking in on their children who were nestled in their beds before they turned in.

Brant couldn’t believe how his luck had changed. It certainly wasn’t without some help from his friends, though. Marv and Sloane were instrumental in making sure today went as planned. He couldn’t thank them enough for all they had done. Marv picked up the ring from the jeweler, while Sloane used Brant’s credit cards to secure flights for Holly’s mom, Brant’s parents, and the kids. She was also the one who planned the impromptu holiday party, not to mention the ridiculously lavish gift she had given them as an engagement present. Today was a day full of surprises.