Is That Really You?

"That was sweet," she murmured, wishing to kiss him again.

Gary nodded. He felt like such a klutz for not being able to say anything, but he truly did not know what to say. Everything that had happened that evening was what dreams were made of and he was almost afraid to speak, that perhaps he would break the spell and it would all end without discovering the outcome.

"You've got such a way with words," she teased as she stroked his cheek with the back of her hand.

Gary shrugged and tried to smile. "I'm sorry."

Michelle put her index finger to his lips and shook her head. "Don't ever be sorry for being quiet," she admonished. "Don't be someone you're not."

A sheepish smile escaped Gary's lips as he looked at her. "Thanks Shelley," he said. Michelle smiled at him. He glanced at the moon and saw a hazy ring of clouds surrounding it. For the first time, he noticed he was cold and even Michelle's warm touch was not helping. He pushed aside a shiver and took her hand before deftly steering her back to the main entrance.

It was well after midnight when they pulled into her parents' driveway and the house was dark except for a nightlight in the living room. Gary shut off the engine and sighed. His mind was still in a jumble and he could scarcely keep a straight thought.

"You want to come in for a few minutes?" Michelle asked.

"What will your folks say?"

"They're asleep and they won't care. Like I told you, I think they're accepting you a lot better now," she explained.

"I don't know."

"Come on," she said decisively, "I'll fix us a snack." She was finding out she could gently nudge him and sometimes get her way when he became indecisive.

"Okay," he replied. He deposited his keys in his pocket and followed Michelle into the house.

Once inside, Michelle turned on a light in the kitchen and told Gary to have a seat while she began to prepare popcorn in the microwave. Without asking, she gave him a cold 7-up from the refrigerator and sat down next to him while the popcorn popped.

"Thanks," he said as he popped the top. "How did you know?"

"It's all you ever drink; that or Sprite."

"I didn't know I was that obvious."

"It's not that obvious. I just notice things about you, that's all." She stood up once again and checked the microwave.

Gary eyed her from his vantage point and smiled. The soft curls of her blond hair partially hid her face as she stared intently at the growing bag on the rotating tray. He really liked her profile. Of course, he liked looking at her, period. Once he looked at her closely, the change in her was not as drastic as he had originally thought. Sure, her face was thinner, sleeker if you will, but the general features were clearly the same.

Michelle sensed he was looking at her, but she pretended not to notice. She had caught him staring at her a couple of times before, but he would always look away quickly. She did not mind being stared at by him. If it had been anyone else, she probably would have been angered by it and would have told them to stop it, but Gary's stare somehow comforted her. It pleased her that he found her attractive.

She pulled the popcorn from the microwave when it was finished and placed it on the table in front of Gary. She got a bowl from the cupboard and poured the popcorn into it.

"Dig in," she said as she grabbed a handful. Gary followed suit. As they snacked, they chatted aimlessly from one subject to the next. They talked about school things mostly, but they also discussed Christmas break and their plans once their tests were completed.

Out of the blue, Michelle said, "I really don't want you to get me anything for Christmas, Gary."

"Why not?" he asked. "You asked me what I wanted for Christmas."

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I know you're kind of tight on money and I don't want you spending more on me."

"Shouldn't I be the judge of how much I spend?" he countered. Gary worked summers and it usually lasted him the school year.

"I don't know," she repeated.

"How about we set a limit as to how much we can spend, say twenty or thirty dollars," he suggested.

Michelle mulled it over for a few seconds. "If that's okay with you, I can deal with it."

"Good," Gary said. "What do you think? Thirty dollars?"

"Thirty sounds fine to me," she agreed.

"Of course, you'll have to give me your sizes in case I buy you clothes."

"You don't have to get me clothes."

"Maybe some lingerie from Victoria's Secret," he continued.

"I don't think so," Michelle said.

"We'll start with bra size."

"I'm not telling you my bra size." Amused, Michelle shook her head.

"Okay, I'll just guess and if it doesn't fit, you'll have to return it."

"Gary," Michelle giggled, "my parents would have a coronary if they saw lingerie coming out of a box from you."

"It would be a great joke, wouldn't it?" he smiled devilishly.

"Oh yeah, it would be just great," Michelle replied sarcastically. "I'd be kicked out for the rest of my life!"

Gary laughed. "Okay, okay, why don't you give me a list of things you might like and I'll go from there."

"That'll work. You do the same for me."

"Sure."

Almost an hour later, Gary decided it was time for him to go. Michelle put the bowl in the sink and the pop cans in the trash before leading him to the front door.

"I had a great time," Michelle said.

"Me too."

"I loved kissing you."

"It was my highlight, too," he grinned.

"You're silly."

"You wouldn't want me any other way, would you?"

Michelle shook her head. "No, I like it when you're silly."

Gary leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I want to be serious now."

"Do you?" she asked, eyebrows raised slightly. She moved forward and kissed him back.

"Would you believe me if I said I loved you, Shelley?"

Michelle looked at him closely and saw he was all business. "Yes," she replied, "I would believe you."

Gary took her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly once more. "I love you, Shelley."

"I love you, too, Gary," Michelle replied.

Gary smiled broadly and reached for the door before opening it. Turning back, he said, "See you later, best friend."

"See you, best friend," she replied.

He left her at the door and walked to his car. A soft snowfall had just started to descend from the skies and Gary looked up into the night before looking at Michelle once more. He waved to her and got into his car quickly before starting it up and driving off.

"You're up kind of late," her mother said from behind.

Michelle jumped from the voice and turned quickly. "You scared me, mom," she said before closing the door behind her. "What time is it?" she asked without bothering to check her own watch.

"It's after one."

"It doesn't seem that late."

"Did you have a good time?"

"I had a great time!" Michelle replied, their kiss still fresh in her mind.

"I'm glad."

"Are you?" Michelle asked, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Yes, I am," her mother said earnestly. She truly meant it. "I know we were hard on you about Gary before, but both of us only want what's best for you. If Gary makes you happy, then we are happy for you."

"Why the sudden change?" Michelle inquired. "I mean, I'm glad you approve, but before, you were so against him."

Olivia sighed. "I think we realized you are old enough to make you own choices about whom you date. We certainly weren't going to get you to change your mind, were we?"

"No," Michelle admitted.

"Besides," Olivia explained, "your sisters have spoken so glowingly about him, we'd be foolish not to give him a chance."

"Yeah, they like him a lot."

"So....?"

"What?" Michelle asked.

"When are you going to invite him over for supper?"

Michelle smiled. "Anytime you want."

V.

The next month went by quickly as classes and studying took over their lives. As final exams neared, they allowed each other only one date per weekend, but they did study together from time to time. They studied in the medical library because it was quieter than the regular one. It also made them concentrate on their studies instead of each other.

Once their exams were thankfully completed, they headed home separately and began to prepare for the holidays. Gary's family usually spent a quiet Christmas Eve at home and went to his maternal grandparents' house on Christmas day. His other grandparents had died many years before.

On the other hand, Michelle's family always has guests over on Christmas day and spent the day before preparing for it. They decided Michelle would come over to Gary's house on Christmas Eve and have supper there, then return with Gary to her house and spend the rest of the evening there, if but for a few hours.

Gary had a hard time picking out a gift for Michelle even though her list had been quite thorough and extensive. Everything he saw just did not seem right. Just when he was about to give up, he found exactly what he wanted. His mom showed him a discount jewelry catalog and thought perhaps he could find something in there and he did. It was a matching earring and necklace set, gold with synthetic rubies. Fortunately for him, he ordered them on line a few weeks before Christmas and they arrived in time.

Michelle had no such trouble finding something for Gary. Almost everything on his list had something to do with the Detroit Tigers or Lions, his favorite teams. She bought him a new Tigers ball cap and tee shirt. Together, they cost a few dollars more than what they agreed upon, but she was not going to quibble with him over the price. The tags would be gone before he opened them anyway.

Michelle woke Christmas eve morning with a headache, not unlike the one she had the day she and Gary met again. She was prone to headaches and even had a migraine once in a great while. A few years before, she had a CAT scan done and there were no abnormalities found. The specialist told her the headaches would be something she would have to live with. As she got older, the headaches were infrequent and taking extra strength migraine aspirin usually did the trick to relieve the pain.

That morning, the headache was not too bad and she decided to deal with it without taking any medication. Delicious smells from the kitchen wafted through the second floor and her bedroom; aromas of baking pies, bacon, eggs and coffee. After dressing in jeans and a sweatshirt, Michelle made her way down the stairs to the kitchen and was greeted by an overly perky Stephanie.

"It's about time you got up!" she exclaimed. Michelle raised her hand and winced at the noise.

Looking concerned, Stephanie asked, "Bad headache?"

"Not too bad. You were just a little loud." Michelle eased herself into a chair.

Katie got up from her seat and went to the cupboard where she grabbed Michelle's aspirin bottle. Opening it quickly, she dispensed two tablets into the palm of her hand and replaced the cap.

"I'm okay," Michelle protested. "I don't need any."

Katie ignored her and handed the tablets to her. "That's what you said the last time and you were laid up all day." She grabbed a small juice glass and handed it to her younger sister. "Drink up."

Meekly, Michelle nodded and popped the medicine into her mouth before washing it down with the juice.

"You want some breakfast?" Stephanie asked in a quieter tone.

"That sounds good." She moved to get up, but Stephanie held out her hand.

"It's right here. I'll get it for you."

"I can get it. I'm not helpless," Michelle protested.

"Just sit there and be quiet," her sister said before turning away to the stove. Stephanie and Katie always looked after Michelle when she was not feeling well, especially when her headaches hit.

"Where's mom and dad?" Michelle asked.

"Doing some last minute grocery shopping," Katie answered. "They should be back soon."

Stephanie returned with a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs and set it in front of Michelle. "Thanks," Michelle said before digging in.

"You're welcome."

Michelle ate quickly and silently as her sisters busied themselves around the kitchen. There was a lot to do and all three were expected to chip in and help. When she finished her plate, Michelle placed the dish, glass and utensils in the dishwasher. It was almost full and ready for a cycle. Michelle glanced at the clock over the stove and it was but a few minutes after eight. They had plenty of time to get everything done, she thought to herself, before Gary would come over to pick her up.

The rest of the morning flew by fast as cooking, cleaning, and other errands were accomplished. By two o'clock, everything was done that needed to be done, so Michelle retreated to the bathroom for a much needed shower. The water felt glorious as the droplets pummeled her breasts and abdomen. Her headache had all but faded by this time and the hot, sometimes stinging, water relaxed her tight muscles. She wished she could have languished under the water longer, but she cleansed herself quickly and washed her hair before she heard complaints from other members of her family. There were two other showers in the house, but with four women and a man, time was something they could not afford to waste. Gary was going to pick her up at four o'clock, so she could not dawdle anyway.

Once back in her room, she dried her wavy hair even more with her towel before letting it air dry the rest of the way. She was one of the lucky women who did not have to do much with their hair once it was dry. Combing and brushing was usually all it needed before she was satisfied. Sitting in front of her mirror in only her bra and panties, she set about applying her makeup. By three-thirty, she was done and the only thing she had to do was get dressed. She chose black velour slacks and a red satin blouse. Her family would be attending a midnight Mass and she did not want to have to change clothes later that evening. Black shoes, small diamond earrings and a simple silver necklace finished her ensemble. She brushed her hair into place and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Not bad," she nodded approvingly. She hoped Gary would notice since he hardly ever saw her in anything but jeans and tee shirts.

Rummaging through her drawers, she found a perfume she liked and sprayed it on and about her neck. She even dabbed a little behind her ears in case they had the opportunity for Gary to bury his nose in her neck. Michelle felt that chance to be remote, but she smiled at the thought of it.

Gary arrived precisely at four o'clock and was greeted at the door by Katie before Michelle had a chance to answer it.

"Hey, my date's here!" she said when she opened the door.

"Hi, Katie," Gary said as he stepped in, smiling.

"We don't have to tell Michelle you're here. We can make a run for it." Katie closed the door behind them.

"I don't think Michelle would like that very much," Gary laughed.

"What wouldn't I like?" Michelle asked from the stairs as she made her way down.

Gary and Katie looked her way. "Don't say a thing," Katie said to him, giggling. "She can't prove anything."

"If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, he's mine and you can't have him," Michelle said to her sister.

"Aw, can't I play with him for just a little while?" Katie pouted. Gary stood by highly amused.

"No."

"You're no fun." To Gary, she said, "If you get tired of her, you know where I live." Katie walked away to kitchen, laughing.

Gary laughed, too. "I'll remember that."

"Gary!" Michelle shrieked. "You better not."

Gary took a second look at Michelle and let out a low whistle. "You look great. What's the occasion?"

"It's Christmas," she reminded him. "Didn't you get my email?" Inside, her heart sang. Hehadnoticed.

"I must have deleted it." He paused for a scant second. "You look really pretty."

"Thanks," she replied. Michelle jumped down the two remaining stairs and skipped over to him happily. "You look pretty handsome yourself." He was dressed in dark blue khaki's and a light blue dress shirt.

"If you say so," he replied absently.

There was one thing that irritated Michelle about her boyfriend and that was his inability to accept compliments from her. No, he was not the best looking guy in the world, but he was not ugly, either.

"You drive me nuts when you do that."

"What?"

"I pay you a compliment and you play it off as nothing. I wish you wouldn't do that."

"I'm not handsome," he said seriously.

"Who says?"

Gary shrugged.

Michelle put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Listen here, I find you attractive and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Do you understand?"

"You're blind," he grinned.

"Doesn't matter," she replied. "When I pay you a compliment, I expect you to take it at face value and appreciate it. Okay?"

"Okay," he agreed sheepishly.

Michelle kissed him softly. "Good, because I like the way you look and I don't want you to change."

"You're still blind," he said quietly.

"Ooohhh!!!" she growled. "You're impossible."

"That's why I'm your best friend."

They stayed for a few minutes before departing for Gary's house. Supper would not be ready until five o'clock, so they had a few minutes to themselves. His sister was in the kitchen helping her mother and Gary's dad was in the basement watching a bowl game on the TV. Chrissy was seventeen and a senior at Waddell High. Tall, with dark brown eyes, Chrissy was a head turner, but she never thought anything of it. She had the occasional boyfriend, but none would be classified as overly popular or anything out of the ordinary. She still had no idea where she wanted to go for college or how she was going to afford it, for that matter. She had good grades, but they weren't good enough for an academic scholarship and since she wasn't athletically gifted, that road was closed also. Every few minutes, Chrissy would emerge from the kitchen and engage in chit chat with Michelle. To Michelle, she seemed to be very down to earth and friendly.

The supper was fairly simple; baked ham, Boston baked beans, and cheesy potato casserole. Michelle liked everything and had seconds on the casserole, her favorite. For dessert, there was ice cream and cake. Conversation was minimal as Michelle found out quickly the Buchanan family was not a talkative group, save Chrissy at times. She now knew where Gary received his precious gift of quietness. Although it took some getting used to, it was a nice contrast to her family who when in mass seemed to fight each other to be heard.

After supper, Gary's father had built a fire in the fireplace and everyone gathered around as Chrissy passed out gifts from under the decorated tree. Soon, each had a small stack of gifts in front of them, each except for Michelle, but she did not mind. She was a bit sad to see the small amount of gifts before them. Michelle knew they did not have much money, but this surprised her. It did not bother Gary, for this was all he knew.

Within minutes, the gifts were opened and the thank you's exchanged. His parents also knew Gary's love for the Tigers and Lions because four of his gifts pertained to such. Luckily for Michelle, none of the gifts were the same as what she was to give him.

Chrissy shrieked with glee as she opened her gift from Gary, 2 CD's of her favorite group, Evanescence. She rushed her brother and hugged him. "Thanks, Gary. I really wanted these."

"You're welcome," he replied, beaming. He was pleased she liked them so much. He looked at his family as they admired their gifts. Then, he looked to Michelle and smiled. "It seems as if someone doesn't have a gift to open. We need to remedy that." He got up and went to the tree where he reached to the back and picked out a small, red papered box with a gold ribbon.

He went back to Michelle and extended it to her. "Merry Christmas, Shelley."