Chapter Text
Emily wiped away an unbidden tear as she stared up at the angel on top of the tree. “It isn’t fair,” she whispered. “Why did you let them send him away so close to Christmas?” she sighed and moved to look out the French doors at the falling snow.
The weather forecast said it was one of the heaviest snows the area had seen in twenty years, but thankfully it wasn’t a blizzard. “And Floyd just had to send Richard out on business,” she grumbled as she watched the wet snow build up in the back yard. Hearing the phone ring, she felt a bit better, knowing that it would be her husband.
“Hello, Darling,” she greeted as she put the phone to her ear.
“Hello, Emmy.” His voice greeted with a worried tone. “The weather sounds horrible. Are you staying inside?”
Smiling at the concern in his voice, she curled up on the sofa. “Yes, I’m staying inside, but I’m lonely.”
“Why are you lonely?” he asked.
“Because the cook and maid left when the weather turned bad, and my lover is out of town.” She smiled at the sigh on the other end.
“Your lover, hmm? Does your husband know that you have a lover?”
“Oh, yes. He’s approved of my lover.”
“You’re beautifully silly, Em,” he chuckled.
“I miss you,” she sighed, her voice sad.
“I miss you as well, Emmy. So far, my flight hasn’t been cancelled. They’re saying the storm is supposed to end by early tomorrow morning. They should have everything cleared by the time I’m scheduled to leave.”
“Oh, I hope so. I can’t bear the thoughts of spending the rest of the holidays without you.”
“Once I get home, I won’t be leaving again until well into the new year. I’ve already informed Floyd of my plans.”
Emily felt herself smiling in spite of the fact that the hated one had been mentioned. “So, Mr. Gilmore…what have you bought me for Christmas?”
Richard laughed, “Now, now, Mrs. Gilmore. You know that I won’t tell you.”
“If you were here, I bet I could convince you to,” she told him, her voice low and husky.
“Emmy…” came his throaty reply. “That isn’t fair when I’m so far away.”
“Ahh…I’m sorry, Snuggle Bunny.” She giggled when he groaned then laughed loudly.
“You’d better be glad there’s no one there to hear you call me that.”
“Remember when your father heard me call you that?”
“Oh god. I thought I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Just think if it had been your mother.”
“Ugh,” he grunted. “I would have had to take you and flee the country.”
Emily laughed, “Oh, but what fun I would have had with my snuggle bunny.”
“Oh you.”
“Do you remember why I started calling you that?” She stared at the fire, her lips curved in a smile as she listened to him telling the story.
“It was our first winter together. The weather had turned bad and we got stuck at your parents’ place. I got up in the middle of the night to get a drink and found you doing the same. Your father had built a fire in the den and we wandered in there. He entertained us with stories of his travels as a young man in the foreign legion and smiled when I snuggled you up to me. He left us there when he realized we had fallen asleep. How he kept your mother from finding us, I’ll never know, but when we woke up the next morning, you nuzzled my neck and called me your snuggle bunny.”
“My father kept my mother preoccupied.” Emily informed him. “I’ll let your mind wonder where it will with that information.”
“Good lord, Emmy,” he chuckled. “How did you find that out?”
“Hopie told me,” she laughed with him. “I guess she heard mother…well…”
“Oh my. Your father was a crafty one. I bet your mother didn’t know what’d gotten into him.”
“I’m sure she was shocked. They didn’t do that sort of thing except for their anniversary and Valentine’s Day.”
Richard sighed. “I’m so very glad you aren’t like that. I don’t know how your poor father could still love her as much as he did. She was so cold.”
“I couldn’t be like that. I love you too much.” She sighed, “But one day we won’t be able to do that anymore.”
“If that day ever comes, I’ll still be your snuggle bunny.”
She sniffed. “I love you, Richard.”
“I love you, Emmy. You better get to bed. I want you well rested when I get home.”
“Oh? Have plans?”
“I plan to ravish you.”
She shivered slightly at the sultry tone of his voice. “I’ll make sure to get a little extra sleep tonight then.”
“Goodnight, Emmy. Sweet dreams.”
“I’ll be having sweet dreams about you.”
“You and your Patsy Cline.”
She chuckled, “Goodnight, Darling.” After clicking the phone off, she continued to lie there staring at the fire. She loved when they were silly with each other, but she wanted him to be home with her so they could be silly face to face, not over the phone.