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Bubba was nervous.
He had lived on his own for years, finally cutting himself off from his unsupportive family. He was used to spending Christmas alone, mailing simple gifts to those special few he remained in low contact. This year would be different. This was his first Christmas spent with Jeremiah, his boyfriend of only ten months.
It all felt like it was moving very quickly. It seemed just yesterday that the barista called the wrong name, and Bubba grabbed the wrong drink.
He read the side, double-checking that no milk was in his drink. It was a large caramel macchiato with whipped cream on top—definitely not Bubba’s medium iced decaf coffee.
“Pardon me, sir, but I don’t think this is mine,” he told the barista behind the bar.
“No, it looks like mine,” Jeremiah’s sexy voice came out from behind him.
Bubba turned around, locking eyes with his forever partner for the first time in either of their lives. He choked on air at the blonde’s beauty, matching the caramel drink in his hand.
He stuttered out, “Um, uh, caramel… ma-”
Jeremiah held out his hand, taking his drink.
“Sorry sir, is this one yours?” the barista asked, bringing the right order this time. Bubba nodded and read the ingredients to confirm.
“Yes, thank you.”
“It’s certainly different from mine, that’s for sure,” Jeremiah laughed. Man, if only Bubba could play that first laugh on repeat, just like he could play Baby Back .
He hears that laugh every day now. He’s heard it every day for the past four months, after Jeremiah moved in with him at the summer’s end, his parents throwing him out after he introduced Bubba. Jeremiah moved in that night, and Bubba distracted him by introducing him to the chickens on his farm and letting Jeremiah name the baby chicks.
It could’ve been a memory that neither would want to look back on, but Bubba found a ray of light in it: how the day ended. Now, every day ends with Jeremiah, the brightest light in his life.
So Christmas had to be perfect for him. Bubba waited until Jeremiah went to sleep and decorated the farm with all he could splurge on. Colorful lights going over the awning, festive pillowcases and blankets going in the living room a wreath on the front door, green tinsel everywhere he possibly could, and stickers and posters wherever he had some leftover white space. All over the floor (save Jeremiah’s path to the sunrises), he had spread around fake snow and hung up a mistletoe. He skipped out on candles out of fear of burning the farm down.
Finally, he had set up a tree, void of any ornaments or even a star on top. As their time together grows, the tree will be filled with ornaments memorializing it all.
Under the tree, he had put his gifts for Miah, and Miah’s gifts for him. He made sure the stockings were all ready to go.
And he went to sleep.
Jeremiah’s alarm went off at 6:47AM. The beginning of the sunrise’s golden hour. He would always try to creep outside quietly and leave all the lights off, trying not to wake up Bubba. He always did, but Bubba would go back to sleep easily. Christmas morning, he stayed awake.
Once Jeremiah was outside, Bubba rose out of bed and filled in the gap with fake snow. He had approximately forty minutes to prepare the hot chocolates and make sure all else was ready to go for Jeremiah’s return.
“Alexa, play Christmas music on volume two.”
“George Christopher Vance is an English actor who is known for his television roles as-”
“Alexa!” He paused and took a deep breath. “Play. Christmas music. ”
“Now shuffling holiday beats from Amazon Music Unlimited.”
“Close enough,” Bubba mumbled as he prepared the hot chocolate. He took out his Baby Back mug and Jeremiah’s military mug and mixed the ingredients together, pouring them into the mugs. He made two batches, one with milk and one without, and labeled them so he’d know which was which. He added extra marshmallows into Jeremiah’s because he deserved them. Besides, Miah always preferred the sweeter options. He is what he eats.
He let them sit in the kitchen to cool down as he turned on the Christmas lights. He stepped back and took one final look at his creation.
He was nervous. Everything looked so perfect last night, but now looks all wrong. He adjusted the tinsel and fluffed out the snow, now noticing every minute detail. This wasn’t good enough. Everything had to be just right for his Miah.
He looked at the time. Jeremiah would be back inside in ten minutes.
He forced himself to walk away from it all and grabbed the cups, taking them outside to greet his boyfriend.
Jeremiah stood out in the field, his head arched upwards at the beautiful sunrise. Pink and purple came together, the clouds creating a cascade of colorful charm. Bubba took a look up and let out an audible, “Wow….”
Shit! He gave his own game away.
Jeremiah turned around, his already glowing smile somehow getting brighter upon seeing the love of his life.
Bubba gave him a good morning smile, looking between the two beauties of the morning. Without even looking at which one, he held his arm out for Jeremiah’s hot chocolate.
Miah giggled, turning around. “Pardon me, sir, but I don’t think this is mine.”
Bubba recognized that quote immediately. He smiled again. “Merry Christmas, darling,” he said, setting both mugs down carefully before giving his boyfriend a hug.
“Merry Christmas, Bubs.”
The two men stood on the field in the freezing weather, with nothing but their pyjamas jackets, trapper hats, gloves, and slippers to keep them warm. And each other, of course.
As they let go, Bubba picked up the hot chocolates, offering the right one this time to Jeremiah.
“Thank you,” Jeremiah nodded and took a sip. “It’s a damn shame we couldn’t have a white Christmas this year, ain’t it.”
Bubba shrugged. “Eh. Better for the animals that we don’t.”
Jeremiah seemed to nod in agreement, taking another long sip. He liked the hot chocolate. Bubba was relieved.
They began to head back inside.
As each step drew closer, Bubba’s chest grew tighter. He matched his breathing with his slow footsteps. The knot untangled when Jeremiah saw the wreath for the first time. “Oh wow,” he said, “that’s really nice.”
Bubba smiled and nodded in agreement, stepping in front of the other to hold the door open.
Jeremiah stepped inside. Bubba saw his eyes widen before he stepped out of view, taking in all the farm had to offer. The faint Christmas music kept the silence away as neither man spoke, Bubba anxiously waiting to hear what he had to say.
“Oh my goodness….”
“D’you like it all?” Bubba asked. “I did all ‘it last night.”
“You did all this?”
“It may not be the… white Christmas you were expecting…,” he said slowly, kicking at the fake snow sticking to his slippers, “but it’s, it’s… it’s special for you.”
Jeremiah turned around, his eyes going upwards, then back at Bubba’s, then upwards again.
“I don’t decorate much this time o’ year. Don’t even celebrate much. But… I know this wasn’t the Christmas you were expecting to have. So I wanted to see if I could-”
Jeremiah stopped his mouth.
Their faces smacked into each others, and Bubba knew in that moment what Miah thought of it all. He enjoyed the moment while it lasted.
Once they pulled away, Bubba noticed what Jeremiah was looking at. The mistletoe.
Somehow he forgot where he hung it.
“I love it all, Bubba. I love it because you made it.” Jeremiah didn’t crack easily, especially after his time in the military, but Bubba could’ve sworn he saw a single stream on his cheek where a happy tear rolled.
He didn’t comment on it. Only led his lover towards the tree with the brightest smile he could muster.
There was one gift that must be opened at that moment. Bubba handed it to Jeremiah, all wrapped up with a bow.
Jeremiah didn’t hesitate. He tore into it.
Their first ornament. A photo of them at the coffee shop they met at. A simple selfie they took together on one of their dates. February 7th, 2003 burned into the bottom. The day they met.
He flipped the ornament over. To the left, a medium iced decaf coffee. To the right, a large caramel macchiato.
“Would you like to do the honors?”
Jeremiah accepted and approached the tree, hanging the ornament right in the center.
The lovers took a step back and admired it. Bubba put his arm around the other. The ornament looked just right in the spot Miah chose. Bubba spared a glance at him. He was practically melted with happiness. Bubba couldn’t believe how successful his endeavor was. The knot in his stomach was fully undone.
It was perfect.
Their first Christmas together.
Perfect.