Advent Day 10

“It’s like 80 degrees out on Christmas Eve.”

“Yes, that’s the joy of being on Hawaii,” George told his girlfriend, Winona. They’d arrived for a vacation just two days early. He’d sprung it on her in San Francisco. She’d wanted to go home for Christmas, but George had other ideas.

“Hmm.” She picked up the sunscreen and handed it to him. They were lying on oversized towels at the resort’s private beach on Waikiki. Winona wore a tiny little green and red bikini she had purchased for their tropical Christmas vacation. “And it’s only nine in the morning. It’s only going to get warmer.”

“Yep,” George said, cheerfully. He squeezed out some sunscreen and began to rub her shoulders. “It’s great. I mean, sure, I miss seeing the family just a teeny bit, but there’s always next year. And since we’re leaving paradise on the 27th, we can have a belated Christmas New Year kinda thing with family.”

Mercifully shortened due to the fact they’d have to be back to San Francisco for the next semester at the Academy. To George it was merciful, anyway. He liked her parents okay. He wasn’t sure they liked him, but whatever. George could usually charm people into liking him. She missed her family though. George’s dad had passed away a couple of years ago and his mom was spending the holidays with George’s sister in New York. Everyone in the Kirk family was happy, and so George figured Hawaii and only a short time with his sweetheart’s family was the perfect compromise.

“But it doesn’t snow here,” Winona pointed out obviously.

“Honey, there are a lot of places where it doesn’t snow for Christmas.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never been to any of them.”

George laughed. “Come on, Winnie. It doesn’t snow every year where you’re from.”

She sighed. “No. But I have had lots of white Christmases.”

“No one cared about all of that until a Jewish guy wrote a song about dreaming of one,” George said. He moved down from her shoulders to the small of her back. “That and that printing company, Currier and Ives, who put out all those sleigh riding pictures.”

“Another history lesson, Georgie?”

“Of course. The point is, the first Christmas, in Bethlehem, it was most definitely not snowing.”

She sniffed. “I still like white Christmas.”

He leaned back and stopped rubbing. “Are you sorry you came then?”

“What? Oh no.” She turned on the towel to face him, linking her arms around his neck. “I didn’t mean that, George. I love being with you no matter where we are. Just not used to being away from family for Christmas is all. But this place is beautiful.”

He smiled. “Good. You know here they say Mele Kalikimaka.”

She grinned. “Mealeee Kaileekiiimaka”

George laughed. “That’s um, almost right.” He pulled away. “Listen, I have something for you.”

“A present? But Christmas isn’t until tomorrow!”

George searched through his bag. “I know. But I think maybe you need this now.”

He pulled out the ring box and turned toward her. Her eyes got real big as she spied the box. He flipped it open to reveal the diamond ring he’d picked out a few days before their vacation.

“Will you-“

“Yes!” She squealed, knocking him over into the sand.

George laughed. “I didn’t even finish.”

“It’s still yes.” She kissed him. “George Kirk, you know I’ll marry you.”

“Still, a guy likes to get to ask.”

She nodded and straightened up, smoothing the strings of her bikini and attempting to look serious, though her eyes were shining brightly.

“Winona, will you be my wife?”

“Well.” She pretended to consider. “Let me think about this.”

“Hey!”

She laughed again and knocked him into the sand once more. “Yes, a thousand times yes. And Merry Christmas!”

“Mele Kalikimaka,” George said as he pulled her in for a kiss.