A Connecticut Christmas Ball

Yay!!! It's finally Christmastime!!! I feel like I've been waiting my whole life ;) When I was at Pacific, my writing professor told me to work my writing muscles as much as I can, so this month I have written a Christmas story! I am going to post a new chapter every few days....if I can remember. I love those stupid Regency Christmas stories during this time of the year so this is my modern day take on one of those. Since it's all for fun it's pretty rough, but hopefully you will get something out of it. Merry Christmas!!!!

Ivy Porter’s life was finally the way she wanted it to be. Born and raised in a small town in Texas, many of Ivy’s high school friends had graduated and immediately gotten married and started families. At the time Ivy yearned to follow in their footsteps, but when love did not come her way she had decided to follow another path. Now thirty years old she was a successful lawyer at the prestigious Watson & Craig Law Firm in Los Angeles, and lived in a gorgeous ocean front condo. She no longer envied her old high school friends. In fact the thing she cherished most in her perfect life was her freedom. She had no husband or children to tie her down. She did what she wanted, when she wanted. It was that freedom that found her on an airplane heading to Aunt Gloria’s house for the Christmas holiday.

With a full month off after a particularly stressful, yet victorious case at work, Ivy was ready for a relaxing old fashioned Christmas. Her parents were spending the holidays on a romantic getaway to Hawaii, so Ivy had accepted her aunt’s invitation to spend some time at her small farm in Connecticut. After all it was Christmas, and Christmas was a time to be with family.

Stepping off the plane into a thick blanket of snow, Ivy seriously considered turning around and heading back to the sunny shores of California, then she heard her name, “My little Ivy leaf!” It was the nickname her aunt had given her when she was just a toddler, and suddenly Ivy couldn’t wait to see her beloved Aunt Gloria. Scanning the small crowd gathered outside the airport fence, she finally spotted her aunt’s beaming face, so much like her own. Gloria was exactly how she remembered, tall and beautiful, but a little rounder and softer; gray now replaced the rich chestnut that had once colored her hair. Had it been so long? Ivy thought back and realized that it had been at her high school graduation twelve years ago that she had last seen her one and only aunt, who was now jumping up and down with excitement.

Taking her suitcase from the flight attendant, Ivy began to make her way across the icy pavement with the rest of the passengers. One moment she was walking and the next she was falling as she slipped on the ice. Bracing for the impact, she was surprised when she found herself safe in a strong pair of arms instead of on the cold hard ground. “Whoa! Are you okay Miss?” Ivy looked up into her rescuers face. He was handsome to be sure; dark brown eyes and hair, strong jaw, incredibly tall and well built, but his smile gave him away. He was young, twenty or maybe twenty-one at the oldest. Not that it mattered; there was no room for anyone else in the life she had so carefully made for herself.

He was looking at her expectantly and she remembered he had asked her a question. “Yes I’m fine,” she smiled up at him, “thank you so much!” She picked up her foot and wiggled it around in the air, showing him her stiletto, “I guess I’m not very well prepared for the weather here.” He chuckled and she felt the sound rumble through his strong chest as he held her close. Feeling suddenly awkward, Ivy gently pushed against him and he released her, then he bent to pick up her suitcase. “Here let me help you.” He offered Ivy his arm which she accepted gratefully and they began to make their way to the gate once again.

“So you’re not from around here,” he observed as he glanced down at her thin jacket and lack of gloves. Ivy laughed and shook her head, “No I’m just here visiting family,” she gestured to her aunt who was now, in her excitement, struggling with the security guard to get past the chain link gate. He laughed and said, “Your grandmother?” Ivy shook her head at Gloria’s crazy antics. “She’s my aunt actually.” As they reached the gate, Ivy turned to retrieve her suitcase from the handsome young man. “Well thank you again, and happy holidays!” She smiled and then quickly made her way through the gate into her waiting aunt’s arms.

The man watched the reunion for a moment with a smile. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Tall and shapely, she stood out from most of the other girls he had met. Her sleek brown hair smelled of apples, and she fit into his arms as if she was meant to be there always. It was her huge eyes that really mesmerized him though. They were a pale green, like the leaves on the Russian olive trees that were so plentiful here in Connecticut. He watched the two women carefully make their way to the parking lot, arms linked. “Happy holidays to you too,” he shouted to their retreating figures, but they didn’t seem to hear. Finally he made his way to his own car, wishing he had thought to get the woman’s name and hoping he would run into her again before her visit was over.

to be continued....