James the Christmas Grouch

14

I hit his arm playfully. "Show me everything." I couldn't help but twirl around. The Christmas music was still playing in my head.

He looked around like he was examining everything too. "It wasn't me, Penny."

"Of course it was you. Who else would it be?"

"I'm telling you, it must have been Santa." He pointed to the fireplace. "Look, he even left boot prints."

I smiled at him. "He also left us a red tablecloth on the dining room table. And gold placemats. He has an eye for interior design."

James shrugged. "I guess he does."

"James, just admit that you did this. I know it was you. And I love it so much. Here I thought you were a Grinch and then you did all this. It's magical in here."

"It wasn't me," he insisted.

I laughed. "I wonder what he left in our stockings," I said. I grabbed them off the hooks and handed him his.

"Huh," James said. "It appears he did leave us gifts." He lifted out the bags of his favorite chocolates. He pressed his lips together.

"Oh my God," I said. "My favorite chocolates." I pulled out the bag of chocolate that I had put in my own stocking.

"Did you do this?" he asked.

"No. Did you?" I gestured to the completely transformed apartment.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "No," he said defensively.

I knew he was lying. And I was pretty sure he knew I was lying. But we both stayed silent. We both wanted to give each other the magic of Christmas. That was the sweetest gift anyone had ever given me.

"This really wasn't you?" he asked and gestured to the stocking.

"No," I lied. "And it wasn't you?"

"Nope."

"So either a crazy Christmas lover broke into our apartment, or Santa Claus is real." Saying it out loud sounded insane. But what if it really hadn't been James? What if Santa did exist? I shook the thought away.

"Both those options sound crazy." But I saw his eyes gravitate toward his stocking again.

Suddenly I realized that it didn't just look like Christmas. It smelled like Christmas too. "What's that smell?"

James shrugged. "I have no idea. It smells kind of like spaghetti."

Spaghetti? Oh my God. I ran into the kitchen. There was a lasagna assembled on the kitchen counter. My mom always made lasagna on Christmas. I had told James that a few weeks ago.

James came up behind me and kissed the back of my neck.

"Why won't you just admit that you did all this?" I couldn't seem to stop smiling. This was hands down the most wonderful gift I had ever received.

"Because I didn't." He lifted up the note that was lying next to the pan. We both looked down at it.

Dear Penny and James,

May the love that you share grow and grow and put smiles on your faces every day of the year. Take the joy from one day and spread it to all of them. That's the true spirit of Christmas.

-S

P.S. Put the lasagna in the oven for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.

It wasn't James' handwriting. I stared at the note.

"See, it wasn't me," he said again. "S probably stands for Santa."

I laughed. "Santa made us lasagna?"

He shrugged. "He seems like a talented guy."

"Mhm." I wrapped my arms around him. "All of this must have taken all night. I just hope he can see how appreciative I am."

"Well...if he sees you while you're sleeping..."

I laughed and pressed my face against his chest. I wasn't even sure if the smell of Christmas was my favorite smell anymore. I'm pretty sure it was James' cologne.

A knock on the door made James groan. "It's so early," he said. "We haven't even had time for round two."

"I think it's sweet that they came so early. It means they want to spend time with us on Christmas."

"Go answer the door. I'll put the lasagna in."

"For breakfast?"

"New tradition," he said with a laugh.

Actually, I was kind of in the mood for breakfast lasagna. These new traditions were pretty wonderful. I opened up the door. Mason, Matt, and Rob, were all standing there with huge smiles on their faces and presents in their arms.

"Merry Christmas!" Mason said and gave me a hug. "Thanks for inviting us." He placed a kiss on my cheek and went to put the presents under the tree.

Matt hugged me and lifted me off my feet slightly. "Merry Christmas," he said before setting me back down on my feet. "Last night was my favorite anti-Christmas ever."

I laughed as I watched him join Mason by the tree.

"Looks like a few little elves were busy in here last night," Rob said. "It looks great."

He didn't say it, but the way he was looking around made me think that he had helped.

"Did you help James with this?" I asked.

"James? Psh. No. This was clearly the work of Santa. James is a Grinch, remember? And I most certainly had nothing to do with this. It's a little over the top if you ask me."

I laughed. Yup, he definitely helped. "You know, I thought James was a Grinch too. But I'm not so sure anymore." No one that spent the time to do all this was a Grinch. I turned to see James coming toward us.

"Do you want some help with that?" James asked and reached for the present Rob was holding.

Rob awkwardly jerked away. "No. It's not for you."

"I can still put it under the tree," James said and reached for it again.

Rob took another step back.

I was pretty sure I noticed the precarious placement of the present at the exact same time as James.

"If your d**k is in that box and you're planning on giving it to Penny, I will knock you out."

Rob's eyes bulged. "What? I'm not going to d**k-in-the-box her."

"Then give me the present," James said and reached for it again.

"I need to use the restroom!" Rob said and started to walk down the hall. Right before he entered the bathroom he turned around and let go of the box that was positioned in front of his waist. The box didn't move. "It's my d**k in a box!" he sang.

I started laughing hysterically.

James stepped toward him, but Rob had already gone into the bathroom and slammed the door. James turned back to me. Soon enough he was laughing too.