Brandon had texted the day before to wish me a good Thanksgiving and to tell me that they’d reached Elaine’s parents place safely, so I’d figured it would be a couple of days before I heard more, what the social whirlwind he always seemed to get caught up in when he visited his girlfriend’s folks in Newport Beach.
“It was a hectic day today, but I snuck away for a little air outside. Glad I could catch you. Did you have a good dinner?”
“It was fine,” I lied, praying he didn’t ask where I’d gone.
“Great. I caught the tail end of the Eagles game and thought of you.”
“Hell of a final down. Good game.” Football was always a safe topic for us, even if I was far more a fan than Brandon, who was more into the stats than the competition. “Greene is gonna set a rushing record.”
“Yeah. Made me miss Philly.” He sounded the same kind of homesick he had when he’d first landed at Cal Tech, and same as then, I made myself laugh again.
“Ha. You’re out there soaking up all the sunshine and solving mysteries of the universe while we’re expecting snow next week.”
“The weather is pretty great.” His tone brightened considerably. “You’ll see if you come for graduation in May.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” May was one of our absolute busiest months, and leaving for even a couple of days was going to require all sorts of juggling, but no way was I letting Brandon down. “You still on track for that big research battle?”
“Dissertation defense,” he corrected me. Damn it. I didn’t speak PhD as fluently as him and his crowd. “Yes. Everything’s set. And Elaine is on track too. We’ll both be on the job market in the spring. That should be fun, trying to find positions close enough geographically that we can be together.”
“I’m sure you’ll find something.” My pulse sped up. Maybe something on this coast even, not that I’d ask. Elaine was a California girl through and through, and Brandon would follow her to whichever fancy college she ended up at.
“Yeah, and I have a plan about making sure she’s stuck with me no matter where she finds a professorship too. That’s part of why I’m calling, actually.”
“Oh?”
“I’m coming for Christmas.” He sounded all giddy, and there was a crunching sound like he was bouncing on his heels, exactly how he’d done as a kid. “Well, we both are. Elaine’s coming too.”
“But you and Elaine always go to her folks.” I pushed my half-eaten dinner away. Last several years, I’d become used to the pattern of Brandon saying he missed me and Philly but heading to Elaine’s family for every major holiday anyway. I’d be thrilled to see him, no question, but I’d stopped holding my breath a long time ago.
“They’re going to be in Melbourne for an extended work trip, and Elaine doesn’t want to travel that many hours for what’s likely to be a short vacation with so much for us to do at school.” There was always a ton for Brandon to do at his university, courses to teach, research to check on, committees to be on. I made a sympathetic noise as he continued, “Besides, did you know she’s never actually had a white Christmas? They’ve been to Aspen and Jackson Hole for skiing, of course, but never for Christmas.”
“Of course.” Elaine’s parents were the sort of wealthy I had trouble wrapping my head around, her mom a top executive at some tech company and her dad a big Hollywood lawyer type.
“So, since her folks are going away, I asked her to come home with me. I can’t guarantee her a white Christmas, but I can show her your neighborhood all lit up, the Evergreen downtown shops, and go into the city, show her all the holiday sights.”
“You always did like that.” I tried not to dwell on those memories of taking him to see the lights he’d loved so much, but I could see where he’d want to take Elaine to Franklin Square and other spots he remembered fondly. We’d both grown up in Philadelphia, and further, unlike Elaine and her West Coast ties, we’d come from decidedly working-class neighborhoods. I had no idea what someone who’d grown up in a literal mansion would make of my place, but I supposed we’d muddle through.
“Exactly. And then, Christmas morning, right in front of the tree, I’m going to propose. With any luck, there will be snow outside, and it will be perfect.”
“You’re sure you want to propose?” I stood up from the table, earning a look from Jim as I paced across the kitchen. Tree. I didn’t have any such thing. Didn’t even have a guest room set up, and now, Brandon wanted perfection.
“Well, I’ve been dreaming about this for the last year, saving up for the ring and trying to pick the right place to pop the question. I was thinking flash mob—”
“Don’t do that.” Public displays always made me queasy, right along with the people who popped the question on the jumbotron at halftime at a big game.
“Yeah, yeah, bad idea.” He had our mom’s laugh, high and tinkly. “I kept thinking of these glitzy ideas because, you know, her parents…”
“I know.” They sure did set the bar high. Brandon seemed to like them fine, but I got where he’d feel some pressure.
“But that’s not really Elaine. Or me. Then, yesterday, her parents announced their plans, and I dreamed last night about your place. A big tree. Remember me telling you that corner of your new living room would be perfect for one?”
A knot formed right in the center of my chest, making it hard to speak. “I remember.”
“A real Christmas. Like we used to do, not the catered stuff her parents do these days. Everything all decorated will make great photos—”
“That’s important?” God, Brandon might be a bona fide genius, but I had no idea what past he was remembering or what personality transplant he assumed I’d had. Decorated? I did sanded, leveled, varnished, tiled, and more, but holiday decorations? Ones worthy of a proposal backdrop? No way.
“Oh yeah. Elaine’s huge on social media. Mainly particle physics memes, but she’s going to want to share pictures of the big moment. Assuming she says yes.”