Cooking in Shambles

“Yeah? Should we do this then?” Calista grinned from ear to ear, letting him take her hand, watch the way he looked at the ring. She could see the way Colin looked at his hand as well and her heart was swelling in her chest. “Tell me we can do this, baby.” Callie’s voice lowered as she pulled him closer again. “Tell me we can be husband and wife and let’s just do this, find us a wedding band, host a small dinner for our friends. Maybe even go away for the weekend, isolate ourselves somewhere else.” She leaned in to plant teasing, soft kisses around his lips as she spoke. She felt the way his body shivered and smirked, eyes falling to his lips as he licked them and then began commenting on her future scenarios. “I can be, sometimes.” She provoked. “You shall get some secret blowjobs then.” She grinned. 

Colin spoke of being the one hidden under her skirt and this was her time to shiver, squeezing his hands just a little tighter. “What about when I wear dresses?” She teased. Colin continued talking and then stopped and she leaned back a bit, covering his lips with one hand. “Then nothing. We’ll be popping babies left and right in this apartment. Redheaded babies with big noses that will be made with all the love in the world. In the craziest positions we can manage.” Callie said a bit more serious. She did not want to even think of something possibly keeping them from their dreams. Should an obstacle come, they’d overcome it, but at the right time. Now all she wanted was the good thoughts and wishes. “Babies that might be made in a secret hiding love-making session on top of my workdesk. Or on this very balcony when 2022 comes.” She let her hand drop to his chest. “Remind me again though, how is it that babies are made again?” Callie provoked, a wicked grin on her lips.

Colin nodded. “Absolutely we can do this,” he said with a smile at her. “We can be married, we can get our rings, have our close friends over for dinner. You know, people are starting to get vaccinated so who knows what this New Year can bring.” He had never wanted anything more than to be able to be the father of her children. 

Colin chuckled behind her hand. She was right. They would be able to have their babies just fine. It would just be cruel to not give them the children they were planning on. “Yeah, we’ll be making babies and might end up with too many in the end,” he grinned. He put his arm around her to bring her close. He looked down as her head fell to his choose. “Well, how should I remind you?” he asked, “By telling you or by showing you exactly how babies are made?” He closed the gap between them, lips meeting hers for a kiss full of so much love for this literal Greek goddess. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips. 

“Exactly. So let’s do this as soon as I get this thing off.” Callie smiled widely. There were moments when she still feared she’d wake up from and it would have all been a dream, Colin, their love, moving in together, his proposal and that gorgeous ring she had on her finger. But he was real, he was right there and he was very real. And he wanted to marry her and give her children. “I can’t fucking wait to be pregnant with your child, is that ridiculous of me?” She chuckled, squeezing his arms as if looking for any form of reassurance. They’d definitely have to look into those matters, but even if the marriages were legal, she did know they could get married pretty much anywhere if they wanted to. Her parents had gotten married in Greece and the US, and they planned on renewing their vows in Ireland at their fiftieth anniversary. “Baby, I just really, really want to be your wife, can’t you see that?” Calista grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck again just so she felt closer. “After this whole year, of course I’d want a big party, but right now I just want to be able to call you husband and just add your last name to mine.”

His question and smirk had her laughing lightly and shrugging just to tease him. “I don’t know…” She waved it off nonchalantly. “I could swing by on my breaks and you’d be there trying to make sexy important menu decisions, being the boss and all, while I’d just-” Callie stopped, a teasing pensive look in her eyes. “Suck you off under your desk, possibly.” She said simply, eyes locked on his. “Or even at night when the restaurant would be bubbling with people dying to give their compliments to the chef but the chef would be otherwise occupied. Locked in his office, roughly fucking his wife bent over his desk.” She smirked. “Gotta be quiet though, can’t get caught.” Callie shook her head. “Maybe you have a break and you come to my office and would you look at that? Dr. Hardstark-Hughes can’t see you know, she’s in a very important meeting in her office. With her husband. Palms against the glass windows while he takes her from behind.” She had a wicked grin on her lips as she spoke, feeling her nipples hardening under her sequin jumper. “We are gonna get pregnant so fast.” She chuckled. 

“I can see that, and I really want to be your husband,” he smiled. “Yeah, I think we can all use something to celebrate.” He held out a hand for hers, taking it and squeezing it gently. He looked down at the hand, holding the ring on her finger. He smiled at it. Soon it would be a wedding band that would be there, and he would have his own wedding band to go with it. He even looked down at his hand hand, the finger there bare and naked, just desperately wanting nothing more than to make things official. He might have asked for more specific details or dates as far as when they could get this done, start making the plans to go to City Hall, ask their friends to be their witnesses, however he was quickly distracted by her answers to the scenarios he had brought up. 

Colin leaned forward and listened to her. He could feel his entire body shivering at that scenario. He hummed gently, licking his lips just at the thought of that. “Really distracting, aren’t you?” he teased. “I like that, the idea of my wife just hiding away while she gives me a blowjob,” he whispered. If possible, he shivered even harder now. He could just picture it, too, the way she would look bent over while he took her from behind, unable to control themselves whenever she would visit. “Definitely can’t get caught,” he agreed as he shook his head. “And you know, on the days you were skirts, maybe I could be the one under your desk, head between your legs, eating you out,” he suggested. He nodded. “Oh yeah, if we’re not pregnant within the month you get that thing out, then...” Well, he didn’t want to imply something could be wrong, but something could be. However it seemed silly to worry about that now.

“Well, we could but I don’t want them to be too far apart in age and what if we decide to have more than two? I’ll still need the time.” Callie reasoned, chuckling. She was simply way more excited than she could say without sounding insane. “Besides, technical details that are not so romantic are still important to consider, and since I’ll be forced to remove my IUD anyways, why get another one only to remove a year later?” It was a lot of work and unnecessary pain when they could just be having all the sex trying to make a baby and then have their kids like they dreamed of. Colin was speaking of having a small wedding and she narrowed her eyes, pensive. “Do you think we’d have to get married again in Europe? Because I know sometimes couples need to do so, to get married again if they move to another continent or if they’re from somewhere other than where they live.” She began making up the plans in her brain, her lips curling in a wide, scheming smile. “What if we had a small, City Hall wedding here say, on our one year anniversary?” Callie shook on her feet, squeezing his biceps. “And then get married again in England with a big wedding on the second semester?”

Colin hadn’t even answered but she was already feeling pumped and wanting to grab her wedding planner. “Baby, when the vaccine is out, only then we’ll worry about all that.” Callie cupped his face between her hands. Her whole office would have to make changes to go back to normal as well, but she was not going to worry about that on New Year’s Eve. “Let’s focus on me having access to everything and us having sex in our future offices. Married.” She wiggled her eyebrows and smirked.

Colin smiled wider and wider with every word she spoke. She had really thought about this all and he couldn’t be happier that she had. She had worked out the timeline and she was ready to get started right away. There was something about knowing that she was as eager to him that just filled him with a sort of warmth. He and Callie had fallen in love so quickly, that things like children and other matters hadn’t really been discussed until after they had decided they were in love, and even after they had been engaged. It had worried Colin that they may not see eye-to-eye on certain things. “Well, the two before I’m forty-five sounds like a perfect start, and we can decide if we want more once we tackle the first two,” he nodded. He cocked his head. “I hadn’t actually considered. I know most marriages that take place in EU countries are legal in all other EU nations, but--” Colin actually wasn’t sure what the process was if they got married here and then went to Europe. Not to mention, now that the UK was officially out of the EU, that presented a whole other set of issues. “Something to look into,” he nodded. “Really? You’d be okay with a City Hall wedding here?” 

Colin nodded. She was right, there was no point in worrying about any of that. And Colin wasn’t really worried. It was just something that he knew was going to be different after they did get the vaccine, once things maybe started to go back to normal-- whenever that happened. “Sex in our future office, eh?” he smirked. “Tell me more about that.” 

“Oh, we sure would. I just don’t want to think of things we don’t know when we’ll be able to have.” Dreaming about their wedding was too much pain for her at the moment, she didn’t want to be day dreaming of dates and nights out they would have once the vaccine was there. “You can and I love you right back.” She smiled up at Colin. Callie could tell he was surprised by her words even before he sounded surprised, and truth be told she had been surprised by herself as well. She’d been thinking about that for the past few days and it shocked her just how eager she was to be his wife and then be a mother to his children. “Well, if we want a child by 2022, we have to be pregnant the latest at February or March. And I’d need to replace my IDU in November next year, so yeah.” Callie smiled widely. “If we’re having two kids before you’re 45, baby, we need to have the first one soon so I have time to recuperate before the second.” She laughed lightly, so fucking excited she felt like she was shaking in his arms. And getting horny.

“You will be back soon. The vaccine is closer than we could ever think it would be and we’ll be back in our respective offices.” She spoke firmly, hopeful. “And I’m going to finally be able to just leave office during lunch time and not have to find a dumb excuse to walk into your restaurant. I’ll just be the chef’s wife.” Callie still remembered how many times she wanted to go to the restaurant when he was still just her teacher. “Can I have full access to the kitchen? And the chef’s office?” She laughed excitedly. “And can we have sneaky dates at the comic book shop in the middle of the day?”

.

Colin smiled as she explained the timeline she seemed to have thought about. He hadn’t wanted to push the subject. They had discussed it once and had both agreed they would like children, and that had been enough for him. He knew they had mentioned they might want to be married for some time before trying, and so he had assumed she’d want to wait several years, however to find out she was already wanting to start trying, possibly just a few months after, it made him happier than he could ever express. “You know, I thought we were just going to have the one before I was forty-five and then see what happened from there,” he smiled. “I can’t bloody wait to be a father.” He was so excited in that moment, that he couldn’t help but pick her up and swing her around in a quick moment of celebration and then kiss her lips. “Maybe, if things aren’t completely clear, we can just have a small wedding so we can be married and then have a huge wedding shower later on to make sure we celebrate properly,” he offered. 

“You know, I’m not so sure, though,” said Colin. “I have to check in. Have you seen all the restaurants that have closed in the city?” Colin hadn’t heard anything about where he had worked, but there were plenty of other places that had already gone out of business. “Not to mention, I work at a high end place.” He shrugged, though. He could find another job as a chef elsewhere, the question was when he would even be able to do that. “But you know, you’re right, no matter what happens, whether I keep this job or find something else, you can walk in regardless. You can have full access to anything you want.”

It was like walking into a disco in the 70s or 80s. Callie had made sure to get all the proper decorations and make their New Year’s Eve into a real raging party, if it was just the two of them. Unlike many people, she knew her and Colin had a lot to be thankful for in 2020, but at the same time, the year could just fuck right off and the vaccine should come soon so they could live outside. So they’d dance all night, get drunk and eat until they were in a food comma, with a lot of sex in between those actions, and put all their energy into manifesting a great 2021. Callie popped a salmon puff in her mouth just as she heard Colin’s compliment and she covered her full mouth for a moment before she could smile.

“You’re not so bad yourself, chef. I’d say we would completely own the dance floors had we been adults in the 80s.” She teased, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her. That crazy tall Brit, taller then her even as she wore her heels. “You’re just saying that because you love me.” Callie teased, his sigh making her heart swell in her chest. How could she had been so lucky to find the love of her life in the middle of such a disgraceful year? “Okay, let’s see.” She had a whole list she had written down and guarded safely, a ritual of her own she did every year. “For starters, the vaccine.” She smiled, the disco ball lighting them both up and creating a perfect picture. “I want to get married. Maybe be pregnant by the end of the year?” She scrunched her nose espectantly, eyes locked on his. “And for us to have a normal year, go on dates, grow our professional lives. I miss going to my office to work and all those people speaking different languages, the craziness.” She stole a peck from his lips, smiling. 

.

“I mean, don’t you think we’d own the dance floors as adults now if we were able to go out?” he teased. For two people who clearly didn’t mind being the life of the party, it was strange to think they had gotten to know each other and gotten together in a time when they were confined and unable to go out at all. “Well, I do love you, but can’t I just say nice things because they’re true?” he asked. 

Colin smiled as she started her list. He looked at her rather surprised when she mentioned she might want to be pregnant by the end of the year. Of course they had discussed it, but he hadn’t been expecting her to want to so soon, especially after getting married. “Really?” he smiled gently. “You want to start trying by next year?” He felt a small flutter in his stomach, it was the same flutter he got whenever he thought of being married to her, of being able to have children with her, of being able to live their lives together. “Yeah, I would love to be able to get back into a professional kitchen.” Despite Colin having more in his kitchen than the average person might have, there was still plenty of industrial equipment and other things that only professional restaurants had access to. “But next year might just be that year, at least we know there’s a vaccine.” 

They had gone with a decidedly disco theme. It was just the two of them, but Colin and Callie couldn’t help but go all out for New Year’s Eve. It would be a relief once the vaccine was administered widely and they could actually go out to enjoy other people, but for now, they had each other and that was enough for the both of them. 

Rather than cooking an entire meal, Colin had decided to make various appetizers and finger foods. He had a wide variety all the way from the quintessentially American pigs-in-a-blanket and sliders to fancier hors d’oeuvres such as salmon puffs and even other more international things they could munch on. 

“Have I told you how much I bloody love that outfit on you?” he asked as he put an arm around her and brought her close. They had a disco ball set up and he stood beneath it so the glittering lights lit them up. “You look so good, love.” He sighed contently. If nothing else about 2020, it had brought him Calista. They hadn’t really had a chance to date or have a relationship like others might, but somehow even with their quick haste to move in and become engaged, it had worked out in their favor. The only thing now was to actually be able to have the wedding they were still working on planning. “Alright, so what are you hoping to get from the New Year?” he asked. “Resolutions? Goals”

“I does make sense and it will give you an idea of just how many people follow your work and also the chance for new people to find you.” Callie pointed out with an excited smile. “You could end up reaching people that truly just use social media for recipes or just care about your cooking and not the cats and a lot of me.” She teased. “Those are the crazy people because the cats are amazing content, but still.” She waved it off just to provoke him. She could tell it in Colin’s smile that he was just being sweet and sympathetic. “I am and I’m only going to be a bigger part of your life. Hopefully soon a huge, huge part of your life bringing in more parts of your life into the world.” She grinned, rubbing her stomach and wiggling her eyebrows. It was crazy to her, just how much she wanted to be his wife and give him children. “Baby, I do. Honestly, if you didn’t even have recipes and just the idea, that would be enough. But you already have a nice portion of what you want. I’m going to gather the numbers of some editors I think could help you. Cookbooks are expensive to print so not all publishing companies work with them, but I know a few people that could guide you better in this process.” She reassured him with a firm nod and then beckoned him to come closer. “Now come kiss me and then tell me about those recipes you already chose.”

.

Colin laughed. “Yeah, the cats are pretty good content, but some people are very impartial to cats, but those are the people who won’t know what they’re missing out on,” he winked at her. “You are.” He couldn’t wait to be married to her. A part of him felt like they already were and like he had known her for much longer than the eleven months he had at this point. It felt unfair that most of their time together had been spent surviving this pandemic. In a way, Colin thought it made them that much stronger, because they had spent all their time together, really knowing each other, their habits and their quirks. It wasn’t like the couples who pretended to be someone. They had been able to be wholly and fully themselves and it was part of what made Colin so sure she was it for him. 

“Makes sense, not to mention cookbooks feel very niche,” said Colin. “It appeals to a very particular type of person.” Not to mention, with the internet being a huge resource for recipe and cooking materials, a book seemed even riskier, but he supposed that was part of the reason to have the videos and online content, too, to make it so people would see the content and want even more by getting the book. “Yes, give me those numbers and I will work on reaching out. Should I maybe even get some things together to send if they ask?” he asked her. “Just so they have an idea of what I’m trying to sell as far as the recipes and the content?”  

Colin laughed and moved forward, kissing her deeply, one arm around her as he relished the taste of her lips on his. 

Colin was moving about the kitchen even before Callie thought of what to eat, but by now she was used to it. The kitchen really was his place and it was his kitchen afterall, he had built it and decorated before she moved in. And she loved it, she loved watching him do this thing so she never protested when Colin just picked her up and sat her on the counter like she weighed nothing to him. “Of course, baby, I’ll help you out with everything. From picking up your outfit for it with the editing. The cooking not so much, but I’ll do everything else.” She smiled widely, swinging her legs like a little kid waiting for her food. “Possibly, yeah, to keep things separate and properly advertise the book without flooding your personal account. Granted a lot of the people that follow you there do because of your work, it would still be a good idea.” She agreed with a nod. “It’s always good to keep some things separate, especially after the whole you being fired for dating a student thing.” Callie made a face. That story still haunted her. “Baby, you should just do it, reach out and tell them you’re building the book, that you already have a certain amount of recipes and all your ideas. They could help you narrow down some of them.”

.

“Well, of course, I can do the cooking,” he teased her but nodded as she explained she could help with virtually every other aspect of the video, something he was grateful for because then he might just look like some out of touch old man trying to work with technology that he was only somewhat aware of how to use. “Yeah, I know a lot of people follow me because of work, but it makes sense to keep them separate,” he nodded. He looked at her as with a small smile as she brought up the fact that he had been fired. “That was probably bound to happen, anyway, no matter how separate I was going to keep things. You’re part of my personal life now.” And it was better that they move on from it, Colin would be just fine. “You think so? You think I have enough to show them already?” She was definitely more familiar with how the publishing world work and he trusted her to know. 

In a blink of an eye Colin was changing the subject and talking about the Christmas menu, and Callie took a second to shake off the shivers that were still running down her spine. Which she did literally shaking her arms and legs for a moment, taking a deep breath and looking up at him to pay attention. Damn that sexy man. That sexy man and his cooking book. Ugh, she was going to be married to a British book writer. Colin literally had come out of a page of a childhood diaries and witchy rituals to find her soulmate. “You are so lucky that I’m madly in love with you.” She gave him a teasing glare and then just nodded, listening at he described the dish. It instantly filled her mouth with water and Callie widened her eyes. “Baby, that sounds incredible.” Calista was quick to give her opinion. “Whiskey and orange juice? This whole salt and sweet mix, I can imagine how good it will be. Kind of smoky, right?” She grinned, licking her lips. She was now even more excited for Christmas. “You know what? Why don’t you prepare to actually film some of that? The process of you making Christmas dinner. It could help you then write the whole recipe, I could take some pictures for the book and you could add it to social media as a means of already advertising it.” She suggested, giving his arm an excited squeeze. “I’m also hungry right now so maybe we could discuss this in the kitchen where I’ll be eating leftovers from last night and giving your food even more praise.”

.

Colin looked at her, unable to stop the smirk on his face even as she gave him a small glare, even if playfully so. “Well, that’s lucky for me if only because I’m madly in love with you, too,” he chortled. He looked back at her as he focused on his cooking now. “Yeah? You think so?” he said. “Definitely smoky, yes.” He looked at her as she suggested actually filming the process. “That could be done,” he said slowly. He cocked his head, so they could move into the kitchen now. 

Colin walked tot he fridge so he could pull out leftover for them to eat. He was already putting things into the microwave to heat them, even turning on the oven to warm up the chicken. Leftover meat was always best to just put into an oven. “You’ll help me film it, won’t you?” he asked as he looked at her now, hands going to her waist so he could pick her up and place her on the counter so she could sit there while he heated up their food. “I reckon I should maybe have a separate instagram just for the book. Maybe put it on my own, of course, but then have it go back to one that will just be for the book to help advertise,” he said. Colin had started to learn more and more about social media and the internet. Not that he had been completely ignorant before Calista, but her knowledge had certainly helped increase his own. “Might almost have enough recipes to work on showing it to publisher’s, really start the final steps.”

“Adorable and endearing is fine with me. It got me you.” Callie had a victorious smile on her lips as she said those words. Truly, Colin was her prize, her present from the Gods. “I’m with you on that one, I believe any person with a full stomach is much willing to be nice and charmed. And I feel insanely loved when I wake up and you’ve made breakfast. It’s as if my brain understands that as you wanting to see me well and happy and consequently my brain wants more of you.” Callie reasoned, hoping any of that made sense. Colin would understand, he always did, even when she sounded crazy. “When we start trying for the kids my body will be like ‘wait a minute, making babies with the sexy, strong British provider? yes, please!’, and I’ll be pregnant in a month.” She teased, suddenly feeling a chill down her spine. She wanted so bad to just be his wife and give him some babies it almost made her want to do that right now.

“I’ll separate a couple days of our next visit just to spend with her, then. Sounds like we’ll need the time.” She chuckled, then shrugged as he reassured it was her nerd passion speaking. So be it, she was marrying a nerd anyways. The sexiest freaking nerd in the world. When Colin began describing in detail what he wanted to do to her, Callie felt a little dizzy, pressing her legs together as her clit throbbed with the mental picture and she could feel her nipples perking. The way his voice went deep, it did things to her and then he was kissing her, making her knees wobble only to pull back and leave her in a haze, staring at him. “That, uh - That sounds perfect.” Calista swallowed hard as she nodded, licking her lips to taste him. 

.

Colin smirked at her. He could see the way she was left almost unable to stand on her own. He loved having that affect on her, he loved how comfortable he was, being able to be open and dirty and his thoughts on her without feeling like he might ever go too far, because somehow he and Callie were of the same mind. Every now and against the age different worried him, but then he and Callie would get into moments like this with each other and all those worries would disappear almost immediately. There had never been anything that had felt so right to him. 

“Alright, you want to hear what is on the Christmas menu? Or what I’m thinking. It’s something I want to try out, maybe put it in the cookbook,” he said as he switched topics like he hadn’t just been talking about licking her naked body. Colin sometimes like to get her worked up, and then leave her hanging. It was the way she grew desperate for him that he liked. “I was thinking of a ham. Put cloves all around it, right in the skin, use some oranges as well. Really give it a bit of a citrus flavor. I think citrus always works well with the holidays. I know a lot of people think it’s a very summer flavor, but oranges really seem to work for the holidays, I think. Plus then I’ll make a sauce using sugar and whiskey and orange juice. Cook it in that sauce, put it all over. So many people make ham very salty, but this will make it on the sweet side.” 

“Eh, would probably have had a better sex life if I had been a monk.” Callie made a face. Her sex life had been a disaster while she was married. A little less of a disaster after and now it was absolute bliss. The way Colin spoke of her and the journey she had been in when the first came into his class made her blush even, smiling up at him and pulling him a little closer to her. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t find me a mess. Or at least a bit of a hot mess.” She provoked. “Oh, I wouldn’t, not the cooking area at least. And that’s fine. The gods gave me you so I’d be loved and cared for in all aspects of life. Food is a form of love, isn’t it?” Calista hid in his neck for a moment, planting lazy kisses on his skin. “Our kids will be intelligent and sweet and respectful. And tall.” She chuckled, the mere idea of being pregnant and giving him his dream of being a father making her shake on the inside and smiled widely against his neck. 

“I can’t wait. I haven’t been to London in so long I’ll be happy if she takes me anywhere. Even places I would never go.” Just as she’d love to take Colin and his family to some of her family’s favorite places in Dublin. “I’d argue you’re the cool one but I am biased because I have a thing for nerds.” She teased, brushing her lips up his neck until she nibbled on his earlobe and then pulled back, mirroring his smirk. “Maybe describe to me what you’ll do once you do see me naked in heels later.” She shrugged provocatively.

.

“Well, definitely with yourself,” he teased her, knowing that it hadn’t been fulfilling even in her marriage. Colin was just glad he could change that for her, but also would work hard it never wavered either, even after they were married had their own children. “You were a mess, but it was in a rather adorable and endearing way,” he assured her. “I still feel like you would have made it work,” insisted Colin. But in a way, it didn’t matter, because it had worked out for the both of them. He had her in his life and she wasn’t about to starve or need to survive on simply taking out food constantly. “Food is definitely a form of love. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but I think that’s true regardless of gender. You can always show someone how much you care for them with a good meal, keeping them healthy.” He smiled as she spoke of their future children. “We’ll raise them right,” he grinned as he hugged her tightly. 

“She’ll take you everywhere that’s for sure,” he laughed. “Probably try to take you places you haven’t been on past visits, find the local spots that people might not know about, the new places that have popped up since your last visit, all that,” he assured her. “Yes, I think it’s your thing for nerds that’s clouding your judgement.” 

He raised an eyebrow at her as he then looked up thoughtfully. “Well, first, I want to make it clear I want to see you in nothing but those heels. I don’t want to have to undress you, I want you to come out, naked, so I can take in the full image of you, and once I do, I’m going to just run my tongue all over you. Lick every bit of your skin, your breasts, those perky nipples, between your legs-- I want to lick you up as you drip into my mouth, taste every bit of you.” He spoke in a low voice now, it was almost raspy, his throat dry as he thought about what he wanted to do with her, describing it to her. He kissed her deeply for a moment, letting his lips settled before her pulled back.

“Definitely not the first European. I mean, you are actually the first Brit guy I’ve been with it but not the first European.” She gave him a guilty smile. “I do.” Callie mirrored his grin and nodded. She laughed when Colin said her disaster in the kitchen was endearing. “Well, yes, you looked at me and you thought ‘poor redhead, she will starve herself to death with those skills’ and then you came to me and you realized I wasn’t as American as you thought at first.” She provoked. “You have no idea how many times I was mocked in school for saying Father Christmas. It was a nightmare, my first few years here I quite hated Christmas because of that. Eventually I stopped believing in the old man altogether so the reasons to bring him up were scarse.” She waved it off. 

“Alright, not talking of deaths and funerals during Christmas decorations.” Callie teased, laughing when he poked her and poking him back. As Colin spoke of his family, her eyebrows perked up rather surprised. She was so used to moving around much that hearing of the majority of his sibling staying home was surprising. “That’s interesting, though. I really want to meet your family and all your nephews and nieces.” She smiled widely. “Your sister and I are huge Instagram friends. Her sense of fashion is superb.” Callie gestured a teasing chef’s kiss and then smirked at his interest. “Well, if you behave nicely, pretty soon. Maybe now, if you convince me.” Callie provoked, shrugging nonchalantly.

.

Colin smiled. “Which is okay,” he added, “I know neither of us were monks before meeting. Hell, you were married.” He chuckled. “Something like that, but then you were also learning to care for yourself and how to cook and that was also very endearing to me. I didn’t know it at the time, but learning you were doing that so you could just be independent, well, it was very cute,” he said. “And even without me, I have confidence you would have done just fine,” he added just so she didn’t think he had come to take up the mantle of feeding her because she couldn’t hack it on her own. “Oh? Were you?” he asked. “That’s upsetting. Some children are so mean. Our kids aren’t going to be like that. We’ll make sure they’re kind and never tease any one just because they might be a little different.” 

He smiled at her words. “Yes, I’ve noticed you both go back and forth quite a bit. Wait until we actually get to go to London and she will take you to all the fashion hotspots there,” he chuckled. He loved that she and his sister got along. They were close in age, but that didn’t mean it was a guaranteed friendship. “She’s the cool one in the family, I will say that.” He smirked at her words. “Yeah? What would I have to do to convince you to let me have a look tonight?”

Callie’s attention was back on Colin as he began theorizing how her feelings. She listened, narrowing her eyes for a moment just to provoke him. “You’re so intelligent, babe, it’s so sexy.” She smirked, playfully bumping her hips against his. “You’re right, though. Not that you’re the first British guy I bump into but maybe that was it, we had to go through some wrong people, some American people too, and find each other in what makes sense to us. I think your theory might even have a sociological and maybe biologic truth to it.” Callie reasoned, one arm wrapping around his waist. “Maybe even our animalist instincts kick off more strongly when we meet someone that comes from the same place we do. And like you said, it doesn’t matter we’ve spent so much time in America. There are things that make sense to us that American just can’t grasp.” She shrugged. “In any case, I’m just glad I’m marrying a man with an accent that says Father Christmas instead of Santa Claus.” Callie teased, leaning in to steal a peck from his lips.

“What?” She looked at him a bit confused. “I’m just saying. And those aren’t found anywhere, you’ll have to be prepared. If I don’t have them I can’t pay the ferryman.” Calista explained with her eyebrows perked up, as if such information should be obvious. She was Greek after all. “Really? No one moved away? At least to another city in England?” She asked curiously. Her parents had been the ones to move further away, but her uncles were scattered all over Ireland, some even in England. “We can put the presents as they arrive. I know our parents are sending things through the post office so we might be getting presents at different times. Or when our presents for each other arrive as well.” She gave him a devious grin. “Which reminds me I may have bought a pair of shoes you’ll quite enjoy seeing me wearing nothing but them.” She winked at him.

.

“I don’t doubt I’m the first Brit, and I’m definitely not the first European.” Especially in this part of the country. Even within their own circle of friends, Vivian was Italian. New York City had such a mix of people, it was almost hard to not meet people from other places or hear other languages. “You think so?” Colin asked with a grin. “I think for me it’s very instinctual. I know when I met you, there was something about you in that first class, when you burnt that cheese toasty and made something so inedible, it was very endearing,” he sighed. “Something drew me to you, that’s for sure,” he agreed. “Yes, well, you’ll have a hard time finding anyone who calls him Santa Claus back in England. I’m sure you know that with your father, though,” he teased as he returned the peck. 

“Oh, I know you’re entirely serious about that,” he said. “I don’t want to think about you dying, though or preparing for your funeral,” he explained. “I promise, though, we’ll find your dracmas, but maybe we’ll talk about that during some other time.” He poked her gently. “Well, my youngest sister lives in London. She moved to another city, but the rest of my siblings? They all married younger-- in their late twenties-- and had children soon after getting married, so it wouldn’t have made sense for them to move. They had their roots and settled where they were familiar,” he explained. “My sister and I are the odd ones out. I mean, soon you and I will be married and she’ll be the last one single.” Of course, she was the youngest and had plenty of time. He nodded at her suggestion. “Yeah?” he grinned. “When do I get to see these shoes?”

“I think it’s a sign that American might not be my place.” Calista spoke sincerely, giving him a soft shrug. “Not that I want to move away tomorrow or even as soon as there’s a vaccine. Just.. that moving back is a strong option, something inevitable in our future.” She tried her best to explain it to him even if the whole thing was still a mess in her brain. “You know I’ve always struggled with a sense of belonging, not knowing where home was for me. It’s intriguing to me that I ended up finding home in a man that comes from where I come from, does that make any sense?” She looked at Colin, her nose scrunched up a bit. 

Her eyes were back on the tree as he gave her his input and Callie laughed. “It is chaotic.” She had to admit, and she loved the tree for that very reason. “It’s very us.” Calista grinned. ‘By the way, you’ll need to find real ones of these because when I die I want to be cremated with one dracma on each eye.” Callie pointed to the plastic golden dracmas hanging on the tree. “Well, with cousins and uncles scattered all over the place, people would bring their presents at different times so yeah, about a month before my grandma has the foot of the tree full already. In Ireland.” She explained. “My grandma in Greece always puts up a big nativity scene under the tree, so there’s always something and ours looks so empty.” The redhead pouted a bit, then turned to him with a smile on her lips. “What if we got a little train? Or some sort of cat Christmas toy so they can be entertained without trashing the actual tree?”

.

Colin tilted his head as she admitted that she could see them moving. He nodded. It made sense. “Well, it’s certainly something to talk about in the future, isn’t it?” he said. There was no point in necessarily having that conversation now. They were comfortable and with the way things were, not just in America, but all over the world, trying to move to an entirely different country didn’t feel right. “I mean, I think that’s why oftentimes people date within their culture. It doesn’t even end up being about skin tone, but about culture. I understand your culture and you understand mine and it took that for both of us to find that person in each other because no one else felt quite right. Think a lot of people find British and American culture similar because white Americans are essentially British citizens who felt persecuted and fled. Not to mention all the Irish who also immigrated when they were going through their own turbulent time, but American culture has evolved into something more and something neither of us are quite used to regardless of time spent here. Maybe I’m wrong, and maybe I’m right, but might at least be part of what’s going on in that head of yours.” 

He chuckled when she agreed that it was a rather unconventionally decorated tree, but it also highlighted the best of themselves. “Love, you can’t be talking about that now. You’re too young to even think about dying or how you’re going to be cremated,” he shook his head at her. “Yeah, that makes sense,” he chortled. “My family really was always in one place. Even now, they’re still all over there.” Colin was the only one who had ever left their comfortable English home to go to a new country. “We can do that, though. Get a train. If we have any gifts, put them under for now. Put more once Christmas Eve comes, make it look really grand when we wake up on Christmas morning.” 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Callie nodded. Having traveled as much as she always did, being stuck in one place for too long like that made her restless. And truly, she missed her family more than anything. From her parents that were only a few miles away to the ones across the oceans. “I think the family part is what’s getting to me the most. I always look forward to going back for the holidays, most of my cousins have had babies I haven’t met yet, my grandparents have gone over their nineties, it just pains me not to see them.” She explained, gently caressing his forearm. “And your family too, I’d love to meet them all, get our families together to just.. be European together.” Callie chuckled. “I’m not sure. I mean - You know I’m superstitious.” She gave Colin a look. “I feel like you’re a sign in my life. It must be a sign that after all the shit I went through with my ex-husband, I find my dream man and he’s British, you know? I feel like meeting you has brought me a sense of home in more ways than I thought.” 

It all sounded ridiculous now that she said it out loud, but Calista had struggled her whole life with the lack of sense of belonging. Being born in one place, jumping to another country and then a second one. Moving towns more than once, schools, everything. But meeting Colin had showed her where home really was. “But in the end, home is wherever you are, baby. And wherever we have a Christmas tree.” She grinned, looking back at the tree. “Do you think it needs more ornaments? Or more lights?” She tilted her head, taking a better look. “Or maybe we could already put some presents down there? Some fancy Christmas themed pillows at the bottom while we don’t have all the presents, perhaps.”

.

Colin nodded as she spoke. “Yeah, of course. I think holidays is the one time of year we’re always excited about our families, even people who maybe don’t get along as well with theirs,” he said. “Especially on holidays because we all feel so happy and warm.” But this year, it was going to be different no matter what, at least in America. “Do you think this is a sign of something?” he asked curiously. “The fact that we can’t go home or the fact that you’ve been thinking on it? Is that way you’re asking about it, because you think it might mean something?”  

He squeezed her as she mentioned home was with him, and wherever they ere together and looked back at the tree. “I think it looks good,” he nodded. “I think it has just enough on it, very chaotic, but that just gives it a bit of personality, doesn’t it?” he asked her with a smile. “Well, what did your family do?” he asked. “Did you ever put down the presents early, or did you keep up the guise of having them delivered on Christmas Eve in the middle of the night?” he asked. “My family always kept up the whole only putting presents down on Christmas Eve. Many times we’d do it at odd hours when no one else would see us, even after we knew Father Christmas wasn’t real,” he explained. “We usually just kept a little train set round the tree, turn it on and watch it go round the tracks.”

When Colin said he did thought of moving back, Callie peeled her eyes from the tree and looked at him. Deep down she was hoping he’d say no so she’d leave those ideas behind, but knowing Colin also thought of that lit something inside her heart. He was right though, there was no way of knowing if were they home they wouldn’t be thinking of moving away. Callie chuckled at his comment on politics and looked back at the tree. It was a little bit of a mess, but it was perfect because of that. It was their mess. They had made it together and they’d always have that, their little mess, no matter where they were. 

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot.” She answered his question, taking his hand in hers and leaning against his arm as they stood in front of the tree. “Seeing how well I can work from home has kind of changed my perspective on a lot of things, you know?” Callie looked up at him. “My family came here because of my parents’ research, not because America was their only option or because they didn’t want to be in Europe. Now they’re close to retiring. I can work from anywhere.” She shrugged, gently pressing her lips onto his shoulder. “I miss it. The winters, the tea, my grandparents. Traveling, everything being super close. The sea in Greece.” Callie smiled at the memories. “But like you said, who’s to say I wouldn’t be there wishing to move here? I guess not being able to go there it’s making me miss it more than usual.” 

.

Colin listened to her explain it. He looked at her as she mentioned she had been thinking about it herself, especially knowing how easy it was for her to work from home. He tilted his head and just let her talk. “I think with us being international and being unable to actually travel and go to the places we normally find comfort in, it’s certainly made it hard,” he nodded. “Unable to enjoy the things we normally get to, can’t really see our families, you haven’t even met mine, not in real life,” he added. Of course they had talked plenty over video calls, but it wasn’t the same. “This year has thrown a lot of things off course,” he agreed. “But do you think you’d feel the same if it weren’t for any of that? If we were in non-pandemic times able to do our normal traditions and traveling?”