Chapter 54: Chapter 54

- For the last time, Derek! Santa Claus won't arrive until later, when you and your sister are sleeping. Now get back here!

Missy laughed as she watched Diana gently scold her son, making the little boy walk back to where they were with his shoulders hunched, walking away from the window and the snowy nightscape outside. Sitting around the living room, next to the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, all the adults of the Knight family continued to exchange their Christmas presents, while the children, even sleepy, still hadn't given up on seeing Santa Claus before their time. to sleep. Eleanor, for example, hugging Rey and sitting near one of the sofas, welcomed her brother with an encouraging look, seeming to want to comfort him for not being able to see the good old man through the window, on the thousandth attempt that night.

Sitting on Logan's lap in one of the armchairs, Missy happily sipped her hot chocolate, enjoying the peaceful, loving atmosphere of that Christmas morning. As had always been the case since she'd come into the Knights, Christmas Eve had turned out to be the best night of the year. Midnight supper had been pleasant enough and fun, as it always was with the Knights, but there was an unsurpassed magic to that year, coming from the green eyes that she could feel were always following her, no matter what she did. , even at that moment. Not even trying to contain the passionate smile she knew was on her face, Missy turned to give her boyfriend a quick kiss, before turning to Eleanor and Derek, wanting to cheer them up.

- Don't worry, Derek, darling. Tomorrow, as soon as you wake up, Santa Claus will have brought all the gifts you asked for. – she smiled sweetly – And, who knows, maybe the mint chocolate chip cookies the three of us made this afternoon can keep him busy long enough for you to catch him in the act. – she winked, adding conspiratorially – Me, Aunt Megan and our father used to do this every year and once we both got to see it.

- Do you swear? Eleanor gasped, while Derek's large dark eyes gleamed with pure delight, making Missy smile even wider.

- Swear. My dad had already given up and gone to sleep, but the two of us were still hiding under our favorite blanket on the couch... And then he showed up, remember, Megan? – Missy turned to her sister, her heart sinking with that bittersweet memory – We pretended to sleep while he ate our cookies and left our presents under the Christmas tree. For a minute he even looked familiar, but of course it was just an impression. - She laughed, remembering how Jonathan had not been very successful in disguising his mustache and dark hair under his fake beard and crooked hat, but still managed to convince two dreamy little girls that he really was Santa Claus.

- And to think that dad lost all of this because of an uncontrollable urge to sleep. – Megan smiled slyly, shaking her head negatively – What an unlucky father we had...

- Or maybe just a tired parent. – Paul gave a yawn that Missy couldn't tell if it was true or just pretending – As soon as the last person finishes delivering their gifts, I'll run to bed.

- Daddy! – Derek whimpered, already disappointed to know that his father wouldn't stay with them waiting for Santa Claus.

- Have mercy on your old man, big guy... - Paul sighed dramatically, before raising an eyebrow and looking around the room, opening a malicious smile - By the way, who is the empty head that still hasn't delivered the last present?

- You're wrong, Paul. It's not you who's missing. It is me. Logan chuckled, and as she got up from his lap to allow him to go get her gift, Missy was surprised to see that he looked nervous, especially when, giggling excitedly, Ellie and Derek ran out of the room suddenly, carrying Rey in their arms. on his heels, without so much as a second word.

- Are the children going to bed yet? – Missy wondered, sitting back in the armchair when Logan was already on his feet.

- Oh, they must have just gone to check the glass doors overlooking the garden, looking for Santa Claus again. - Diana made a nonchalant gesture with her hand, although her smile was also a little enigmatic, which left Missy even more confused.

Scanning the room for Logan, Missy found him pulling a huge gift box out of one of the large closets in the room and bringing it to her, placing the huge package at her feet.

- Missy… – he swallowed hard, again making Missy curious as to why he looked so apprehensive – During the last two years, I made the mistake of letting my fears get the better of me. Thanks to that, the two of us spend all this time apart, grieving over things that could have been avoided instead of finding the happiness that fate had in store for us from the beginning. – he sighed sadly, before opening an emotional smile – For that, I will never be able to thank you enough for accepting and returning my love, giving me the best three months of my entire life. And, for that, I would like you to be able to accept this gift, my love... - he knelt down in front of her, indicating the huge present with his head - As a promise of a future in which the two of us can remain together and have that happiness forever. Logan muttered solemnly, his Adam's apple quivering nervously as he swallowed hard.

With a sweet smile, Missy also bent down towards the gift, still confused as to why and what could be in such a big box. Gently, she undid the golden bow, removing the lid of the box, which immediately fell apart, opening the four parts one on each side, surprising her by revealing another box, a little smaller, but also beautifully decorated with ribbons and a bow. Laughing at that exploding box, Missy looked at him amusedly, opening that box more, laughing even harder when she found another one inside. And so, four more times, she found box after box, until finally she found a small box in the shape of a hexagon, with a small note attached to the side of the loop.

Still smiling, Missy took the gift from among the other unstructured boxes around, opening the small note delicately, coming across Logan's elegant handwriting, which had written: “The gift of an eternal love to another love that will also be eternal, as long as I have you, my Missy.” Sighing passionately, Missy opened the lid, gasping in surprise to find another box inside. Not because of the presence of the small box lined with blue velvet, but because it was open, revealing a delicate ring that, looking more closely at the tiny brilliants encrusted in the fine gold alloy, with a beautiful greenish stone, almost in the same hue from Logan's eyes, pinned to the center, she recognized it as the engagement ring she'd sometimes seen Gwyneth wear on special occasions. And finally, it was with a tearful gasp that she finally realized what this gift meant.

"Logan…" She started to look up at him, but Eleanor's voice cut her off.

- Aunt Missy! – the excited voice of the little girl shouted, making her automatically turn her head towards her, still with the ring box between her trembling hands…

And he saw Eleanor, Derek, and Rey standing next to each other on a stepladder, holding little wooden plaques written in bold, dark letters that, all together, spelled out “Aunt Missy, will you marry Uncle Logan? ”.

Hardly able to believe what she was seeing, Missy pressed the back of her free hand to her mouth, trying to contain an emotional sob as the tears started to roll freely down her face, when she felt the hand that was still holding the box being pulled gently, bringing her attention to Logan, who was now down on one knee beside her, taking the delicate ring from inside the velvet that wrapped it just so he could hold it out to her and ask.

- Will you marry me, my love? He looked at her passionately, his green eyes shining with tears and his husky voice choked with emotion.

-Oh, Logan... – Missy gasped, feeling a gigantic smile, perhaps the biggest smile she's ever had in her entire life, spread across her face – Of course I want to marry you! - she cried, before literally throwing herself on him, literally taking them to the ground, on the cardboard boxes completely open, while their lips met in a full, sublime kiss, which managed to contain thousands of ecstatic emotions at the same time. And, for a few moments that could have been centuries, they just got lost in the kiss and in each other, until Paul's laughter took them out of that magical atmosphere.

- Of all the ways I thought this was going to end, seeing you two grappling on the floor is the most interesting of them, without a doubt. He sneered, leading Missy to finally break the kiss, still too lost in the joy she felt to be embarrassed, although her cheeks were certainly red.

With perhaps the most beautiful smile Missy had ever seen him give, Logan sat them down, stealing one more intense, joy-filled kiss from her, before finally getting up with her in his arms. Enthralled, she watched those green eyes gleam as he pulled her hand close, gently sliding the engagement ring onto her finger. Using his other hand to wipe away the unstoppable tears, Missy felt him reverently kiss her ring finger as the children hopped up to them in glee.