Midnight Mistletoe: A Year Later.

Katherine Bennett

A lot has happened this year. The first three months with Derek were like pure magic, and I couldn’t even imagine my life without him. Then, something happened that completely messed up our relationship. I became pregnant, but unfortunately, about a month later, I had a miscarriage.

That day, something broke inside me. I tried so hard to make things work with Derek, but I just couldn’t forget what happened. I never thought about having children until that day.

Once my mother found out I left Derek, she warned me I’d regret it, and of course, she was right.

Derek had it rough, too, but I was too wrapped up in myself to think about it at the time. I was so unfair to him.

Even after our separation, I still have his name tattooed on my right butt cheek. I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it.

About a month ago, I ended up in his apartment. That day is stuck in my mind, I can’t shake it…

“What are you doing here, Katherine?” Derek wonders as I stand on the other side of his door.

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I was driving and ended up here without realizing it.”

He’s not exactly thrilled to see me, but when he sees me standing there soaked from the rain, he looks concerned. “Get inside.”

He walks away without saying anything else and heads to the bathroom.

Derek comes back with a towel, and instead of handing it to me, he begins to dry me off.

“What were you thinking? You can get pneumonia.”

“I’m sorry.”

He stops what he’s doing, and his eyes take me in. “You’re sorry for what?”

“For everything!” I don’t wait for him to reply. I jump into his arms and kiss him to show him how much I’ve missed him.

This wasn’t my plan. After seeing him again, I couldn’t resist being close to him. I let my emotions speak for themselves.

Derek doesn’t push me away. He kisses me back just as eagerly. He even playfully squeezes my butt where his name is tattooed.

He presses me against the wall and starts removing my clothes as I do the same to him. He knows, and I know we can skip the small talk. We want this, plain and simple.

My name’s still tattooed on his chest. That gives me hope that he still loves me. I run my fingers through it, feeling so joyful.

Derek takes me in his arms to bring me to the couch. He makes me band over it as he doesn’t wait and plunges deep inside me.

I let out a scream because it had been ages since I felt his touch.

The last time we’ve been intimate was even before the miscarriage. I couldn’t let him touch me after that.

Derek slaps my right ass cheek, bringing back to the now. “Fuck, my name on your ass is still driving me crazy.”

My fingers grip the couch cushion as he keeps thrusting inside me. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

It takes one more thrust from Derek for me to finish all over his shaft. As I mentioned, it’s been ages since I last had him inside me.

He speeds up his thrust as the couch starts to scrape the floor. Derek let out a grunt as I feel him spilling his seeds inside me.

Derek wraps his arms around my body, holding me close as we both gasp for air.

But then everything goes downhill as reality smacks us in the face. We’re aware of what just happened between us. As I feel joy for this moment, Derek feels the opposite, and I can’t blame him.

He then tells me it was the best way to end our story so we could both move on. I left his apartment after that…

That’s when I realized I didn’t want to lose him. The damage was already done, and I knew it was too late to ask for forgiveness and get him back.

My phone rings, and I roll my eyes as my mom’s name pops up on the screen. “Hi, mom.”

“Are you okay, Katherine? You’re sounding a bit off.”

Seriously, that woman can read me as an open book.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “No, mom. I’m fine.” I lie to her.

It wouldn’t be the first time, so.

What she doesn’t know doesn’t hurt her.

“Are you sure?” She nags, as she doesn’t believe me.

No, mom. I’m not alright! The man I’m in love with doesn’t want me anymore, and it’s all on me. I want to shout at her, but I don’t.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Uh-huh. Anyway I called you to ask you if this year you’re going to join us for Christmas?”

“No, mom, not this year. I know the Sawyers are hosting the holidays this year, and I’m not ready to deal with Derek.”

She doesn’t know that last month Derek and I saw each other. If she did she would be so thrilled.

“Did I forget to tell you, the plan had changed. With your grandmother getting older, it would be wiser to celebrate Christmas closer to the nursing home.”

Sneaky Mom. She try to make me feel bad about not seeing Nana for Christmas.

“He won’t be there anyway.”

“Who?” I ask as if I don’t already know.

“Well, Derek, of course. Jenna told me so herself. She said he will celebrate this year with Nick, and nothing will change his mind.”

That changes things. It would be great to see Nana and talk to her. She’s the only one I want to talk to about what I’m going through. Mom sometimes can go over the edges when she wants some times.

“Alright mother, you win.“If you assure me Derek won’t be there, then count me in.”

“You know, you should have never let him slip through your fingers. You had a good thing going with Derek.”

I mess with my hair in frustration. “Mom, stop!”

“Alright! Alright! I’m hanging up. I’ll see you in two weeks.” And she did.

In two weeks it will be Christmas already. If Derek and I hadn’t split up, we’d be celebrating our one-year anniversary. And I’m going back to the place where it all started

Great!

I stand up from the bathroom floor to get the pregnancy test that’s on the counter by the sink.

I need a moment to gather myself before I look. I take a deep breath.

My lips part in surprise as air sea clearly the words PREGNANT written on the test.

What am I going to do now?