Bring Me to Life Ch. 02

"Yeah, I know you'll move on eventually, professionally I mean. You're too good to stay an Associate forever, but... I want to keep you around as long as I can, even if we weren't together, you work far too well with me for me to want to risk changing that over some stupid policy."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere love. Since we finished early, would you prefer to order in for dinner or go out?"

Looking at me as if I was crazy, she asked "Go out for dinner, without a reservation, on New Year's Eve? And should we drive to this mythical restaurant, or were you just going to fly us there Superwoman?"

"All this time and still you doubt my abilities. Just for that, we're going out."

"Don't say I didn't warn you..."

The next couple hours were spent getting ready. We had decided on wearing our evening outfits for dinner, and we would pick up Max after dinner to drop him off at the house before going to my parent's place. Although I sent off a quick text to make sure arrangements would be made, I didn't let on to Lexie and pointedly did not make any phone calls. By the time we were ready to leave, I was fairly certain she expected we'd have to wind up eating in, but bless her she didn't object as I led the way.

There was a brief moment when I pulled up to one of the most popular steakhouses in town where she almost looked ready to question my choice, on a normal night the place would have wait times over an hour if you didn't have a reservation. Escorting her up to the entrance, I greeted the host "Good evening Francis, is my father's table ready for us?"

"Of course, Ms. Young. Will it be just the two of you this evening?"

"Yes, thank you, my parents are hosting an engagement this evening that we'll be going to later, but I simply had to prove to my date that it was possible to go to a good restaurant on New Year's Eve without a reservation."

Francis laughed, and commented "In deference to your date, I feel obliged to point out that if your father didn't have what amounted to a permanent reservation on his table, she would be right."

"Yes, well, I never claimed I was above cheating to win a bet."

This time it was Lexie who laughed, "And may I ask how you knew to get the table ready? She made a point of not calling ahead."

"Oh, more cheating I suppose," he replied with a chuckle. "She texted me an hour ago asking me to put her favorite Moscato on ice and saying she would need Mr. Young's table for tonight."

"Of course she did..."

"Won the bet, that's all that counts," I grinned and Lexie smiled in response.

Alexis - Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

Dinner was fabulous, the steak practically melted in your mouth and the grilled vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes I had paired it with were delightfully seasoned.

It was easy to forget that Mikey had most likely grown up with such indulgences being part of her routine. She certainly never put on airs, and yet when occasion called for it she knew just how to get exactly what she wanted. It was part of the mystery that was uniquely her that just when you thought you were getting the full picture she could surprise you with just how much you still had to learn. I smiled to myself thinking how happy I could be spending a lifetime learning all there was to know if need be.

Despite how good the food was, I begged off on dessert, I didn't think I could finish it. Mikey insisted it would be a crime to leave without a slice of their cheesecake and brought me to a compromise of taking dessert to go.

After dinner, we stopped back at the condo to pick up Max and our bags, then drove out of the city to the lakeside home. I still had not fully decided how I should refer to the house, she was living there of course, but she was technically renting it from me through a property management firm. In a way it was both hers and mine, but not ours. These, and other random thoughts, flitted through my mind along the drive and in what felt like no time at all Mikey was pulling my car into the driveway.

Max was out of the car almost as soon as the door was open, and with a short playful romp around us as we grabbed our bags, he ran ahead of us to the door. After dropping off our things and setting out water for Max, we were back on the road towards Mikey's parents and their New Year's Eve party.

Mikey had told them we would be there no later than ten, but even with our dinner we had managed to finish early enough that it was just past eight when we got there. Helena answered the door, looking stunning in her dress, "Mikey! Alexis! What a surprise, I thought you were going to be working late tonight?"

"Well, I had thought we might have to, but your daughter is extremely talented and she actually managed to get me to finish early today. The firm is lucky to have her."

Her eyes flicked down, making me suddenly aware that I was holding Mikey's hand, and she looked back up to Mikey, arching her eyebrow in a silent question, though the smile she wore made it clear she did not disapprove.

"Yes mum, you were right, happy?"

"When you're happy, I'm happy." Stepping back from the door, she continued, "But look at me, keeping you both out in the cold. Please, come in."

We stepped into the warmth of the foyer, shedding our winter apparel, and exchanged greetings with Helena. In the lounge area I saw a modest gathering already present, a few older couples looking to be of an age with Dan and Helena mixed with a larger amount of people that looked to be between mine and Mikey's age. While everyone was dressed nicely, the atmosphere felt a lot more warm and relaxed than I had expected.

"Everything ok hon?" Mikey asked

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I had just assumed this was going to be a more formal business type event."

"Ah! No, sorry, I should have clarified. Remember what I said about my mom's rules on work talk?" I nodded, "Well that goes double for work dinners and parties. Nothing at the house. Holidays especially, so sayeth mom, are about family."

Sounding far more confident than I suddenly felt, I replied, "So... this is all your family?"

"Well, mostly family," she hastily amended, "some close friends too. Sweety, this doesn't need to be anything more than my having a friend to..."

I shook my head forcefully, "No, no it's ok, just unexpected. Besides, what woman in her right mind wouldn't want the world, family and all, to know she was with you? Besides... if it's less formal, maybe I can steal a kiss at midnight after all," I winked at her with the last.

Her laughter in response delighted me, and she slipped her arms around me, pulling me in close as she commented, "Might not even have to wait for midnight."

The rest of the evening was a blur of names and faces, admittedly remembering names after meeting someone just once was not my strength and I was sure I would need Mikey to remind me of most of their names when I saw them again. Although the tone was mellow, there was a happiness of just being together and a soft chatter as stories were exchanged. Everyone welcomed me warmly, a nice change from the hostility Sam and I had always received from her family... this last thought was accompanied by a twinge of guilt. As much as I knew Sam would have wanted this for me, a part of me still felt like I was betraying her memory when I found any part of our relationship wanting.

After initial introductions were made, I tried to sit back and observe as was my habit, but Mikey was having none of it and kept me engaged in conversations. At first it was awkward as they were mostly about people I didn't know, but before long I found myself laughing as her family started relating all kinds of embarrassing stories about Mikey growing up.

In what seemed like no time at all, the New Year's Eve announcers on the TV started the countdown to midnight, and as promised I wasn't shy about claiming my kiss from Mikey, holding her close afterwards, "Happy New Year, love"

"Happy New Year, Lexie, may this one be filled with so much more happiness than the last."

"As long as you are there, I know it will be."

********* End Chapter 02 *********