Chapter 31
Caitlyn found it easier to write with Nolan around the house than she expected to. He genuinely enjoyed the early morning chaos, getting up and drinking his tea, or coffee if he was lazy, while the three of them rushed around. When Caitlyn got back from bringing her sons to school they ate breakfast together, a few times Nolan even had it ready and waiting for her when she got back. Then he would wander off in the living room, with a book, his guitar, or just the television and Caitlyn would head down to her office. She found herself leaving the door open so she could listen to him strumming absentmindedly on his guitar while she wrote. Nolan never made Caitlyn feel bad for spending the mornings writing, he never asked her to focus on him instead. Laying in his arms one night while the boys were at their Dad's she asked him about it. He told her that his soul craved music to exist, so he understood hers needed words.
Nolan was right, Caitlyn needed to get out the words that were constantly floating around inside of her. Writing came as naturally to her as breathing did, it wasn't something she did, a way to make a living, it was who she was, part of her DNA. She thought about that long into the night, after Nolan had fallen asleep. Nolan understood, and accepted her exactly as she was, and loved her for all of it. He wasn't shy about expressing his love, but more important to her he showed her in a million little ways every day without ever having to use words. The more time she spent with him the deeper that love grew. It was bright and exciting some times, and quietly consuming at others. This was what she had always written about, the happy ever after she always gave her characters. Except it was infinitely better because it was real.
Nolan had to leave just as the holiday craziness was beginning though. He had a few Christmas shows to do, before he was done for the year. Caitlyn dropped her sons off at school and spent the mornings finishing up her shopping, then writing in the afternoon. She was so close to the end, and needed to push it to completion it so it wasn't weighing on her mind at Christmas. When she was in the middle of a book it always felt like she was living her life on pause, just waiting to be able to sit back down and finish it.
Bryan didn't try to say anything else to Caitlyn about Nolan. Whether it was because of what Nolan said, or Wyatt seeing his father make a fool of himself she didn't know. Worrying about the workings of Bryan's mind wasn't something she had the energy to waste on anymore. She was happy in love, and his blessing wasn't required. That was the beauty of being divorced.
Caitlyn was having the hardest time trying to find a Christmas for Nolan though. What did you buy for a man who had everything? What he didn't have, he could certainly buy if he wanted to. It was the day before Christmas Eve, and Nolan was flying in tomorrow. She was talking to Cora on the phone, something she did a few times a week now, when she knew what she needed to get him. Letting Cora go she ended the call and yelled down to the boys that she would be back in a little while. They were playing video games in the basement, Mason told her to pick up snacks, and Wyatt just yelled up yeah. Caitlyn brought back pizza instead of snacks, and as the boys were tearing into a box to pile their plates high with slices she set the small present under the tree with a smile.
This time Wyatt and Mason rode with her to the airport, as they were almost as excited for Nolan's return as she was. Mason was the first to spot him as he came walking out of the terminal. He jogged excitedly over to Nolan, giving him a friendly hug. Caitlyn could see them talking, and Nolan slung his arm comfortably over Mason's shoulder, and they walked exactly like that. Needing to capture that moment forever, Caitlyn snapped a quick picture as they approached while Wyatt laughed at her. Nolan gave Wyatt a back slapping manly hug, and Wyatt offered to carry the leather bag for him. Nolan tipped his chin at Wyatt, and handed the bag over. Caitlyn figured she was missing some top secret man communication happening between the two of them.
His arms now empty Nolan wrapped them around her, and pulled her in tight against his body. He smiled down at her, his eyes sparkling like the water hitting Caribbean waters. Nolan leaned slowly down and kissed Caitlyn so tenderly it had goosebumps raising all over her skin. "Missed ye love." He whispered against her lips.
"Missed you too Nol." Caitlyn softly replied. Nolan held her a moment longer before they headed to pick up the rest of his luggage.
"Mags said that ye got the box of presents I sent?" Nolan asked later in the car as they drove back home.
"Yeah, it came yesterday. She told me to leave the box exactly as it was, and you would handle it, so that's what I did." Caitlyn assured him.
"Good, I wanted to set everything under the tree meself." Nolan smiled, all but beaming.
As soon as Caitlyn parked the car in the garage Wyatt and Mason hopped out to bring Nolan's luggage in the house. She watched them work in tandem, wondering what they were up to. Shrugging her shoulders at Nolan whose face said he was wondering the same thing they climbed out of the car. Inside the house Caitlyn spotted the boys walking out of her room.
"So Wyatt and I were talking about it, and we don't think you should have to stay down in the guest room this time Nolan." Mason said shuffling his foot on the floor.
Nolan looked over at Wyatt, "Ye don't have to do this for me."
"We know." Wyatt said back. They stared at each other a few beats. Then Nolan nodded his head, and Wyatt turned to Caitlyn, "Mom, Mase and I are old enough to understand that you would rather have Nolan sleep next to you, than on whole other floor of the house."
"Yeah, you sleep in his bed at his house." Mason said, always good at stating the obvious.
Caitlyn smiled at her sons, asking "is this my present?"
"No. This is us telling you we know where Nolan belongs." Wyatt said, his cheeks turning pink.
Tears shimmering in her eyes Caitlyn reached out and grabbed both boys, one with each arm dragging them to her for a hug. "Love you guys, I'm the luckiest Mom in the whole world."
"Geez Mom." Wyatt muttered.
"Does the luckiest Mom feel like Chinese takeout for dinner?" Mason asked, then pulled out of Caitlyn's arms to explain to Nolan, "every year for Christmas Eve we get takeout, you know like pizza, Chinese, burgers whatever, as long as Mom doesn't have to cook it."
"She says she cooks enough on Christmas day." Wyatt added.
"Seems fair to me." Nolan said. "How's about I get all me stuff settled, and set those gifts under yer tree then we all go pick it up for her too?"
"Cool!" Mason said then took off down stairs to play some video games until it was time to leave. Wyatt nodded and followed his brother, his phone up to his ear before he even hit the stairs.
"Can I borrow yer car love?" Nolan asked as they walked into her room.
"Sure." Caitlyn laughed thinking they were going to come home with everything on the entire menu.
"I'm thinking next time I'm here I'll need to get that handled." Nolan said.
"What?" Caitlyn asked.
"A car of me own, so I don't have to borrow yers." Nolan said carrying his bag of toiletries into the bathroom.
"Makes sense." Caitlyn said, and it did. It wasn't even strange to her anymore how easily he talked about things like that.
"No point doing it now, be leaving day after tomorrow." Nolan said leaning in to kiss her head as he walked back out to the living room.
"Is everything wrapped, or should I stay hidden in here?" Caitlyn called.
"Ye can come out, I already wrapped them all." Came Nolan's laughing reply.
"You wrapped them yourself?" Caitlyn asked dubiously.
"Of course I did it meself" Nolan said grabbing the scissors out of the drawer in the kitchen and walking over to the large box.
Caitlyn sat on the couch and watched Nolan pull presents out of the abundance of packing Styrofoam peanuts. Each present had different paper, and he did a decent job wrapping them. It made her heart stutter at the thought of him sitting there meticulously wrapping all of their gifts himself instead of getting someone else to do it like he easily could have. Once the box was empty he carried it into the garage. Nolan walked back in and leaned down to kiss her.
"What do ye want from the Chinese place in town?"
Caitlyn rattled off her favorites, and he smiled at her then walked over to the stairs. "C'mon lads, lets grab some dinner." He called down.
The boys came up jogging up the stairs. Mason waved to her as he went to grab his shoes and get his coat on. "Don't worry I won't let him get lost. Remember we drive on the right side of the road here." Wyatt jokingly bumped his shoulder with Nolan.
"Is that so? Thank the saints I'll have ye with me to keep us on the road." Nolan winked at Caitlyn and followed Wyatt out, both of them laughing. Nolan was used to driving around the Los Angeles traffic, so navigating this small town was going to be easy.
All three of them came in a little later their arms loaded with bags. Just as Caitlyn suspected they ordered enough food to feed a family of fifteen. "Mom, I invited Alex for dinner, hope you don't mind." Wyatt said setting bags on the kitchen island.
"Of course not honey. But she can't stay late, or Santa won't come." Caitlyn joked.
"You mean, she can't stay late or Santa AKA Mom will fall asleep instead of doing her Santa duties." Mason laughed.
"Do I get to help be Santa? I've never been Santa before." Nolan asked joining in the fun.
After they ate Alex and Wyatt went down stairs to watch a movie, and Mason making kiss kiss faces behind his brothers back went into his room to play on his phone instead. Putting some Christmas music on Nolan sat on the love seat. Caitlyn laid her head in his lap, stretched out with her feet up on the arm. He fingers sifted lazily through her hair as they cuddled. Sometimes talking, sometimes he was singing quietly along with the music. Caitlyn's heart felt brilliantly full. No matter what they were doing it was such a natural fit with Nolan.
Wyatt and Alex came upstairs later when their movie ended. She didn't live very far, but it was after nine at night, and dark. Caitlyn sat up to drive her son's girlfriend home when Nolan said, "let's get yer girl home Wyatt. Be back in a minute love."
Caitlyn sat there on the couch grinning from ear to ear and watched Nolan follow the young couple out to the garage. Nolan and Wyatt walked in the door less than ten minutes later. Wyatt walked over to give her a kiss on the cheek goodnight and headed to his room.
Caitlyn got up from the couch and checked on Mason, who had fallen asleep in his room, still holding his phone in his hand. Putting it on the charger for him, she brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. She covered him up and shut the light off backing out of the room and closing the door quietly.
Gathering all of the rest of the presents and stocking stuff out from her closet she carried them out to the living room. She arranged the gifts under the tree, while Nolan watched. Then sat on the floor and dumped out everything in the bag dividing it into piles. Nolan got down and sat across from her. Working together it didn't take long before the stockings were done. Caitlyn hung them from the hooks waiting on the mantle.
That night they made love as quietly as they could in her bed, and fell asleep happily exhausted in each others arms. Mason woke them up banging loudly on the door and shouting, "Wyatt is starting coffee Mom, does Nolan want tea instead though?"
"Coffees fine, thanks lad. We'll be out in a minute." Nolan answered, his voice slightly groggy still. Caitlyn buried her face in the pillow and giggled. Nolan pulled on some pajama pants, while Caitlyn pulled on some pajamas and a robe.
By the time they made it out to the kitchen there were two cups of coffee sitting on the counter waiting for cream and sugar. They both doctored their coffee the way they liked and made their way out to sit on the couch. The boys were munching on the candy from their stockings as they sat down. Caitlyn picked up the camera she had remembered to set on the coffee table the night before. The boys opened their presents from her, posing impatiently for pictures. Mason handed a box to Nolan, "this one's from Wy and I for you."
Nolan set his coffee down and carefully peeled the wrapping paper off the gift. Pulling the lid off the white garment box he lifted out the hooded sweatshirt. It said their school name across the front, with their mascot and a soccer ball. "We thought you might wanna wear it when you come watch us play." Mason explained.
"I'd like that," Nolan said nodding his head still looking at the shirt in his hands like it was a priceless treasure. "I'd really like that. Thank ye lads." He held a hand out and shook their hands one at a time. Wyatt and Mason looked so happy that he liked their gift. Nolan set it gently down on the couch and walked over to the tree. Picking up the right boxes he handed one to Wyatt, and one to Mason.
The boys ripped into their presents, tearing the paper. Inside there was a jersey for each boy from Nolan's favorite football club in Ireland. Wyatt pulled it out to hold up, and something fluttered down into his lap. He looked down, and picked up the paper. "Really?" He asked Nolan his eyes alight.
Mason was looking in his box to see what it was that Wyatt had found.
"Yeah, just us fellas." Nolan said.
"What?" Caitlyn asked the room at large. Mason had found his by then and figured it out.
"Nolan wants to take us to watch his favorite team. In Ireland." Wyatt said grinning.
"You're not coming with us to Ireland, you have to go to your Dads." Caitlyn said confused.
"There isn't a date on the ticket, its a season pass Mom. We can go whenever we want with him, as much as we want." Wyatt told her.
"Thanks Nolan! We're gonna have an awesome time!" Mason smiled.
"That we will lad. I've already got me jersey, so we'll even match." Nolan beamed at Mason.
Nolan patted the boys on the back and reached under the tree pulling out his present for Caitlyn. He sat back down next to her on the couch and handed her the heavy flat box. Caitlyn smiled at him and carefully unwrapped it. There was a very recognizable robin's egg blue box under the paper.
Caitlyn looked up at Nolan, who was smiling at her. "Go on love." He said with a soft smile.
Taking a deep breath she pulled the lid off the box and pulled back the tissue paper. She touched trembling fingertips to the picture inside the lovely sterling silver frame. It was the one that sweet older couple had taken of them at the Cliffs of Moher, and the date was engraved at the bottom of the frame. Reading the words etched on the top of the frame had tears shining in her eyes she hugged the gift to her chest.
"What's it say love?" Nolan asked her.
"Definitely Memorable." Caitlyn whispered.
"It was one of the best days of me life. I've looked at that picture of us every single day since Caitlyn." Nolan said wrapping his arms around her, the frame in her arms pressed between them.
"Thank you Nolan, its perfect." Caitlyn smiled and set it gently down on the coffee table. Standing up she walked over to the tree and picked up the small box. "This is for you." She handed it to him and sat back down.
Nolan sent her a lopsided smile, looking at the tiny box in his hands. Peeling the paper off he opened the small box and Caitlyn watched the smile on his face grow to blindingly bright. Looking up from the box, the tears visible in his eyes he asked, "are ye serious?"
Caitlyn nodded her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. Nolan lunged at her wrapping his arms around her. "This is best present I've ever gotten in me whole life love!" He said into her shoulder.
"What is it?" Mason asked from where he still sat sprawled on the floor.
Nolan lifted his arm up, showing them what was in the box, his head still buried in Caitlyn's neck.
"A key? I don't get it." Mason said confused.
"It says home, on the key Mase. She made him a key to our house telling him its his house now too." Wyatt explained.
"Ohhhhh! Romantic stuff." Mason said with a mock shudder.
"I'll remind ye of that in a few years lad." Nolan laughed finally lifting his head, but keeping Caitlyn pressed into his side.
Nolan and the boys picked up the wrapping paper debris from the living room as Caitlyn got up and got the ham ready to go in the oven for Christmas dinner. Her Dad was the only one coming for dinner today, and he showed up a few hours later loaded down with gifts. Nolan walked out to the car helping him carry it all in. There were lots of video games and movies for Wyatt and Mason. A beautiful silk scarf for Caitlyn, that she immediately put on. He got Nolan a vintage t-shirt with a 1970's band logo emblazoned across the front.
Nolan hugged her Dad, and said "So, I picked this Jack, and talked Caitlyn into it." He handed over an envelope with a big bow on the front.
Her Dad took the envelope and opened it peeking inside. His eyes went as round as saucers. "Oh, shit."
Caitlyn smiled over at Nolan, "he likes it." Nolan nodded his head in agreement.
"There is only one ticket in here." Her Dad said in disbelief. "Are you not coming with me?"
"Oh, we're all going with ye Jack." Nolan laughed giving her Dad a hug.
"Even the boys?" Caitlyn's dad asked.
"Where are we going?" Wyatt asked leaning over to look. "Those are Super Bowl tickets! Nolan, you got everyone Super Bowl tickets?" Wyatt yelled excitedly.
"Might be fun." Nolan laughed as Wyatt and Mason both attacked him with hugs.
Caitlyn sent everyone down stairs to get out of her hair while she cooked. She kept smiling over at the picture frame from Nolan where it now sat on the bookshelf reflecting the twinkling lights on the tree. Setting the table she called them all up to come eat. Wyatt came up the stairs first, then Mason, her Dad, and finally Nolan. They were all strangely quiet, and her Dad came right over to her giving her a big hug. Caitlyn hugged him back thinking he was still touched by his gift.
Caitlyn brought the boys over to their Dad's house just after the sun went down promising to call and email from Ireland. She kissed their faces and watched them carry their bags into Bryan's house. Waving to them once more before pulling out of his driveway.