Five husbands for Christmas?

“Good morning Maddison” she said to herself as she sat up in bed. She looked around the brightly-lit but empty apartment that she lived in all by her herself for a year now. She sighed as she looked at the date on her phone “Christmas eve used to be a magical day…now it’s just like any other day”. She browsed through the to-do list on her phone, “Shop for gifts with Lola for the Christmas party. Help Denise at the bakery. Help decorate the school gym-” Her browsing was interrupted by a phone call, “Hey Maddy.” “Hi Lola! Are you there already? I’ll take at least 10 minutes to get there.” “Maddy breathe! Actually, Jason’s not feeling so well and as you know Harry is out of town so-” “It’s okay you look after Jason, I’ll get done with the shopping.” She smiled “Are you sure you’re okay with this? It’s a lot of things.” “Don’t worry honey. Give Jason my love and send the list of gifts that I’m supposed to pick up. I’ll take them to school later when we start decorating the place for tonight.” “I owe you one. See ya!”

She got dressed and headed to the mall. As she browsed the racks for all the gifts on the list, she reminisced about shopping there with her ex-fiancé David. After grabbing a few things for herself as well, she waited in line for the cash register.  She noticed an old lady behind her who had just a Christmas card and bouquet in her hand. Maddy smiled and said, “You just have two things to check out, you could go ahead of me.” The old lady smiled “Oh sweetie! You’re a doll.” She switched places with Maddy. “I got to get these to my mama. She is in the hospital you see and papa used to give them to her every Christmas.” A tear rolled down from the corner of her eye. “Well, I think your mama will be very happy to see you and these.” Maddy smiled.

Just as soon as Maddy paid for her purchase and left the store, an alarm sounded. She turned around to see a camera crew and a crowd of people led by a man walking towards her. When he got in closer and knelt down on one knee, she saw it clearly…it was Nathan Spring the town’s celebrity crush. “Will you marry me?” he asked as he reached his hand into his coat pocket. She gasped in a loud voice “What?”. He chuckled loudly “Well it was worth a try.” He then took out a rose from his pocket and said, “What I wanted to ask was…Would you like to be my Christmas date Miss…” “Maddison summers” “Well Maddison based on your purchase at that store, you are the lucky winner for today’s draw and win a date with me for tonight.” He smirked. She hesitated as she took the rose. “Do I have another option?” A majority of the crown gasped. He smiled “Yes! You could choose to donate this to a foster home of your choice. We would be making the donation in your name.” He pointed at a huge check that was being held up by his assistant. She stuttered “I-I’ll take that then.” “Alright!” he smiled. Then had a picture taken together before the crowd and crew dispersed. “You don’t have to answer this, but why didn’t choose the former option?” He looked at her curiously. “I’m actually a music teacher at Blakewood High and we have a Christmas party tonight that I got to prepare for.” “That’s sweet. Well, we will certainly make the donation to the foster home you mentioned.” He smiled “It was nice meeting you but I’m getting late…got to go” she said as started pacing away “It was nice meeting you too Maddison.” He waved as he walked away.

She locked the gifts in the trunk of her car and walked into the bakery to find Mark (Denise’s boyfriend) down on one knee holding up a ring to her “Will you marry me?” Maddy’s jaw dropped “What?” Denise stepped out from the back room and burst into laughter. Mark stood up and smiled “Well, I just proposed to her and she tells me you both are a package deal.” He placed the ring on Denise’s finger as she walked up towards them, “I told him I wouldn’t marry him without your approval.” “Is that so?” Maddy composed herself and grinned with an evil smile “Then my answer is no” “But-” Mark was taken aback “I’m kidding. I’m so happy for you guys.” She embraced them and started crying tears of joy along with Denise. Maddy helped manage the front of the bakery while Denise baked the goods. When the usual afternoon rush had settled, Maddy got a call from her friend Beck. “In all the years that I have known you. You have always stayed by my side through well the bad and the worst. And so, I couldn’t think of a better person to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?” “Umm…” she checked her phone to ensure that it was Beck speaking. “Well Beck I’m flattered but I thought you were gay.” “Well I am silly…I was thinking of proposing to Patrick…You know Christmas magic and everything…What do you think?” She smiled and placed a hand on her chest “Well that is the most Beck-like proposal he could get… and it sounds perfect. He will love it just as much as he loves you. I’m sure of that.” “Oh Thanks! I got to go get the wine he likes and prepare the menu for tonight….oh I’m so excited…love you.” he squealed and ended the call. She reminisced about the day David left the apartment with his belonging after the engagement was broken off. She then bid Denise farewell and headed to the school gymnasium to help with decorations.

At the gymnasium, she placed the gifts in a neat fashion on the table and just as she was about to turn around heard a loud yell “Duck”. She ducked quickly but ended up tripping and landing on the gym mat. “Are you alright?” she opened her eyes to find David’s hand extended out to her. She grabbed his hand and stood up “Yeah thanks” she chuckled with a confused look. “I know that I’m usually cooped up in my office with counseling and what not. But they said they needed a hand as Lola wouldn’t be able to make it for the preparations.” “That’s nice of you.” She smiled sweetly. “I told them I was not good with hanging the banner but they wouldn’t listen” “You were never really good with those things.” She laughed awkwardly “Thank you! But no…you’re tall they said…you’ll manage. And then I almost decapitated you.” “Well not decapitated.” “Let’s agree to disagree.” They laughed playfully as they shared many jokes and proceeded to decorate the rest of the gym with the others.

At the party, children from all age-groups danced and played games as they were chaperoned by the teachers. Maddy stood by the gifts table wearing her favorite red dress and heels. Amidst the bustle of the Christmas party, she felt someone tug at her dress. She looked down to find Jason standing next to her as Lola quickly caught up with him trying her best not to trip while running in heels. “You look so pretty Miss Summers.” He looked at her in awe. “Thank you! Jason, But you are not feeling well, you should not be here.” She sat down on a chair to get to his level. “Well, he would not listen, he asked me to get him to you here because he really wanted to tell you something. Isn’t that so Jason?” Lola looked nudged him. He took out a rose and presented it to Maddy. “Miss Summers you are the prettiest and the nicest teacher ever…would you marry me?” Maddy gasped and looked up at Lola who had tears in her eyes as Jason had never opened up to anyone let alone like someone so much. Maddy accepted the rose and gave him a peck on his cheek, “Well Jason this is the most beautiful proposal that I could ever receive from such a special boy like you.” He beamed with joy. “Tell you what, you just get a little older and ask me this same question maybe 20 years later and we will get married…deal?” “Deal!” he jumped into her arms and embraced her.

A short while later, David walked up to Maddy “Would you like to dance?” “Dave we’re here to watch these kids” “C’mon just one dance.” They slowed dance to the music playing and she was lost in his embrace, until memories of her breaking off their engagement flashed in her mind. She pulled away and left the gymnasium. “Maddy…Mads…” he called out to her as she walked away. He informed Lola that they were just taking a break from chaperoning and headed out to where he knew he would find her. “You always come here when you’re upset.” He walked up to her with 2 solo cups. He handed her a drink as she sat down in the swing next to her. “This place is special to me too. It was where we became friends…you were the only person who befriended the new kid in town…and now we’re here years later chaperoning a school dance.” He chuckled and took a sip of his drink. She mirrored him and sipped hers “Wine?” she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Well, yours is wine…mine’s beer.” “David!” “It’s nowhere near the kids…it’s in my car okay.” They both sipped their drinks in silence. “Mads I don’t blame you for breaking off the engagement…I was thinking about myself and for once didn’t stop to think if you were ready.” “David-“ she interjected. “Just…Just hear me out…please.” He pleaded. She nodded “Yes I left the apartment because I was mad that you broke it off a day after I proposed to you. But as this entire year passed, I realized that you breaking it off didn’t mean that you didn’t love me.” He paused and looked at her. “I…I just wanted space…I said yes because I wanted to and want to spend the rest of my life with you…I do…its just with dad’s passing and all the issues that I was and am dealing with I did not feel ready for it and I did not want to…I don’t want to burden you with them…but I need you cause I can’t do this on my own…I need you.” She sniffled. He stood up from the swing and embraced her. “I was there for you then and I’m here for you now…so...” He knelt down one knee. “No! not again…this is the fifth-” “Maddison Jenna Summers will you make me the happiest man and give me another chance to be boyfriend.” He said as he opened the ring box to reveal a note that read “Be my girlfriend.” With tears in her eyes she said “Yes” and lifted him up from his knee so that they were standing up and facing each other. “I’m ready to marry you today just as I was ready this time last year…but I wanna do it right this time…we’ll take it slow and when you feel like you’re ready to get married…we will. Deal?” “Deal!” she kissed him.

“Shall we head inside? It’s freezing here and one drink is the limit when you gotta chaperone a room full of children.” He extended his arm out to her. She held onto his arm “Let’s go in.” They entered the gymnasium just as “Last Christmas” started to play. “Hey back there…you said that this was the fifth…fifth what proposal? Did you get proposed to 4 times today?” She laughed “It’s a long story.” “Well, no better way to kill time while chaperoning.” he glared at her playfully. “Okay…so the first one was at the mall…” she narrated the entire day’s events to him. They helped clean up the gymnasium after the party and then they ended Christmas eve with drinks and a Christmas-themed movie at her place just like they did every year.