your own but I can’t take this any longer.”
“What?”
“Your test results. They must have been bad or you would have told me. Is that why you’ve been acting so strangely all day?”
Stunned, I can only nod.
“And I can only guess that you figured being extremely weird would make me get annoyed and leave you so you wouldn’t have to tell me.”
Tears gather at the edge of my lids. “Operation Wifey was clearly a failure.”
Vin immediately pulls me into his embrace, burying his face in my hair. “You crazy woman. Haven’t you figured it out by now? I’m in love with you. Being weird isn’t going to get rid of me.”
As usual, his understanding fills me with gratitude and wonder. He holds me for a little longer, giving me time to wipe away my tears with the edge of the blanket.
Since I’m in no shape to explain anything, I pull up the voicemail from Dr. Rose and let him listen to it.
“Your test is tomorrow?”
I nod. “Yeah. She scheduled a bunch of tests for Monday afternoon. That was as soon as she could get me in.”
“Okay. So we’re going for testing tomorrow.”
When he sees the look on my face, his eyes narrow and he gets that dark, intense look I love.
“We are going for testing tomorrow.”
“I feel so bad about taking you away from work. It’s right in the middle of the day.”
He shakes his head. “Ariana, I can take off from work. Especially for something important. You are important.”
Suddenly he tilts his head. “Is this why you work part-time through an agency? So you don’t have to worry about needing time off for tests and appointments?”
I nod. “I was in college when I first got diagnosed. I had to finish my degree part-time. I like the agency. They’ve been really great and I have the flexibility to study for the RN exam. It’s hard to make plans when you aren’t sure what’s going to happen. Every scan, I worried the cancer would be back. Why?”
“Nothing. A lot of things are starting to make sense now, that’s all.”
I rest my head against his chest feeling relieved and also a little shy. But I can’t deny that I’m so glad he knows now.
No matter what happens next, I’m not alone.
“You really think you have me all figured out now.”
Vin smiles and picks up the remote. “Not quite. But I’m definitely going to get you back by making you watch the rest of this boring movie.”
I try to grab the remote and shriek with laughter when he tickles my ribs.
“Take your punishment, Ari. You are going to watch this woman make her magical Christmas cupcakes!”
In the end, we did finish watching the Christmas movie only because Vin enjoyed making fun of almost every single scene.
“This is going to be our first Christmas tradition of the year. We’ll watch one of these horrible movies together while I try to convince you to make out with me on the couch.”
“Not that you’ll have to try that hard,” I reply, touched at the idea of us having our own Christmas traditions.
Having someone who wants to be around that long is still new for me. I suspect being loved so sweetly is going to take some getting used to.
There’s a loud series of knocks at the door. We both look at each other.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Vin asks, before walking over to look through the peephole.
“No. Is it Mya?”
He shakes his head. Then whisper-yells, “It’s an older lady. A blonde. And a whole lot of suitcases.”
“Older! Young man did you just say older? The nerve!”
I drop the remote and rush to the door. Vin has to step back so I can open it.
“Mom?”
“Darling! There you are! Oh, you look so beautiful, even in these awful cotton pajamas.” My mother rushes into the room and drags me into a heavily-fragranced hug.
Vin looks on with amusement until one of the suitcases she’s dragging rolls over his bare foot.
“Ow! Madre di–”
She looks over at him sharply as if offended that his foot got in the way of her bag. “And who is this?”
I heave a sigh. “Mom, this is Philippe Lavin. Vin, this is my mother Ingrid Larsson.”
“It’s a pleasure,” he pants, still holding his toe.
“Charmed.” Ingrid thrusts her carryon bag in my direction. Then she pauses to look at Vin. “Lavin? Darling, didn’t your roommate marry a Lavin?”
I put an arm around my mom’s shoulders and steer her toward the living room.
“Mom, you really should sit down and drink