Time stands still. The warmth I feel from my husband’s soft adoring eyes gives me goosebumps. My heart begs my lips to tell sweet lies. I could say that the traffic was terrible coming home from the city, the lines waiting for Santa Claus were neverending, or that my mom was late coming to the house. All of them are good enough reasons why I didn’t bring his present. Just go with the flow, get swept up in the magic of pink champagne, and not spoil the moment. 

My stomach’s butterflies can’t stop fluttering when he asks me about my day. I take another sip of champagne. Something deep inside tells me that a lie is not the way to start to right what’s wrong in our marriage. 

Jasper listens as the words slowly begin to tumble from my mouth. I describe getting the kids dressed and ready to see Santa. I talk about how they both insisted on upgrading the gifts on their lists before we left the house. We both laugh when I mention that Darren wrote down a Black Maserati!! What kind of a ten-year-old asks for a luxury car in such detail? 

One more sip of pink champagne for confidence helps me dive headfirst into my story. Jasper shifts a bit in his chair when I mention that I attended the Cox Collection auction this afternoon at Christie’s. His reaction goes from shock to disbelief when he hears I actually purchased something for him. My husband followed the sale closely on his phone. He saw the prices begin to skyrocket once the phone bidding started. He’s intrigued. He wants to know what piece I bought. Apparently, Beverly’s hasty departure interrupted him before the auction finished. As a result, he missed the final sales.

Jasper gasps when I finally tell him the painting I bought. My fingers reach for my purse, grab the receipt and then slowly push it across the oak table. His eyebrows raise in astonishment at the proof. The painting’s price is bewildering even for someone living in our zip code. 

TO BE CONTINUED …

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 1

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 2

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 3

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 4

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 5

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 6

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 7

Click HERE for Pink Champagne Christmas Story Part 8

Divabetic Holiday Playlist: Thank you, Spotify, for introducing our ears to the son of singer Rhett Akins, singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett. He received four Grammy Award nominations with two albums nominated for Best Country Album in 2017 and 2019. After learning to play drums while attending junior high school, Rhett later would go onstage with his father and play. He was part of a band named The High Heeled Flip Flops in high school. Thomas dropped out of college when he was 20 to pursue a career in music. His sweet banjo-infused country Christmas tune, Christmas In The Country, is just what we need to hear right now.