| If my Heart had Wings �Yeah. I�ll be there as soon as I can�Mmhmm. I miss you. I love you too�Bye.� I sighed and hung up the pay phone at O�Hare International Airport. Outside, the snow fell lightly. �Stupid snow,� I muttered. While it didn�t seem bad, my flight back to New York had been �Cancelled indefinitely due to inclement weather conditions.� �Stupid snow, stupid producer conference,� I muttered again. Isaac had talked me into attending a producers� conference in Chicago for three days during the week before Christmas. Now I was probably not even going to be home to celebrate with Casey and Charlie as we�d planned. I pulled my coat around me tighter, picked up my suitcase and purse, and trudged out into the rented SUV I was going to drive back to New York. 20 hours was a conservative estimate, especially with the snow falling harder every minute. Damn these old wheels, Rollin� too slow, I stare down this white line with so far to go. Headlights keep comin� Loneliness humming along. The snow fell hard onto my windshield, and no sooner had the wipers cleared it than it was covered again with white powder. �Damn,� I muttered. This was going to be harder than I�d thought. Who poured this rain? Who made these clouds? I stare through this windshield thinking out loud. Time keeps on crawling Love keeps on calling me home. I found myself wishing I had been able to take the plane. It would�ve been under two hours, as opposed to a day�s worth. I wanted nothing more than to be with Casey, hear his voice, to feel his arms around me, his lips on mine�to be where I felt most at home. I�d jump all these mountains And take to the skies Sail through the heavens With stars in my eyes If my heart had wings I would fly to you And lie beside you as you dream If my heart had wings. I absently fingered the necklace Casey had given me for our three-month anniversary � the one with the crystal in the middle of a silver bow with a pearl drop hanging down from it � as I remembered our parting at the airport. �Are you sure you don�t mind me going to this? Because I don�t have to go,� I�d said. �Dana, we agreed, remember? We keep work separate from us,� he�d reminded me. �You should go to this conference. And I�ll miss you like crazy, no doubt about it. But it�s what�s best. Besides,� he�d added, smiling for my benefit as much as for his own, �you�ll be back in under four days, in time for Christmas Eve by ourselves and Christmas Day with Charlie.� I�d just nodded and hugged him tightly until they�d announced final call. We both committed, We both agreed, You do what you have to To get what you need Felling you near me With so many miles in between. Lord, it ain�t easy Out here in the dark To keep us together So far apart. I lucked out, really. Once I got out of Illinois, it wasn�t snowing, so I could drive at a little better pace. And roughly 20 hours later, at about 8 in the morning on Christmas Day, I could see the steel giants of good ol� NYC. It took almost another hour to get to and through the city and arrive at Casey�s building. I took my purse out of the back seat, along with the bag that had been stashed back there with Charlie�s present, and made my way to my final destination � Casey�s apartment. I grinned as I threw open the door. Charlie sat on the floor, happily playing with a brand new remote-control jeep, and Casey watched him from the couch. �Any presents left for me?� I asked. I couldn�t tell whose eyes were wider � Charlie�s or Casey�s. Stuck on this circle Spinning around Cut loose from this road That keeps tyin� me down. �Dana!� Charlie grinned, jumped up, and ran to greet me. �Dad said you wouldn�t be here!� �I know, kiddo, but guess what? I�m here!� I said with a level of enthusiasm that rivalled his own. Casey leapt up and hugged me, then held me at arms length. �Are you okay? You look cold. Do you want some coffee?� �Yeah,� I said, suddenly feeling tired from having driven all night. He poured me a cup and handed it to me. �Thanks,� I said graciously. �C�mon, sit down,� he urged me. �You must not have stopped last night if you�re here already.� I nodded. �Charlie, I believe there is a bag on the table which is addressed to you,� I grinned as I pointed. He dashed over, nearly setting a land speed record, and tore open the paper. �Yes! Pokemon Gold!� he cried in delight, then rushed to his room to get his Gameboy. That evening, after Charlie had been picked up by Lisa, I sat with Casey on the couch and leaned my head against him. �So,� I said quietly as I snuggled against him, �did I miss anything last night on what was going to be OUR Christmas?� �Nothing which can�t be rescheduled for tonight.� He kissed me gently. �Hang on, I�m gonna go get your present.� He got up and returned moments later empty-handed. I�d given him his present before I�d gone to Chicago � a new lined leather jacket because his old one was starting to wear thing. �So where�s my present?� I asked, smiling. �It�s not a present as much as a�as a request,� he replied, looking nervous. Without another word, he withdrew from his pocket a black velvet jewelry box, then opened it to reveal a glittering diamond ring. |