I have a strong feeling he was feeling the same way—my stupidity was ripping his guts out. At least I prayed so.
It had been a whole day and I felt absolutely sick. I glanced at my watch. He’d be at church right now. I had to find something fast to get to his mother’s house before they got home and opened presents.
I wandered in and out of every specialty shop in the mall, but nothing screamed the perfect gift for Andy. Hell, he had about everything. I wasn’t sure what to get him.
One of the engraving stores was lit up and shiny, and I couldn’t keep myself from walking in. Inside were tons of beautiful frames, mugs and interesting things to get engraved.
I glanced around. And I saw it. The perfect gift for the guy with damn near everything.
I started picking up the components and headed for the counter. The man, who was probably in his fifties, raised his eyebrow at me. “Are you going to want it engraved tonight?”
“Could you?”
He picked up the pieces. “It’ll cost extra.”
“I’ll pay it. I just need it now.” I glanced out the store doors. “While you engrave, I need to go get one more thing.”
“It won’t take me long.”
“Hopefully this won’t either.” I darted out of the store, getting the last thing I needed for Andy’s Christmas gift.
Chapter Twelve
Wednesday Christmas Eve
“Gimmie gimmie gimmie!” cried little Jake Jr. He held out his hands, ready to run off with his present.
Andy stood in the center of the gifts, Santa hat on his head, passing out presents. Little greedy fingers burst out of the chaos, accepting gifts. Some of the kids just wanted to touch the presents, and helped him hand them to everyone.
But others just wanted theirs.
Andy couldn’t help laughing at their enthusiasm—the kids under twelve, being the newest—and now the fourth generation of Hawkins family—gathered in one place. He and his cousins came next in age, then his mom and her siblings. Big Grandma—the matriarch, oversaw everything, a bemused smile on her face.
Laughter and Christmas music filled the air. Jingle Bells played over a small radio his mother had tucked in a corner, and most everyone hummed along.
Church had been nice, albeit a bit long, but Andy was happy to be with his family.
At least something felt right this holiday.
The whole missing component in his chest, though, was another kind of ache, and he doubted even the holidays with his family would break that up. He glanced at the tree, and saw the small pile, set aside for Erica, in case she showed up.
Not that he thought she would.
He’d run them by her place, he guessed, in a few days. When it didn’t hurt to see her.
Finally, it looked like he’d gotten all the presents out from under the tree. “That’s it,” he said. “Everyone open!”
And the chaos began.
“Wait a minute, Andy,” his dad said. “Come with me.”
Andy followed his father downstairs. He couldn’t help grinning. His parents always kept the big gifts in the basement.
His dad led him to the utility room where two huge boxes wrapped in bright red and gold paper sat waiting. Andy leaned over and picked one up. It was fairly light, to his surprise.
“What is this?”
“Bedding for Jake and Andrea. Andrea was bitching back in May that she didn’t have a nice bedspread.”
His dad carried another large package, and the two headed upstairs. As soon as Andy rounded the corner, his heart stopped.
Standing in the middle of the chaos was Erica, handing out presents while wearing, of all the damn things, a friggin’ green Santa’s hat. Her hair hung down her back, windblown and chaotic, her cheeks rosy from the cold, and she hadn’t bothered taking off her coat yet.
He’d never seen her look so beautiful.
She handed a package to his mother, to Big Grandma, to his niece and nephew, and to Jake and Andrea.
And then she turned her head.
Even from the distance, their eyes met, and the whole room went still. Quite a
It had been a whole day and I felt absolutely sick. I glanced at my watch. He’d be at church right now. I had to find something fast to get to his mother’s house before they got home and opened presents.
I wandered in and out of every specialty shop in the mall, but nothing screamed the perfect gift for Andy. Hell, he had about everything. I wasn’t sure what to get him.
One of the engraving stores was lit up and shiny, and I couldn’t keep myself from walking in. Inside were tons of beautiful frames, mugs and interesting things to get engraved.
I glanced around. And I saw it. The perfect gift for the guy with damn near everything.
I started picking up the components and headed for the counter. The man, who was probably in his fifties, raised his eyebrow at me. “Are you going to want it engraved tonight?”
“Could you?”
He picked up the pieces. “It’ll cost extra.”
“I’ll pay it. I just need it now.” I glanced out the store doors. “While you engrave, I need to go get one more thing.”
“It won’t take me long.”
“Hopefully this won’t either.” I darted out of the store, getting the last thing I needed for Andy’s Christmas gift.
Chapter Twelve
Wednesday Christmas Eve
“Gimmie gimmie gimmie!” cried little Jake Jr. He held out his hands, ready to run off with his present.
Andy stood in the center of the gifts, Santa hat on his head, passing out presents. Little greedy fingers burst out of the chaos, accepting gifts. Some of the kids just wanted to touch the presents, and helped him hand them to everyone.
But others just wanted theirs.
Andy couldn’t help laughing at their enthusiasm—the kids under twelve, being the newest—and now the fourth generation of Hawkins family—gathered in one place. He and his cousins came next in age, then his mom and her siblings. Big Grandma—the matriarch, oversaw everything, a bemused smile on her face.
Laughter and Christmas music filled the air. Jingle Bells played over a small radio his mother had tucked in a corner, and most everyone hummed along.
Church had been nice, albeit a bit long, but Andy was happy to be with his family.
At least something felt right this holiday.
The whole missing component in his chest, though, was another kind of ache, and he doubted even the holidays with his family would break that up. He glanced at the tree, and saw the small pile, set aside for Erica, in case she showed up.
Not that he thought she would.
He’d run them by her place, he guessed, in a few days. When it didn’t hurt to see her.
Finally, it looked like he’d gotten all the presents out from under the tree. “That’s it,” he said. “Everyone open!”
And the chaos began.
“Wait a minute, Andy,” his dad said. “Come with me.”
Andy followed his father downstairs. He couldn’t help grinning. His parents always kept the big gifts in the basement.
His dad led him to the utility room where two huge boxes wrapped in bright red and gold paper sat waiting. Andy leaned over and picked one up. It was fairly light, to his surprise.
“What is this?”
“Bedding for Jake and Andrea. Andrea was bitching back in May that she didn’t have a nice bedspread.”
His dad carried another large package, and the two headed upstairs. As soon as Andy rounded the corner, his heart stopped.
Standing in the middle of the chaos was Erica, handing out presents while wearing, of all the damn things, a friggin’ green Santa’s hat. Her hair hung down her back, windblown and chaotic, her cheeks rosy from the cold, and she hadn’t bothered taking off her coat yet.
He’d never seen her look so beautiful.
She handed a package to his mother, to Big Grandma, to his niece and nephew, and to Jake and Andrea.
And then she turned her head.
Even from the distance, their eyes met, and the whole room went still. Quite a
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