“Anything to make my Ava Bug smile,” he nodded, still watching her as she sat on her new bike. She wasn’t going out to ride it just yet because she had plenty more gifts to open, but that didn’t stop her from putting the helmet and pads on with Kiyan.
When we got back inside, she finished opening presents, which I thought was impossible for a second because the gifts were never ending. There were toys and wrapping paper all over by the time the kids were done, so I got a garbage bag and began collecting it all.
“Leila, put that bag down and have a seat,” Kiyan’s mother fussed. “My Lord, you don’t know how to relax do you?”
I chuckled. “I just wanted to clear some space. There are more gifts to open.”
“Then sit and open them,” she replied. “They’re all yours.”
My eyes stretched wide. There were at least fifteen more gifts under the tree, and I figured there was no way they were mine. I hadn’t gone through them, but I was sure I’d wrapped a lot of them and placed the ones that were closest to the tree, so they couldn’t be mine.
Right?
I walked over to get one and sure enough, my name was on the label as the recipient. I took a seat on the nearby ottoman and opened it to find a beautiful silk robe with matching bedroom shoes.
“Every girl needs a good robe and some house shoes,” Miranda said with a smile. “Merry Christmas.”
“Aw.” I playfully pouted as I got up to go hug her. “Thank you, girl.”
“Mine next,” Mel said anxiously. “It’s the smaller one.”
I grabbed the box she was pointing to and tore the wrapping paper from it.
“Melonie.” I gasped seeing the beautiful diamond earrings.
“What’s a pretty girl with no diamonds?” she grinned.
I did the same as I did with Miranda, going over to give her a tight hug.
I went through the rest of the gifts from Kiyan’s parents, his aunt and uncle, and his sister. I wasn’t expecting any of this, but I was very grateful because they all put a lot of thought into what they got me.
“And you know we had to save the best for last.” Kiyan approached with an envelope that had the design of a Christmas present on it and a small box.
“It better be the best in a freaking envelope,” Mel fussed and rolled her eyes. “What?” she looked at her mom who’d elbowed her. “He has money, so he better not have been cheap.”
“Just hush your mouth, Melonie,” Ms. Pat scolded.
I took the gifts from Kiyan before he had a seat next to me. I put the box in my lap and opened the envelope first. There was a printout of a map with a heart around the symbol for the Eiffel Tower, and on a small but thick card there was a message:Paris is supposed to be the city of love—whenever you’re ready to find out, let me know. Along with the map and card was a mock plane ticket and passport sleeve. My eyes misted over for the millionth time, and it was barely ten in the morning.
“Kiyan,” I whispered.
“Open the other one, babe,” he encouraged.
Nodding, I sat the envelope and its contents next to me then untied the ribbon on the small box. When I removed the lid there was a single key.
“This isn’t about pressure. It’s peace,” he started. “I don’t want you wondering where you stand or where you’re supposed to go from here. This is your home as long as you want it to be.”
The flood gates had opened, and my tears were now freely flowing as I put the box down and wrapped my arms around Kiyan’s neck to hug him tightly. I left my home of ten plus years one night, not knowing what I was walking me and my daughter into, but we walked right into an overflow of unconditional love and family. It didn’t feel weird, it didn’t feel off, it was just right. It was just what we both needed.
“Okay, okay,” I sniffled, “I’m a mess.” I laughed as I wiped some of my tears. “I’m sorry.”
“Nothing wrong with crying as long as they’re tears of joy,” Mrs. Latrina commented.
“I got you something too.” I got up to go get the gift wrapped box for him. I didn’t have a lot of money, and I didn’t feel rightgetting him a gift with the money he’d given me, but I did put a lot of thought and love into what I had for him. I even had to unwrap it to update it once. “It’s not a lot…”
“It’s plenty,” he cut in. “I don’t even have to see it to know that.”
We both smiled at each other before he started to remove the gift wrap revealing the book I had made for him. On the front was a picture we’d taken at the Christmas party and the titleHoliday Specials: Good for one (or more) moments with meabove it.
