"Alright buddy, you know the drill. We're goin—"
"We're going to the mall to buy the perfect present for Daddy K. Yeah, Daddy B, I've got it. You've said it ten times."
Blaine cocked his head slightly to the side, a startled look of recognition rearranging his features. AJ Hummel-Anderson finished zipping his coat and secured his black and flame print hat on top of his curls; once he was finished, he acknowledged his father's stare for the first time. This caused a fit of giggles to erupt from him, his tummy bouncing with silly squeals. "What, Daddy K? What's so funny? What's so weird?"
"You're exactly like your father, that's all." Blaine grinned, scooping up his favorite second grader and hugging him close to him. "Now, come on! If we don't get there in time, the mall could be all out of good presents!"
"Like what?" AJ asked.
"Like what? You tell me, this is your present to him, after all."
"Hmm…"
The fifteen minute car ride was filled with suggestions of nearly anything one could think of that would make up Kurt Hummel-Anderson's lavish gift.
"The new Armani fragrance!" Blaine suggested.
"Or that new Lego castle kit where sea monsters spring out from the ship!" AJ replied with a great wave of enthusiasm.
"Or a new Marc Jacobs overcoat, this time in teal…"
"Or a new Tech Tech Dude, complete with seven different skateboard decks, each character sold separately."
"How about that calendar that showcases the most famous scenes from Breakfast at Tiffany's?"
"Nahh. I think he'd be happy with a designer scarf. He's always wearing one."
Again, Blaine simply shook his head, listening to AJ sing along to the holiday tunes that danced through the radio. Once at the mall, the two Hummel-Andersons rushed into the heated stores, mingling with agitated shoppers and over-friendly customer support staff. AJ grabbed Blaine's hand, and the two set off in search for the perfect Christmas gift.
After an hour of walking around Toys R Us, Blaine and AJ left, the younger Hummel-Anderson wearing a puny look of sadness on his puppy-like features. "Hey, buddy, cheer up. What's wrong?" Blaine knelt in front of his son, putting one hand on his shoulder, and looked into his crystal blue eyes. When he didn't answer, he tried again. "What's wrong?"
AJ stared at his boots as if convinced he could set them on fire if he stared at them long enough. Finally, he replied in a soft, constricted voice, "That Hot Wheels racecar track looked really cool."
"Yeah, it sure did!" Blaine agreed, thinking of the very item sitting under their tree, wrapped in flaming racecar paper. He knew AJ would be thrilled on Christmas morning when he dug into the wrapping, discovering that Santa had brought him his number one wanted item. He widened the smile on his face, tussling his son's curls. "Then whatever is the matter, son?"
"Well, I'm just afraid because… well… I didn't put it on my list that I sent to Santa. What if he doesn't know I want it? What if, even he does know, I haven 't been good enough all year long to get it?"
Blaine smiled sympathetically, hugging his son close to him. "You know what? Santa knows everything. He can do anything, August James, simply anything. But you know what you've got to do to show him that you've been a good boy all year long?"
"What?" The urgency in his son's voice only intensified the importance of his next words.
"You've got to believe with all of your heart in Santa Claus. You've got to love your family and friends and be nice to everyone, even if they aren't always nice to you. You've got to have fun when you can and laugh at yourself when the time is right. You've got to smile, and you've got to have courage. That sounds pretty easy, huh? That way, Santa will know you really believe. If you can feel it in here—"he pressed his index finger to AJ's heart—"then he'll know."
"Really?"
"Mmhmm. I promise."
A huge grin broke out onto AJ's face, and he grabbed his daddy's hand and nearly pulled him to the next store. On the way there, the two talked about anything and everything that was happening in the second grade world, including cute third grade girls, the Wii lesson in PE class, the Christmas concert that was last week, and how Daddy K would have liked that Hot Wheels racetrack just as much as AJ would have.
On the way to the department store, Blaine bought the new Armani scent for men, a new collection of hydrotherapeutic lotion at Bath and Body Works, a maroon overcoat at Marc Jacobs, and the latest Patti Lapone memoir. AJ tagged along like a good boy, though it was clear he was becoming restless.
"Almost done, AJ." Blaine exclaimed as they entered their final destination: Macy's. He glanced down at his son; he was drooping petals of a slowly dying flower. "Alright, AJ, this is your turn to shine. I need you to pick out one thing that your Daddy K will simply love. Can you remind me what he likes?"
"Well…" This seemed to send a spark of energy through the youngest Hummel-Anderson; he stood up straighter; his eyes gained a new twinkle; a sense of excitement danced in his voice. "He likes pastel colors, soft fabric, old movies, and smoothies and coffee, but not together, 'cause that'd be gross!" A revived round of giggles racked through him as he grabbed his daddy's hand and walked towards the closest aisle of clothing. AJ grabbed a bright orange and grey sweater and showed it to his dad. Blaine had to admit, it would have been nice, though it was clearly cut for a woman's busty figure.
"AJ, this is a woman's sweater. It's made for a girl to wear, not a guy." Blaine explained, trying to disguise a gusty laugh.
AJ looked at his father like he had a second head growing out of his neck. "Daddy B, fashion has no gender." With a sigh, he put the sweater back and headed down the aisle, in pursuit of a great treasure: the perfect gift for Daddy K. To AJ, this was a vital find. He would not stop until the perfect gift was wrapped and under the tree.
Throughout their extensive time in Macy's, many gift ideas were suggested.
"How about these?" AJ asked, thrusting an object in front of Blaine.
"He already owns a pair of hot pink sunglasses."
"Oooh, ooh, right here, I got it!"
"Well, it's a men's sweater this time, though this is an XXL. Is there a medium in there? Nope? Hmm, let's try something else."
"This is it!"
Blaine turned a bright shade of pink as he grabbed the silky fabric from his son's hand. "August James, no."
"But it's a Santa hat! It has furry straps and two little white balls."
"Kurt doesn't need lingerie from you. Let's go on, come."
Blaine made a beeline for the closest department.
With a slight gasp, he sighed contentedly. "Perfect."
"Say cheese!"
"Colby!"
"Gouda!"
"So you think Daddy K will like it?" AJ asked as he and Blaine walked back to the car on the evening of December 22nd.
"I think he'll love it. He's been hinting that he needs a new picture to put over the mantle in our bedroom. Now he'll have one. I'm just glad we were both wearing festive Christmas sweaters!"
"So it's like we'll be watching over him when he sleeps!" AJ exclaimed as he buckled in. "Just like Phantom of the Opera when Christine goes into the catacombs and the Phantom is staring at her with undying love!"
Blaine grinned in the mirror at his son, simply shaking his head. He was so fortunate to have a wonderful husband, a son who clearly took after him, and a blessed holiday season where he could spend time with the people he loved most. Although it's been said many times, many ways, you may receive things for Christmas, though there is one that rises to the top: love, and the spread of it into our hearts, mind, family, and soul.