Gifts
August
11: I claim proud kinship with your race and blood
Word Count: 624
Ai is the first to wake on Christmas morning. She leaves Professor Agasa to his snoring and goes downstairs to make breakfast.
"Merry Christmas, Ai-kun," Professor Agasa says cheerfully, thirty minutes later, entering the kitchen just as Ai finishes setting the table.
"Merry Christmas, Professor," she murmurs back. Breakfast goes by in a blur for her, doubt nagging at her all the while. It has been a long time since she bought anyone a Christmas present. She wonders if the professor will like her gifts.
Her worries, though, are soon assuaged, as Professor Agasa makes a big fuss over the sweater and scientific magazine subscription she gave him. "They're wonderful, Ai-kun," he exclaims, pulling the sweaters over his pajama top. "Your presents are under the tree."
Ai looks, but under the Christmas tree there are two rather large stacks of presents, one stack wrapped in gold and the other in silver. Ai scoots over to the piles, but can't find any nametags.
"Which ones, Professor?" she asks.
"Hmm? Oh, all of them," he says carelessly. Replacing his glasses, he leans forward, eager to see Ai open her gifts. Ai, though, makes no move towards them.
"All of them?" she asks, feeling horror twist her insides. She got Professor Agasa two gifts. There has to be ten or so presents beneath the tree. I screwed up Christmas, she thinks despairingly.
"Go on," the professor encourages, oblivious to Ai's mental anguish, "open the gold ones first."
Ai opens the presents slowly, carefully undoing the ribbon, gently pulling apart the wrapping paper so it doesn't rip. She finds board games and movies, things she can do with the other children without getting bored. The gifts are perfect.
"Thank you," she says in awe.
"Now the silver ones," he urges.
Ai opens the first one and freezes. Laying there is the purse she had admired awhile ago in her fashion magazine.
"Wha…" She can't complete the thought, and Professor Agasa only smiles.
The other silver presents contain makeup, a renewal of her fashion magazine subscription, and thick books on biology and chemistry. She hefts a book on different cell mutations in one hand and holds a small compact of foundation in the other. She can read the meaning in the gifts Professor Agasa has given her. They say/I do not see you as a child. I know who you are/. Ai wants to say thank you, but the words seem so inadequate. She says them anyway.
"I just wanted you to have something to hold on to," he explains, gently touching the top of Ai's head. The contact is surprising, but Ai lets it slide. "What's wrong?" he asks, catching on to her silence. Ai tips her head.
"I just…wish I had gotten you something better," she finally says, embarrassed. "You've given me so much, and I…"
"Don't be ridiculous," the professor gently chides without thinking. "It's natural for the parent to give more presents." The air immediately becomes heavier and Ai stiffens. "Ai-kun, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Professor Agasa quickly apologizes and starts to remove his hand.
Ai catches it in the air, halting his words. She stares at the discarded wrapping paper, thinking. The gifts catch her eye, and Ai supposes there is a second part to their message as well. /I knows who you are…and I accept you anyway/. The thought is mind-boggling. She gives a small tug to the professor's hand before letting it go. Slowly, Professor Agasa reaches back down and pats her on the head again. It is only then that Ai turns around.
"Thank you," she says sincerely, "for everything" and smiles more beautifully that she will ever know.
"It's no problem," he replies, smiling back.