On the Tenth Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me…

Baron came home after his love was fast asleep once again. But this time it wasn't because of work. He really wanted… NEEDED to spend some time with his love but he had to make sure the formalities for her upcoming gifts were squared away to guarantee that they'd be ready to be given to her without fail. When he got off he had a very difficult decision to make, spend much needed time with his love or do what was necessary to keep his word to his beauty of showering her daily with gifts. Where he really needed to take the necessary time with his lovely love, he made a promise to her. Baron had never lied to her before and he didn't want to start then so, he decided to get her gifts in right order. With his mind set, he left the office with much daylight ahead of him, at around 4:00 pm to rush to the post office to retrieve her gift before they closed for the day. Her gift for the following day was ordered direct from Italy and was scheduled to be delivered to their home the day before Christmas Eve. This was WELL outside of the timeframe that he needed it to arrive. So, he made it his business to get down to USPS with a quickness… he had no time for their 'sorry sir we're closing, try coming back tomorrow' foolishness. Each of the presents he's gotten for her are meaningful and are in a specific order, to have this not be in place would have thrown everything out of whack. Thankfully, when he got there, things went very smoothly, he was able to intercept the package without problem. Afterward, he went to five different establishments to take care of the necessary formalities for her gifts before the places closed for the evening. The lines in each were horrendous and he's very grateful he was able to get everything done. This morning, Baron is up with sun once again and is, as per usual, stricken breathless at the sight of his sleeping beauty. He dresses for the day then goes to ensure the present he's left for his love for today is prepared and in place. As he positions the large sparkling red bow on the place where the gift is and attaches the green envelope his IPhone sounds off with a very loud ringtone. He fumbles with the other things in his hand as he desperately tries to get to his phone before it's incessant ringing wakes his lovely Roni. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he gets to his phone and answers quietly as he peeks around the corner into their bedroom to ensure Roni was indeed not awakened.

"Hello", he answers the phone slightly exasperated.

"Well hello to you too, little boy", he hears the voice on the other end answer in sarcastic humor.

"Mother dear, how are you?", he responds in a much happier tone of voice as he is very excited to hear from his mother. In everything that's been going on, she is another person he hasn't been able to stay in as close communication with as he should.

"I'm fine dear heart… have I called at an inappropriate time son?"

"No, no… you're fine. It's just my phone was ringing rather loudly and I didn't want it to wake Roni. I thought it was on silent, apparently, it wasn't… that was my fault mother dear, not yours."

"Oh, alright dear heart… well, how are you? How have things been going?"

"I'm pretty okay. Things are finally beginning to settle down at Samdi Holdings, thank God. I'm actually preparing something for my love right quick before I head out that way to further get things squared away before the holiday.", he says checking her gift one last time before walking out the door to his car.

It warms his mother, Margaux's, heart to hear him refer to his girlfriend in the same loving manner he did all those years ago. She'd not seen her son so smitten in all her days, until he began to become friends with and eventually date Roni. She's quite glad that Roni is the one that Baron has chosen to be with… she's a good one and Margaux loves her as if she were her own daughter. Thinking of Veronica, she asks,

"Speaking of Veronica, how is my girl by the way? Have you been treating her right?"

Baron adores the relationship and closeness fostered between the two ultimate loves in his life. Each time, from the moment he took Roni to meet his mother, his mother's question regarding Roni has been the same; 'have you been treating her right?'. In fact, there are sometimes that he thinks if things were ever to go south between he and Roni that his mother would choose her over him. He starts his car's engine as he thinks back on when his two loves met he smiles at the memory. He'd known Veronica for two years and had talked his mother's ear off about her since he helped her to navigate her way around the campus that freshman orientation day. He remembers calling his mother that night after he took Veronica back to her dorm after they spent time together eating burgers, talking and laughing at Five Guys and telling his mom,

"mum, you will NOT believe what happened to me today".

Knowing her son, it had to be either one of three things. He either, one, came into some money someway somehow, two, made starting line or, three, and heaven forbid, with his choices in them, met a girl. So, she answers with anxious skepticism, "I just might… what happened son?"

"Well first… I made starting O line! I found out at this afternoon's practice"

'That's one', she thinks as she says aloud, "congratulations son! I'm proud of you my boy, good job!"

"Thank you mother dear. Yep, so get your travel gear together, I expect to see you at my games"

"you know I'll be there my dear heart, front and center. Well, is there anything else?"

"mmhmm, there is…". With her son's pause, she fears for the worst… "Mum… I think… I know… I've met the girl of my dreams".

And there it is! 'That's two', she thinks with a closing of her eyes, shaking of her head and quite painful face-palm. She knows her son too well, she's two for three. Margaux has never been one to crush her son's dreams, however she does try to guide him through tricky dreamy situations… and her son with girls and dating is one of them.

"Have you now? And where exactly did you meet this dreamy girl?"

"on campus, today. I was walking with some of the guys from breakfast when I saw her. Mum, she's absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful naturally tan olive skin, lovely dark brown curls, the most stunning turtle-brown eyes that have sparkles of amber in them when the light hits them… and the most breathtaking smile I've ever seen… besides yours of course."

"really? Well, it does sound like she is beautiful", she says out loud then thinks quietly, 'and so were the other two that broke your heart'. "Well, how did you meet her? Did someone introduce you? What do you know about her?", she asks trying to get more information on this girl that seems to have immediately stolen her son's heart.

"Like I said earlier, I was walking with the guys from breakfast when I saw her. She looked like she was lost trying to find somewhere on campus and she was carrying a load of books so I went to help her. At first it was just me being a gentleman, as you've raised me to be, and going to offer a young lady some assistance. But, when I got over to where she was and she looked at me… mum… I promise you I forgot how to breathe for a bit. Then when I offered to help and she spoke… I melted… I did. From such the dainty petite young woman that she is… I did NOT expect her voice to be as smooth and brassy as it is. Mother dear, it… actually reminds me of yours a bit. In fact, a lot of her reminds me of you"

'Well this is a first… he's never had any woman he's met to remind him of me… maybe he's home sick', Margaux thinks as she remains silent to allow her son to continue on about this young woman.

"She's kind, but no nonsense… extremely intelligent, quite humorous, witty and a bit stubborn. She's not much of the social type but isn't socially awkward, if you know what I mean. Like, she can handle herself in crowds and things… but just chooses not to. Like I said… a lot like you"

"You seem to know a lot about this girl you just met today son… pause… did you just slyly call me stubborn little boy?"

"mum…", he laughs, "let's not get sidetracked…", on the other end of the phone he's quite sure his mother is leveling him with a look comprised of a raised left eyebrow and pursed lips.

"Mmhmm… you did call me stubborn… but I'll let it pass… because its true", she laughs. "Son, I'm thrilled that you've found someone that has intrigued you so. Does she feel the same?"

"I don't know… in fact I doubt it… I think she just sees me as a friend… and I'm okay with that…"

Hearing this, Margaux's ears perk up… is she hearing… sensibility coming from her son where a young woman in concerned? Usually… well with the last two, he dove in headfirst with no thought the first and ended up heartbroken on both occasions. With this in mind, she just sits back and listens to make sure that her son is indeed taking a different… thought filled approach to this one.

"…I don't want to rush into anything… I don't want to rush her. She seems like a really good girl and she already initially thought I was trying to charm my way into her pants… I don't want her to think it to be true with me asking her if she wants to be my girlfriend right now. I'm cool with just being her friend… if things grow to be something more over time then… great… and if not… I still get to have her as a friend. It's a win/win. Plus, I really don't want another Charlotte or Symone incident."

"My thoughts exactly son", so she indeed is hearing sensibility come from her son… no initial guidance needed for this one. She doesn't know what it is about this girl but there's something about her that has caused her son to think differently and she likes it. But before she begins to take a liking to this young woman for real… there's one important thing she must know… "Baron, you've told me a lot about this young woman but one important thing you have yet to tell me… what's her name?"

"Veronica", he says dreamily.

Snapping out of his memories with a smile adorning his face, he answers his mother's usual question,

"she's alright, and yes I'm treating her right".

After hearing himself answer aloud, he thinks of the honesty of that response and sighs quietly with a slight shake of his head as the thoughts of his and his love's recent dealings or rather NON-dealings come to mind. He's trying his best to treat her right… he desperately is, but is unsure if he is these days with how busy he's been. He actually feels, in a way, that he is neglecting her… hence, the showering of gifts.

Although his mother is miles away and only on the phone she can still sense that something is troubling her baby boy. So, she asks, "Baron, my dear boy, what's troubling you? Something is wrong, I can feel it."

Baron knows his mother knows him well so forgoes trying to shy away from the truth of his feelings. "It's… it's just… I've been so busy with work… she and I haven't been able to spend much, if any time together. In fact, we don't see much of one another at all. When I come home she's asleep and I'm out before the sun before she wakes like I was today. I know that it's been hard on her… heck it's been hard on me. I'm well pleased with how successful my business dealings have been going, especially after branching out on my own. But, even though I'm doing all this so I can give her a better life… I honestly feel like I'm neglecting her. This time apart is hurting her… I know it is… and I hate it."

"Aww, my dear heart… well, do you think she feels you're neglecting her?"

"I don't know… I hope not… I really, really hope not. As of late I've been trying to show her how much I love her even in my lack of time to spend with her. I've been giving her gifts daily and leaving love notes so she still knows that I do love her… I was actually making sure the one for today was ready for her when you called. I know it's not enough…but it's what I can do for now until things fully settle." He parks his car exits and stands outside looking at his tall multi-story building. "I like my business mum… but I love my Veronica. And these days… not seeing her, being able to hold her or even talk to her I'm starting to think… is it all even worth it? It won't be if I lose her."

"Well, my boy, as much love as you both share between the two of you… I doubt this little span of time away from one another is enough to have her leave… she loves you too much… you love her too much. Just make sure you don't keep her waiting for you for too long."

"trust me mum, I won't."

"how about this… I will call her later on to speak with her… just to see where her head is where all of this is concerned… Okay?"

"alright mum… just… don't say anything off the cuff. You know you have the tendency to do that sometimes", he says with a chuckle.

"I won't I promise", she chortles in return, "I love you son"

"love you too mum. Talk to you later". Baron gets off the phone to walk through the doors of his own establishment silently praying to the heavens above that he can get things settled soon because things can't keep going in the way that they have.

Back across town at their luxury loft, Veronica wakes from her peaceful slumber with a refreshing stretch of her limbs and a deep breath. She steps out of the bed in much more of a jolly mood than she did a few days ago. Although she didn't get to wake up next to her love in the way she desires to, she knows that he's thought of her and has left a token of his love somewhere in their home for her. She quickly showers, dresses and does her hair and makeup. When she goes to leave out of the house she sees the green envelope and her gift with sparkling red bow attached to it. When she opens it, she is met with a brand-new Gucci zip up wallet… and it's heavy. She unzips it to find that her love has transferred everything from her other wallet to this one and has also left in the space that money goes what looks to be a hundred-dollar bill. She pulls it out and finds that there is more than one bill there. She counts and there is one… two… three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… ten. Ten! Ten hundred-dollar bills? That's one THOUSAND dollars that Baron has left in her wallet on a whim. She understands love and gift giving but what would possess this man to leave in her wallet this much cash money… in such large denominations at that. She knows for sure that he knows that she doesn't usually carry cash… there must be a reason. Setting the wallet down, she opens the envelope and reads,

My Dearest Veronica, my rib, my ultimate gift, my soulmate, I don't know if you opened this or the gift first but either way I hope that it suits your fancy. When you open your gift, if you haven't already done so, you'll find three things. One, is that it is purely Italian, shipped directly from there, here. Two, you will find that I have ensured that everything that needs to be there is safe and in its proper place. And three, you'll find ten hundred-dollar bills neatly placed in the pocket. You may be wondering right now, 'why did he have this shipped all the way from Italy?' and more so 'why in God's name did he leave so many big bills in my wallet knowing I don't usually carry cash'. Well my Italian love, as you know, on June 28th of this year it will officially make ten years of being with one another. Ten whole years filled with one hundred percent of pure joy, love, care, adoration and although those may say it's not humanly possible, I truly believe we've experienced it in the time we've been together, and that's perfection. Yes, we've had our ups and downs, our struggles, and breakthroughs, our easy and difficult times and everything on the in between, but my love, all of it has been nothing less than perfect. So, yes, I have left ten hundred-dollar bills in your wallet each of them symbolizing one of the ten glorious years we've had together. If you look closely at each of the bills you will see written along the edges, monumental moments from each of those ten years. Some you may remember others you may not. Some are moments of joy and laughs, others of sadness and tears. But, all of them helped to foster the pure beauty we've shared from our humble beginnings until now. You will be able to read through only nine of them as the tenth of them is blank. I've left a pen in the side of your purse for you, when you feel like doing so, to begin jotting down those things you desire to have happen in our tenth year together and even beyond. I promise that someday very soon we will sit with that list and talk about each and every desire you've written. And after you've told me of each one, I will do everything in my power that I can to ensure they come to pass. Veronica, my heart, just as your wallet, which is now as Italian as you are my lovely, holds and protects each of your most important pieces of information like your bank card, your credit cards, your social security card, which I still think is quite dangerous to carry around the way you do, and your license, my mind and heart holds and will continue to hold and protect every important piece of us from our very beginning until our very end. I love you my sweet, so much. Have a day as beautiful as you are.

Hold and Protect You in My Heart Always,

Baron.

She closes the envelope with a sentimental ear-to-ear smile and tears welling at the brim of her eyes. She can't find the words to explain how much she loves and adores this man, he is the man of her dreams. She takes the envelope and wallet and places them both in her purse. She then, in regular routine, takes her keys off the rack, puts on her glasses, grabs her purse and heads out the door to venture to work for the day. When she gets out the door of the building, the wind's chill takes her aback, causing her to wrap her scarf and coat more tightly around her person. This familiar winter chill is just another reminder that the holidays are well on their way. She just hopes and prays that day Baron promised they would sit with her list comes before the holidays and not after. Thinking of the blank bill, she anxiously waits to get settled in her office to read each of the memories from the other nine and to write her desires on the tenth. Today is going to be a very good day.