Chapter 14
I woke to a queasy stomach but that didn't spoil my mood. Not even the fact that I dry heaved eight times before my stomach thought I'd had enough. I ran to my closet and pulled out the big black bag covered surprise my father sent over for Christmas.
Please don't be a sweater, please don't be a sweater I chanted. I brought it into the bathroom and quickly took a hot shower. I didn't wash my hair since washing your hair everyday was a big no no. I brushed my teeth,washed my hands, and sprayed dry shampoo in my hair before figuring I was clean enough to open it. I grabbed the zipper and closed my eyes before slowly unzipping the bag. I bit my lip when my fingers reached the end of the zipper. I opened one eye then the other. It definitely wasn't a sweater.
It was a long silky red dress. It was sleeveless and had a heart shaped bodice. It had a long slit on the side and the back was out. I gasped and pulled it out carefully and felt the soft material. Then I sat it on my bed and ran to put on my underwear. After I did that I grabbed my robe and quickly put it on before running out of my room and banging on everyone's door. Lissa ran out in her silk pink robe and ran to me. We screamed with joy and ran down the stairs. To my surprise Dimitri was awake making... I sniffed the air... Hot chocolate? I ignored him and ran to the flat screen tv and turned on the Christmas story. It played all day on every channel.
Then I ran to the living room and paced around the tree. I was too excited to sit down. One by one everyone ran down the stairs in their pjs. When everyone finally was downstairs, like little kids; Eddie and Mason ran to the tree. But they didn't touch a single thing. They just stared. Then they walked to the sofa and grabbed my hand. I grabbed Lissa's and Lissa grabbed Christians and he looked confused but he grabbed Tasha's and Tasha grabbed Adrain's and Adrain grabbed Kim's and Kim grabbed Dimitri's and Dimitri grabbed Jill's and Jill grabbed Eddie's and Eddie grabbed Mia's and Mia grabbed Mason's other hand. Then Me, Mason, Eddie, Jill, Lissa, and Mia started singing We wish you a merry Christmas. Eventually everyone caught on and started to sing too. When We were finished we looked at each other a screamed before running to the tree and grabbing all of our presents.
" From Christian to Lissa" Lissa said as she grabbed a note off a tiny velvet box. "Will you be my New years resolution, My Christmas present, and everything in between?" she said before opening the box. It held a tiny blue ring with a silver band. It was simple but extremely beautiful. She smiled as her eyes filled with tears.
" of course I will Christian" he grinned and grabbed her hand before sliding the ring on her index finger. It fit perfectly. Even I couldn't help but say awe. Then I looked at adrian with deadly eyes.
" My present better be better" he gulped and nodded his head before glaring at Christian. I looked around the tree for my gift from adrian. I spotted a red wrapped box with green ribbon. It was addressed to me from Adrian.
" To Little Hathaway, your scent always enchants me. So natural so... Womanly. Hope you accept these my little wild flower" I almost gagged, I looked at adrian before muttering corn ball under my breath .
" I heard that!" he exclaimed. I ripped open the huge box and was engulfed in sweet smells. It had to be more than a dozen different perfume bottles. I remember telling him I didn't own any so I guess he figured I should. It wasn't the most sentimental gift. I sighed defeatedly before frowning. He frowned to and asked what was wrong.
" I was expecting something a little more... Sentimental, that's all." he stood from the sofa and sat by me. Then he grabbed the box from my hand and grabbed the perfume bottle that said Chantè la Rose on it. Then he reached into the cubby it came out of and pulled a necklace out. It was silver and had a tiny heart shaped locket in the center. He turned it around and engraved in it was the words My heart for a little thorn — yours truly Adrain. Then he opened it and on one side was a picture of me and adrian taken on a hand held camera yesterday and on the other side were the word for you. I wanted to cry.. I wrapped my arms around his neck. And kissed him. He laughed and said whose the corn ball now? I smacked his shoulder and pulled my hair up so he can put it over and around my neck. It stood over my necklace my mother gave me.
" where is my gift Rose?" Adrian said. I laughed before grabbing his present from around the television. I gave it to him and bit my lip as he slowly opened it. His eyes lit up at what he saw. It was a old tattered picture of him and his aunt from a while ago. Last week he told me about this picture that was lost in a fire when he was younger so I went on a hunt to find it. I called my father and asked him to dig up some information about some old mysterious fire at his old home and to find out if the police hid a few items. Turns out they did. The picture being one of them. I didn't want to know why. I just wanted the picture. Three days later it was sent here but I had to steal the car and drive the six hours back to population to get it from the post office. Lissa tagged along. Then I stayed up all night last night fixing some parts of the picture and wrap it.
His eyes filled with tears. " How did you find it Rose" I shrugged and looked at my fingers.
" I just called my father up for a favor, tracked down your old house, Interrogated the police, got the picture, drove six hours to get it, stayed up all night to fix it and wrapped it up. No biggie" he looked at me with a strange look then stumbled on his thank you. He hugged me so tight I couldn't breath.
After that I gave Lissa, Mia, Jill, Tasha , and Kim their presents from behind the Tv. It was all matching teddy bears with a shirt that said I love you beary much. All of the shirts were different colors though. Lissa's was pink. Jill's was lime green, Tasha's was light blue, Mia's was gold, and Kim's was red. Kim squeezed it and my voice came through the bears ears.
Kimmy Jade. I know I haven't known you as long as I've know any of the others but that doesn't mean you haven't touched my heart. Merry Christmas . The others squeezed their bears and heard the message I recorded for them. Lissa's was a bit different though. On her bears back were three holes were she can plug jacks into and watch a video on the tv. When I explained it to her she ran towards the television and turned the tv to the video channel. Then she plugged the jacks into her bear. The tv was static before it showed a video of both of our parents before my mother left.
" Lissa dear, don't forget to thank god and baby Jesus for giving you a good family" Rhea said. Lissa was wearing a cute elves outfit and her hair was in cute ridgets. She was about five and was unwrapping all of her presents. She looked into the camera before giggling and nodding her head. Andre ran in front of the camera in his pjs and took a bow before flipping his hair out of his face.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's my honor to introduce the lovely, the talented, the exotic... Rosie Mazur-Hathaway" you could hear clapping in the background before I popped up wearing the same thing as Lissa.
" Thank you, Thank you all for coming tonight" I kissed both my hands before taking a bow.
" It is with great honor that i sing to you from my heart to the bottom of my toes and the tips of my nose merry christmas baby." Then I started to sing ' Merry Christmas Baby' the camera shook as my father who was holding the camera laughed at my "moves", during the second verse lissa stood up and joined me. We turned to look at each other before singing louder. Then Mason and eddie joined in. And soon enough so did everyone else. When we finished we took a bow. Then the camera turned sideways before turning off. It was silent for a second before lissa ran to me and tackled me into a hug. When I could breath again I gave mason and Eddie theirs. Mason received a fake Rose ( his favorite flower) in a glass vase . Engraved in the vase was a message When this Rose dies, so will our brother/sister bond love Rose. Eddie had the same thing except his was a fake Lilly. They both hugged me. Then I gave Christian his. It wasn't much. Just a wooden box full of torches and lighters. Engraved in the box was message. He laughed as he read it then read it out loud.
" To pyro : set as many things on fire as you want. With all of these you won't ever be in need of a lighter. Love, Rose " then he said " Awe Rosie poo poo... I love you too" I shot him the bird and grabbed the last present that was hidden behind the television. It was a shopping bag from a costume store. I handed it to Dimitri and he raised an eyebrow before digging in the big colorful bag. He pulled out the contents one by one. The first item was a big brown cow boys hat, the second was a play gun and sheriff star/badge. He laughed at that as he continued digging. Then he pulled out a leather black duster. A new, better looking duster if I might add. It was long and black but on the inside was red silk. I saw it one day when I was walking out of the mall and it reminded me of his old ugly duster. Ive been saving it ever since. When he unfolded it a picture frame fell into his lap. He slowly picked it up and gasped. It was a picture of his family. It was just taken a couple of days ago. He looked at me.
" How— How did you get this?" I tucked my legs under my butt and fiddled with my necklaces.
" I emailed your sister Viktoria and asked her for an updated picture of the family. She quickly replied back with an ok. And when we went to the mall to take pictures I slipped the printed picture to Raymond to develop it." he smiled at me. Not a small smile, or even a half smile. A full blown all teeth grin. My heart fluttered and I Couldn't help but smile back. Then he reached behind him and handed me a tiny satin black bag. I took it and removed the red ribbon that enclosed it. Then I pour the contents into my hand. It was only a tube. I tiny but long tube of lip gloss. My favorite coconut almond lip gloss. I remember complaining to him all last month about how I was running low and couldn't find a single store the sold the lip gloss. I thought he hadn't been listening but apparently I was wrong.
For some strange reason I felt the need to jump into his arms and kiss him all over. But I didn't. It would wrong. A small smile graced my lips as I continued to look at the small tube. Before I could say thank you I heard something coming from the chimney. I quickly stood and walked over to it. I heard it again. Dimitri suddenly moved me out of the way and stood in front of me. Someone was coming down. I looked at pyro and he nodded before opening his box and pulling out a red lighter. Then he walked to it but before he could light the wood the person fell on Christians hand.
As the ashes cleared the stranger coughed and I gasped.
" Alberta?"