Chapter Fifty Nine – Just For You

After spending a few hours together watching Christmas movies with everyone Ben and Olivia pulled away from the others. Unlike Ben's parents and Clarissa and her husband, Ben and Olivia hadn't had any time alone. Their own gifts were still unexchanged. Olivia was more uncomfortable sharing something so personal when Ben's family was around than Ben was, but even he would rather have some alone time for that. Well, perhaps not alone, but at least somewhere where other eyes weren't constantly watching them. They'd decided their best way to get that was to take Suvi for a walk. Taking Suvi out was a necessity so nobody would question it. The only part they could question was Ben going with Olivia, but he could easily claim that Olivia didn't know the area.

They walked together in a comfortable silence for most of their walk, hands wound loosely together. With how cold it was outside though they couldn't linger forever. After a good long walk there was no choice but to return to the house. Once they did Olivia still wasn't ready to give up her alone time with Ben. Being of the same opinion, Ben was more than happy to use their entrance through the front door to their advantage. They could sit on the steps inside and enjoy a little more time together. It was probably the best time to give Olivia her Christmas present too.

"I'll be right back, okay? I have something for you."

Olivia looked up at Ben curiously as he turned and scampered up the steps they were both sitting on. It didn't take him very long to return with a wrapped box about the size of a sheet of paper, though much thicker. He handed the box over to her.

"Merry Christmas."

"Ben…"

"Just open it."

He didn't want to hear any of the excuses that she could come up with. She just needed to open her present. Thankfully she didn't argue with him and began slowly tearing off the wrapping paper. It didn't take her long to realize what the box was even though it was still half covered with snowman paper.

"Milkbones?"

Suvi's head popped up and he looked at her eagerly. He knew that word and what it meant. Now he better actually get one.

"Think of it like Cracker Jacks. Or those kids' cereals."

A closer look at the top of the box revealed that there could very well be a "prize" inside. The flap was only taped closed. She glanced at him briefly before sliding her finger under the flap and breaking the tape. Nothing immediately stood out so she started slowly digging through the treats. Suvi heard the rustling but didn't see anything coming out of it. There was no way he was going to let her jip him a milkbone. Dropping his head onto her knee he turned on his trademark big brown eyes with maximum level pleading. Olivia almost laughed at him. He was not going to be ignored, so she pulled out a bone and handed it to him. With Suvi satisfied she went back to trying to find her prize. Thankfully it only took a few more shifted bones to spot the corner of another box. She pulled it out slowly. The small jewelry box easily fit in the palm of her hand, and all she could do was stare at the lid.

"Open it," Ben encouraged gently.

Tentatively Olivia popped the lid revealing a thin gold necklace with three interlocking rings as a centerpiece. It was simple but also elegant. Very gently she fingered the three rings, almost afraid that if she touched them too hard they would vanish.

"It's beautiful."

"I thought it fit the three of us well."

"It does."

Suvi really had brought the two of them together just like the middle ring on the necklace.

"Technically since that was in his box I could put this around his neck, but I think it would look better around yours. May I?"

A small, almost shy smile slid across Olivia's face, and she handed the box to him. While he removed the new necklace from its box Olivia unclipped her old one. As she held her hair back Ben draped her gift over her head and clipped it around her neck. After dropping her hair back into place Olivia touched the necklace.

"Thank you."

"It looks good."

"I have something for you too," she told him as she reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out his present. Or rather presents.

"It's really three things, but they're all small."

She handed him the first one, a small, flat, rectangular package, and watched him open it. A smile spread across Ben's face as he looked down at the framed picture of the two of them.

"How did you know I needed one of these?"

"I didn't see one on your desk at work and thought you might want one."

"You thought right. Thank you."

The picture meant more than she even realized. With a picture of her on his desk she would openly be his girlfriend. She would have considered that when she decided to give him the photo which meant she was comfortable enough with their relationship to make it more public. For as much as a photo on a desk could be public at least.

"Here are the other two."

Again the gifts were thin though one was square while the other was small and rectangular.

"Which do I open first?"

"The bigger one."

Ben nodded and began peeling the paper off to reveal a homemade CD. There wasn't anything written on it, so he had no idea what it was. He wagged it lightly.

"Are you going to give me a hint about what's on this or do I have to find out myself?"

"It's all of the songs you've sent to me. Our songs."

"Really?"

She nodded.

"I know a CD isn't really technologically advanced or anything…"

"Liv, this is awesome."

"The last present is so you can keep adding to it."

Ben suspected he knew what was in the last box, and when he opened it his suspicions were confirmed. An itunes gift card.

"Nice. Thank you, Olivia."

He leaned over to give her a warm hug which she happily returned. When she pulled away her usual shy look was back on her face and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"There's one more thing…"

"I thought you said this was the last present," Ben said in surprise.

"It was. This is really part of your second present."

Ben glanced down at the CD briefly as Olivia continued.

"I'm not as musically inclined as you are so it probably took me a lot longer to find the right one than it would for you, but the last song on there is my message to you."

"A song for me?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

"Do I get to listen to it now?"

"I guess. As long as you have somewhere to play it."

"Easy enough."

He stood and headed off down the hall toward a CD player. When he was about halfway Olivia finally realized where he was going. He was heading toward the living room where Christmas music was playing from the stereo and everyone was sitting. Panicked, Olivia shot to her feet and ran after him. She grabbed at his arm and dragged him to a stop in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed, oblivious to the fact that their loud and dramatic return had drawn attention.

Looking at her like she was being stupid, Ben answered, "Going to play your song."

He made to take another step forward, but Olivia tightened her grip and pulled him to a stop again.

"In here?"

"Yes. This isn't my apartment so there aren't exactly a lot of options for playing it." He turned toward his family and spoke before Olivia could stop him. "Do you guys mind if I turn the Christmas music off for a second so I can listen to my present? It's just one song."

Olivia kept trying to get him to stop, insisting that it wasn't that important, the song wasn't that good, he could wait, PLEASE, but Ben didn't listen. When Ben's family agreed to let him use the stereo there was nothing Olivia could do. She retreated and bowed her head so she wouldn't have to face Ben's family as the music played. All she wanted to do was melt into the wall and disappear. This was exactly why they'd waited to exchange gifts, so they could have personal time and be alone, only they weren't alone now.

As the first notes of Daughtry's "Life After You" spilled out of the speakers Ben came over to sit next to her at the table. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't be distracted and simply listened. Olivia could feel eyes on her and knew at least part of Ben's family was watching her so she kept her eyes down even though part of her wanted to watch Ben's face. It would be the only way she could read him. When the final "I know there's no life after you" faded away Ben used the remote to turn the stereo back to Christmas music. With the song over he could turn his full attention to Olivia. He watched her, almost evaluated her. She'd said it had taken her a long time to choose the song which meant she'd had a reason for picking it. This song wasn't at all random. It could easily be her way of apologizing for her own stubbornness toward their relationship. He wanted to think it was her way of saying she didn't want to lose him either. It would certainly make sense, but he could easily be overthinking it and letting his own desires color his hopes.

He was studying her so closely and for so long that Olivia was beginning to feel incredibly uncomfortable. She didn't know what he was thinking so she rushed to explain.

"I know it isn't perfect. The meaning's right, but the gender isn't."

Ben's smile started small but quickly grew to cover his entire face. So he had been right about what the song meant. She was absolutely adorable too. Here she thought his silence was because he didn't think the song was good enough. She apparently felt the need to justify herself, but it wasn't necessary. He hadn't thought anything of the gender difference. It had been nice to hear that he'd been right about her meaning though.

"I don't mind pretending to be the girlfriend for a little while."

"Ben would make an awesome girl," Ryan taunted as he leaned over the back of the couch.

"I would still kick your butt in basketball," Ben threw back.

He turned toward Olivia and cupped her cheek, forcing her to focus on him and not on Ryan.

"Thank you. It's beautiful and perfect despite what you think."

He leaned in to kiss her, but she shifted her head aside so he could only kiss her cheek and not her lips. As much as she wanted a real kiss from him there were still eyes on them, especially on her. Ben kissed her cheek without argument but once the kiss ended he immediately pulled her away.

"Come on," he whispered.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere out of sight for a second."

That was all Olivia needed to hear to follow him willingly around the corner. Once they were out of any direct line of vision from his family Ben leaned in to kiss her again. Olivia was more than willing to accept the kiss this time and let it deepen and linger. Even after they parted from their kiss she stayed pressed against him.

"I want to keep laughing with you too," he told her.

He wanted to add in "forever" but figured that would be going too far even with the meaning of the song. Really though he didn't need to say it. Olivia probably already knew he felt that way. Saying it wasn't necessary.