Heartstrings

(4) Mitchell

Mitchell

He taps on the horn one more time, glancing over the Parr's front door. Karen was doing the same thing in the last ten minutes when Kelly told them she'll be down in a minute.

"Maybe she needs a little more time, sweetie." She meets his eyes through the rear-view mirror.

He glanced down to his watch and stared at the front door. He sighed when it opened. Finally.

Kelly came out in tight jeans and buttoned blouse underneath a beige coat. She closes the door behind her, running her fingers through her perfectly curled red hair as if it wasn't perfect enough. She walked down the path in her five inch heeled boots.

Jesus.

She's looked gorgeous, all right. But those boots are ridiculous.

Kelly cautiously walked around the car, sliding into the passenger side. Her perfume wafted in.

He stiffened.

Vanilla.

It was still Vanilla.

"I'm sorry, mom. I had to curl my hair." She bunched her hair over her right shoulder.

"It's okay. It looks nice. Looks a little different though."

"Oh. I, um, enhanced it."

"You didn't like it?" Karen self-consciously combed her own red hair that looked a lot like Kelly's before.

Kelly shakes her head, her green eyes flicking to him then looking over her shoulder. "I liked it. I just thought I looked better with this."

Her mother managed smile. "You do look great."

Mitchell clears his throat and turns on the engine.

Kelly shifted in her seat. "So, where's our first stop?"

The question distracted her mother from the conversation. Her face lit up.

Mitchell eases the car onto the road. He had his eyes on the road. But in his peripheral vision, he watches her looking out the window, a small smile on her face as they pass the snow blanketed neighborhoods that stayed the same.

For some reason, he drove a tad slower while she stared out the window with a full smile now. An hour later, he towed behind them, idly pushing the brimming shopping cart.

"What do you think of these ornaments, Kelly?" Karen held out colorful Christmas balls and little elves.

Kelly turned away from the White gold Christmas balls and white tipped pine cones. "I think, um," she hesitated.

"Oh. Why don't we call your twin? I'm sure she'll know what's best." Karen dug for her phone and called Annie. She used to do all the holiday shopping with her. This was Kelly's turn. And she's understandably new to it.

However, Mitchell knew she would've suggested the pine cones. It was strange how the city girl "Kelly Parr" whom he assumed would have grown out of her self-uncertainty still fears to speak her mind.

Karen has put Annie on speaker. And let her stay on the other line while they browse for Christmas decors. Kelly lingered on the wooden ornaments and white ribbons.

Not a single ornament she touched made it to the shopping cart.

"Annie thinks colorful Christmas lights are better." Her mother calls out to her.

Kelly nods. "Yes. I agree." She smiles, her fingers going over the tips of her hair and fiddled with it.

The gesture was a telling one.

She's lying.

Mitchell had known her too well to be sure about it. However long she could plaster on the smile, he can always tell.

By the time they were on their way home, Karen was still on the phone with Annie, asking whether to use their old tree toppers or buy a new one. Kelly was nibbling on a gingerbread they got from the store, her earphones plugged in.

There was a nudge on his arm.

He turned to Kelly.

She was offering him some of the gingerbreads. Her cheeks were bulging like a chipmunk's and she had crumbs on the side of her mouth and the front of her coat.

God, the woman is fucking adorable.

He took one gingerbread, his other hand firm on stirring wheel.

Kelly turns back to the car window, shoving gingerbreads to her mouth like it wasn't full. Like she does with all holiday treats.

He felt an ache in his gut. He was seeing his Kelly from three years ago.

Beforeshe broke up with him.