Book Two: Adaptation

•32•

•Abel•

Christmas Eve
11:45 PM

In the living room with Nava, we sit in front of a lit fire eating chocolate chip cookies while she teaches me how to wrap my gift.

"Damnit, how do you do this" I complain on the verge of losing my patience which makes Nava laugh at me as she reaches for my box.

"No, babe, you have to place the box here so you can bring the paper over" she shows me again and I roll my eyes reaching for the last Christmas cookie instead.

"I'm telling you, this is what professional gift wrappers are for" I grumble as I lean back against the couch taking a big bite.

Taping one side, she turns the box to tape the other. "That's not the Christmas spirit. Your gifts should be wrapped and signed by you personally"

"No one cares about the wrapping paper. It's just gonna get torn off"

"Do you not want to spend time with me?" She pauses with a pout.

"Of course, I do, Angel, but-"

"Then during this time of year, in this family, we spend time together by wrapping our gifts"

This makes a smile pull at the corner of my mouth, "Is this another new tradition for us?"

"Yes," she smiles finishing my box to give it back. "Now keep practicing"

Taking the box, I look at it as I take another bite of my cookie. "This was my last one, are you done?"

Taking a look around. She nods her head. "Yep, that's everything. Wanna put them under the tree?" She gets to her feet.

Finished with my cookie, I stand to mine too, "let's do it, it's almost midnight"

"I know and I was thinking of something"

"What's that?" I ask picking up my last four boxes.

"Well I was thinking we should give each other one of our presents"

"You managed to get me a gift without leaving the house?" I chuckle making her stick her tongue out at me.

"Online shopping exists and Nic is a great helper" she walks up to our tree that's full of everyone else's presents. "So yay or nay?" She bends down to fit the gifts around the others.

My gifts sat down beside her, I look outside seeing it's starting to snow, "Sure, Angel. It's whatever you want"

"Can't always be what I want"

"Why not?" I peer down at her.

"Because that's unrealistic" she finishes up before grabbing a large random box to then go sit on the couch.

"If I can give it, you'll always get what you want" I shrug squatting down trying to remember which wrapper my present for Nava is wrapped in since I didn't wrap it.

Picking one up, I read her name and hope this is the right one as I sit next to her. Looking at my watch I see it's eleven-fifty.

"Okay, who first?"

"You" she giggles offering me her gift and I accept it with a slight smile.

Quickly tearing the paper off, I gasp when I see what it is.