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As Christmas quickly approaches, our house seems to have eaten an array of decorations. Wrapping paper, bows, ribbon, and more, scattered around the house. Most of this is due to Audrey, since she procrastinated on wrapping her presents. I, on the other hand, love to cover the gifts in cute paper and labels.
Dare I say it's one of my favorite parts of gift-giving, next to the joy they bring of course. I love to glam-ify the presents and if I can help it, I tailor each one to make it special for the recipient. Which is exactly why I offered to handle the wrapping this year but Audrey insisted she do it herself. I understand, she wants it to be personal.
I even promised that I wouldn't look at whatever gift she brought me, reassuring her that I just wanted to help. Still, she declined my offer and I respected it. However, when I find her sitting on the floor in the living room with only the dim light from a lamp to illuminate her way, I can't help but giggle.
"What are you doing to that poor wrapping paper?" I grimace jokingly and she huffs, "I'm trying my best!" she complains. I manage to hold in my laughs after taking a deep breath and proceed to offer my help. "You don't think I can do it?" She challenges, "baby, you can do anything you put your mind to, I believe so wholeheartedly. I just want to make sure you're not taking this too seriously, it's ok" I assure her.
"Easy for you to say, you're like the wrapping goddess" she scoffs, "ok, firstly, I'm not that good. Second, it took me years to be able to even cut the paper right so I'm not sure I'm the one to praise" I chuckle. "Then I'll learn! Leave me be" she mumbles distractedly, "no. It's 2 am and you're coming to bed" I counter. She goes to protest but sees my face and pouts.
I tell her to leave the things for in the morning and I turn the light off, leading her up the stairs.
a few days later...
Turns out I had a few more presents to wrap, so I decided to just get them out the way. I grabbed the boxes, paper, scissors, and tape, setting them on the dining room table. "Oh... I thought you were all done" the blonde comments as she passes me and enters the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. "Me too, but I've only got three more" I answer and she hums, sitting in front of me.
"Is it ok if I watch?" She asks with a hopeful tone, "always" I smirk and she rolls her eyes at my dirty mind. I get through the first one rather quickly as I zone out to the soft music playing in the background. As I'm halfway through the second one, I glance up to see Audrey staring at my hands working. "You getting ideas?" I tease and her eyes dart to my face before she smacks her tongue.
"I was trying to see how you do that so well. I wanted to maybe try on the last one you have... if that's ok?" She asks shyly and I nod encouragingly, sliding the materials over to her so she can start. I place the last bit of tape and she's just started cutting after measuring what she deems an appropriate amount of paper for the box.
I smile at her as she looks so concentrated on the task. I set aside my finished one and head into the kitchen to grab a drink, slightly peeking over her shoulder every once in a while. I assume she's finished when she glances over to me and beckons me closer. "Does it look good?" she asks and it takes me a second to compose myself, "mhm" I reply.
"Really??" She asks with a lift to her voice and I'd hate to kill her joy but I can't exactly let her think she's doing a phenomenal job; she'd kill me if someone else had to tell her. "No... BUT you get an 'A' for effort, darling" I try to let her down easy but it seems I've misstepped. "I don't want your pity. You lied!" She grumbles with an accusatory tone, "I was trying to be nice, baby. You're... getting there" I reassure her but she's not having it.
She stomps off and I give her a minute to cool down. I gather the things and put them away, chuckling to myself as I stare at her present I rested under the tree. That woman can do many things... but wrap a present? Well, it seems she's met her match there.
the night(mare) before Christmas...
I packed the gifts in the car for when we drove to her parents' tomorrow and as I come back in, I catch her leant over the coffee table in the living room. "Umm, baby? What are you doing?" I ask amused as I see the roll of wrapping paper strewn carelessly beside her kneeling form. "How is it? I've been practicing" she says, holding it up for me to see.
"Practicing..." I repeat, "mhm" she smiles and I bite my lip. "On ambiguous blobs?" I joke, "ugh! You're so mean" she pouts as she places the poorly wrapped (but improved) gift down. "Well, hey, on the bright side..." I say, kneeling down beside her and pulling her in my arms, "you aced in terms of secrecy. No one will have a clue what you bought them" I giggle and she groans as she leans into me.
"It's alright, love. I don't think anyone cares much how the gift is wrapped. In fact, I've heard that presents wrapped in a silly way are better received" I tell her, "you're just saying that to make me feel better" she mumbles. "No, no, I promise. But if it really means this much to you, I'll talk you through it, ok?" I offer and she perks up at that.
Even if I didn't wish to do this for her, those doe eyes could convince me of anything. So I sit across from her, showing her how to measure the paper out. Her main issue was that she was only taping at the end, all at once, instead of going in sections. Once she got that down, it was just a matter of preference and putting her little touch on it.
We may have been a little off schedule due to this impromptu lesson in wrapping, but seeing that big smile on her face was so worth it. "Wait... you kept that one I wrapped a few days ago?" Her gaze is pointed under our tree, "yeah... of course" I answer as I open the front door for her. "But it's terrible" she scoffs, "but you did it. That's what matters to me" I reply and she pouts cutely.
She hops over and places a passionate kiss on my lips, her way of saying 'thank you' I presume. "And also... that's your gift" I joke and she playfully nudges me on her way out the door as I giggle, locking it behind us.
