Finally Soulmates

Part 16

Christmas Eve:

Tara was waiting for a response from whoever would dare contact her, which seemed to be nobody. Just to think that last week she was kissed for the first time, it was a surprise to her. She couldn't forget it, but she couldn't remember it either. James did visit often afterwards but today he said he was busy, and nobody else would dare contact her except Lindsey who was most likely on a date with Kelson.

She sat on the couch staring at a blank wall, there was no Christmas tree. Tara seemed to have just realized this and responded to this by walking around screaming Tasha's name. There was no answer. Instead she resorted to her mother.

"Mom!" Tara called out. Tara didn't hear her mother trudge out of her bedroom.

"Yeah?" Her mom spoke with morning voice.

"Why don't we have a Christmas tree?" Tara asked.

"We haven't had one since you left." Mom answered.

"Well, let's break that and get one," Tara was really antsy and ready to go.

"You mean you want me to go with you? You never want to spend time with me." Mom was surprised.

"We can talk out our feelings too, just... let's not make it too much of a chick-flick moment." Tara requested.

"Honey, you live in a chick-flick world." Mom laughed, "Let me go get ready." Tara couldn't resist smiling. This was what she wanted, a nice, happy, carefree day dedicated to just the fun of things. Tara missed these days. Tomorrow would be fun if it were more like this. Yet, within minutes her mom walked back into the room, ready to go, but also ready to buy breakfast. She wouldn't allow Tara to protest.

After a small breakfast from Belle's and a nice apology to Belle herself for Tara's bad attitude, they headed to the tree shops. Truth be told, Tara missed the old waitress. It was nice to know there was still a friendship waiting for her there. Tara reminisced back on the good times she had there as her mom drove to the first tree shop. When they were there, Tara began to talk to her mom about how she really felt and finally opened up to her mom. Her mom returned with how she felt and that she forgave Tara for her mistakes. Finally things started to turn out right in the world of Tara's mind.

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"Tasha! Did you put up the lights yet?" Scott yelled from across the closed pavilion. Tasha looked up from being wrapped like a mummy in the lights.

"Nope!" She yelled back. Scott looked at her and sighed exasperatedly with a smile. He walked over to her and helped her untangle the spaghetti like clump of lights. Tasha climbed up the ladder while Scott held it so that she wouldn't fall. She strung up the lights carefully and then climbed down the ladder.

"James, do you still need the ladder?" Scott yelled to him. James nodded before continuing what he was doing before.

"Lindsey, the ladder is available for you to hang up the stars and snowflakes." James ordered. "Kelson, could you start setting up the speakers?"

They were all working slowly on the party that they were building for Tara, nobody noticed phones ringing or anything.

"Tara will enjoy this." James smiled a little bit.

"I hope so," Benny said from behind James who was startled by that.

"Benny, don't jumpscare me." James turned around.

"I brought the tables and my laptop." Benny beckoned to some of his helpers.

"Not many people are coming." James clarified.

"Not unless we invite a few more friends which I did," Benny smiled.

"Did you invite the agent?" James glared with a cold stare.

"You don't know?" Benny shifted his weight to his right leg and crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows.

"Know what?" James asked.

"I sent her away and got a new one, he's actually pretty amazing, so of course I invited him." Benny explained.

"Why'd you send her away? I thought you liked her." James stated.

"Nope, it would have never worked out, I'm too playful and immature and she's too much of a busy bee."

"What's going on? You're not your normal self." James pointed out.

"I miss you and Scott and Kelson, you've been off with your girls and it's just not fun without you guys. I wrote this super amazing cheesy song and you weren't there to make fun of it. I wish it was just us sometimes." Benny explained.

"Don't you have your own girl?" James asked as he looked at his checklist. That hit home, Benny wasn't prepared for that.

"Dude, I thought you knew." Benny said before walking away sadly.

"Knew what?" James asked, but it was too late. "Benny!" He yelled as he ran after him.

"I never had a girl! My little watch thing broke at three seconds when I watched my special someone get hit by a car." Benny looked away from James.

"So she ran across the road?" James asked.

"Not she, he. He ran across the road and got run over by a freaking minivan. You'd think moms knew how to drive." Benny snorted.

"Y-You're-" James started.

"And what of it?" Benny snapped.

"Just the way you act around ladies." James shook his head and started laughing, "I assume too much. You, buddy, are full of surprises."

"I bet he would have loved my sense of humor." Benny started to laugh too.

"Tell you what, bring the agent, I bet he'll enjoy, we'll do a live show and you can sing your cheesy song. I will not protest because this isn't professional, and I promise I'll spend more time with you. I'll talk to the guys about that too." James smiled.

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Tara and her mom got home and decorated the tree and about dinner time, everything was just right. Tara was focused on now rather than then. Then she heard Tasha enter the front door.

"About time," Tara snorted.

"Hey! You had things to do and so did I!" Tasha protested.

"Like what?" Tara asked sarcastically.

"Like something you need to come see, come on!" Tasha grabbed Tara's arm and together they went Christmas shopping to buy time, and then wrapped presents and then to the Christmas party James planned. It wasn't packed but it wasn't open. There was just the right amount of people. With a smile, Tara hugged Tasha.

"Thank you." She smiled.