Get Ready to Run

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

I had been feeling rather sick to my stomach ever since Aiden gave me that napkin the other night. I didn't want to risk having to face him back at the Diner so I asked Margret if I could get a few days off. Being the lovely woman she is, she agreed.

I decided to take my few days to myself and do some shopping. In the five or so months that I've lived here, I have been to mall all but once. I knew I was in for a disaster considering there was only a week till Christmas. But even then, I decided to take Hailey with me. It feels like an eternity since me and her have had a day all to ourselves.

I've been so caught up with work and Aiden and Tyler that I've sort of neglected my baby sister. It kills me inside because in the past, I never really made friends or gotten involved with anyone or let anyone get involved with my life. It was always just me and her, taking on the world together. Well, more like running away from the world together.

Anyway, once we arrived at the mall, to the parking lot at least, which took us an hour just to find a space to park in, we finally began to scour the stores. I told her to look for some gifts for Rachel  and Hayden and Tyler. Since I've saved up my fair share of money, I told her to pick anything and everything, while I did the same.

"What about you? How am I going to get you a present without you knowing what it is?" She asked.

"Um, maybe tomorrow, I'll ask Hayden to come with us and she could take you around a few stores."

I remember when she was four and our dad, like he did every year, dressed up as Santa to bring the gifts and all that jazz. That year, for whatever reason, he had made so much noise that he woke up Hailey. When she came down stairs she found my dad arranging presents under the tree and when he turned around and saw her he had forgotten he was supposed to be Santa and she caught him right away. That little girl has been a smart cookie from the very beginning.

It broke all of our hearts when she found out that Santa wasn't really real. Well I mostly laughed because here was my four year old sister crying because some old fat guy wasn't the one who brought presents every year. I was fourteen at the time and I didn't care who brought presents as long as I got something. Sure I felt bad that she found out when she was only four but it made it so much easier for me to not have to keep that illusion alive now that our parents are gone. I mean come on, let's face it I wouldn't have made a good Santa Clause anyway.

We roamed the stores and bought a few things here and there. I had gotten Hayden a new pair of cranberry peep toe pumps, a low cut, white lace blouse, three pairs of earrings and a golden watch. Margret got Chanel perfume, a black leather purse and a few body lotion products. I already knew what I was getting Hails but that was coming in the mail so I didn't need to worry about that till Christmas, my only problem was buying Tyler something.

Have I mentioned before that the kid is loaded? He literally has everything, so what's something that I could get him?

I walked into this weird looking store that was filled with a bunch of random things that you know for a fact you don't need but buy anyway because they're so cool.

I kept scanning the isles and saw these cuff links that turned into lighters. They seemed pretty cool but Tyler never really dresses in suits so lighter turning cuff links didn't seem like such a good idea. I also kept seeing these note books with funny titles like "Shit I Need to Get Fucking Done" or "Bitches Imma Holla at", pretty funny stuff but a notebook was too simple and boring, so again no.

I ended up deciding to leave empty handed when it came to Ty and just come back tomorrow or later on in the week to look for something. Mean while I went back to the toy store Hailey wandered off too.