Symbol☀️Mike Nesmith

Chapter Nine

I consider myself to be a thoughtful person. Whether that means considering someone's thoughts over an action before I take it, or collecting small things that they may like over the year.

This makes things much easier for christmas shopping- when you've been shopping throughout the year instead of in December you beat the christmas rush to buy presents, and there isn't any stressing out over if you have the perfect thing or not, or not being able to find it.

Yet I still find myself in a mall, getting pushed around the shopping center the day before christmas just because I was wrapping gifts and I realized that I didn't have one for Mike

This is absolutely ridiculous.

I had skipped class to go during the day, which was when it was supposed to be less crowded- yet I can't even hear myself think. I walk past a few stores, having to push through crows of people. I don't come to the mall often and I honestly have no clue as to where I'm going.

Soon enough I find a small clothing store, and I enter in hopes of finding Mike something.

I'm not exactly skilled in men's wear but what I do find in the shop simply doesn't work. A sweater for Mike? Never would he wear that. A flannel? I'm sure he'd rather pick his own. A leather jacket? Maybe, but he already has too many of those. I browse the store for a bit longer but don't find anything that sticks out to me tremendously, so I leave.

I find myself in the book store, but Mike just doesn't seem like the book kind of person, I do however, find a few good books for myself.

The time that I took in the bookstore was... admittedly a bit too much, and it was already dark when I decided to walk home from the mall.

It was cold in Texas, no, chilly would be the better word. A cold day in Texas is the equivalent to hell freezing over. I pull my jacket- Mike's jacket, closer to my chest and quicken my pace.

I'm exiting the shopping district when I spot it. It's a cherry red with twelve strings and the word Gretsch printed across the pick guard. I don't have time to think before I'm in the store, just before it closed.

That's something I've noticed lately, Mike tends to make me leap before I look, whether present himself or otherwise.

A gruff looking man looks up from the cash register that he had stated to lock up.

"Can I help ya', doll face?" A blush spreads to my cheeks and he smirks in amusement. I point to the guitar that was displayed proudly on the window.

"I'll uh- I'll take it."

"You sure, Doll?" He tilts his head to the side in examination. "Don't you want something a little more... well, little." I shake my head hesitantly.

"It's uh... it's a gift." He nods his head in understanding.

"Yer boyfriend?" I laugh at the thought of this, but I can still feel my cheeks heat up. Do I want Mike to be my boyfriend?

"Uh, no, boyfriends... brother." I nod my head at the lie. I was worried he would see through it, but he had no reason to. He moves from the cash register and pulls the guitar from the display, and carefully sets it into a velvet lined case.

"This is one of our more expensive models-"

"Money isn't an issue." He nods his head and grabs some picks and what look to be strings from another shelf on his way to the register. He rings me up, and hands me the guitar, something I have an issue carrying.

I end up half-dragging it home, somehow managing to not scratch up the casing for it. I really hope that it would be easier for Mike to carry, but seeing as I can barely lift anything, I don't think it will be an issue.

I unlock the door (I actually remembered my keys this time) and bring the guitar into the house, and out of the chilly air. I unwrap my scarf from around my neck and hang it up with my pea coat.

I exhale and step over the guitar on my way to the kitchen. I put on some tea and make my way back to the foyer, dragging the guitar to the living room, where my other Christmas presents lay out.

I set the guitar down and make my way to the record player, putting on the Elvis Christmas record that I had picked up a few days in advance- much to Matthews disdain. He preferred to listen to classical music, Buddy Holly being a rare exception.

It's around this point that the kettle starts to whistle, so I rush back to the kitchen and pour my water over a tea bag. I take my tea back to the living room and start to wrap the gifts.

Tyler's is a new Everly Brothers record, wrapped neatly in newspaper and a new camera lens (which was left in its box with no wrapping in fear that I would accidentally break it)

I got Matthew some simple ties, as that was all that he wanted- I do however, suspect that he'll be getting a lot of ties this year.

I sent my sister some canvas and oil paints, hoping that I got the London address right.

But Mike deserved the most exquisite gift, after all he had done for me. He really hadn't done very much in retrospect, but he has made me happy. The first in a long time.