Frame of Hearts - l.s.

Chapter Four

The Winter Holidays approach, a restless Louis jumping around in his polka dot onesie excited for his what seemed to be never coming birthday. But here it is, three large presents one in each family members arms as they bring it to Louis standing in front of their Christmas tree.

He hugs mummy, daddy and Laika, ripping open the presents and shredding the holiday print. A new kitchen set, Louis sees, filled with over 100+ plastic food and drink. He's definitely taking this one to the tree house. There's something along the lines of Thomas the Tank Engine, the box containing train pieces and trains which are battery controlled. Louis thanks his parents for such marvelous gifts. His parents smile; these gifts cost no more than twenty dollars. Louis is always pleased with any thing on his birthday.

Laika is next, giving Louis the big box as he takes off the lid, another box inside it. He picks it up and glares at it. You gotta keep finding the present, Lou, Laika says to him. Louis opens the lid again and reveals yet another box.

He opens five boxes before the actual present is revealed. It's a new Barbie doll, Rapunzel - Louis is sure of it. He loves it too much already, jumping up and hugging his sister close for the worthy present. His mum's in the kitchen now making a hot breakfast of pancakes and syrup for him, Laika and Harry; who's coming around in a bit for Louis' benefit.

Harry comes about, knocking at the door with Anne. Louis answers, hugging Harry as he shouts Happy ninth Birthday Lou Lou! handing him the birthday card and-- that's it. Anne walks in a kisses Jay on the cheek, Dan the same. Harry walks in with Louis into the lounge room to inspect all the things he got for his birthday.

Harry's happy, joining Louis at the train set and starting to fit pieces together. Batteries come about and soon, the trains start moving along the track. Louis loves it.

They're called to breakfast, eating fast before Louis asks his mum about heading to the tree house for the rest of the day. He wants to take that mini stove to their abode, but Louis would be breaking the secret location rule. He decides that maybe when he can, he'll trolley it to the spot and somehow lift it up those six metre high stairs.

Both run off in their boots, coat and gloves - the snowfall rather unpredictable in this season - and go to the tree house. They run up the stairs, forgetting entirely about rule number four. They enter without food, none of them caring about the breakage of their commandments. Louis sighs in their tree house. It's truly spectacular.

It seems as if the months that have passed by have been told as a story in their little house. The lanterns, the first time Louis slept over Harry's - for that short time. The drawings on the wall, the scribbles being Harry's small doodles and Louis' magnificent pieces of art, as Harry would say. That was the day Louis finally declared Harry as his bestest best friend. Of course, when Louis said this Niall and Stan, they were the least impressed.

"So... um," Harry mutters suddenly. Louis beams with joy, Harry rocking back and forth on the ball of his foot and heel with hands behind his back. "I have a present for you."

"You do?" Louis asks, Harry nodding vigorously as Louis jumps with a happy clap. "Show me! Show me!"

Harry does, pulling out something stuck in his pocket. Louis looks at it in the palm of Harry's hand, smiling brightly as he stares at the glassy eyes of Harry's.

"For me?"

"Yes, Lou Lou," Harry takes his wrist, slipping on the little bracelet of blue, green and white, Louis name - or Lou Lou - printed on the beads which are in between the coloured ones. "I made this for you. I've got one myself and I made it for us to wear forever!"