Love You Long Time (Duncan Keith)

16| One Good Reason

Alyssa

I finally get much needed Christmas shopping done and food prepared and decorations up around my apartment. Keeping Mogali out of everything was a challenge in itself but I got her her own Christmas tree she can attack and she left the big one alone. But by the time I was done with Christmas things it was already Christmas Eve and Michael was about to leave to go home to his family for a few days. So we decide to spend our Christmas Eve together then I would send him off at the airport later on tonight.

So today we were just going to hang out at his place and exchange gifts and enjoy a nice dinner.

"Here. Open your present" he insists as he sets a box in my lap and I laugh.

"It's like 3 in the afternoon" I tell him. Usually you open presents first thing in the morning or before dinner. Not in the middle of the day.

"I know. But I really want you to open it" he insist. He had the biggest smile on his face like he was so proud of his gift and that made me happy too.

"Okay then" I smile.

I can tell he had someone gift wrap it, no way he did this. But I take off the silver ribbon and shiny blue wrapping paper before tossing it to the side. I open up the box and see a beautiful pair of earrings sitting inside. They're big and pretty but nothing like anything I would ever ask for Christmas. Anything that I would ask for at all.

"Oh wow" I gasp. "These are so pretty" I admit.

"They cost $10,000" he tells me and I choke on the air I was breathing. Why in the world would he tell me that?

"What!? Why would you spend that much on me" I ask.

"Because I love you" he claims.

"You can't put a price on love" I tell him.

"I'm not doing that. I'm showing you how much I love you" he claims.

"You can do that in so many ways. You can show me that you love me without spending any money at all. Let alone 10 grand" I claim.

"Do you not like them" he asks.

"No! I think they're very beautiful. I've never had anything like them. But where will I even wear these" I ask.

"Well you can wear them to dinner tonight" he insists. "You're going to make them look even better."

I look back to the earrings and swalllow hard.

"Thank you for this Michael. They're truly incredible" I insist and he just smiles at me.

"Anything for you baby."

I look in the mirror as I wear a long red dress and a pair of black heels. I put in the large earrings and move my hair back so I could see them. I stare at them in the mirror and they practically stare back at me.

They were pretty, there was no denying it. He had some good taste in jewelry. But what did the earrings mean? Is he showing me that he can take good care of me? Did he get me these to prove that he's willing to spend money to try and make me happy? Or did he get these simply because he can?

I could ask him why he got them but I don't want him to think I think he's not sincere. I know he is. But I sincerely do think that these earring are worth a lot but mean nothing.

I walk out of my room and grab my clutch. I drive over to a nice restaurant on the lake and find Michael in the back. He pulls a seat out for me and I smile at him. I sit down and he sits across from me. He grabs us a drink and I sip on whatever wine it was he had picked out, it tasted delicious.

"Those earrings look amazing on you" he insists.

"Thanks" I smile. "But can I ask you a question" I wonder cautiously.

"Of course" he insists.

"Why did you get me these" I ask.

"What" he questions.

"You know, why did you get me these? Why these earrings" I wonder.

"Well it's because you're pretty and they're pretty. They reminded me of how beautiful you are" he claims. That's not what I wanted to hear.

"There's a lot of pretty earrings out there. And I don't usually wear earrings, so what made you get these" I wonder.

"Why is this so important to you" he questions.

"I just want to know you're not buying me these things so I will love you more or that you're spending all this money without a good reason" I insist.

"Isn't love a good enough reason" he asks.

I think back to when I told Duncan that sometimes love isn't enough to keep people together. And I still believe that. You can love someone and not be with them. And you can be with someone and not truly love them too.

"Yeah" I smile and he nods.

We order our food and enjoy a good conversation. It was about time that he had to go and I wasn't as sad as I should be. I needed some time away from him to think some things over.

So I drop him off at the airport and go as far as they would let me. He pulls me into a deep kiss and I close my eyes. I could feel how much he loved me. And I loved him too, but never as much as he loved me. He holds my face and I look up into his eyes.

"Oh! I almost forgot to give you your Christmas present" I say.

I hand him a envelope and he smiles so big.

"You got us floor seats to the Bulls game" he gasps.

He was a huge bulls fan. He wanted to have a little boy just so we could name him Michael Jordan.

"Yup" I smile and he pulls me into a hug.

I was taken aback a little because he is usually anti pda, but he was pretty excited. I smile to myself as I hug him back. Maybe he was opening up a little and I just wasn't seeing it.

"I can't wait to do this with you. I already want to come back" he insists and I laugh.

"Well don't. Have fun with your family and tell everyone hi for me" I say.

"Of course" he says. He pulls me into one last kiss before we break apart.

"I'm going to miss you" he claims.

"Me too" I agree.

"I love you Alyssa, so much" he insists. 

"Love you too."