Twenty-Five>>>Shattuck, Oklahoma
After a night of Christmas music blasting from the speakers, a crowded family dinner, and introducing Harper to every single damn member of my family, I realize it was all worth it. It was all worth it because here I am now, lying on my bed in my old bedroom with Harper. It must have been five minutes since we first lay down, and we’ve barely said a word. We’re just enjoying each other’s company. And I don’t know about her, but I for one am enjoying my head perfectly resting against her chest. Finally, she speaks.
“Do you want to open the gift I got you?”
I look up at a bit. As long as it’s not another book…I smile. “Sure. Want to open mine?”
“You got me something?”
“Of course I did,” I tell her.
I think back to my trip to the mall where I picked up Harper’s Christmas gift. Isaac, my shopping partner at the time, literally had to wrestle me away from the see-through underwear set a Victoria’s Secret. “Taylor! Most girls don’t actually like getting lingerie from their boyfriends…” He told me.
I force myself to get up from my comfortable spot and go over to the closet, slowly opening it. “I really hope you like life size cardboard cut outs of me…” I mutter.
“You would give that wouldn’t you?” She raises an eyebrow.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I grab a wrapped box from the shelf in my closet and raise an eyebrow at her.
“Oh, nothing.”
“Uh huh. I think you’re implying I’m self-centered.” I meander back over to her and sit down.
“I wasn’t thinking self-centered at all.” I can tell by the twisting grin on her face that a sarcastic comment is coming. “More like…bigheaded.”
I let out a shocked gasp and glance at myself in the mirror. “I have the perfect shaped head!”
“Just like you have the perfect hands, right?” She smirks. Okay, so I admit it. In fact, I flaunt it- to anyone who will listen. I believe that I, Taylor Hanson, have the most perfect hands on earth. They’re perfect in size, not too feminine, but don’t resemble those of a troll like my father’s. They’re always soft and never clammy.
“Oh, you noticed have a perfect hands?” I question.
“Only every time you mention it.” She grins.
“I’ve mentioned that?” I ask innocently.
“Maybe a couple times.” Sometimes our fake, joking conversations can go on for forever. But she stops us and reaches out for the box in my hand, “Let me open!”
I grin and pull it away, holding it close to my body. “Someone is a bit eager!”
She sticks her bottom lip out and pretends to sulk, so I hand the box over with a smile and sit back nervously. I’ve mentioned I hate opening gifts, but I hate giving gifts just as much. Well, let me correct myself. If the person opens it and is truly delighted then I love it. It’s a great feeling. But as they’re ripping the paper off it’s a very anxious moment.
I watch as she tears right through one of the obnoxious, creepy looking Santa’s faces on the paper. She is definitely not a delicate opener like some girls are.
I couldn’t decide if I was going to do it or not- go for the jewelry. Not getting jewelry is a very powerful thing. What? You think we guys are oblivious? Hah! We can pick up on your subtle hints. When you comment on the nice jewelry as we browse through the mall, or you tell me your favorite shop is the little sterling silver shop on Peoria Avenue, I know what you’re implying.
But you see, not getting jewelry leaves girls wanting more. It makes me feel very powerful. Kind of sick I suppose.
But with Harper, there is no game playing. She is too special. Power is not important.
A smile splashes across her face as she removes the lid off the box. She lifts out the silver bracelet holds it close to her face to inspect it. She runs her finger over the carved hearts on it. “It’s beautiful,” She says, “And very sweet.”
Not only did I get jewelry, but I got a bracelet. Most guys don’t get a bracelet until the second gift. They usually start with earrings-which seem less romantic. But for Harper?
“Speaking of beautiful, read the inside of it,” I speak softly.
She turns it over and reads the inside of the bracelet. “Bellus.”
“It’s means beautiful in Latin. I’ve always thought Latin was a very romantic language…” I shrug, “And it says beautiful because…you are.” For some reason, I can feel my cheeks reddening. Suddenly I feel sort of stupid for being all sentimental with the gift giving. I wait for her reaction.
She leans over and presses her lips to mine. Then she kisses my forehead and slips it onto her wrist. “You’re wonderful.”
It’s rare for Harper to be sweet. She’s usually very witty and sarcastic- even sort of defensive. Sometimes late at night she’ll get all sleepy and sweet on me, but it’s quite rare. So for her to say I’m wonderful, without being intoxicated in exhaustion, is extremely pleasing. I grin and sit back, admiring my perfect choice for a gift.
“You are very proud of yourself, aren’t you?” She grins at me.
“A bit,” I concede, and we laugh.
She sets the gift bag she walked in with in my lap. “Go for it.”
I start to open the gift, looking back and forth from the bag and her.
“I didn’t know what to give a super star so…” I chuckle and look at her, “Super star eh?”
I pull a small envelope out of the bag and inspect it. Are you serious? Is this a gift certificate? Oh how thoughtful, Harper…
“Open it,” she encourages me.
I open the envelope and pull out a folded up map of Oklahoma. Now this is weird. “What is it?” I ask, confused.
She takes the map from me and gets up from the bed, holding the map against the wall. “C’mere.”
I climb down and go over to her, standing in front of the map. “I’m very confused.”
She grins, “You’re supposed to be. Close your eyes.”
I look at her suspiciously and close them, muttering, “Am I going to regret this…?”
I can hear her smiling even with her eyes closed. “Spin three times.”
“What is this?! Pin the tail on the donkey?” This girl is on crack- I swear.
“Essentially. Spin!”
I spin in my spot- three times. At this point, I would take a gift certificate.
“Now, walk towards the wall and put your finger out. And touch the map somewhere.” She waits for me, but I just stand there. “C’mon Tay!”
“Alright, alright. But I feel stupid doing this.” I walk towards the wall, careful not to hit something, holding my index finger out.
“You look stupid doing it too…” She smirks.
I reach out and touch a spot on the map. “Can I open my eyes now?”
“Yes. Open.”
I open and look at my finger smack dab on a small town in western Oklahoma called Shattuck. Harper wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. “Guess where we’re going baby?”
“Shattuck, Oklahoma?” I ask.
She laughs and kisses me again. The very affectionate Harper is surprising me.
“You and I have never been on a trip together. We’re going to take one. And we’re gonna stay at a hotel for one night, and I’m going to treat you to dinner…It’ll be fun.”
I grin at my creative girlfriend and wrap my arms around her waist, “Why, thank you! And why Shattuck, Oklahoma?”
“Why not? We can have fun no matter where we go…”
I smirk at her and kiss her passionately, only pulling away to mutter, “Yeah we can...”