"Christmas Gifts"
By: Mandy
Chapter 7
Disclaimer: In this part, a character is given credit for writing the
song More than That. This is purely fiction and the song was really
written by Franciz&LePont/Adam Anders.
"Carrie?" The voice broke through her dreams and peaceful
sleep. She opened one eye and practically screamed when she saw AJ
standing over her. "Trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Of course not!" He sounded excited. "It's Christmas morning
and Santa came and I wanted to start opening presents."
Carrie glanced at the clock. "It's also five in the morning.
Not exactly prime time for opening gifts, huh?"
"I tried to wake Kate but she basically told me to go to a
warmer place than this." AJ grinned as he tossed another log on the
fire.
Carrie stared at it for a moment. "I wonder how come that
didn't go out."
"Probably because Kevin has been coming out just about every
hour to make sure that the fire is still burning that you are okay."
AJ answered.
"Talking about me?" Kevin asked as he walked into the room.
"You're awake early!"
Carrie glared at AJ. "I didn't exactly have a choice in the
matter."
Kevin laughed. "Let's get the whole household up."
"And rest having them peeved off at us on Christmas day?"
Carrie asked in disbelief.
Kevin grabbed her hand. "That's the best part."
The three of them went to the hall, standing in the middle.
"Okay, on the count of three, start singing 'We Wish You a
Merry Christmas' on the top of your lungs." AJ instructed Carrie and
Kevin.
"Got it." Carrie grinned, getting into the mood.
"One, two, three…"
"WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
A chorus of groans followed.
*****
Melissa was the last to come to the Christmas tree. "No
offence, you three, but that was the rudest awaking I ever had."
Kate thumped her boyfriend with a pillow off the couch. "What
was the big idea?"
"It's time to open presents!" AJ cried. "I want to open them
now."
"He's worse than a kid." Jen commented.
"Tell me about it!" Kate grinned.
Everyone else knew why AJ was so excited. He was about to
pop the question to the woman he loved.
"Where do we start?" Kevin asked.
"Why not with this box?" Kendra suggested. "To Stephanie,
love Brian…"
*****
The sun was finally starting to show its face when the group
got to the last presents. Brian was now handing them out wearing his
new sweater and hat. "Okay, this one is to Howie from his good
friend, Carrie."
Howie ripped open the box. "What the?" He looked at the
contents of the box. "Holy cow, these are some of the things we did
together."
Carrie nodded from her position on the couch. "Your mother
gave me the photos and I had the amusement park ticket stubs. I just
wanted you to remember that I will always be your friend."
Howie hugged her. "I know Little 'Sis."
Brian grabbed a smaller box, and noticed how AJ reacted. This
had to be the ring…
"To Kate, from AJ." He said, handing her the box.
Kate looked at for a moment before carefully beginning to rip
away the paper, as she had done with every other gift she had
received. AJ began to fidget. "Hurry up!"
Kate had an amused look on her face as she began to move
slower.
"I will unwrap it for you!" AJ cried.
She finally pulled out the box. Biting her lip, she popped it
open. "Wow, AJ, it's beautiful. You got me a ring too!"
AJ moved closer and took one of her hands. "But this just
isn't any ring. This ring is something special. I want you to wear
it to let everyone know that you are mine and I am yours…as husband
and wife."
Kate looked up at AJ. "You're asking me to marry you?"
AJ nodded.
"YES!" She leaped into his arms. "This is the best Christmas
ever!"
"I agree." AJ cried as he kissed her.
After the excitement died down, Brian handed everyone but
Melissa a flat rectangular gift.
"I take it these are Melissa's gifts to everyone." Angie
commented noticing that Melissa was empty handed. She ripped away the
paper. Inside was a photo of her and Kevin on the back lawn of Nick's
house, play fighting. "Wow! A photo of me and my good friend."
Everyone else was getting framed photos of moments in their
life from the last month.
"I didn't know what else to get everyone so I just thought to
give them a photo of the happy times." Melissa shrugged. "So if you
are having a bad moment you can look at it and remember how loved you
are by everyone."
Carrie glanced at her photo. Somehow, Melissa had managed to
take a photo of her and Kevin gazing into each other's eyes. This was
it. Carrie knew that they were going to give her present to Kevin
next. There was nothing else under the tree. Now, looking at the
photo, she was even more determined to let him know just how she felt.
Kevin stood up. "I think it is time for my present to
Carrie."
"But there is nothing else under the tree." Carrie commented.
Kevin walked back to the door that led downstairs and opened
it. A yellowish fluff ball came flying out. Everyone cried at the
sight of the little lab puppy. It raced across the room and launched
itself onto Carrie's lap as if it knew that she was its new owner.
Carrie smiled as she ran a hand over the soft fur. "This is
amazing."
"She was the only one that would come to me in the store."
Kevin sat down next to Carrie. "Plus she was the smallest and I
wasn't sure that anyone else would take her!"
"She's beautiful!" Carrie cried. "I'll name her Noel." She
held her new puppy closer. "Thank you so much."
"You are so welcome." Kevin smiled at her.
Carrie looked at Melissa and nodded. After what Kevin had
just given her she wanted him to know. She was practically bursting
to tell him herself but she decided to let the music do the talking.
She held her breath as Melissa pulled out the music and sat down at
the piano.
"Kevin this is to you, from me." Carrie said, hoping this
would work.
Melissa began to play the opening bars to the song.
"Hey, that's my music." Kevin said, not in anger, but
amazement.
"And Carrie wrote the words." Jessica said from her place in
Howie's arms.
Melissa began to sing.
I can see that you've been crying
You can't hide it with a lie
What's the use in you denying
That what you have is wrong
I heard her promise you forever
But forever's come and gone
Baby, she would say whatever
It takes to keep you blind
To the truth between the lines, oh…
Carrie looked at Kevin to see if she could get any reaction
out of him. What she had written was true…She had seen girlfriends
promise him everything only to take away. He was staring at Melissa
and Brian.
Brian then joined in.
I will love you more than that
I won't say the words
Then take them back
Don't give loneliness a chance
Baby listen to me when I say
I will love you more than that
Kevin looked at Carrie with amazement. Had she just told him
that she loved him? He looked back at Melissa and Brian.
Baby, you deserve much better
What's the use in holding on
Don't you see it's now or never
'Cause I just can't be friends
Baby knowing in the end, that...
I will love you more than that
I won't say the words
Then take them back
Don't give loneliness a chance
Baby listen to me when I say
I will love you more than that
There's not a day that passes by
I don't wonder why we haven't tried
It's not too late to change your mind
So take my hand, don't say goodbye
Carrie was so unsure of how Kevin was reacting to this gift
she had given him. She felt another hand close around hers and looked
down. Kevin had joined hands with her, like the song had said. She
felt tears welling up. He felt the same way.
Brian finished with the chorus.
Kevin looked over at Carrie, trying not to cry. "Could I
speak to you alone?"
Carrie nodded and handed Noel to Stephanie. She followed Kevin
to the dining room. He had his back to turned to her. There was
something about the way he had asked to speak with her that made her
uneasy. "You hated it?"
Kevin turned to face her. "No, I loved it…just like I love
you."
Carrie's whole face lit up. "You do?"
"I have for so long now. I just didn't want to tell you
because I was so sure that I would have messed up our friendship and
then I would never see you again." Kevin said.
"And I was so sure of the same thing." Carrie admitted. "We
just didn't see it…but everyone else did!"
"This is the best gift anyone has ever given to me!" Kevin
said as he closed the space between them and leaned over to claim her
lips in a passionate kiss.
*****
Everyone else was on pins and needles in the living room.
They were waiting to see if the song had worked.
"You know, that song is beautiful." Nick spoke up. "If we
changed the she and the her to he and him, then we could make it work
for the group. That is, if Carrie would want to."
Brian liked what he was hearing. "We would give her writing
credit of course. I think it would look great on the next album. We
would stick with the title 'More than That'. That's a great idea
Nick."
"Will you two stop discussing business like things and help
his figure out what they are doing in there?" Jen asked.
"Oh, I can't wait any longer." Angie said.
"Neither can I." Jessica agreed. She walked over to the door
of the dining room and opened it. Everyone took in the sight of a
kiss between the newly found couple.
A cheer went up.
Kevin and Carrie pulled apart, blushing.
"I guess we want to thank everyone for giving us that little
push." Kevin said, putting his arm around Carrie and pulling her
close.
"Yeah, thanks!" Carrie cried. Noel ran to her and she scooped
the dog up. "What a perfect day!"
"Stop basking in new found love." Kendra groaned. "It's time
to make some Christmas dinner."
*****
A few hours later, everyone was dressed and seated around the
table. In front of them was the product of their morning labors…a
complete Christmas dinner.
Brian poured everyone a glass of wine. He then sat down next
to Stephanie. "That's it! I am going to tell them!"
"Tell us what?" Jessica asked.
"Go ahead." Stephanie was beaming.
"We are getting married!" Brian cried. "I asked her the other
day in the mall. It was a spur of the moment decision but it is the
best one I have every made. Please don't think that we are trying to
steal your thunder, AJ and Kate. We were going to wait and tell
everyone later on, but I couldn't hold it in any longer."
AJ laughed. "The only thing I can say is CONGRATULATIONS!"
"RIGHT ON!" Carrie cried, startling Noel who was on her lap.
The puppy flew off her lap and landed by her feet.
"This calls for a cheer." Melissa said. Everyone raised his
or her glass. "To friends…anything else."
"To this time of season." Kendra added.
"To long time love." Kate said, looking at AJ.
Carrie glanced at Kevin. "To newfound love!"
"I can drink to that!" Nick cried.
*****
"I ate too much." Kendra groaned as she lay on the floor next
to Kevin and Carrie.
"I think we all did." Kevin said. He looked over at Carrie.
"Stop feeding Noel turkey scraps! She will be a big enough dog as it
is!"
Carrie grinned at him. "Sorry."
"MISTLETOE!" Angie cried, fastening it to the hanging.
"Quick!" Melissa pushed Howie and Jessica. "All the couples
must go under."
Howie grinned and dipped Jessica back and gave her a long
passionate kiss.
After that, it seemed like all the couples were trying to
outdo each other.
Finally Kevin and Carrie were under the mistletoe. She closed
her eyes, waiting for the kiss of a lifetime. Instead, she got a peck
on the lips.
"No offence, but that is it?!" Carrie asked.
"Well, I was saving the better one for later, out of the
prying eyes of this people." Kevin grinned at her. He mouthed the
words 'I love you'.
"And I you." Carrie leaned against his chest and looked at the
faces of everyone else on the floor. "Merry Christmas everyone!"
End of Story
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