things such as: Good for one pair of boots from Eddie Bauer; Good for one dinner at Landlocked Sea; Good for a free movie night with dinner, and so on.
'Oh, this is nice. So, through this I could have you as my very own personal entertainment slave?' I asked, looking at the booklet.
'In so many words, yes.' I grinned.
'I like that idea.'
Next Haley opened the big box that sat on the floor. She looked curiously at the slightly smaller white box inside. With a grunt, she lifted it, setting it on the floor in front of the fire. Again, using her handy dandy nails, she got the tape cut, and pulled the flaps of the box open. She looked up at me.
'What is it?'
'Pull it out.' She did, flopping it onto the floor. It was large, orange, and had limp string/spine-like things handing off of it. It dawned on her.
'Is it?' I grinned, nodding. 'This is like the world’s biggest Koosh!' she looked at it with utter excitement.
'Sit on it.'
'No, it isn’t.'
'It is.' With absolute vigor, she plopped herself down on the bean-Koosh, falling into the softness.
'This is the best. Where did you find this?'
'It took awhile, but when I saw it, I knew you had to have it. Whoa!' I found myself sitting half on the beanbag chair, and half on my friend.
'Isn’t this nice?'
'Yeah.' I sighed, reclining back against both. Haley wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly.
'This is so great, Andi. Thank you.' I leaned my head against the side of hers.
'You’re welcome. Come on, we have more to do.'
We grunted like old women as we pulled our bodies out of the comfort of the chair.
Next I was handed the little oval box. I took the bow off the top, and lifted the lid, taking out Styrofoam to see a little, crystal Pug sitting at the bottom of the box.
Sucking in a breath, I carefully lifted it out, knowing it was Swarovsky crystal. I set the little guy on my palm, and looked toward the firelight.
'It’s a little see-through Bunsen,' I marveled. Haley chuckled, looking at me with expectant eyes. 'Thank you.' I carefully put the piece back in the box, and grabbed her for a tight hug.
'You’re welcome.'
Now it was time for my big one to her. I handed her the envelope, and she opened it quickly, reading the card, which told her in all the words that I didn’t have, how much she meant to me, and how lucky and happy I was that she was in my life.
Haley lowered the card, looked at me.
'Ditto,' was all she said, then turned back to the card, and the small envelope that was inside. Once she opened it, and saw the tickets to the Chicago Culinary Institute’s graduation, where you could go, for a hefty fee, and have a huge, gourmet meal prepared for you by the chefs trained at one of the greatest culinary schools in the world.
Haley looked at me, her eyes narrowing.
'Ohhh, you are bad, aren’t you?' she asked, her voice low, sending chills up and down my spine.
'Well, you did say you are a food slut.'
'I did, and I am.' She walked over to me, taking me in a huge hug, our bodies pressed together as we both just breathed each other in, then I felt her lips on my cheek. 'Thank you, Andi,' she whispered into my ear. I tried to suppress the shiver that ran through me.
We parted, and she held on to my hand for a moment longer, looking into my eyes before she let go, and turned away, grabbing her final gift from the coffee table, also an envelope.
'Us and our envelopes, huh?' I smiled. So did she as she handed it to me.
'I really hope you like this. I kind of took a gamble, and a sort of liberty, I guess.' Haley stood, watching me, her hands behind her back, rocking nervously on her feet.
Intrigued, I carefully opened the card to find a naked Santa looking at me with his traditional red hat covering his gift to Mrs. Claus. I looked up at her.
'Ha ha.' She grinned.
'There just aren’t that many naked Mrs. Claus’ out there.'
Smiling, I read the card, which of course had a funny message, but what caught me was what Haley had written inside.
Andi,
Thank you for being you, and for letting me be in your life. You have changed me in so many ways over the last fourteen years, and for that I thank you. I hope you’ll always be willing to be in my life.
Love,
Haley
I looked up at her, feeling the slightest bit of a lump in my throat. Without a word, I grabbed her to me, giving her a hug, my eyes closed as I squeezed.
'Always,' I whispered.
'Always,' she whispered back.
Pulling away from her, I looked at what else was in the card. Having a feeling of what it was, I opened the small paper folder that held two plane tickets. Attached to them on a yellow sticky note read: ‘For when you decide to go to California.’
I looked up at her.
'Haley, this is too much.'
'Not at all. I hope you don’t think this is presumptuous of me, but you had said you wanted to see the Pacific. You can take whoever you want, see the state together. Those are good for a year.'
'You know I’d take you.' Again, we stepped into another hug, but this one wasn’t about to let go anytime soon. I sighed, feeling complete for the first time in my life.
'Merry Christmas, Andi.'
'Merry Christmas, Haley.'
* * *
Christmas was a lonely affair for me this year, like so many before it. I went to my mom’s house the day of, and of course Chris and his wife were there, and Clive and his family. I enjoyed myself, but truth be told, I wanted to be alone. The worst feeling in the world was to be lonely when in a crowd.
I got home, and went to bed.
* * *
It was New Year’s Eve, and I had a party to go to. When Haley had gotten back from New York, she had come right over to my house, and within the hour she had managed to talk me into going. She said she had the perfect date lined up for me.
Not possible. My perfect date was going on her date with a neurosurgeon named John Severaux.
I couldn’t think about that now. The plan was to have a great time, and I knew I would. I’d rock in the new year, and make it a New Year’s to remember.
Staring at myself in the mirror, I was shocked at what I saw. When we’d been 17, Haley had once told me she’d do anything to see me in a dress. Start thinking of something to do, my friend.
The dress was made of a dull satin, black. The straps were thin, though not spaghetti, the gown reaching near to the floor, covering the two-inch black heels I wore, The plunging neckline showed ample cleavage without looking in poor taste. I turned around, looking over my shoulder at the back, which exposed about half of my back. The gown was very fitted through the bust and waist, but flowing out more through the skirt for easy mobility.
Clasping my silver hoop earrings on, I gave myself one last look. My hair was gelled, giving it more volume and body than usual, the back curling up behind my ears.
Oh, yeah. I was looking good.
I had gone into work today, even though we had decided to close it down for the holiday, because our
