Young Hearts (Book 2) COMPLETED

Chapter 39:Olivia

My mom and I exit our church with the Andersons after Christmas morning service. Me and Mama head for her car to change clothes before going over the Anderson's house. It had become a tradition for us to spend Christmas with the Anderson's ever since our first Christmas in Georgia. When we first moved, Mama was too terrified to go back to South Carolina for fear her estranged husband would come looking for her. Unfortunately, my grandmother, aunts and cousins were unable to visit us in Georgia, leaving our family separated for the first time ever.

That first year, Mrs. Anderson was kind enough to invite us over for Christmas dinner since we wouldn't have any family to celebrate with. It became a yearly tradition for our families to attend service on Christmas morning, then Mama and Mrs. Anderson would come back to cook Christmas dinner. From then on, if we were in town for Christmas, we'd always celebrate with the Andersons.

We head into the house to change clothes. I slip off my green floral print dress and slip on jeans and a Christmas sweater. Before leaving my room, I pick up the phone to call Landon.

"Hello," he answers, his voice full of sleep.

"Merry Christmas Baby."

"Hey, Merry Christmas Ollie," his voice now sounding wide awake.

"Were you asleep, how are you feeling?"

"I just woke up. But I feel much better today. I'm flying to Fiji a little later this afternoon."

"Well, I'm glad you'll get to spend part of Christmas with your family. I'm sorry you couldn't get an earlier flight."

"Ehh it's fine," he says dismissively.

"If you're just waking up, I take it you haven't been downstairs yet."

"No, I haven't."

"Well I think Santa may have left you something under the Christmas tree yesterday."

He chuckles, "Oook." I hear him moving through the house, making his way to the Christmas tree. He puts his phone on speaker, "I do see a present," there's a smile in his voice.

"Well open it," I say anticipation swirling inside me. On Monday I was thrilled to be getting back together with Landon, and I knew I needed the perfect Christmas gift for him. My mind immediately went to a briefcase.

Before heading to the grocery store Connor was kind enough to take me to Neiman Marcus where I found the perfect Armani men's Italian leather briefcase. Landon is used to nice things, so I didn't want to get him something cheap. I wanted to get him one of great quality and will last for hopefully a lifetime. It set me back almost $400, money I had been saving for my car but Landon is my first boyfriend, my first love and it's our first Christmas together I just wanted it to be extra special, especially after finding out his parents abandon him for their trip to Fiji.

I hear the wrapping paper crinkling in the background, "WOW, OLLIE. This is amazing. WOW. Thank you baby," his voice thick with emotion.

"You like it?"

"Like it? I love it. It's perfect. It's exactly what I would have picked out. Thank you Honey."

"I know getting an eighteen-year-old guy a briefcase is strange but I don't think you're a typical eighteen-year-old. You're business-minded and always planning for the future. In your future, I want you take it with you and always think of me. I want you to carry it and know that I believed in you."

His voice chokes up, "Wow Olllie, I don't know what to say."

My mom peeks her head into my room, "Liv it's time to go."