Aspen Holiday

Chapter 9 - Gifts

Three days until Christmas

I was freaking out.

Today Caleb, Ace, and I all admitted that we hadn't quite gotten our gift for each other yet so we mutually agreed to go to the shops today and find those extra things that we need.

I was freaking out because I had no clue what to get my brothers. Normally I do my Christmas shopping a lot sooner as I hate procrastinating and I want to put a lot of thought into my gift but after the shock of going to Aspen and the fun we've been having here it just kinda slipped my mind.

Obviously, I was also on my own finding gifts because it was just me and one other person who isn't the person receiving the gift and I want my gifts to be a surprise for Ace and Caleb so I can't really ask them for advice.

Before — when I was in elementary school — they would just buy a gift that would supposedly be mine and I would give it to Ace or Cal and say I got it for them. That was fine, but as I got older I really want to be a good gift giver and have them come from me so now I think long and hard about gifts. At first I did consult both of my brothers for the other's gift but now and for about the last two years I really want to do it on my own.

So today we all split up — well kinda. With my brother and his best friend being the overprotective freaks they are, they would never let me walk around Aspen alone. So Cal went to his stores while Ace and I stayed together. I get to pick the store and Ace waits outside and sometimes texts me to make sure I'm doing alright if I'm taking too long.

So far I've been in three different stores and spent about an hour but have yet to come up with anything.

For Ace I know I want to get him something really special and close to our hearts as we did have such a special childhood and I would like to think that we have a close and strong bond. But I'm completely blanking on what that is.

I'm thinking of getting Caleb something car related ... but that's only because we're coming up on what looks to be a super nice car store.

"I think I'm gonna go in here." I told Ace, walking in front of him so I could get to the front entrance of the store.

I heard him sigh and take a seat on the bench right outside so I assumed he was fine with that plan.

When I got inside there weren't a lot of people in the store, but enough so that no employees came up to me to ask questions ... Thank god. I looked around for a little bit ... almost deciding to give up on the store as I certainly can not afford a freaking car!

Then I came across a section just filled with helmets. This store looked like a decent size from the outside ... not huge but definitely not a small store and I could tell it was a chain of some kind. But once you got in you could definitely tell they maximize the space and there were a lot of high end things in here.

Definitely Caleb's cup of tea. One of the problems with Cal is that he likes the expensive stuff ... for everything. Luckily for me, I've got Ace's credit card! And he didn't tell me any limit so I was just gonna maybe ignore the price tag.

It was a running joke in the family that Caleb never wears helmets when he rides his motorcycle ever since he lost his other one and that I hate hate that he doesn't wear helmets.

I hate it because for obvious reasons, I don't want Caleb to get hurt or die and there is a much higher chance of that if his brain is not protected! And also because when I was younger and learning how to ride bikes and scooters — and the odd skateboard as both Cal and Ace loved skateboarding in their youth — I was always told I couldn't play if I didn't have a helmet on. I don't know why the same rules don't apply for Caleb!