Staying for the Holiday

Part 5

"Shoot!" I muttered to myself as the button on the top of my coat finally fell off. It was an old coat, but my favorite one and I'd been meaning to sew the button on tighter I just haven't had the time to.

Going back into my closet to look for a different coat, I couldn't find one to match my outfit, so I decided to stick it out and just go with the top button undone. After pulling my gloves on my hands, I shut my room door.

"Jesus Christ, Carter!" I shout, smacking him in his chest. He had to be waiting for me to leave my room because he snuck up from behind me and scared me. Surely enough, Richie was dying of laughter standing in back of Carter. "Very funny." I deadpanned.

As I turned to walk towards the stair case, I heard Rose calling my name from the foyer.

"Where's your scarf?" Carter yelled from behind me. "I don't have one and my top button fell off of my jacket." I answered, not turning around. "Wait a second." I stopped right as I approached the the top of the steps.

When I turned around, he was running back to his room and Richie was walking in my direction. "Are you two going with us?" Noticing that he was dressed in clothes to go outside in.

"Nah, Grant and I are going for a run."

"In the snow?" I asked, bewildered.

"That's how us New England men do it." Richie winked at me and ran down the steps.

What's up with these Walker men and their winking?

"Alright," Carter said, coming out of his room, scarf in hand. He wrapped it around my neck and then bopped my nose with his finger tip.

"Thank you, weirdo." I laughed. I was trying to downplay how close he was standing and how good his scarf smelled and the fact that his touch literally was sending shocks down my body.

"No problem, Kitty." He says, walking next to me as we head downstairs.

"Really? I was hoping you'd give up on the name by now." Don't get me wrong, I loved that he was had a personal nickname for me but it was just so random.

"Well I heard Rose calling you Kit, so I figured since you have a special nickname for me, I'll make one for you." He placed his arm around my shoulder as we reached the bottom of the steps. Emily and Mary must've already been in the car and I could see that Richie and Rose were talking on the front porch.

"I like that nickname. A lot." I said, looking up at him. "You know cats are my favorite animal? At home we have three of them." I chuckled to myself.

Marcel, Yillum, and Poppy were my three little angels and now I missed them, dearly. Yillum was very first cat and the oldest. I got him when I was 5, hence the weird name. And now I'm 23 years old- he was 18 years old. That's extremely old for a cat. The vet said he probably wouldn't make it into the New Year- another reason why I wanted to make it home this Christmas.

"Why the sad face, Kitty?" Carter placed his hand under my chin and tilted my face up. "I just remembered that my cat, Yillum, is really sick and probably wouldn't make it through the holidays."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." He engulfed me in a hug and then wiped my tears away. This was so embarrassing. He probably thinks I'm nuts. He just met me yesterday and today he's hugging me because I was crying over a cat. I'm doing great! But I mean, some people were dog lovers and I was a cat lover. My cats were my babies.

"No, no it's ok! You didn't mean it. Plus, it'll be good if he passes away. He deserves the rest; he lived a good life." I wipe away the last tear, trying to laugh off my embarrassment. "Wow, this is so embarrassing." I say, continuing to wipe away the last of my tears.

"Don't worry, it's not embarrassing until your goldfish, Hoppers, dies and you make your family get dressed to have a funeral. Seats, tissues, songs and all." I laughed only a little bit.

"Plenty of kids have funerals for their pets." I answered, matter of factly. "This was last year." He deadpanned before that brilliant smile of his graced his face and I bursted out laughing. Picturing that scene caused me to cry again, but this time the tears were from laughter.

"When you guys are done making out, the ladies are in the car and my limbs are freezing off." Richie cracked the door with his head sticking in. Carter tried to smack him but Richie disappeared before he even got the chance to.

"Hey, would you like to help me wrap gifts tonight when we get back?" I don't know what made me ask him that but I was feeling a little more comfortable around Carter now.

"I'll have the hot chocolate ready." He winks as he opens the door.

-

"So I've noticed that you and Carter are getting close." Rose bumps shoulders with me as we walk through the mall. "Yeah, he's pretty awesome." I smile.

During the car ride, I changed my relationship status to single and deleted all of the pictures on my profile that included Drew- and Cassidy. I wasn't going to expose them, I just wanted a clean slate and no reminders of them. I usually don't block people, but I felt it was necessary this time. Even if it was only for a little bit. I wasn't as sad as I thought I was going to be.

I actually felt like a weight was being lifted off of my shoulders. I didn't have to worry about Drew and his whining or his critiques anymore. I didn't have to worry about still having to please him or his endless threats to find another girl. In fact, he did find another girl- my close friend, and I didn't even care that much. Life felt great.

"Do I see something blossoming?" Rose teases. We were a few steps behind Emily and Mary, not that they were listening- they were in a world of their own. From what I could hear they were talking about someone named Rachael and they did not like her.

"Rose, I only met Car- Grant yesterday." I didn't want to call him Carter in front of anyone else. It was a small secret between me and him and I actually wanted to keep it that way, at least for now. "It's too soon to know anything anyway." I tried so very hard to keep my cheeks from turning colors but it probably didn't work.

"It doesn't take a century to know if you're feeling someone and I think he is definitely feeling you." I was looking at men's ties for both William and Junior. I had to get gifts for everyone, I just didn't feel right if I didn't. They welcomed me into their home, so I needed to get something.

I had already purchased two bottles of wine for Mary and her husband and Emily and Grant. Emily and Mary probably thought I was an alcoholic but it'll work out when they see that the bottles were for them. For Richie, I got a watch. On the way to New Hampshire, he was complaining that his old watch cracked, so I figured he'd be happy if I replaced it for him. Plus, one of his gifts from Rose were gold cuff links that would complement my watch nicely. On our last stop before home, we stopped at a beautiful jewelry shop. Everything looked vintage and elegant. I wanted to buy myself a nice, new pearl necklace but God knows I don't need another.

We were about to leave when I spotted a luxurious pearl hair clamp. I knew that was exactly what I wanted to get Grandma Rose. It was close to two hundred dollars but I felt like she would really appreciate it. "Are you buying that for your mom?" Emily asked, coming to stand next to me. The jeweler was wrapping the gift up carefully.

"Oh, no. I sent my families gifts by mail right before winter break began. I got this for Grandma Rose." I said nervously. Would she judge me? I mean, they were all much wealthier than I, but I still had hope. "Oh, you shouldn't have. I mean, she'll definitely love it! But please don't feel obligated to get anything for the rest of us."

"Mrs. Walker, it was no problem. I wanted to show you all how welcomed and grateful I am for opening your family home to someone you didn't know." She reached over and gave me a hug. As weird as it seemed, I melted into the hug. I missed my mom and Emily's hug felt just like home.