The Gift

December 24th 8:21PM

"What?" Morgan asked as she walked into the lounge. Henry was sprawled across the couch covered in a black and blue blanket. He shook his head, stifling a laugh. "What is it?"

"Your hair is everywhere, you look like a drowned rat," he replied. She let out a sigh and gathered her damp hair into her hands. Slipping a black hair elastic off of her wrist, she tied her hair into a braid. Henry shifted his position to let Morgan sink down into the couch beside him. Almost instantly, she collapsed against Henry, her head resting against his chest.

"You alright?" He asked, adjusting his body so she could rest against him more comfortably.

"Yeah, I'm good," she replied, pulling the blanket up around the two of them. They sat in silence for a while, Morgan watching the television, Henry watching Morgan. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

"Morgan," Henry stated. She sat upright and bowed her head.

"I just, I'm letting her get to me, I need to stop is all," Morgan replied as she played with the tip of her braid. Henry adjusted his position on the couch and moved closer to Morgan, resting a hand upon her knee.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"I don't have a lot to say really. I grew up on a farm with my grandparents and we didn't make a lot, just enough to get by. When my parents died, they took me in even though they had already raised seven kids. I worked on their farm for years and when I was old enough I started working to help them pay for everything. I wished that there would be some way that we could become rich so they wouldn't have to work so hard, but I never wished to make it off someone else," Morgan responded, her hands rubbing together in her lap. Henry's head tipped to the side, trying to get a better look at her face.

"How come you feel so strongly that you are?" Henry questioned, his voice soft.

"In high school I was with someone who was from a rich family and I started getting bullied for it. It got to the point that he didn't believe me that that wasn't the reason I was with him," Morgan replied. She turned her head, her gaze meeting Henry's. Immediately, she dropped her gaze and took a breath.

"I'm not materialistic," she whispered.

"Is that what you're worried about? That you'd be seen as materialistic?" Henry asked, moving closer. Morgan shrugged a response. He scooted closer and grabbed her chin, turning her head to make her look at him. "You're not even close. Allison is materialistic, Anita is, well, Anita, William is materialistic believe it or not, but you haven't done a single thing while you've been here that would even lead to that."

"Thanks," Morgan breathed, dropping her eyes to look away from his.

"Hey, come here," he said as he pulled her in for a hug. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his head against hers. He felt her arms wrap around his waist and tighten their grip. She relaxed into his grasp and Henry smiled. But the smile fell as they leaned back, resting against the couch.

They laid together for a while in silence, watching the movie on the television. Henry found himself watching Morgan for most of it. He watched her as her body moved up and down when she breathed, in sync with his own. He watched as she lifted a hand to brush hair away from her face only to leave her hand on his chest, right next to her face. He bit down on his lip and closed his eyes, willing the movie to end faster.

He got up almost immediately when it ended, shifting Morgan from her position. She watched as he silently swung his legs off of the couch and stood up. He stretched briefly before walking around the couch.

"Goodnight," Morgan said softly, watching his form retreat into the doorway. Henry paused, letting a hand rest against the doorframe.

"Night,"