Sink or Swim

17

Chapter Song: All I Want for Christmas Is You- Ingrid Michaelson

"Merry Christmas!" Riley sang as she walked into our house. She paused to stomp the snow off her boots and to pet our Dalmatian Winnie before joining us in the living room.

My dad gave her a hug while Tish went to grab her presents we all got her. Liam gave her an awkward nod while Livi went to sit on her lap.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at Liam. He'd been acting so weird since our Christmas party. I had my suspicions but I couldn't just get him to admit anything. Liam was so shy about this kind of stuff.

"Oh my God you did not have to do this thank you," Riley cried at Tish hugging her new point shoes.

"I know how fast you go through them. It's good to have extra," Tish gave her a hug.

I wanted to tear up watching the two of them. Tish was truly an awesome mom. She took me and Liam as her own when she didn't have to, and she even took Riley. I don't think I'd ever lose that appreciation for her.

"Okay now for my present," my dad smiled handing her an envelope. I already knew what this one was it had been so hard keeping it a secret.

"Riley....." she began to read out loud. I clasped my hands over my mouth the more she read. I couldn't contain my excitement by the end of it. "No way! No way!" She screamed looking at my dad and back at me.

"You really shouldn't have! I'm going to cry," she covered her face in her hands.

My dad had written her a heartfelt card and in it, he wrote that she gets one round trip ticket to go visit me during the next school year whenever she wants. My dad had also gotten one for me to visit her. He had one picked out for Liam and Cal too if they also wanted to come to visit.

My dad didn't buy the tickets himself because I was still undecided about college and he didn't want to pressure me further. Plus nobody knew their college schedules yet so he'd rather have us decide. Especially if one is us was having a crisis and we needed to use it sooner rather than later.

Like I said he was the best dad.

"Okay our turn," I smiled giving her the gifts from Liam, Livi, and I.

Liam had gotten her a new dance bag. It was all black and leather. It was extremely fancy and I knew she was in love with it. Livi had gotten her a mug that she painted Riley her and me on a unicorn. I took her to a paint-a-plate business and that's what she wanted to do. Livi ended up getting me a matching one.

I knew we have to take a picture using the for her. She would love it and probably hang it up in her room when we leave.

Riley smiled at both of them and she cried a little. She cried a lot when she opened mine. It was a tiny gold bracelet with a rectangle plate engraved with the words "sink or swim". She gave me the world's tightest hug whispering how much she loved it.

She gave us all her gifts and when I opened mine I started crying. She got me a gold envelope keychain. When you opened up the envelope there was a tiny metal plate engraved with the words "Sink or Swim". It was a little piece of her I could take with me.

It was our thing. We tried to remind each other those words when we were stressed or nervous about something. You're either going to sink or swim, so you might as well try to swim. That way you don't get stuck wondering what if.

It was funny how we both got each other the same thing. I guess when you know someone your whole life it's not hard. Maybe it was something we both knew we needed to hear every once in a while. 

"I thought about putting 'nobody takes our dragons' but this worked too," I winked at her.

"Either one would have been iconic," she giggled.

She also got me a framed picture of us when we were kids on our first day of second grade with our botched bangs. We decided to do it ourselves and it was completely embarrassing and naturally, our parents had to document it. Of course, Riley never wanted us to forget it.

After unwrapping the rest of our gifts we decided on a pancake breakfast. We all helped out dancing and singing Christmas songs around the kitchen.

We sat and enjoyed our time together before everyone else came over to celebrate Christmas together. We were having a secret Santa with our friends. Riley and I decorated the basement earlier this month and we're super excited about it.

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Natalie had ended up getting Liam a pack of socks. Riley and I busted up laughing because of Cal's birthday socks. She also got him a pair of joggers and a really nice olive green long sleeve.

Ty got Natalie a gift card to Sephora as well as face masks and fuzzy socks. I think he also got her some scrunchies which she was so excited about.

Riley got Ty a new pair of goggles and a towel embroidered with his name on it. She also gave him a bunch of his favorite snacks.

Mason got Riley two pairs of sweatpants to wear over her leotards when it's colder out. He also got her a sweater that said Queen of the North. She was so stoked.

Cal got Mason a bunch of lacrosse gear. Hayden got me a new yoga mat and lululemon leggings. Liam got Hayden new batting gloves and some workout shirts. Finally, it was Cal's turn to open up his gift.

He gave me a small smile when he pulled out a hydro flask. He had been wanting one for a while since he cracked his during practice early in the season. His real present was the little wrapped gift he was holding. He opened it and let out a glorious smile. He wouldn't take his eyes off the gift.

Finally, when he looked up at me I knew how much that gift meant to him. It was a simple black frame with a picture of all of us dogged piled on top of each other from the Christmas party.

After finding out she did in fact take a photo of us, I asked Tish to send it to me so I could print it out. I knew he would love it. On the back of the frame I wrote him a little note. I was thankful he didn't read it out loud.

"Thank you," he whispered. I nodded back at him with a cheesy smile.

Natalie rolled her eyes at the whole ordeal, but she didn't say anything. We all decided on watching the animated grinch. We are our weight in sugar cookies and half of us fell asleep.

"Psssst," Cal whispered towards me. I looked up at him and he motioned for me to follow him.

I followed him to my room and I shut the door behind me asking him what was it that he wanted. He stood there with his hands behind his back his eyes were glimmering mischievously.

"What," I asked him again warily.

He brought out a small white box tied together with a red and gold bow. I eyed it some more before he thrust it into my hands.

Inside was a small gold bangle with coordinates on it. I looked back at him and down at the bracelet again. I slid it on my wrist and admired the way it glimmered against the light.

"It's the coordinates of the middle of the street between our houses. That way when we're both gone at least you have a reminder of home. I figured it was good middle ground," he paused. "You know as long as a car isn't coming."

I could help but laugh. I threw my arms around him and told him countless thank yous and how much I loved the gift.

"Merry Christmas Parker," he whispered.

"Merry Christmas McCormick," I smiled giving him a peck on the cheek.

This was by far the best Christmas yet.