Olivia and I walked into the mall together. The stores were all just barely opening, there were a few senior citizens lingering in the halls for their morning walk out of the cold.
I moved toward Olivia and carefully picked up her hand, interlacing our fingers. Olivia smiled bashfully up at me and moved closer to me.
“Do you want a coffee or anything?” I offered. “Did you have breakfast?”
“I did. I had vegan pancakes.” She smiled.
I frowned. “No milk, no eggs, right?”
She nodded. “Right.”
“So in other words no fun at all.” I mused.
Olivia laughed softly. “You’re right about that.” She answered.
“Do you want a muffin or anything?” I offered. “A coffee?”
“Um…” She thought for a moment. “You know actually, I think a hot chocolate would be wonderful right now.”
I smiled. Her smile was infectious. “Okay. I was actually thinking of a coffee for myself, but a hot chocolate sounds good.” I mused.
Olivia laughed softly. “Oh, did you watch the news last night?” She asked eagerly.
“No, actually, I didn’t.” I mused. “Is something good happening?”
“Well, that depends on how you look at it…” She mused lightly. “We’re supposed to get a very huge snowfall here in Tulsa. Like twenty inches or so.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really? Wow. When?”
“This evening some time.” She shrugged lightly. “They said late afternoon or early evening.”
“Wow.” I mused. “I think that’s a lot, even for Oklahoma.”
Olivia smiled. “I’m excited actually. You don’t get to see much snow in Tenessee very often.” She laughed softly.
“Right.” I laughed softly.
We found the coffee shop in the mall and I released Olivia’s hand, moving my arm around her waist gently. This made it much easier for me to reach my wallet out of the back pocket of my jeans.
Olivia glanced at a few of the baked goods and chatted politely with the cashier in a green apron behind the counter. She seemed interested in how they managed to make something called “red velvet.” To me it sounded like cheap porn until I realized they were talking about the cupcakes.
I waited patiently, until finally Olivia smiled up at me.
The cashier seemed to finally notice I was standing there, and asked what she could get us. I asked for two hot chocolates and handed over a few dollar bills before Olivia could even protest.
I asked if she wanted one of the cupcakes and she shook her head, dismissing it as too early for junk food.
I moved my arms around Olivia and hugged her, smiling. “You know, I just realized I never got a proper kiss this morning….” I mused, watching her lips carefully.
Olivia’s perfect lips turned into a serious pout as she considered this. “Hmm… maybe we should sit down and talk about how we’re going to fix that. We could develop a plan of action and maybe give it a try in about six to eight weeks or so…”
I tightened my arms around her. “Cute… very cute.” I mused.
Olivia laughed softly. “I know, I thought so.” She teased. She stood on her toes and lightly kissed my lips.
My lips curved around hers, like they fit there all along. We were two pieces of the same puzzle joining together at exactly the right place.
Olivia laughed softly, lowering herself back onto her heels.
I sighed contentedly and wrapped my arms tighter around her, pulling her to me. She rested her head on my chest her sigh matching my own.
The cashier presented our two hot chocolates and I gave one to Olivia and picked up my own.
“Okay, so where to first?” I asked Olivia.
“Wherever.” She shrugged lightly. “I’m not really looking for anything. You still need to do some Christmas shopping you said, so I think we should probably get that out of the way before the mall becomes a complete madhouse.”
“Right.” I mused. “Good thinking.”
“Why did you leave it so late anyway?” She asked me suddenly. “I’ve been done for a while now.”
“I know. I was just working and everything… and of course I couldn’t do any shopping when we were at PCA.” I shrugged. “Besides, I have no idea what to even get the people in my family. I feel like don’t know them very well, and I’m sure that feeling is mutual…”
Olivia frowned. “Wait a minute. You haven’t done any shopping yet? None at all?” She asked.
I shrugged lightly. “Nope.”
“Oh man…” She sighed. “Okay, we definitely need to get started then. Who all do you have to buy for?”
“Well, just my immediate family. My mom and dad. My two brothers and my two sisters. And of course, you.” I shrugged lightly. “No biggie, right?”
“You don’t have to get me anything.”
“We already discussed this.” I replied. “I’m getting you something.” I playfully swatted at the backside of her jeans. She laughed, shaking her head.
“Well, I guess on the plus side there’s a gift wrapping station. That’ll definitely save us some time. And it looks like the donations are at least going to a good cause.” She mused as we passed the piles of gift wrap and tables.
“Awesome. I’m terrible at wrapping anyway.” I shrugged.
Olivia laughed sweetly. “Do you have any ideas at all?”
“Well, I was thinking of just getting them gift cards. That way they can get their own gifts.” I offered.
Olivia frowned, making a disgusted face.
“What? Why? What’s wrong with gift cards? Everyone loves gift cards.” I shrugged.
“Yeah, but they’re so impersonal and generic. They require so little effort, and I think the effort counts…”
“Okay, okay. I’ll do it your way.” I smirked. “Maybe I could get a book for my dad, and clothes for Taylor. He loves clothes.”
“See? Not so hard is it?” She teased.
“I guess not…” I mused. “It’s still kind of a pain in the ass, though.”
Olivia laughed sweetly.
“And Zac I could get him a video games. He has an unhealthy obsession with video games… The girls I have no clue what to get them. I mean Avery is alright, she doesn’t really talk to me much and Jessica is petrified of me. She won’t even be in the same room as me. I mean I walk into the room and she scatters like a flock of birds.” I shook my head.
“Jessica was in the accident with you?”
I nodded. “She still has the cast on her arm for another month. I asked if I could sign it the other day and she couldn’t even tell me now, she just stared at me like I was going to hurt her and took off running to my mom.” I sighed.
Olivia frowned. “Well that’s not fair.”
“I think she’s just too young to understand. And I think that when I actually apologize to her, she’s too young to realize I made a mistake. I don’t really know what to do anymore?”
“And your parents can’t talk to her?” Olivia asked, the worried expression still clearly evident in her face.
I shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. I’m sure they don’t see it as much as I do. I think I notice it more because I feel responsible and very guilty.”
Olivia nodded sympathetically.
I decided to change the subject to something a little lighter. “Hey, how about I buy you something from in there?” I asked. I pointed past her to a Victoria’s secret, where there were a series of mannequins wearing skimpy Christmas themed outfits.
Olivia laughed softly. “Nice. Nothing says Merry Christmas like crotch-less panties.”
I laughed a little harder than I should have, but her sentiment combined with the look on her face was hilarious.
Her sarcasm faded into an expression of pensiveness. “That actually reminds me though… I may need to stop there later…” she mused.
“I whole-heartedly support that idea.” I said eagerly.
Olivia looked up at me. “Really? You don’t mind?”
“Not as long as you model something for me.” I grinned.
Olivia shook her head laughing. “We’ll see.”
I grinned. Olivia looped her arm through mine and laid her head on my shoulder briefly. “Where to first? The bookstore?” She asked.
“Yeah, I think it might be best if we start with the easier gift first.” I shrugged.
“Don’t worry,” Olivia insisted. “I’m excellent with picking out gifts.” She beamed up at me.
“Oh, great.” I mused. “I knew I waited for the last minute for something.” I grinned, swooping down and lightly kissing her again.
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