Dinner was absolutely amazing. Even Zac seemed to enjoy it. I made sure that everyone thanked Olivia for the wonderful dinner.<\/p>\n
I helped Dad clean up the kitchen, with Olivia insisting on helping my mom put away any leftovers.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Olivia, I was going to ask you. What are your plans for Christmas?\u201d Mom asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cUmm\u2026 Well, I don\u2019t have plans.\u201d She said. \u201cMy dad works a lot, so I was just planning on going to bed early and stuff\u2026\u201d She mused.<\/p>\n
My mother\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cOh, no, honey! You should come here! We have a big event here every year, with lots of family and everything. It\u2019ll be fun. You\u2019ll love it!\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia glanced toward me worried. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d She asked, glancing toward me.<\/p>\n
I smiled. \u201cYeah, that sounds great.\u201d I offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, absolutely!\u201d Mom insisted. \u201cOh, but we\u2019ll have a turkey. We could possibly pick up that um\u2026 vegetarian alternative\u2026 umm\u2026 what\u2019s it called?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTofurkey?\u201d Olivia prompted. \u201cIt\u2019s alright. I can just not eat the turkey. There\u2019s no need to make a big fuss over me or anything\u2026\u201d She shrugged.<\/p>\n
I smiled, moving my arm around Olivia. \u201cI think it\u2019ll be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled happily up at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what about Christmas morning? Are you going to be alone then, too?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUmm\u2026\u201d Olivia glanced up at me. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure I will be. But it\u2019s okay. I don\u2019t want to be crashing the family events or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNonsense.\u201d My mom insisted. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome here. You\u2019re practically family anyway,\u201d Mom insisted.<\/p>\n
I smiled. It would certainly make my holidays a lot easier to handle. I\u2019d have someone there to keep me from going absolutely insane.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure?\u201d Olivia asked. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be a bother or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course not!\u201d Mom insisted.<\/p>\n
Dad agreed. \u201cYou\u2019re always very welcome.\u201d He insisted.<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled. \u201cThank you, it\u2019s very sweet. I would be honored to spend Christmas with you and your family.\u201d<\/p>\n
I moved my arm around her further, my fingers curling her gentle, silky curls.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, why don\u2019t we go watch TV downstairs in the basement?\u201d I offered. \u201cZac and Taylor are playing video games up here in the living room\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia nodded. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
I led her from the kitchen and opened the basement door. \u201cThe stairs are a little steep and sometimes the carpet can be slippery, so just be careful, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed. \u201cI think I can manage.\u201d<\/p>\n
We reached the bottom of the stairs. \u201cI like your house. It\u2019s cute and comfortable. At my mom\u2019s house, there are certain rooms we can\u2019t use because they\u2019re just for show. You guys have living rooms that you can actually live in.\u201d She smiled.<\/p>\n
I chuckled. \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia reached the bottom of the stairs. \u201cWant to see my room?\u201d I asked with a grin.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed. \u201cOkay.\u201d I pushed open the door to my new found bedroom and turned on the light. \u201cHome sweet home.\u201d I told her.<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled, moving into the room. \u201cIt\u2019s cute.\u201d She sat down on the edge of my bed. \u201cIt looks comfy and it has all of the necessities.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shrugged. \u201cIt gets a little cool down here sometimes, but it\u2019s definitely worth it to get my own room. I\u2019m almost willing to sleep outside to have a room without my two brothers. Having privacy is nice. And there\u2019s a bathroom down here. There\u2019s no shower, but no one bugs me down here. I like it.\u201d I sat next to her carefully.<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled, laying her head on my shoulder lightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think my family is crazy about you.\u201d I mused. \u201cAlmost as crazy about you as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s very nice of them to invite me for Christmas too. I can\u2019t wait\u2026 I need to get a new dress to wear though\u2026\u201d She mused. \u201cNot much time left to decide on one. I\u2019ll definitely need something to wear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you should go naked. I\u2019ll dress to match.\u201d I smirked.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed \u201cAnd that\u2019ll go over well with your family\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I shrugged. \u201cYeah, they hate me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaac\u2026 they don\u2019t hate you.\u201d Olivia insisted. \u201cThey love you. I could see it in their eyes that they love you. Your mother adores you. She speaks very highly of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sighed, moving my arm around Olivia.<\/p>\n
She laid her head on my shoulder with a soft sigh.<\/p>\n
I pressed a gentle kiss against Olivia\u2019s forehead. She turned and tilted her chin up to meet my kiss. Her lips curled into a smile, and she returned my kisses gently.<\/p>\n
Olivia yawned tiredly. \u201cOh, what time is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUhh\u2026.\u201d I glanced toward the alarm clock on my nightstand. \u201cIt\u2019s almost nine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh. I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m so tired\u2026\u201d She mused.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiv, maybe you could crash here tonight. It\u2019s a long way back into town\u2026\u201d I worried.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaac, I\u2019ll be okay.\u201d She insisted. \u201cI\u2019m not that tired. Besides, where would you put me? Your house is practically bursting at the seams.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can sleep in my bed, I\u2019ll sleep on the sofa. I\u2019m sure my parents would watch us like a hawk. There\u2019ll be no premarital sex going on under their roof.\u201d I smirked.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed sweetly. \u201cRight, of course. I\u2019ll be fine though. I swear\u2026\u00a0 I should get going though before I fall asleep on your bed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should, it would be the perfect excuse for my parents to let you stay here.\u201d I shrugged.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed softly. \u201cOh, Isaac.\u201d She stood and stretched. \u201cCome on, walk me out before I change my mind, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded, following Olivia up the stairs. I definitely didn\u2019t want her to go.<\/p>\n
We went up stairs, finding my parents sitting together in front of the television. My dad was watching a baseball game, and my mom was reading.<\/p>\n
My parents were so lame and clich\u00e9.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you heading home, Olivia?\u201d Mom asked, looking up over the back of the sofa.<\/p>\n
Olivia nodded. \u201cYes. It\u2019s getting kind of late, and I\u2019ve got to drive downtown Tulsa\u2026\u201d She mused. \u201cBut thank you very much for having me for dinner. I had a wonderful time, and dinner was wonderful.\u201d She smiled sweetly.<\/p>\n
My mom laid aside her book and stood, reaching out and hugging Olivia. \u201cYou are always very welcome in this home.\u201d She beamed happily.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed. \u201cThank you, very much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom held Olivia at arms length. \u201cAre you going to be okay driving home? It\u2019s awfully dark out\u2026\u201d She turned to my dad. \u201cWalker, you and Isaac should follow her home to make sure she makes it okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad was already laying the paper aside and pushing himself up from the sofa.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, no. No, I\u2019m okay, really.\u201d She insisted. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be a bother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s no trouble!\u201d Mom countered.<\/p>\n
Olivia shot a pleading look at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think she\u2019ll be alright, mom.\u201d I intervened. \u201cOlivia is an excellent driver, and she\u2019ll call us the second she makes it to her dad\u2019s house, just to let us know she made it there okay.\u201d I soothed.<\/p>\n
My mom drew in a deep breath. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled. \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I\u2019ll be okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
I placed my hand on Olivia\u2019s lower back. \u201cCome on, I\u2019ll walk you to your car.\u201d I offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you.\u201d Olivia smiled.<\/p>\n
I walked her to the front door and as she put on her complicated boots, I removed her coat from the hanger. When she finished with her boots, I helped her slip her arms into her coat.<\/p>\n
I took her hand and ventured outside without a coat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatch the steps, sometimes they\u2019re a bit slippery.\u201d I mused.<\/p>\n
Once we reached the driveway, we walked toward her car. She climbed inside and started the engine. She cranked up the heat and I helped her brush the snow off the windows. I met her around the car at the driver\u2019s side and brushed her hair back from her face. \u201cWell, it\u2019s official. My parents love you more than me.\u201d I mused. I\u2019d meant it to be a joke, but Olivia was clearly mortified by the sentiment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not true!\u201d She protested.<\/p>\n
I smiled. \u201cWell, they like you very much. My mom absolutely adores you. And my brother\u2019s think you\u2019re hot. I actually think they\u2019re jealous of me. I kind of like it.\u201d I grinned hugely.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s kind of sweet\u2026 I think. I hope everyone wasn\u2019t too put out by the whole vegetarian thing. I kept insisting that there could be a meat dish, but your mom was adamant. Your brother seemed pretty devastated\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNah, I don\u2019t think anyone actually even noticed there wasn\u2019t any meat on the table. Taylor was on his third helping before he discovered that he was actually eating something healthy. But he\u2019s not that bright.\u201d I shrugged.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed.<\/p>\n
She reached out and gently laid her hand on my cheek. \u201cYou must be cold with no coat on. You should go inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m alright.\u201d I smiled. \u201cI want to say goodnight to you properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia smiled. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
She stood on her toes and I leaned down, kissing her lightly.<\/p>\n
She strained toward me more, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed sweetly. \u201cOh, I should go.\u201d She said, breaking the kiss.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. I\u2019ll talk to you in a bit? I\u2019ll make sure to answer the phone when you call so you don\u2019t get stuck talking to my mom for hours.\u201d I sighed.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed. \u201cOh, she\u2019s so sweet. I can see where you get it.\u201d She beamed up at me.<\/p>\n
I chuckled. \u201cLets not go nuts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed. \u201cOkay, I\u2019d better get started on going home.\u201d She mused.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. Drive safely.\u201d She mused. She lightly kissed my cheek and climbed into her dad\u2019s car. I closed the door behind her and waited while she pulled from the driveway. I waved to her as she shifted the car into drive and drove from sight.<\/p>\n
I shuddered and jogged back into the house, kicking off my shoes.<\/p>\n
I walked into the living room, where my parents were still sitting, waiting to ambush me.<\/p>\n
I stopped. \u201cOkay, spill it.\u201d I sighed. \u201cWhat now?\u201d<\/p>\n
My mom looked at dad then turned back to me grinning hugely. \u201cOh, she\u2019s perfect! She\u2019s the nicest girl you\u2019ve ever brought home\u2026 well, technically she\u2019s the only girl you\u2019ve ever brought home, but I am so glad you did! She is smart and sweet and very pretty! She\u2019s such a good influence on you!\u201d<\/p>\n
I shrugged. \u201cWell, I like her. I don\u2019t think I\u2019d make it through the year at PCA without her.\u201d I mused.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I hope you marry her! She would be the perfect daughter in law!\u201d<\/p>\n
I gaped at my mom with wide eyes. \u201cMom! I\u2019m only seventeen! I\u2019m not even thinking of that yet\u201d I groaned. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. \u201cPlease do not mention that anywhere near Olivia! The last thing I want is to scare her away, or worse! She might like the idea! It\u2019s far too early!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDi, you\u2019re embarrassing the boy.\u201d My dad smiled. \u201cBut aside from that, Olivia seems like a lovely young lady. And we would be honored to have her join us for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded. \u201cOkay.\u201d I agreed.<\/p>\n