Page 14 of Christmas Eve Do-Over
7
Shasta
I threw my bag on the kitchen counter and collapsed onto a bar stool. Today had been exhausting. I'd been on edge all week knowing Duke would be there for the classes, then he hadn't shown up, and just when I was getting used to him not being there, he attended today's whole class. I'd been extra hard on Brinley when she and I demonstrated techniques. Like a little girl trying to impress the hottest boy in the class by going all the way across the monkey bars. It was juvenile, and I wasn't proud of my display of vanity.
And I'd spent the entire rest of the day wrestling with the decision on when to open this ridiculous gift from Duke. It was like a ticking time bomb sitting on my desk while I taught classes. I vacillated between opening it to be done with the damn mystery already and waiting until I got home, so I followed his thought-out directions. Not deciding meant that the decision was made for me: I'd be opening it here at home where prying eyes couldn't see.
His gift was wrapped in shiny silver Christmas wrapping paper with a tiny blue bow on top. It was small and flat, similar to the size of a double-A battery. Yes, I felt up the gift, alright? Don't tell me you don't do the same with every gift under the tree with your name on it. Liar.
Pulling the gift out of my bag, I eyed it cautiously, spinning it around and around on the counter. What I was waiting for, I wasn't sure.
Maybe the courage to face whatever was in there.
Then my doorbell rang, jolting me out of the bar stool and giving me a reprieve from opening the ticking time bomb. I rushed to the door, swung it open, and found a startled delivery boy.
"Are you Shasta?" Poor kid sounded like he hadn't yet hit puberty and here he was delivering packages to scary, grown-ass women like me.
"Depends who's asking, sugar." After a beat of awkward silence, I laughed and put the boy out of his misery. He'd have to work up to women such as myself. "Yes, I'm Shasta. Whatcha got for me?"
He thrust a long box in my hands before spinning around and booking it down my front walkway.
"Thank you!" I called after him. Damn. I did it again. Poor kid.
I brought the package inside and set it on the counter next to my gift from Duke. I hadn't ordered anything recently, and I had a sneaking suspicion that these two boxes were connected in some way.
Going with door number two I opened the box that had just been delivered. I ripped off the top and reached in, lifting out a bottle wrapped in brown paper. Underneath the paper I found a bottle of my favorite Malbec wine. I peered back into the box but didn't see a note to explain who it was from or why.
There was nothing for it. I needed to open the other gift.
Like a Band-Aid, I ripped off the pretty paper, finally ready to face the music.
Out dropped a plain, black thumb drive. Flipping it over I didn't see any identifying information. I was either going to get a computer virus or die from curiosity; I wasn't sure which. I ran to grab my laptop, shoved the thumb drive into the slot, and tapped my foot while the damn thing loaded.
Familiar music began playing out of my computer speakers, a song from our high school days. A window popped up, but I was too busy laughing out loud there by myself in my empty apartment. Oh, Duke, bringing up good memories with these old songs. I settled into the couch and read the words on the window that had popped up, seeing it was a message from Duke.
Hopefully, you waited until you got home so you could enjoy a relaxing night with some wine and good music. Since you won't let me date you, I figured I'd have you experience what we'd be doing if you'd said yes. Listen to the music in order. It's every love song from the year you and I were together. Every song that still makes me think of you.
The laughter officially died as the ache in my chest took over. I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat threatening to cut off my air. Damn that man and his ridiculously sweet heart. He’d always loved music. Looked like that hadn't changed.
Curiosity took hold, and I closed the window so I could see the list of songs cued up to play. I wanted to know which songs made him think of me. I mean, what if he put onInsane in the Brainby Cypress Hill? Not exactly the thing a girl likes to hear about herself, you know?
I should have known better. This was Duke we were talking about after all. As I scanned the list, a realization came to me: I missed him. I missed how he used to make me feel. I missed how he used to look at me as if no other girl existed. I missed how safe I felt with him, without even knowing it back then, too young to know what I had.
Hungry Eyes- Eric Carmen
Bump N' Grind- R Kelly
This Must Be Love- Phil Collins
(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You- UB40
I'll Make Love to You- Boyz II Men
All For Love- Bryan Adams
The Power of Love- Celine Dion
Another Sad Love Song- Toni Braxton
