Page 30 of Totally Shipped
“Not a problem,” Rex says. “Key told me you’d been working on things together, so we brought them with us, didn’t we, Key?”
“Yes, yes. Can we put them under the tree now?”
I watch Killian go and stand next to Gray and take his hand. Leander pulls me into his arms.
“It’s a good thing we made wrapping paper, or all our secrets would be out in the open already,” I say as Key places the banana leaf wrapped gifts carefully under the tree.
“Banana leaves!” Leander says, striking himself on the forehead. “Of course! Back in a minute.”
He plunges into the jungle and comes back with a pile of the giant leaves. “Come on, guys, we’ve got wrapping to do!”
This Christmas even comes with last-minute present-wrapping. It has everything!
Key and I snuggle on the pillowy grass pile and watch the lights. While the guys work on whatever mysterious wrapping they have to do, I tell Keyara my favorite holiday stories:The Velveteen Rabbit, The Tailor of Gloucester,andThe Polar Express.
At the library, every Tuesday and Thursday during the holiday season, I would set up rows of chairs so they resembled a train. Then when the kids came in, I’d hand out hot-cocoa and readThe Polar Express. At the end of the story, each kid got a silver bell. I would love to be able to do that again with Keyara and my baby involved.
But there are no chairs, or hot cocoa, or silver bells on this island.
For a moment a wave of depression overtakes me. This island Christmas is really amazing, and the guys are the sweetest men ever—but will this be what Christmases are like forever?
“I love you, Daisy,” Keyara says, snuggling closer. Then she leans over and talks to my belly. “I love you, baby. Merry Christmas, baby.”
I blink away some tears. Even though the future is terrifying, right now I wouldn't change a thing.
“What’s this?” Gray asks, walking out from the plane, arms full of parcels. “Seems like there is a surprise delivery that we just found!” He deposits his load under the ‘tree’. Keyara’s eyes grow huge and she leaps to her feet.
“Can I look?”
When I see her beaming excited face, I think about this baby, and how they are going to have holidays like this too. I dart my gaze over at Rex; he is looking from Key to me, and there are tears in his eyes.
“You should read the labels,” Gray tells her.
“There are labels?” I ask. Wow, good job guys.
“I’ll be Santa’s helper!” Key squeals, running over to the pile and picking one banana-leaf wrapped object up.
“What does it say?” I ask her.
“It says ‘Key,’” she giggles. “Who is it from?”
“That one is from me,” says Leander, smiling broadly. The parcel is flat and square.
“Can I open it?”
“Go for it!”
I can’t quite see what is inside, but when she holds it up, I know immediately. “Chutes and ladders!”
Leander has turned a square of aluminum into the board game. The detail on it is incredible. “How on earth did you do that?”
“Scratched onto the metal all the markings, then rubbed charcoal into the scratches. I have to say I’m pretty pleased with myself.”
“So you should be!”
Key is running over to him and hugging him round the waist. “I love it! Look Daisy!”
Close up I see the work Leander has put into this. Wow, the board is ten squares by ten, so a hundred squares! The snakes all have hilarious faces with crossed eyes and forked tongues.
