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I have to admit some part of me really enjoyed Brad’s
kiss. Maybe I’m turning into a pervert. [Join the club!]
Now Brad hands me a present, small and cheerful
in its shiny purple foil wrapper. Inside is a music box,
handcrafted of cherrywood, intricately inlaid with gold
leaf hearts. It plays “Für Elise,” my favorite Beethoven.
My eyes lock with his, and what I find glittering
there makes me slightly uncomfortable. “Thank you.
It’s beautiful. How did you know I love this song?”
Brad shrugs. It reminded me of you. He unhooks his eyes
from mine, and his looking away draws a tinge of regret.
Trey clears his throat. Don’t you want my present?
“You mean there’s more?” I smile. “Of course I do.”
He hands me a plain brown sack. Sorry. Didn’t have time
to wrap it. Inside is a pipe—blown glass, milky blue swirls.
Luckily, the girls are distracted by toys. I drop the pipe
back in the bag. “Maybe we should break this in?”
Trey looks at Brad. What time are we supposed to be at
your mom’s for dinner? I probably shouldn’t smoke first.
I glance back and forth between Trey and Brad. “You’re going
somewhere for dinner?” [Well, duh. Isn’t that what families do?]
Brad nods. Uh-huh. My mom always does Christmas dinner for
the entire family. We’re supposed to get there around one.
I look at Trey, waiting for an invitation to join them. But he
just says, I hope she made pecan pie. I love that shit.
I Keep Waiting
But it’s almost noon, and still
no invitation. We go upstairs
so Trey can put on a button-up
shirt. Finally, I get brave enough
