“Hah! I missed you too Bree. Next time I'll just have to sneak you in my luggage.” After we got my things in the trunk, we jumped into her car and fought the airport's holiday traffic. “Where are we going tonight?”
“Your pick, the guys are having a party, or my parents are throwing a party. Which I promise is not as boring as it sounds. There's always a ton of people there, everyone plays poker and drinks.”
“Well where will Konrad be?”
She smirked and raised an eyebrow like that answer should be obvious, “Wherever I am.”
“Can we just go to Mom and Dad's? I missed them too.” During Thanksgiving, Claire and Robert had told me they wouldn't respond to me anymore if I didn't act like they were my parents. It started as a joke, but it stuck.
While Bree was on the phone with Konrad, my cell went off and I started when I saw it was from Chase.
Chase - 'You gonna be at the house tonight?'
Me - 'Nope, going to hang with the family.'
“Is that lover boy?” Bree questioned as she turned the music back on.
“Uh...yeah.” I have no idea why I lied, but it felt awkward correcting myself now.
“Did you guys have fun in Arizona?”
I laughed at her wagging eyebrows, “We had fun, but not that much fun. Hate to burst your bubble.”
“You're going to kill that poor guy Harper! It's been like what...four months? Five?”
“I know, I know. I don't know what keeps stopping me. It's not like we never have the opportunity. I just...I don't know.”
She shut the music off quickly, that was never a good sign. “Are you guys okay?”
“Yes Bree, we're more than fine, trust me! It's nothing like that, I just haven't felt like it's the right time yet.”
“If you say so. But I'm serious. He's going to explode if it's not soon.”
“So you keep telling me.” I was dying to ask how Chase was, even if we didn't talk, we saw each other every day too. And having him text me for the first time ever just a few minutes ago had my heart racing knowing I'd be seeing him again within the next few days. “How's the family?”
“They're good. Mom actually cried because you weren't at Christmas.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack. Your presents were still under the tree that night and she started crying, I had to take them up to my room to get her to calm down.”
I didn't know what to say, I just shook my head in disbelief.
“I'm serious Harper, she was devastated!”
“No, no. I believe you. I guess I still have to wrap my head around how much they care for me. And did you say I had presents? Why?” The only presents I've ever gotten from Sir was a laptop for graduation and my iPhone. And to be honest with you, I know the only reason I got those was because I had been planning on buying them anyway and he didn't want me to waste my money. There were never presents, cards or any sentiments on Christmas, or birthdays. It's just how it was.
“Because we all love you!”
“But I – I didn't get you guys anything.”
Bree's voice got really soft and she reached over to grab my hand, “We didn't expect you to. They all know what growing up with Sir entailed. We wanted to show you what a real Christmas is like.” She looked at me until the light turned green again. “Did you talk to him?”
“No. I called him twice though and left messages.” Jeez, I really did have a crappy home life. Even Bree's family called me on Christmas. And Brandon… “Oh my God Bree, I'm so stupid!” I groaned.
“What, no you're not!”
I pulled out my necklace to show her, “It's from Brandon.”
“He got you a Tiffany's necklace for Christmas? Good choice!”
“That's just it Bree. He didn't give it to me on Christmas, he gave it to me before I left. I thought it was so weird because he's never given me anything, and we weren’t apart after Christmas so I would've known if he'd gotten it after. But he knows what holidays were like with Sir, and that I was upset he wouldn't answer the phone. I think he thought it would upset me more if he proved how much of a jerk Sir is.”
“He's a good guy Harper. I'm glad you have him.”
I clutched the necklace in my hand and sighed into the seat, “Me too.” We sat in silence for a minute, just listening to the radio. “So besides Mom breaking down, how were they the rest of the time?”
“Pretty good, we just relaxed a lot. Mom's trying to learn how to knit, so be sure to make grandma jokes, it pisses her off. Dad and some of his buddies went to that golf tournament.”
“Oh yeah, how'd they do?”
“Uh...don't ask him about it.”
“Figures.” Dad couldn't play golf to save his life, but he apparently loved it. “And Chase?”
“I don't even know. He's so moody lately.”
“Bree, when isn't he moody?”