Chapter 21 - Christmas

Chapter 21: Christmas

I aced all my end of semester exams as you would expect.

There were a lot of stressed out students, everyone was more than happy for the holidays to arrive.

I hadn’t attended the Christmas dance, and Chloe had persuaded her parents that another boy was good enough to take her, so he had been allowed to take her to the dance.

Chloe had informed me that they were just going to the dance as friends. She emphasized they wouldn’t be dating. But since he was one from the popular crowd, it would help her reputation, Chloe was still giddy with excitement about the dance coming up, I was fine with what she was doing, since I liked the guy as well, plus he didn’t strike me as a player.

Of course I was fine with it, it meant I wasn’t shanghaied again by our Moms. Yes we were good friends now, but if anything because of that, being forced to be her date would have been even worse than it had been for Halloween.

Mom seemed unhappy about it though, I think she hoped I would have been escorting Chloe again.

Once school was out, I had a couple of days before Christmas Eve, I spent them just hanging around the house.

I did spend some time on my Harley, but was waiting for dad to have more time before making a joint attack on stripping it down.

The grandparents arrived on Christmas Eve morning, we spend the day just watching Christmas themed films, or putting up decorations around the house. I had really wanted to go to town with lights, inside and out, plus lighted characters to hang on the house and put in the garden, but Mom and Dad had put their foot down and told me no.

The house still looked festive, but it wasn’t garish, which is probably what would have happened if I had been let loose.

Although we were not actively religious people, the ladies in the family all loved midnight mass and singing carols, so we men were kept up late escorting them.

Christmas day dawned clear skies and bitterly cold, the thermometer was showing it to be 31°F, That’s bitterly cold for Georgia.

The only white Christmas I knew starred Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.

I was up really early, not because I was excited, although I did love Christmas, no I had a task to do which would make it a really good Christmas for someone else.

Dad and I were outside in the brisk wind, we were dropping the Truck round to the Burns’ house, hopefully before anyone there was up. It was on a trailer, to make it possible for just Dad and I to achieve.

When we got back to the house, Mom was waiting with big mugs of hot chocolate, that helped warm us back up in no time.

Everyone exchanging gifts after breakfast, everyone was very taken with my gifts, and the thought that had gone into them. I was a problem child when it comes to presents, what do you buy someone, who has the money to be able to buy whatever they like, within reason.

So everyone had gone the practical route, since I had recently had a growth spurt, new clothes were the order of the day, but instead of basic Walmart clothes, I spotted a number of labels which showed these were of designer quality.

As usual I had some additional presents. These came from the people I had done business with, from Andy Campbell I got some top of the line Nike trainers, from my former investment business partner, I got the newest iphone watch on the market. And from the company I had saved, I got a Rolex Air King.

They were nice, but the presents I cherished the most that year came from my friends.

After lunch, I had helped the ladies with the clean-up, then we all gathered in the front room, to just relax and let the huge meal we had devoured settle.

Both Gramps and Grandad were snoozing when they were rudely awakened by a roar of an engine outside coming up the lane, when it cut out I was peeping out of a window.

Yep it was Rory driving the new truck, he also had Chloe with him, and they got out and headed for the front door, which was different for them, as they usually went to the kitchen like I did.

I opened the door for them and ushered them in quickly to get out of the cold.

We all sang out Merry Christmas to each other while we all grinned like idiots.

“Like my new truck Jack? Mom and Dad got it for me for Christmas, isn’t that great.” Rory beamed with pleasure.

“Our new truck Rory, remember, we will get to share it once I can pass my test.” Chloe put in.

Hmm, that was a good idea by Mrs. and Mr. Burns, that way if I hadn’t been prepared to do the same for Chloe, she wouldn’t have felt left out.

“Sure, like you will ever get to pass your drivers test.” Rory teased.

“Shut up you, bet I pass it the first time just like you did, I drive on the farm just like you have.” Chloe whined in response.

“Hey guys stop with the bickering, I think it is great, plus I will love the lifts to school.” I winked. “Come in and meet my grandparents, plus I have your cards and presents there too.”

“We have yours here too Jack.” Chloe explained, holding up a bag.

“Don’t you want to see the truck Jack?” Rory moaned.

“Let’s do the presents first, then I will get a coat on to come out and look.” I said as a compromise.