My Life In Pieces (Book #1)

Chapter 24

Elle came into the kitchen and we untangled.

"Come on love birds Claire wants to cut the cake."

"Be right there." Ari said and Elle smirked and left us alone. I started to walk towards the living room but Ari stopped me. "Hold on. I want to give you your present."

I had hoped the I don't want anything tactic had worked.

Ari pulled a small box from his back pocket and handed it to me. It was wrapped in light blue wrapping paper and silver ribbon that formed a dainty bow. I couldn't help and smile when I unwrapped it. Inside was a thin silver charm bracelet with a small silver charm in the shape of Texas that had Dallas written on it and another one that looked like a lasso with the word y'all on it.

" Where did you get this?"

He smiled, "I Googled Texas charms and found this site called James Avery?"

I looked at him confused, "You've never heard of James Avery?"

He shook his head, "Not a Canadian thing, Gorgeous. It was between that Dallas Charm and one that had a big W on it like some kind of Wonder Woman. They had two others with that W on it too that looked fries and a pop? What is that about?:

My eyes lit up, "They had a Whataburger charm?!"

"What a what?"

WHATABURGER! Only the best burger chain in Texas... Oh how he was missing out.

I shook my head, "It's a Texas thing."

"So Christmas present idea then I take it?"

I nodded emphatically, "Yes! Top of the list idea."

Ari smiled and kissed the top of my forehead. "Glad you like it"

We walked into the living room to cut the cake and then enjoyed the rest of the party. Elyse loved my new charms and told me she would be on the lookout for ones to add. Patrick said my gift was back at the house and I wasn't getting it until my actual birthday tomorrow. The party started winding down close to eleven. I kissed Ari good night and hugged Elle and my cousins good bye. I walked back to my house with Elyse and Patrick on either arm, laughing about old times back home. We walked inside the house and found Uncle Jim and my dad passed out in the living room watching a movie. I woke Jim up and told him he could go home. I would let Dad sleep.

He walked with me back towards the front door and hugged Elyse as she walked with Patrick upstairs. He stopped me though and waited for them to get out of ear shot before pulling a small envelope out of his back pocket.

I looked back at him perplexed. Aunt Claire had already given me their gift, a pair of pearl earrings that had apparently once been Jim and Tim's mom's.

"Tyler stopped by around eight and dropped this off. He said he was on his way to play a show so he wasn't going to the party but asked that I make sure you got this once you were alone?"

I nodded and thanked him before he left. I peaked upstairs to make sure Elyse or Patrick weren't coming back downstairs and made sure I could still hear my dad snoring before I opened the envelope.

Inside was a necklace made out of a guitar pic. It was wrapped in the piece of paper that I had seen Tyler writing my song one day in English class. It was covered in little notes and scratched out ideas. I looked at the notes in the margin,

I wasn't sure how to react to it so I put the note in my pocket and went upstairs to my family. This could wait until I had room to process.

It was weird having a Birthday breakfast sans Jordan the next morning. To have Patrick and Elyse there without her just put a damper on my mood. Elyse was feeling jetlagged and wanted to sleep some more. My dad loaned me, well Patrick, his car and I showed Patrick around Toronto, just the two of us.