For The Love of Color

Chapter 11

Waking up the next morning to the smell of hickory smoked bacon, Carter rolled out of bed with a huge smile on her face. She looked down at her hand and saw the ring on her finger; this caused her to smile harder. Grabbing her towel she headed towards the bathroom to do her daily morning routine. About an hour later Carter came out the bathroom in her towel, she smelled cinnamon grits and her stomach growled. Getting into her room she closed her door and proceeded to lotion her body. After she put on her christmas Pajamas she grabbed her phone and headed downstairs. Checking her phone she seen she had a text message and missed call from Tiara and a text from Jacob. Walking into the kitchen she was greeted by the twins, and her mom and dad. "Merry Christmas Carter!" They all shouted at once. Carter had a big smile on her face, "Merry Christmas ya'll!" She shouted back. Sitting down at the table she looked at the spread her mom made on the table. There was cinnamon grits, honey pancakes, maple sausage, hickory smoked bacon, cheese eggs, fruit salad, french toast, homemade syrup, and orange juice. As they held hands and Carter led the family in grace, she finished and they all drove into the food. Everyone at the table was quiet for the next twenty-five minutes stuffing their face with food. After they were done they all helped with cleaning up the kitchen. Moving into the living room her dad stood up in front of everybody as the rest of the family got comfortable on the couch.

"This year our family has been blessed with extra gifts from someone special. As I unveil this blessing I want everyone to stay calm, as usual we will open three gifts each and save the rest until after dessert so please choose wisely." He said after taking the sheet off the gifts. Looking over at the tree there was an unusual amount of extra gifts under the tree. Every christmas there's a lot of gifts under the tree but this year it was as least twenty more gifts than usual. "Dad you really racked up this year." Carter smiled walking up to the tree to see the pretty wrapped gifts.

"I didn't get all this." He smirked

"Well who got it, Santa?" She joked. Her dad gave her the side eye and she covered her smile. The twins don't know Santa isn't real yet and her parents want to keep it that way.

"Jacob." He smirked at Carter.

"Jacob?" Carter repeated back making sure the name she heard was correct.

"Yup." Her dad said back. "I hope he didn't get all this to get your good stuff." Her dad said while looking her up and down with a smirk.

"Mom please get your husband." Carter groaned.

"I'm sorry sweetie but I have to agree with your father on this one. You'd be surprised what a guy would do or buy just to get your good stuff." Her mom said while sitting back on the couch scrolling through her phone. "I remember this time your father got--"

"Shut up!" Her dad yelled while pointing at her mom. "You talk to damn much you know that?" He asked looking over at her. Carter started to laugh at her parents because they were so goofy and animated.

"Desmond don't show off." Her mom side eyed. "You ain't tell me to shut up last--"

"Chris please! Not in front of the kids." He pointed at the twins then at Carter. Shaking his head he looked at Carter. "Like I said I hope these gifts are coming from the bottom of his heart and not the bottom part of his body."

"Eww gross dad, nobody is doing any of that." Carter spoke.

"That's good you're not doing it, but are you thinking about it is the question?" Her dad questioned. Right before she could answer her phone started to ring. "Saved by the bell huh?" Her dad smirked. Walking to the kitchen Carter answered the phone.

"Hello?" She spoke first. At first she heard breathing then the person hung up. Looking back into her caller ID the call was blocked. Thinking nothing of it she headed back into the living room with the rest of the family. Walking over to the tree she picked three small gifts with her name on it to open. The first box was long and wrapped in silver wrapping paper. Opening up the gift, inside the box it was a pencil with a note attached to it underneath. It read: