When Different Worlds Collide ✔️

Stay- Kat's POV

Kat's POV-

Presents didn't matter. Trust me, I know how ridiculous that sounds coming from a rich girl. However, it was the truth. I couldn't think of any material object that mattered more than What Erik and his family treated Christmas as. It was all about presence, not presents.

Don't get me wrong, they got each other presents. They were all meaningful gifts and things that they had really wanted or needed. Nia got new sketch pads and an adjustable mannequin. Erik got a keychain with a picture of him and his brother on one side and me and him on the other. Plus, he got some special car part that he had been needing for a while. Trina got a pretty necklace that contained a small amount of Theo's ashes in it to have him with her always. It nicely matched the bracelet that she always wore that contained Erik's Father's remains. They were all so grateful and happy with what they each got.

They all even got me gifts too. Trina gave me a book of poems that she had seen me eyeing up the very first time I had come over. How she remembered that was beyond me, because even I barely remembered that. Nia made me a new and improved pair of shoes since she had gotten better at sewing since the end of last school year. Plus, she had made me a cute lightweight jacket that would be perfect for the fall and spring months. Erik gave a very beautiful and thick journal for me to write in since that had become my new therapeutic outlet. On the first page, he even wrote me a letter. However, I wasn't allowed to read it until I was home and alone because he was embarrassed. He also drew a beautiful picture of a rose on the second page- I hadn't even known that he could draw!

It all made what I got them look ridiculous. I stood by what I got them all, but that is just because I knew that they needed it. I should have gotten them better things from the heart like they had gotten me, but my gift truly was kind of from the heart... Just in a different way.

"Um..." I trailed off awkwardly. "Your gifts make my gift look ridiculous," I said with a shrug. "However, it is how I think I can help you all the most. I see all of your stress and everything each month, so..." I pulled out an envelope and sat it on the table between us all. "Here are protection tax payments for the next six months."

"Kat..." Trina said in a surprised tone as she examined the envelope without picking it up.

"I don't want to hear anything about not accepting it, Erik, because if you don't... I'll go to T myself and pay it for you," I said in a stern voice. "This is my way of trying to ease all of your lives and help alleviate some of your stress."

"This is so much," Nia said as she picked up the envelope.

"Yes, it's too much," Erik said, sounding overwhelmed as he stared hard at me.

"Erik..." I said with an eyeroll. "Let me help you. You help me all the time," I told him gently. "You all have. You've accepted me into your family so easily, and you have no idea how much it means to me to finally have people who will accept me. It's the least that I can do... Let me contribute and help."

"Okay," Trina was the one that answered me with teary eyes. "I understand why you did that. It's not because of the money or anything... You want us to be able to have some breathing room. That means more to me that you'll ever be able to comprehend, Kat. We all love you. We're so glad that Erik has found you. It means so much that you think of us like family because you are a part of our family, Kat," she said and got up to hug me. "This is so lovely."

Those words were all I had ever wanted to hear. Words of pure acceptance and love. I had never heard them before, especially from a mother figure, so it made me downright giddy. My heart was so full. I was loved and I was accepted.

"There are not enough words in the world to describe how much I love you, Kat," Erik said when he came up to me to thank me for my gift. "Thank you, Kat... so much. It was way too extravagant, but it was really thoughtful and nice of you, my sweet angel."