Under The Mistletoe (John & Luke - Pt 2)

Chapter 25

"For you, darling," Luke smiled and handed him the gift.

John was startled by the weight of it. He looked at Luke suspiciously. "You know what this is, don't you?"

Luke shrugged. "Maybe." The light radiating from his eyes alerted John to Luke's own excitement. He fidgeted. "So, come on—open it already."

"Okay, jeez," John chuckled as Luke's eagerness became contagious—for Sharon and Mitch as well, as they waited anxiously to see what Bob had given him.

As John began to pull off the wrapping, a nervous excitement he didn't completely understand came over him—perhaps it was the look on Luke's face, his anxious hands that clearly wanted to help John rip the sucker open. He smiled and shook his head as he scraped off the final shreds of wrapping paper—then froze in stark shock.

Luke didn't say a word, just stared at him, waiting for him to breathe—which seemed an impossible task at the moment. John's heart kicked suddenly, crashing against his ribs and propelling the words—"Holy fucking shit!"—out of his mouth before he remembered he was sitting so close to his mother. He looked at his mom quickly. "Sorry," he winced, but she was staring at the box on his lap.

"You get a pass on this one, sweetheart," she breathed quietly.

John looked at the gift, and felt his own awe bursting off his face, disbelief rendering him momentarily speechless as he gripped the edges of the box containing the Wacom Cintiq digital tablet—with the 22HD screen.

He was barely conscious of anyone else around him as he just stared at the unbelievable gift. Then he felt Luke's hand squeeze his wrist and he looked up, his throat knotting with emotion.

"Merry Christmas, John boy," Luke murmured, his own eyes swimming. "I expect to see some kickass artwork real soon."

John bit his lip and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "I'll tell you one thing," he said with a tremor in his voice. "Bob does not get to do something like this and just sneak away without a huge fucking thank you. I swear to God I'll drive to New York and crash the courtroom, if I have to." Tears rolled down his cheeks and he wiped them away with the back of his hand.

Luke laughed and hugged him. "Gotta love Bob."

That was putting it lightly. John had no words to explain how he was feeling right now. His mind had short circuited and all he could do was caress his fingertips over the surface of the box. When he finally glanced up, he caught his dad's eyes...brimming and ready to overflow...an ocean of churning emotions in his dark blue eyes.

It brings out your deep blue eyes.

John's heart shuddered and stalled as his stare darted to the Christmas tree—and the two remaining gifts; one for Luke and the other...

Oh my God...

♦

Luke caught John's wide stare as it shifted from the Christmas tree, along with a—No fucking way!—look. Luke's expression neither confirmed nor denied John's suspicions as he looked at Mitch. The man sat tensely in the chair beside his wife, his elbows resting on his knees and eyes distant.

"Do you want to go next?" Luke smiled. His heart was racing like a freight train, round and round in his chest.

Shaking his head slowly, Mitch murmured, "No. You go ahead."

"You don't know what your' is right?" John asked Luke, eyes narrowed. "'Cause that just wouldn't be fair."

Luke laughed. "No, I don't know what it is." Shit, if Bob had given him a lump of coal, it wouldn't have taken away from Luke's joy this day. Bob didn't owe him anything—Luke was the one in eternal debt to the man.

His gift box was hardly bigger than a DVD case and so light it felt empty. He took it to the sofa and sat beside John as he opened it up—a note and an envelope it's only contents. He unfolded the note and read it aloud. "Dear Luke, your gift will be waiting for you in the school parking lot when you return to college with John. A son isn't a possession to be put on display, and a father's gift should come from his heart. You deserve to have what you want—in all aspects of your life. You will be great in whatever path you chose. I am proud of you for standing up for yourself, standing up for your love for John. Don't ever back down. If I..." Luke's throat clogged with emotion and he tried to clear it away, his voice growing thick and uneven. "If I had been blessed with a son in this life, I would have wanted him to be just like you. Your father should be so proud." He blinked as the words swam on the paper. "But that is his loss, not your own." Luke released a slow breath and sniffed. "I added a little something to help you get started in your new school...you've more than earned a full ride. Just fill in the blank box." Luke licked his lips slowly and tasted tears as he stared at the final line. "More than one life was saved in that storm. Thank you for reminding me that I'm still alive." Luke dragged his knuckles across his eyes. "Your friend...Bob."

John's head was resting on his shoulder, Luke's shirt damp with his tears. Luke cleared his throat and folded the note, then took out the envelope and opened it, withdrawing the single item inside; a blank check made out to John's school. And down in the corner on the Memo line was written—'Tuition. Paid in Full.'