-Alana-
[December 24th; Christmas Eve]
I held Caelyn closer to my chest as we gazed at the heavily decorated Christmas tree in silence. The gifts underneath this shit were ridiculous. Paris had about seven boxes under there with her name on it. All from Chris. She received one from me and one from Cameron; making it a total of nine gifts. Like. What the fuck Chris? Caelyn had five gifts under the tree; all from Chris. Then two from me and one from Cameron; making her total eight. I swear these kids were going to be spoiled sour up to their teen years if this is how we're treating them now.
"I want to open presents." She whispered although we were the only ones in the living room. Her voice was filled with sleep and it made me pout a little that she was forcing her little self to stay up. Chris announced to the house that we will all open one present at midnight, and since it was eleven twenty now, Caelyn was going to try to make it to twelve.
Poor baby.
"Let me bring you upstairs, Cae. You can open you presents–"
"No mommy, please. Can I stay and open presents." Her sleepy voice cracked a little, causing me to look away from her fallen face.
"Alright, but as soon as you open it you're going to bed. You're not suppose to be staying up this late." She nodded before resting her head back in my lap and continued to stare at the tree. I knew that she was going to knock in about a minute or two so I wasn't even stressing her being up.
"Yo," I sighed and only kept my eyes on the little gift box that Cameron sent over a few days ago. I was so eager to rip the shit open to see what it was. He told me that I would love it so you can only imagine my excitement. "Alana. Can I talk to you?"
"You're talking to me, Chris."
"Alright. Can I talk to you without Caelyn around?" After he asked his question there was a silence that took over the living room. The only thing that could be heard were Caelyn's light snores.
"Can you bring her upstairs?" He nodded before pulling up his sweats and then carefully picking Caelyn up from my lap. He waited for her to wrap her legs around his torso before he proceeded to walk out of the living room.
Two or three minutes passed before he finally came back into the living room. He was smiling wide as fuck and that only caused me to give him a strange look.
"Alright. I know that you noticed that there's no gift under that tree from me to you. I don't want you to think that I forgot about you cause I didn't." He was still smiling big as fuck and I was lowkey growing annoyed.
"What are–"
"Fuck it. I can't wait any longer." He suddenly got up from his seat at the couch and then crouched down on one knee in front of me. "Alana Brown, will–"
"Alana Lozada-Brown." I quickly corrected then smirked once he rolled his eyes. I don't care what the beef is with me and my mother. I want to keep my last name as well as Chris'.
"Alana Lozada-Brown," he paused to pull the little ruby colored box out of his back packet. "Will you marry me again?" He didn't even wait for my answer when he took my left hand in his and then slipped the previous ring off my finger and then slid the new and more enhanced ring on.
"Of course I'll marry you again... hopefully this time shit is better." He groaned before pulling me down to him and pecking my lips. Upon pulling away he took my face in his hands and steadied our eye contact.
"I want to do things different this time. No leaving when I'm mad, you not ignoring me for weeks when I mess up and keeping my kids away from me." He said the last part so sternly that I had to look away and over to the tree. I heard him sigh before turning my face back to his. "And most importantly, no lies. Have you ever lied to me, Lana? Or did some shit that you're keeping from me?" My face formed a scowl as I shook my head from left to right.
"Okay... good. Cause I have something to tell–"
"MOMMY YOUR PHONE!"
-Chris-
God dammit, Paris. Just shit. Alana smiled weakly at me before pushing me out of the way and jogging over to Paris by the staircase. Once she placed the phone to her ear she proceeded to walk up the stairs. Sighing, I looked over at Paris and waved her over as I went to take a seat at the couch.
"Wassup?"
"Nothing. Waiting to open my present. I'm gonna open the big one from Cam first." I fought the urge to smack my lips at the eagerness in her voice.
"You don't wanna open any from daddy first?" I pouted at her to seal the gloomy look and even pulled her closer to me on the couch. She only shook her head 'no' with a shy smile on her face.
"Cam send me big gift so I open it first." I only licked my lips and nodded as I looked over at the big ass box with pink and purple gift wrap. This nigga really did the most for no reason. Like why you sending a damn house as a gift?
"Listen to me, Paris." I waited for her to tear her eyes off the gift and look over at me before continuing. "Something is gonna happen tomorrow and I'm not sure what the impact of it will be on the family." She scrunched up her face as she nodded up and down. She wasn't gonna understand, but I still wanted to tell her. "Just know that whatever happens I love you and I will always be around whenever you need me." She nodded once more before smiling at me.
I knew she didn't give one fuck about anything I just said. All that was in her head right now was opening her gift in the next twenty to twenty five minutes.
XxX
"AHHHHHHHH!!!! A BIKE!! I HAVE A BIKE MOMMY LOOK! DADDY!" I groaned lowly at how hype Paris was over this niggas gift. Okay it was a bike, so what.
"Daddy look! It have Lakers stickers on it!" I plastered a fake smile onto my face before looking over at Lana. She peeped the forced smile and shook her head at me before giving Paris all of her attention.
"You have to call him tomorrow and thank him, Paris. You hear me?" Paris nodded up and down quickly before continuing to put on her helmet. I knew she wasn't about to ride that shit around the house. Nope.
"What you doing Paris?" She looked at me for a brief second before shrugging and climbing onto the bike. "What you doing Paris?" I asked again only a little louder this time. I swear she rolled her eyes before giving me the 'shut the fuck up' scowl.
"What you–"
"I'm riding my bike, can't you see me on it?" I had to look from her annoyed face and then over to Lana who was rolling hard as fuck on the couch. Did Paris just talk to me like I was Lana?
"Get off the bike. Cause you think you grown you–"
"Mommy!"
"Go ahead, Paris. Only one ride down the hallway though." Paris squealed before placing both of her feet up on the pedals and taking off past the coffee table and then out of the living room. Her light giggles and cheers were doing nothing but pissing me off more.
I know I told her to get off that shit.
-Alana-
"Thanks for having my back and putting your foot down." He laughed sarcastically before getting up from his seat at the couch. I followed his lead and walked over to the Christmas tree too.
"Says Paris' bitch." I mumbled as I reached for my gift from Cameron. I only had one gift underneath this tree while Chris had two from me. It's alright though; I love my new ring.
"Man, move with that bitch shit." He bumped into me as he walked around with his gift in hand.
"You're welcome." I rolled my eyes as I took back my seat beside him on the couch. He smacked his lips but still thanked me as he went to ripping away the gift wrapping. I tuned out his tearing away at the paper as I read the little card that Cam stapled to the gift.
*Merry Christmas to my third favorite person in this world. (Sorry my mom and Paris came before you :p). I miss you and I hope you enter the new year with me still in your life.
-Cameron (#16)
I couldn't stop smiling as I placed the creme colored card in my lap. That was so cute and... just so cute.
"I love it." I almost forgot that Chris was sitting next to me on the couch. When I turned to look at him he pulled me into his lap and then kissed all over my face. "I really do. I love it and I love you." I blushed before turning to him and kissing his cheek. While shopping for Paris' gift I decided to get Chris' also.
I honestly didn't know what to get him so I settled on being basic and got him the new iPad mini. It wasn't the regular mini that is on sale to everyone though, I made the people at the store install this 'Beats Sound' program that can help him when he's in the studio. The iPad also came with a pair of red Beats headphones.
"I'm glad you do. Now let me open mine." I reached over on the couch and scooped up my gift from the far end. Before I could even look down at it Paris came walking into the living room with a huge smile on her face.
"Someone loves their new bike."
"I love it so much! I have to call Cam. Can you call him for me?" She asked while removing her helmet from her dark brown hair.
"He's spending time with his family right now, Paris. I promise I'll have you call him first thing in the morning." I was really bargaining with her right now. After a few seconds on mute she finally replied with an 'okay.'
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight." She smiled at me before turning on her heels and heading in the direction of the stairs.
"Goodnight Paris!" Chris finally called once she was at least at the top of the staircase. There was a long silence followed by the slam of a door.
"Holy shit! You got the door slam!" I laughed in his face while he sat there with a clenched jaw. I kissed his lips once then turned back around to open my gift.
"That's from that guy?"
"If you're referring to Cameron, then yes. Oh my gosh I wonder what it is." I was so eager as I opened this gift. It wasn't even funny. He mumbled some slick shit that I didn't catch before snatching the gift from me.
"Chris!!!"
"Calm down, you was taking too long to open it." That was all the justification he gave me as I watched him rip the shiny silver paper off my gift. I stood there with my eyes narrowed and arms crossed as he looked at what was in the box.
First his jaw clenched, then he looked over at me. After staring at me long and hard he finally spoke.
"You sending this shit back."
"What? Give me my stuff!" I stopped him before he could exit the room and then snatched the box from him. I gasped out loud of the sight of the necklace.
"Oh my gosh..."
"You're sending it back."
"Oh my gosh... look at this necklace!!!!" I couldn't stop the childish squeal that escaped my lips. No Cameron did not.
"That's eighteen karats. You sending it back and–"
"Can you shut up? Oh my gosh, Chris. It's so pretty." I cooed at the necklace for a few more seconds before finally taking it out of the box. I had to suck in a breath because of how wonderful the diamond and gold stones felt against my finger tips.
"Why he spending so much money on you? I saw that shit when I went to buy your ring. It cost almost two hundred grand. Fuck he balling out on you for?!" I guess he thought that if he raised his voice then I would pay attention to him.
"Two hundred grand? Whoa..."
"Yeah. Whoa." He mocked in a bitter voice while stepping closer to me. I took a step back before bringing my ass over to the couch.
"No one has ever spent so much money on me." I ran my fingers along the outline of the necklace as my mind drifted.
Did Cameron really ball out on me like this?
"Put it back in the box cause–"
"I'm not sending it back, Chris. That's rude... and plus, I really love it." He glared at me for a few seconds before nodding and turning on his heels.
Once I heard the bedroom door slam I went back to admiring my gift. Cameron really didn't have to do this... but I love it so I'm keeping it. Chris can go somewhere with that played out jealous act.