Three days until Christmas
I was freaking out.
Today Caleb, Ace, and I all admitted that we hadn't quite gotten our gift for each other yet so we mutually agreed to go to the shops today and find those extra things that we need.
I was freaking out because I had no clue what to get my brothers. Normally I do my Christmas shopping a lot sooner as I hate procrastinating and I want to put a lot of thought into my gift but after the shock of going to Aspen and the fun we've been having here it just kinda slipped my mind.
Obviously, I was also on my own finding gifts because it was just me and one other person who isn't the person receiving the gift and I want my gifts to be a surprise for Ace and Caleb so I can't really ask them for advice.
Before — when I was in elementary school — they would just buy a gift that would supposedly be mine and I would give it to Ace or Cal and say I got it for them. That was fine, but as I got older I really want to be a good gift giver and have them come from me so now I think long and hard about gifts. At first I did consult both of my brothers for the other's gift but now and for about the last two years I really want to do it on my own.
So today we all split up — well kinda. With my brother and his best friend being the overprotective freaks they are, they would never let me walk around Aspen alone. So Cal went to his stores while Ace and I stayed together. I get to pick the store and Ace waits outside and sometimes texts me to make sure I'm doing alright if I'm taking too long.
So far I've been in three different stores and spent about an hour but have yet to come up with anything.
For Ace I know I want to get him something really special and close to our hearts as we did have such a special childhood and I would like to think that we have a close and strong bond. But I'm completely blanking on what that is.
I'm thinking of getting Caleb something car related ... but that's only because we're coming up on what looks to be a super nice car store.
"I think I'm gonna go in here." I told Ace, walking in front of him so I could get to the front entrance of the store.
I heard him sigh and take a seat on the bench right outside so I assumed he was fine with that plan.
When I got inside there weren't a lot of people in the store, but enough so that no employees came up to me to ask questions ... Thank god. I looked around for a little bit ... almost deciding to give up on the store as I certainly can not afford a freaking car!
Then I came across a section just filled with helmets. This store looked like a decent size from the outside ... not huge but definitely not a small store and I could tell it was a chain of some kind. But once you got in you could definitely tell they maximize the space and there were a lot of high end things in here.
Definitely Caleb's cup of tea. One of the problems with Cal is that he likes the expensive stuff ... for everything. Luckily for me, I've got Ace's credit card! And he didn't tell me any limit so I was just gonna maybe ignore the price tag.
It was a running joke in the family that Caleb never wears helmets when he rides his motorcycle ever since he lost his other one and that I hate hate that he doesn't wear helmets.
I hate it because for obvious reasons, I don't want Caleb to get hurt or die and there is a much higher chance of that if his brain is not protected! And also because when I was younger and learning how to ride bikes and scooters — and the odd skateboard as both Cal and Ace loved skateboarding in their youth — I was always told I couldn't play if I didn't have a helmet on. I don't know why the same rules don't apply for Caleb!
I pulled out my phone and started searching online if this was a good helmet brand or not. Because I can't preach about cal being safe and wearing a helmet if the helmet is super bad quality and doesn't do anything for him even if he wears it. My internet search came out good so I grabbed the helmet and went to go check out!
Me being the shy person I was though, decided to take one more trip around the store as I was a little scared of going to check out a motorcycle helmet when it's so obvious I don't or shouldn't be riding one. Plus I'm pretty small and all alone with a really nice credit card so all of the signs do not add up.
Normally, my second walk around the store due to my social anxiety is just a waste of time. But this time it wasn't!
When I was going around I found a small corner near the try out section where I guess girlfriends would wait to see what they're boyfriends are trying to give their opinion. But in that section there was this super cute little coffee table book stacked with a couple.
It was this book with practically every car that has ever been made. I mean it was a thick book! It dated all the way to 2021 which I feel is very modern for a book like this seeing as it's only a year old and therefore has some very modern cars in it!
Inside the book there was information on one side like details about the car in a diagram and a picture of the car with name and maker and that sort of thing. And then on the right side of the same page there would be a ton more information in detail about this car which I thought was amazing!
Well, I thought it was very boring but I could appreciate it and thought that Caleb would absolutely love it.
Even though my honorary brother likes to point out that he was so dumb in school as he didn't try and his ADHD and a couple other learning disabilities that he did not get help for. But even knowing all of that, Caleb loves to know things. He knows every information about sports teams, cars, technology, you name it he knows it — as long as he's interested that is. But I also think that's just one of Caleb's many talents; he knows names right away and loves to remember them and if he even watches one episode of a random show with me he immediately can pick up on all of the information and know things right away.
"Did you find everything alright today?" A younger cashier asked me once I had finally worked up the nerve to walk up.
"Yeah." I responded, shortly.
I hate when they ask such open ended questions like that!
"Great. So just the helmet?" He asked, his eyes narrowed in, questions clearly running through his head, but his overall tone was nice and accommodating which was relieving as I didn't want to be bombarded with questions by a rude cashier.
"Well, erm..." I started, bringing the book up and placing it on top of the counter. "I was wondering if I can purchase this? It has a price tag on it?" I asked a little shyly and reservedly.
Whenever I call customer service or go up to an employee for whatever reason to ask some question I always try to keep the conversation very short and just accept their answer. This is what I was doing right now — if he said I couldn't buy the book, I would say thank you and then just leave. On the other hand, if Caleb calls customer service for whatever reason he is very assertive and will not take no for an answer if he doesn't want to.
It's a trait I would love to have, but also know that I will never have it.
"Umm... I'm sure you can. Let me just search it up real quick." The man responded to me, grabbing the book from my hands. It only took a few more moments before he finally had an answer for me. "Alright! Yep, it's purchasable. Here is your total, I'm assuming you want a bag?"
"Yes, please." I responded, putting the card into the machine.
I took the bag from the cashier and went outside to meet my brother.
His eyes went wide when I got out with the huge bag. "Buy?" What did you buy, Ace asked, but nonetheless immediately took it from me so I didn't have to carry it. It was a reflex at this point.
I shook my head. "I can't tell you, remember? I want it to be a surprise and I don't want your help getting Cal's gifts."
Ace refused to acknowledge that I don't want nor need his help.
"Stupid rule." He told me, raising his eyebrows.
He also thinks it's stupid that I have this mental rule with myself that I don't want their help coming up with an idea and I don't want them to see what I got from either person.
The second part is partially because I think it's fun for them both to be surprised. But it's also because they're best friends and are blabber mouths, they can't keep a secret from each other! Ace can maybe 80% of the time, but Cal can maybe only like 20% of the time. And it's not like they just downright say it, it's just that they'll give each other hints and those hints are beyond obvious!
"Done?" Ace asked if I was done with shopping.
I sighed dramatically and hung my head low. "No! I still have to get your gift."
"Alright." He responded, waving his hand forward to signify that I should probably get a move on.
"No peeking!" I told Ace, pointing to the bag holding Caleb's heavy gift that he was carrying, before turning and heading into the nearest store.
I started wandering aimlessly around the store aimlessly — it was a clothing store. And nothing came to mind. I think it was about twenty minutes before I finally came across something that was somewhat decent.
There was a whole rack of these sweatshirts. I think Ace had a million of them. He has even tried to get Caleb to get some because he thinks they're the best thing to ever come into this world. That might not seem like a big deal, but Ace bragging about something is way different and means that the product must be pretty good. I'm pretty sure my brother, solely, keeps this store in business. Caleb once joked and asked what he would do if they went out of business and Ace said that he would literally buy the store and keep them afloat. I think that is enough evidence to tell you my brother loves these sweatshirts.
The problem is, he only has black and super dark blue and green ones that they're practically black. This rack had lots of bright and fun colors. Everything Ace hates.
In a split second I had rushed through the door and was practically out of breath as I ran straight into my brother.
"You good?" He asked, steadying me. Ace was looking at me like I was crazy and I guess that was deserved as I did just run through the entire store and right into him with no warning.
"What's your favorite color?"
Ace looked at me for a second before turning away and not answering.
I pulled his shoulder. "C'mon just tell me, Acey. Please!" I tried when he still was choosing to ignore me.
He turned towards me and raised an eyebrow as if to ask why.
"Please?" I tried a little softer.
"Black, I guess." He responded bluntly. I don't think Ace has a favorite color...
"Not black! A real color; no black, no grey, no white, or brown, or any of that. I want a fun color!" I tried him again.
He once again just ignored my question.
"I'm going to take longer if you don't answer.... The color isn't even for you!"
"Red." Ace sighed.
"Really?" I pulled a face.
Ace responded by shooting me an incredulous look and I took the hint and ran back inside.
I grabbed a red sweatshirt in his size and made my way to the checkout. I liked this gift, but I also know that it's not the best one and I will have to get a second part to this gift.
"Just the sweatshirt?" The lady at the store counter asked me.
"Yep, just the sweatshirt."
"And would you like to partake in the new holiday deal we have? Our world selling bracelets is 70% off right now if you spend over fifty dollars, which you did."
"What bracelet?" I asked. I love bracelets.
She grabbed something from behind the counter and brought it forward. "It's a simple black string with a little picture in the middle of this circle. See for yourself."
The lady handed me the thin bracelet and I held it up to my eye, seeing a very clear picture of a baby within. That's so cool.
At first I think that it's really cool and I would love it, but then I took a step back and think a little harder and came up with a better idea. Ace would love that.
Caleb and Ace obviously don't love jewelry like I do. But both of them do wear the odd chain on their neck or little bracelet on their wrist if they think that the significance is good enough.
"Yeah sure! How do I get the photo in there?" I ask, now super happy with the second part of my brother's gift.
"Do you have an iPhone?" She asked and I nodded my head. "Well, great, all you're going to do is airdrop the photo to this computer, I'll give you a second to find the photo you want." She winked before taking a step back and doing some other work.
I smiled and went straight to my phone to find the perfect photo. It was so hard to choose; do I want a recent one or one of when we were younger? A cute one or a silly one?
In the end I came across one of the oldest photos in my camera roll. It's a photo of little Ace holding me at only a couple of months old. I remember Ace telling me he really likes this photo because it is one of the first that we ever took together and he really didn't have that many photos of me up until I was about two years old. I also know that most of the photos we have around the house or as our lockscreens are not this one, so it's cool to have a different one.
The reason I have so many young photos of Ace and I is because I love looking at them. I asked Ace to send me every single photo of me as a baby or us together when we were younger because I just love them so much! So therefore, my camera roll dates back a lot further than just to when I got a phone. Cal also sent me a ton of his photos — most of Ace's are super sweet and pretty and almost like a professional photographer (my brother is surprisingly really good at taking photos). Caleb's are just silly and funny ones which I also liked to look at from time to time.
The lady navigated me on where to airdrop to and showed me which part of the photo was going to go inside the bracelet and everything very nicely.
"Aaaaanddd here it is!" She said, handing it to me. I looked in it and smiled before turning back to her so she could put it in the bag along with Ace's red sweatshirt. "I'm sure your big brother will love it."
"Thank you, I hope so too." I responded, flashing her a dimpled grin before exiting the store with my second bag of the day.
"All done?" Ace asked.
"Yes." I responded, contently.
***
CALEB POV
It's been about twenty minutes since Ace, Jodee, and I split up to go look for gifts for each other.
I already had Ace's — it was the newest iPhone — and have had it for a couple of weeks. The latest iPhone is scheduled to come out in late January this year, but I pulled some strings to get myself and my best friend copies for Christmas.
It's known in our household that I am the tech guy. If anything breaks down or you need new technology I am the man everyone goes to — and that happens fairly often seeing as the two Chambers siblings seem to have some sort of gene where they are both terrible at technology; Ace is alright, but Jodee is absolutely awful at working any sort of electronics. Seeing this, she doesn't really get new technology because it's just hard for her to work through it and she'd just rather stay with the old models. So she upgrades every three new models about — which I make her.
But Ace is content with everything and doesn't care for the latest phone so he doesn't mind that I get him the new phone every year — it's just a norm for us now. He also sits by and happily listens to my ravings about all of the different features and everything because that excites me.
That's one of the reasons Ace is a great big brother — he always puts Jodee (and me) in front of everyone else. If you have an interest in it, Ace will try damn hard to try to be interested in the same thing so you can have fun even if he isn't. I know Ace and I are best friends, but he's like a role model to me. I think Ace is the equivalent of a saint in our world — but only to the one's he cares about — I look up to Ace and strive to be like him in different aspects.
It has been so hard for me to keep this new phone a secret, however, because it's the only kind I've managed to get before the release so I'm so excited to try it out. But of course, Ace being the freakishly-observative-asshole he is would definitely notice me with a new phone. So, alas, I must wait until Christmas. But luckily, I already have Ace's gift covered so I can focus on Jodee's.
I'm pretty bad at thinking on the spot — especially because I'm kinda also bad at gift giving, I just never know what the person wants, but I try my best — so I was up late last night browsing the stores here in Aspen online to think of a good gift for Jodee. I know she appreciates sentimental gifts and gifts that mean you have to know her so I can't just get her some random clothes. I was surprised and happy when I found out that most of the stores in Aspen are for giving gifts because it is such a small town so there were some good options.
The one I chose, however, was Marie's Jewelry. It was a jewelry store special for their personalized and good quality gifts. So I set up a time to talk with Marie herself so she can help me get the best charm bracelet for Jodee.
I chose a charm bracelet because I personally think they're really cute and I also like that I could pick all of the charms and they could all mean something.
I had been sitting with Marie for a couple of minutes while I talked about Jodee so she can help me choose some charms that match with Jodee and her personality. Marie said the average is about 5-9 charms on a bracelet, so I want to get Jodee around 12 so she can change it up or if she happens to not like a certain charm she can have some extras to put on too.
So far I have seven charms; a 'J' (for Jodee obviously). A tiny 'A' & 'C' that goes right next to the J (kinda hidden) for Ace and me. A bow just because I know those are in right now and I thought the charm itself was pretty cute – plus Jodee does wear bows in her hair a decent amount. A little bear because as a kid she loved stuffed animals. A book because Jodee loves books and loves to read. Then, Marie helped me pick out a heart because the charm was pretty and she said lots of young girls love the heart.
So all I needed was about five more ... give or take.
"Does your sister play any sports?" Marie asked, digging in her chest of charms that seemed to be endless at this point.
"Naw, just a reader."
"Alright, how about animals? A favorite animal in mind? We have lots of sea creatures that seem to be a favorite of teenage girls."
"Not that I know of. She does like the ocean and swimming?" I suggested.
"How about this water one? It's like the waves. Kinda a classic." Marie suggested.
I picked it up and looked at it, adding it to the pile of yesses "I like that one."
"Great, moving on. I think a flower one would be great!" She layed out a couple different options. "There's classic flowers like these ones, ranging to unique charms like these flowers over here."
I carefully took a look at each flower, steering away from the super common ones that I personally have also seen all around because I know Jodee likes to be unique and she does have her own style.
"I think this one?" I held up the second to the right one and showed it to Marie."
"I think that's a great pick, Jodee will love it." Marie complimented, nicely, taking the charm from my hand and placing it into the yes pile. "Oh! This one is great — I think. You mentioned your sister likes yellow and this sun is very simple and cute."
"Oh I like that one." Jodee is like the sun to Ace's and I's lives and the charm does remind me of her so that one might have moved up to be my new favorite.
Ten charms, I carefully counted. Just a few more to go.
"Wonderful. So I'm thinking about two more? We don't want to overload her with charms and she can always get more later if she wants."
"Yeah, two more sounds like a plan."
I'm not a girl and I don't really wear jewelry so I'm not that versatile in this subject making me extremely grateful for Marie and causing me to just kinda blindly follow her in this subject. I trust her and her judgment and think we have chosen great charms so far.
"Her birthstone would be a great one. When is Jodee's birthday?"
"June 3rd."
"June birthstones are pearl, alexandrite and moonstone. Alexandrite is probably the most common but a pearl would also be super pretty if you didn't like the Alexandrite color."
"Ummmm..." I looked at the two charms placed in front of me. "No, I like the alexandrite color." I responded, placing the little charm with the gem in the middle onto the yes pile.
"For the last one I think we might need just one more classic." Marie said, laying out so many charms for me. "There's some seasons, one like a snowflake, or a leaf, and there's some classic ones like different flowers or stars. So take your pick."
This one took me about a minute or two to decide but in the end I chose this super pretty little snowflake to commemorate our time in Aspen.
Next I chose my eight absolute favorites — as I couldn't just limit it to seven — and Marie began stringing it onto a charm bracelet and packaging everything up for me including the extra charms. It's a good thing their packaging was so nice and aesthetic because I absolutely suck at wrapping but now I don't have to!
"I think your sister will really love this, Caleb. You did good." She told me earnestly, patting my shoulder and handing me the bag after I had paid.
"Thank you so much for your help." I responded, offering her a light tipped smile before exiting the store.
***
ACE POV
My sister, best friend and I met for lunch at a restaurant as all of us had found our things to wrap up the last of Christmas shopping as it was getting super close to Christmas day.
Me being the responsible person I was did not wait until the last minute, unlike my best friend and little sister so I just helped Jodee shop today. I've had their gifts for weeks. Cal's was pretty easy to get, but Jodee's has been taking me a long time so I'm glad I didn't procrastinate.
We all sat down at a table, taking off our many coats before Caleb leaned over and whispered in my ear.
"Just wait, you can not beat my gift for Jodee." I could see him grinning in excitement.
I rolled my eyes, smirking. "Just wait."
It's a known fact in our household that I am the best gift giver. Jodee tries but can never compare to me and Cal's just plain bad at it — though he has been stepping up his game over the last few years. I still don't plan on losing my seat as Top Gift Giver this year; not now, not any year.
Game on, Caleb, game on.
A/N - What do you think Ace's killer gifts are going to be this year?