Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,106

Patsy was too heavy so I pushed the bag her way. “Your present is heavy,” I warned her, when she bent to retrieve it.

“Oh,” she said, pulling the bag down around it, revealing the shiny red paper with green polka dots. “You didn’t need to get me anything, dear.”

“No, you didn’t,” Dan held up his still wrapped box.

“I wanted to,” I brushed their concerns away. “Open them. You can open yours, too,” I told Karlie and Jared.

I rubbed Mable as everyone tore into their gifts.

Karlie was ecstatic with her gift card. It was to her favorite store in the mall and I had been generous with the amount.

I had gotten Jared a gift card too. He’d mentioned not too long ago, about needing some new gym clothes. I also got him new gloves for his fights, Dan had helped me pick them out, since I was clueless on what to get.

“Thank you, kitten,” he grinned before kissing me.

I shrugged. “You’re hard to shop for.”

He chuckled. “I’m a guy, how am I hard to shop for?”

“Because, you’re a guy. I don’t know what guys like. Everything I got you seems pretty insignificant, compared to what you got me,” I held Mable up to my face.

“This is not insignificant,” he held up his gifts. “Plus,” he grinned like a little boy, “every time I wear my new gloves, I’ll think of my girl.”

I blushed, pleased by his words.

“Dan, Patsy, your turn,” I told them.

I had gotten Dan a gift card to the local fishing shop, because Jared had mentioned briefly that it was a hobby outside of MMA that Dan enjoyed.

Patsy ripped the paper off her gift. She and Karlie had been the easiest people for me to shop for. After Thanksgiving, I had known the perfect gift for Patsy.

“Katy,” she said, bursting into tears.

I bit my lip. That wasn’t the reaction I had been hoping for.

“This is too much, Katy. I can’t accept this,” she stared at the box.

“Yes, you can. I wanted to get you something,” I shrugged.

“It’s too expensive. I can’t keep this,” she said, wiping tears from under her eyes.

“What did you get her?” Jared asked me.

“A Kitchen Aid stand-mixer,” I answered.

Jared’s jaw dropped. “She’s been wanting one for years.”

“At Thanksgiving, I saw that she didn’t have one and even I know that anyone that likes to cook needs one.” I looked back up at Patsy. “Please, keep it.”

“I-” she stuttered. “Okay,” she nodded. “Thank you, Katy. I honestly can’t believe you did this.”

“I wanted to,” I said, with a shrug. “You’re a special lady, Patsy.”

“Jare, get me a tissue,” she said and he promptly did so. “Can I give you a hug?” she asked me.

I nodded, standing.

She stood up from the couch and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me like a mother would her child. “You’re such a special girl,” she whispered in my ear. “Jared is so lucky to have you.”

“I’m the lucky one,” I told her honestly, just like I had told Karlie.

“Thank you, so much,” she gently squeezed my arms before letting go. “I can’t wait to use it.”

“You’re welcome,” I smiled before sitting back down, beside Jared.

“You’re amazing,” Jared kissed the side of my head.

“I try,” I laughed, smiling up at him.

“And you succeed,” he grinned.

“Is Holden coming over?” Dan asked.

“I told him to,” Jared said, “but I don’t think he is.”

“I knew I should have called him, myself,” Patsy said. “I hate for him to be alone on Christmas.”

“Holden doesn’t like Christmas,” Jared said. “He didn’t say, but I got the impression he was going back home.”

“Oh,” Patsy said. “I hope that father of his isn’t too hard on him.”

“I don’t know why he bothers visiting. Every time he comes back, he swears he’s never visiting the guy again. He’s just a drunk piece of shit,” Jared snapped and pain flickered over his face, no doubt, thinking of his own father.

“It’s his father,” Patsy said. “He probably hopes that each time will be different.”

“It never is,” Jared said.

“You can’t blame the guy for hoping,” Dan said. “It’s just a good thing his aunt stepped in to raise him, or who knows what he would’ve turned into.”

Jared cleared his throat. “Who’s ready for lunch?” he asked, changing the subject. His brows were pinched together.

“I brought a spiral ham,” Patsy said. “It’s in the car, already cooked. We’ll just have to heat it up.”

“Sounds delicious, mom,” Jared said, standing and holding out a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me