Gifts #3

FEATURED in the DRAMA Newsletter DTD: 6 MARCH 2013

Author's Note: This is a short series about the Masterson family. Each part is written in the first person by a different member of the family as Christmas approaches. Gifts #3 is told by 8 year old, Terri Masterson.

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Newport Mall


Jessie Riley is the best!! So is Will. Jessie is Daddy’s niece and she’s sooooo nice. I held her hand tightly as we walked down the hall in the mall. The mall was pretty crowded too. Will walked next to us carrying a lot of shopping bags. He looked pretty packed.

“Hey, ah…Jessica…I’m gonna take these bags to the car, okay…” said Will kinda’ fumbling with them.

“Sure, Will,” said Jessie grinning at him, “Terri and I will meet you in Macy’s…”

“Gotcha!” he said. He kissed Jessie on the cheek and ran off.

“So, it’s just you and me kiddo,” said Jessie smiling at me.

“Cool…I hope they got that really smelly perfume – ‘cos mom and Taylor like the really smelly kind…” I said grinning at Jessie.

“The really smelly kind?” asked Jessie. She looked confused as we walked down the crowded mall.

“Yeah. I think it comes in the purple bottle. Sometimes mom will let me have a little tiny bit…” I said swinging our hands.

“Oh,” said Jessie, “So what are you going to get your Dad?”

We walked into the big department store.

“I dunno. Daddy has everything,” I said to Jessie.

“There’s gotta’ be sumpthing…” said Jessie laughing at me.

“Maybe I’ll draw him a picture of me so he can hang it on his wall at work…” I said smiling at her.

“We’re here littlest Tee,” said Jessie. We stopped at the makeup counter and I saw all the smelly perfume bottles behind the glass.

The salesgirl came up to us, “Can I help you?”

Jessie smiled at her, “My cousin would like some perfume.”

“What kind do you want young lady?” the salesgirl asked.

“The really smelly kind in the purple bottle,” I said smiling at the nice lady.

“Oh,” said the salesgirl.

“Terri,” said Jessie, “Can you point to the bottle?”

I looked in the glass and pointed.

“How many would you like?” asked the salesgirl.

“Two, please…” I said. She got them out from under the glass.

“Are they gifts? Would you like me to wrap them for you?” she asked.

“Yes, please…” I said.

“So, Miss Busybody, what do you want your Dad and Mom to get YOU for Christmas?” asked Jessie sweetly.

“A new little Tee,” I said firmly crossing my arms.

“You mean…a baby?” asked Jessie confused.

“Uh-huh. I’m sick of being the youngest Tee. It’s someone else’s turn,” I said grinning at her.

“I think you’re gonna be it,” said Jessie, “Here – let me see your purse.”

“Uh-huh…” I said handing Jessie my purse. Taylor got it for me for my birthday. Jessie figured out the money I had to give the salesgirl and gave the money to me.

“Do you know something?” asked Jessie. Jessie sounded worried, “Are Uncle Cameron and Aunt Katrina trying to have…another baby?”

I nodded my head ‘yes’ and grinned, “See. I can keep a secret. Taylor thinks I can't though and that I’ve got a big mouth.”

Jessie was looking at me with her mouth wide open like she was catching flies with it or something. I guess she looked kinda’ shocked.

The salesgirl gave me my packages and I gave her my money.

Will joined us.

“Hey Jessie, you looked shocked. What’s up?” he asked.

We walked out slowly.

“Terri just said Uncle Cam and Aunt Katrina are trying to have another baby…” muttered Jessie.

Will wrinkled his nose, “Oh, really?”

“Yep,” I said grinning giving him my bag to hold. Then I grabbed Jessie’s hand again.

“So…smarty…how do you know this?” asked Jessie as we went to the escalator.

I looked at the ground and bit my lip, “I…ah…overheard them…talking…loudly…”

Will smiled at me, “You were spying on them?”

“Kinda’” I said.

“Terri! It’s not…nice to eavesdrop on people,” said Jessie sounding like my Mom.

“But Jessie…! They were really loud…” I said. We walked into the boy’s stuff.

“All right, where were you and what did they say?” asked Jessie. She pointed at something and Will went to get it. It was like a boy’s shirt or something.

“I was playing in Daddy’s study when I heard Mommy and Daddy talking loudly so I hid in back of his closet and they walked in…” I explained.

Jessie nodded her head, “Yeah – that’s it, Will.”

Will nodded his head and went to pay for it.

“Then what?” asked Jessie.

“Well, Daddy went behind his desk and started to go through his drawers and Mommy said they weren’t getting any younger and it was…ah, risky…to have another baby…”

Jessie raised her eyebrows, “Go on…”

“And Daddy said life was one big risk ‘Katrina’ and that there was risk in having another baby but that if they were EXTRA careful…it would be okay and he showed Mommy a book…” I said swinging our hands.

Will joined us holding another package, “I want to stop by that sports store and get Joey’s gift there.”

Jessie nodded her head and we started walking off.

“And than Daddy said all mushy-like… ‘I love you, Katrina…’” I giggled.

Will giggled too.

“And Mommy looked at him really sweetly like and sat down on top of his desk and looked at the book…” I went on.

“You are like…so bad Terri…” mumbled Jessie, “But go on… what happened next?”

Will rolled his eyes at Jessie and we walked back into the mall.

“Well, Daddy started rubbing Mommy’s shoulders and she melted like a hot M&M…” I said grinning.

“Melted?” Jessie muttered.

“Yeah. And then they started kissing…” I added rubbing my hands together all mushy-like.

“No way!” exclaimed Jessie.

“Yeah way!” I said giggling, “And then Mommy said she was scared but she was willing to take the risk and if he wanted to try to have another baby she wanted to try too…and they started kissing all over again…”

Will looked at Jessie.

Jessie swallowed.

“How long ago was this?” asked Will.

“Ah…about a month ago…” I said biting my lip.

“What happened after that?” asked Jessie.

“Daddy took Mommy’s hand and looked really hard into her eyes and said let’s keep this a SECRET…” I said giggling.

“Did he say anything else?” asked Will getting into it.

“Well, Daddy said he wanted to try a lot because he wanted a new little Tee for Christmas…” I said giggling, “He said that would be the BEST Christmas gift Mommy could give him…And then they walked out of Daddy’s study all lovey-dovey…”

“And you didn’t say anything until now?” asked Will in shock.

“It’s a SECRET! Besides Taylor thinks I can’t keep secrets…so you can’t tell anyone…” I insisted.

“Ah…my lips are sealed…” muttered Jessie. She still looked like she was in shock.

“I won’t say a thing…” mumbled Will.


***
Later that evening…

Jessie opened the door and I heard Daddy and Taylor walk in. I rushed over to them and gave Daddy a big hug. He picked me up in his arms and we smiled at each other.

“Hi Daddy! Hi Taylor!” I said.

“Hey Terri,” said Taylor smiling.

Daddy smiled at me too and played games with my nose, “Ready to go Littlest Tee?”

“Uh-huh,” I said grinning at him.

Jessie was red in the face. And she still looked shocked.

“Where are your gifts?” asked Daddy.

“I got them here,” said Will holding up all my packages.

“What did you do – buy the mall out?” asked Taylor crossing her arms.

“Nope. And don’t you look either Taylor…” I said looking at her.

“Taylor, can you get your sister’s gifts and put it in the car?” asked Daddy.

“I’ll take it out to the car for you,” said Will.

“I’ll go out with you and open the trunk,” said Taylor. Will and Taylor walked out.

“Thanks for going shopping with Terri. I hope she didn’t gab your head off or anything like that. Tell you wild stories…” said Daddy looking at Jessie.

Jessie really got red in the face, “Gab? Terri? She…was a sweetie.”

Daddy turned to walk out, then he turned around and we faced Jessie.

I waved at Jessie, “Bye Jessie.”

“Bye Terri,” she said waving her hand at me, “And don’t worry…I’ll keep your secret…”

Daddy raised an eyebrow and we walked out.

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Here's a link to the following "chapter":

Gifts #4  (13+) Trevor Masterson has a hot date for Christmas #982315 by StephBee