Andy’s Gift

Part Six: The Present

Chris smiled softly at the change in his partner’s expression, “Go wash your face, Caro,” he whispered, and Andy thinking of nothing, but his present now turned eagerly towards the hallway. “Don’t be long, though,” Chris pulled him back, kissing him once more, and a glow spread over Andy’s face as he hurried off towards the bathroom.

Feeling fluttery, Chris rejoined their guests, mingling once more until Andy returned, and beginning to inform their friends and family members of the imminent plan. They all instantly agreed that it was a good idea. The children, especially, were thrilled, and squeals of delight emitted from every corner of the room as they heard the news.

Andy re-entered the room quietly, and Chris smiled as his partner appeared once more by his side. He placed his arm around him, and then sinking onto the couch, he pulled Andy down beside him. Andy stretched out on his side, tucking his stocking feet under him, and leaning into Chris’ chest. Chris kissed his head, looking tenderly down at him, as his hand settled lazily on his lover’s hip. Jake crawled in and sat on the floor in front of them and gradually the rest of the guests drifted in, dropping here and there into chairs and love seats around the tree. Some of the hardier adults even joined the impatient children on the floor.

“Who’s going to be Santa first?” Chris asked laughingly, dangling a red Santa hat between his fingers as the children gathered eagerly around him and Andy, vying for the honor.

“Me! Oh me! Please, me!”

“Jake, I think it’s your turn,” Chris smiled gently at his nephew. It was his way of making a final peace with both Andy and Jake, and the gesture did not go unnoticed. The wide grin of appreciation he got from his nephew as the other children pouted disappointedly would have been enough, but the tender squeeze of Andy’s hand on his thigh meant even more, and he brushed the hair back from Andy’s forehead as his partner laid his head against his shoulder, finally relaxing once and for all.

The present unwrapping proceeded slowly, but surely and with relatively few hitches as each of the children got a turn at playing Santa and eagerly went fishing for gifts under the tree. Finally most of the kids had opened their gifts and they sat in boredom watching as the adults opened their much smaller piles. Some of the younger ones were engaged with their new toys or sleeping on their parents’ laps. It was Jake’s turn to be Santa again now. Truthfully, as the oldest, he was the only one who really had any interest in the job anymore and it had become permanently his. “To: Chris From: Santa,” he read loudly as he fished the mysterious package that had so intrigued Andy out from behind the tree.

“Ummm . . .let’s leave that one, Bud,” Chris suggested.

“Why?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, why?” Andy echoed, bemused by his partner’s secretive air.

“Let’s just say, I have a sneaky suspicion I know what’s in that one,” he teased looking down at his partner with a mischievous glint in his eye, “and I do believe that is for me and Andy to open later.” He tickled Andy’s side and Andy squirmed, blushing with pleasure. The adults laughed a little in that knowing way that always annoys children, and Jake shrugged.

“Whatever,” he responded, placing the package once again under the tree.

Douglas who had been far from amused by his friend’s overt display of affection for his partner, narrowed his eyes, and pointed to a small box in the front of the tree. “What about that one, Dear Boy? Let’s have that one, shall we?”

“Ok,” Jake shrugged again. He wasn’t particularly fond of Douglas either, especially because he always seemed to make his uncle Andy uncomfortable, but there weren’t many packages left anyway, and he really didn’t care what order the adults opened their boring gifts in. Playing Santa was starting to lose its appeal.

“There’s a good lad, that’s right,” Douglas praised as Jake picked up the box he was pointing at.

“To: Chris From: Douglas,” Jake read.

“Me?” Chris feigned surprise. “Oh, goody!” Andy scowled and Chris tightened his hand on his partner’s hip as he took the little box from Jake. Jake fell to his knees in front of his two uncles watching with some little amount of interest as Chris unceremoniously peeled the paper back. He knew how hard this was on Andy, and he just wanted to get it over with. He had no real interest in the present, whatever it was. ‘Why do I even keep Douglas around?’ he pondered. ‘He really is awful to Andy sometimes,’ Chris sighed. He supposed it was the tattered remains of loyalty to a friendship that had really more or less died with their graduation. It was Douglas who had continued to relentlessly pursue it, not Chris. Chris had grown, changed and matured in every way since their college days, and to put it bluntly, Douglas had not.

The paper was off now, and Andy was sitting up. His eyes, round with horror, were focused on the small, but long and narrow maroon colored velvet box. “Uncle Andy, are you ok?” Jake whispered. The question caught Chris’ attention, bringing him out of his distracted state, and he looked quickly at his partner.

“Andy?” Chris echoed Jake’s concern. Andy’s face was deathly white, his eyes riveted on the box Chris held, still unopened in his hand.

‘It was not possible!’ Andy’s stomach tossed and turned. He felt the pressure of his partner’s hand on his own.

“Are you ok?” he heard Chris ask again as if from a great distance, and automatically he nodded. Chris paused.

“Open it, Darling, open it!” Douglas urged. Chris hesitated, but as Andy appeared to be all right, he squeezed his partner’s hand in his own once more, and then lifted the lid slowly.

“Oh, Douglas,” he breathed. He momentarily forgot about Andy as he stared down at the beautiful gold and silver watch that stared up at him. It was extravagant. It was perhaps the most extravagant gift he had ever gotten. ‘How strange,’ he thought, ‘that it should come from Douglas.’ He remembered being out with Douglas and Andy one day and remarking, in passing, on the beauty of the watch, but he had not intended . . . . ‘Oh Jesus, No!’ The thought struck him like a thunderbolt, and he looked quickly at his partner.

Andy was draped over the back of the couch now, his face hidden on his arm. He was not moving at all, and Jake, flabbergasted, was sitting next to him. He had his hand on Andy’s back. “Uncle Andy, are you ok?”

Chris’ face was white, but he worked quickly to remedy the situation the best way he knew how. “He’s ok, Jake,” he assured his nephew softly. “He probably just ate something a little funny.” Chris placed his hand gently on Andy’s back, pulling him to him, and Andy buried his face in his chest. “Well folks, I think that’s it for the presents,” Chris announced.

“But what about yours and Uncle Andy’s gifts, Uncle Chris?” Jake wasn’t letting things go that easily.

“Never mind, Jake . . .,” Chris started softly. He didn’t finish though as Andy looked up, gazing at his partner with wide tear-filled eyes. “Are you all right?” Chris’ voice shook a little as he contemplated his partner’s ashen face. Andy started to shake his head, and Chris brought his hand to his cheek.

“Uncle Andy, what’s wrong?” Jake cried in distress.

“Nothing, dear boy, nothing,” Douglas was the only one in the room who found the voice to answer Chris and Andy’s panicking nephew. “I’m sure everything is fine. Christopher, Darling, do you like the watch?” Andy’s face paled another shade.

“Andy!” Chris exclaimed in alarm, but the next moment his partner clapped his hand over his mouth and bolted for the hallway. Chris was right on his heels.