The Young Woman Wrapped As A New Year Gift Novels & Stories

she wipes her tears with her index fingers. "Girl, don't be so dramatic." "No, really," she says in a shaky voice. "This is beautiful." "Will you please open your gift?" I motion towards her paper bag. "Oh, I almost forgot." She opens her gift, and she's beaming and jumping. "I'm the luckiest person in the world." She shows me her gifts. "These are the coolest sunglasses ever! And a donation to the best organization for girls." They hug, and she's crying again.

Watching Terry leave confidently, I froze for a moment, then instinctively reached for his shoes on the floor to help him put them on. But my hand passed right through the air. Right. I forgot. I was dead. I couldn't take care of Terry anymore. After leaving home, I followed Terry to the Lloyd residence. It was Christmas Eve, so the streets were filled with the sounds of fireworks. The air buzzed with the joy of families reuniting, making it almost overwhelming. In front of the grand and opulent Lloyd residence, a graceful woman was throwing snowballs in the yard with a six-year-old girl.

She was clearly someone who could handle herself. Catching my look, she gave me a mischievous wink and whispered, "It's all good, I get it. People who hurt their own kids like that, they deserve what's coming to them." She paused, her grin getting even bigger. "Congrats on starting fresh in the new year." I felt a sudden twinge in my nose, a sign I was about to cry. I blinked hard, pushing back the tears, and managed a smile to congratulate her too. "Congrats to you too, for finding your dream home."

Indeed, it was warm and beautiful, but it was too red! "It's too red." Raeleigh wanted to take it off, but Xanthus asked, "How old do you think you are? It's a beautiful colour, and everyone's dressed like this for the holidays." Raeleigh said nothing and took off the coat. "Why'd he get me this all of a sudden?" "A New Year's present, perhaps." Raeleigh didn't respond. She'd just leave it at that. She turned and walked into the house with the fur coat in her arms while Xanthus dragged their luggage along.

Willow smiled faintly and allowed Julian to take over the task. Julian seemed to have come to terms with something, showing no outward signs of trouble. He finished putting up the string of lights and then noticed the Louis Vuitton cashmere scarf Willow was wearing. It was probably a gift from Melanie. It seemed like Willow was willing to wear it now. He couldn't help but feel a wave of tenderness washing over him at that thought. He stepped forward, put his arms around Willow's waist, and asked, "What kind of gift would you like for the New Year?"

She came bearing an enormous canvas wrapped in brown paper—her gift to the family, a tradition she'd maintained since her first gallery show, always something new, always something that captured the family in ways photographs couldn't. "What is it this year?" JJ asked, helping carry it inside. "You'll see when everyone's here. I'm not doing the reveal twice." "Cryptic as always." "Mysterious. There's a difference." Grace set the canvas carefully against the living room wall, covered, waiting for its moment. Emma arrived next with Daniel and Mia, the eight-year-old already vibrating with Christmas morning energy despite having presumably opened presents at her own house first. "We did stockin

Just as I was about to speak, my words were cut off by a bald-headed man. “It’s time for the presentation of gifts!” he announced to the pack and some applauded. The first to walk forward was a beautiful woman with brown hair she’d done up in a Viking-inspired braid. “Adornment for the new bride,” she said, presenting a box filled with gold jewelry, “Like gold, may you never lose your shine.” “Thank you.” I said to her and she nodded, placing the box down at my feet, before walking down the steps. The next was a man, so tall I was forced to strain my neck to meet his gaze. “For the new bride, a bow designed to never miss its target.” He placed the gift at my feet.

Mom starts rushing me to get married again two days after returning home to celebrate the New Year. "Daniel already got married last year," she says. "When will I finally get to meet your girlfriend of seven years?" I pretend not to hear her and kept swiping at my phone. The last message in the chat was still mine—my girlfriend, Rosalie Samuels, hadn't replied all day. Mom is still nagging me. "You're turning 30 soon, but she still refuses to meet your parents. Who knows? Maybe she's just dating you for now while looking for someone better. You should just listen to me and go on a blind date with one of the local ladies." I reflexively defend Rosalie. "She's not like that, Mom!" Someone

I slide my laptop aside and sit properly as she walks towards me and settle herself on my lap with her legs on one side. I placed my hand on her hips and pushed her stray hair behind her ear and asked smiling at her. “What is it?”, she just bit her lip and smiled shyly and handed me the gift. “Open it”, she said eagerly waiting for me to open as a child. I chuckle softly and open the gift wrapper and find a box in which there is a denim jacket and jeans which are co ords in dark blue colour with a white t-shirt and a pair of white sneakers.

A soft sigh escaped her lips and she nodded. “E piccola, questo è per te, da me e dalla mia signora. Congratulazioni, ora hai sette anni in questo mondo.” He crouched down to give the girl a box which was wrapped in a purple plastic cover. The girl made a small pout while receiving her gift which made them chuckle, except Alessandra. She was lost somewhere. (And baby, this is for you, from me and my lady. Congratulations, you are now seven years old in this world)