Page 64 of Love Legacy

“I did the same thing,” I say with a laugh.

“I think we all had the same thought,” Ken says as he scans the tags taped to the wrapped presents. Another tradition that the Davises have is wrapping paper. Every year, instead of using one generic, printed wrapping paper to wrap all the presents, we’re each tasked with getting a unique wrapping paper to wrap all the gifts we are giving. The only rule? It must be Christmas-related in some way. This year, I got gingerbread man print wrapping paper, except the heads were replaced with my face.

My dad laughs, seemingly having discovered my presents. “Okay, ham, Sage, why don’t you go first?”

I grin, standing up to grab my boxes and hand them out.

“Where did you even find this stuff?”

“Google,” I say, sitting back down once everyone has their presents, “it was either going to be a great gag or a twenty-five-dollar scam. I’m glad it was the former.”

They all begin opening their presents, discovering what I got them. A professional, faux leather, shoulder bag that converts into a backpack for Theia, a cheap sous vide for Ken, and then a set of decorative, stained-glass wine glasses for Mel. They take turns handing out their own gifts, and in the end, I got a set of new hair extensions from my mom, a gift certificate to myfavorite salon from Theia, and then a new, used laptop from my dad.

We were sitting down, playing Scrabble when my phone starts ringing, the tone indicating that it was a video. I grin when I see Naomi’s face pop up on the screen. While I wanted to give her a call first thing this morning, I knew Naomi was spending Christmas at her parents’ house rather than staying with her Grandmother, like she planned to do for the rest of her break. So I told her to call me when she got a private moment rather than the other way around.

I answer the phone, hiding it close to my face, so my parents can’t see. “Are you decent?” I whisper. Naomi’s already surprised me once this break. A couple days ago, I was lying on the couch, watching TV, when she called. Thankfully, my parents were not around, because as soon as I answered the call, the image of Naomi, laying on her back, fully naked with legs spread, popped up on my screen. While the sight was extremely arousing, and we had great phone sex, she gave me no warning, and it could’ve gone horribly wrong.

Naomi laughs. “Yes, I’m decent. I’m at Grannie Mae’s house, helping her finish the pie. My daddy’s leading two morning masses today, plus one after dinner, so I decided to leave with her after the first. I was worried I would spontaneously combust if I stayed at the church for too long.”

In the background, I can hear her grandmother playfully scolding her for that joke, swatting at her with a dish towel. “Is that your grandma?”

Naomi smiles, taking the phone with her as she stands next to the older woman in the kitchen, adjusting the camera so that I could see the both of them. “Sage, this is my Grannie Mae. Grannie Mae, this is my friend, Sage.”

“Oh, so you’re the young lady that’s been taking such good care of my grandbaby? Thank you, Sage. I was so worriedabout sending her up there for school all alone, but you pulled something out of her, a confidence and joy that was buried deep down inside, and I’m so happy that she’s free,” she says, her southern accent rich and warm as she gives me a genuine smile.

“Well, she makes me just as happy. I hope one day we’ll be able to meet each other. I know important you are to Naomi.”

“Likewise. We’ll make that happen one day, absolutely.”

Naomi playfully rolls her eyes, but I can see them shining with unshed tears of happiness as she moves away from her grandmother. “Okay that’s enough of that.”

My mom pokes her head into the frame. “Is that Naomi? Oh, hi honey! How’s your Christmas going?”

I stretch my arms, completely extending them to zoom out as much as possible. “Everyone come in and say hi so I can have my girlfriend back to myself.” My parents crowd in, my mom taking the phone for herself. I let them have a moment, stepping away to grab my sweatshirt and slippers. When I return, Theia has the phone, talking Naomi’s ear off about the spring semester’s mini rush and our COB process.

“All right, that’s enough. I’m taking my girlfriend back,” I say as I attempt to pull the phone out of Theia’s hands.

“Bye, Naomi!” she calls out.

“Bye, Theia,” Naomi responds as I regain control of my phone.

“Okay, now that that’s over. Hi,” I say softly, continuing to talk on video call with her as I head outside. Our parents have a sunroom added onto the back of our house. The windows work just like a storm door in that, we’re able to replace the panels with screens during the summer, making it an all-weather room. It’s not the best insulated, so it does get cold in here in the winter without the space heater on, but it’s private and better than going outside.

“Hi, baby. How’s your Christmas going so far? Show me your pajamas!”

I pull the phone back, giving Naomi a scan of my outfit. “It’s been pretty good so far. Even better now that I’m getting to talk to you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Charmer.”

“You know you love it. Mel and Ken got the family a seventeen-day European cruise for after my graduation.”

Her face falls slightly, but she recovers quickly. “A European cruise? That’s so exciting!”

“Everything okay?”

She nods, waving me off. “Of course. Seventeen days, that’s just a long time for me to miss you.”

“Well, what if you didn’t have to miss me?”

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