A cupid Christmas

The first time I saw him, I didn't really see him, just the pile of books in his cart. My dad and I were in the mall for our last shopping spree before Christmas and I was at the book section, scouring through the shelves when my attention was drawn to him. Him whose face I couldn't quite figure out from the distance I stood. The mall was in full bustle as it was expected during the whole holiday fever and amidst the crowd, I caught the name of the book he was flipping through "To kill a mockingbird" by Harper Lee. My curiosity eventually got the best of me and before I could think, I saw myself walking straight up to this boy.

"Howdy" I said, tapping the cover of the book "mind if I take a hike to Maycomb County?"

He took the book down, raising his elaborate brows but not without a smile, a polite gesture "Excuse me?"

"Maybe we could stop by Boo Radley's place"

He stared back blankly at me. Cheese crackers, the boy thinks I've lost my mind.

"sorry" I cringed, pushing my hands further down my coat pocket. "I was talking about this book you're reading... thought you might um.."

While I talked, his eyes lit up as he appeared to get the hang of what I was explaining "Oh you mean this book. I thought you'd lost your way home or something" He laughed, somewhat embarrassed, somewhat relieved. "I'm still reading the introductions but I sure will like to meet this Boo Radley you speak of"

I laughed, relieved as well but a little disappointed that he hadn't read To kill a mockingbird. A true bookworm should have read that book only over 50 times. It's a classic.

"The name's Tamar by the way"

"I'm Owen"

There was a break in transmission as we shook hands briefly. 

"So Owen, watchu got there?" I gestured towards the pile of books.

"Just a collection of books for next year. It's really difficult getting these kind of books back home and I hate reading e-books... I just don't get the feel, you know"

"I can imagine" I said feeling a new lease of hope springing up inside of me. Probably encouraged by my naked gusto, he edged on. 

"So I'm going with the classics next year, the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Enid Blyton, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, George Orwell and a little bit of Philosophy to spice things up"

I'd read at least five books from every author he'd named since I was like ten but it was an unfair advantage and I wasn't going to use that against him so I succumbed to talk about the arts instead.

"Read any works of Wolfgang Van Gough?"

"No, although I hope to next year. I'm not a big fan of poetry, in fact, until last year, I thought he was an artist"

We both laughed "I don't blame you at all. His name sounds pretty artistic" I said

"Don't they all?" He countered with a chuckle.

Presently, he pulled out his phone from his Jean trousers, gave a little "oh" of surprise and reclined.

"I guess that's my cue. My aunt is already waiting for me in the car"

"Wait, how long have we been talking?" I said, feeling suddenly flustered. I was supposed to meet up with my dad at the queue after I'd picked up the books I wanted. 

"Only about an hour, I guess" He said, glancing over his phone screen.

I snatched the books off the shelves with a start then I stopped. He was staring at me. 

"Em any chance I could see you again? I'm not leaving until after Christmas" He stuttered. 

"Sure... we should definitely hang out sometime" I smiled. "Here's my mobile" I passed him my ID before I could think "Oh I mean, that's if you want" 

He broke into a smile "I'll call you" 

We lingered for a while before our instincts kicked in and we both flew in different directions before we realized we were still going to the same counter and we flushed helplessly, laughing. 

I met with my dad who thought I'd been kidnapped and we left in a jiffy, sparing me only a moment to look over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of the bloke that just stole my heart. We stopped by the confectionery store to get cup cakes and dad had to renew his license so we got home a little late. The sun was beginning to set and the horizon had been set ablaze by a splash of colors. I took out my camera from my bag and captured the perfect scenery. This Christmas was a little different than we've had in the past few years. My brother had passed on months back and a gaping hole had been permanently drilled into our hearts. I've been very depressed lately and wasn't in my usual festive spirit but there was something absolutely calming about this scenery that reminded me of God's unfailing love and while we cannot always get answers to some of life's biggest questions, we always have hope. Hope will always keep us going and what better time to be reminded of this than during Christmas when we were given the greatest gift of all, Jesus, who came to give us hope. 

There was another car parked in the garage when dad and I got home. 

"Were you expecting someone, dad?" 

My dad shrugged, pulling the boot open as he scooped out the items we've bought and I went over to help him. 

"Not anyone specific" He said "But it's Christmas. It's the season of surprises" 

Someone opened the door about the same time I reached for the door knob. And I froze. 

"Oh great you two are home" Exclaimed my mom dropping a tray of cookies on the table with feverish excitement. 

"Aunty Pat" My dad exclaimed in glee behind me, going round the table to hug the much older lady sitting on the couch, who looked delighted as well. 

"Holy Christmas nuts, is this Owen?" said my dad pulling the boy who had just opened the door into a bear hug. "He was like this little when I last saw him" He gestured with his hands hovering somewhere close to the floor. 

"Oh come on, Michael, no one can be that small ever" Said my amused mother who was viewing the whole scene with undiluted relish while no one seemed to notice my confused bewilderment.

"Okay,what's going on?" 

"Oh my manners" said my mom pulling me closer "remember grand aunt Pat we told you about who joined the Air force" 

I nodded slowly. I was like five then and I only heard about her like some other children folklore and forgot all about her when I got over my childish fantasy of joining the military. A little part of me actually thought she was one of those hero figures my parents made up so what was the ghost from my past doing in front of me?

"Well, this is Aunty Pat and that's her sister's grand son who lives with her" My mom clapped her hands in delight while I stood there, not sure what to do with my face. 

There was so many hugging after wards and tales from Aunt Pat's military days that did little to ignite my early passion rather all I felt was death and the incredible sense of loss that came with war. Then we had dinner together while laugher flew around the walls of our small bungalow that has had its fair share of love, happiness and emptiness. 

I was in the kitchen doing the dishes when Owen came inside. 

"Hey, mind if I join?" 

"Not at all" 

We worked quietly with me washing the dishes while he rinsed, wiped and placed in the rack. I didn't know what or how to feel and silently wished he would go away. It was an incredibly awkward moment. 

I cleared my throat "You know, when I said we should hang out sometime, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind" 

We both burst out laughing eventually. To think I was going to date my cousin actually turns my stomach. 

"On the bright side we have all the time to hang out now" 

"What are your plans for next year?" I asked in a breath. 

"By January I'll be going to Harvard as a freshman" 

"Great" I said, trying to conceal my disappointment "I just graduated high school and I'll be home for a year. I feel I need time to find myself and know what I really want. A lot can happen within a year, you know... Just imagine how many books I can read when there's no assignment and project and classes fighting for my attention"

"I can imagine" 

"Hey, how about you stay with us for a while before you go off to College? My parents won't mind" 

"It's a great idea but Aunty Jo needs me, you know, since my mom's passing and Aunty Jo not having any kids" 

"I'm sorry..." 

"Maybe I'll just ask her. She always tells me to 'get my nose out of my books and live life a little' " 

I chuckled at the familiar phrase "Same thing my mom tells me" 

"I won't lie.. It's really lonely at home sometimes and I want to go out and have friends but I feel like no one really gets me, you know, until I met you" I confessed. 

"Same here" He smiled. 

"Oh I can't wait to show you my library" I giggled.