All I Wanted

"Rise and shine, Sunny!" mom's voice sung into my ear.

"No, I'm sleepy!" I rolled over in bed, trying to get comfortable.

"It's Christmas, Mija!" I shook my head and sat up.

"Pancakes?" I asked peeking my eyes open.

"Shaped like Christmas trees!" I blushed at her attempt to be loving.

"Okay, ma, let me wash my face," she smiled and left me room.

I laid back in bed and tried to energize myself. I rubbed my eyes and say back up; my cell buzzed next to me.

"'Merry Christmas love'," I read the first text, "'XOXO Frankie'."

I swung my feet out of bed and shuffles out of the room. The house was really warm and I could smell maple syrup. Mom was humming some Christmas song while I washed my face. I brushed my teeth after and met her in the kitchen.

"I can't wait until you see what I got you," mom teased as she put a plate of Christmas tree shape pancakes in front of me.

"You'll love my gifts," I grinned at her.

Mom and I ate pancakes and teased each other. She had to head to the hospital after we opened them.

"Here you go ma," I handed her, her bundle.

"Ooh, I wonder what they are," she shook one bundle; no sound.

"Just open 'em," I joked.

"Alright."

Mom tore open the DVD bundle first and grinned happily. She looked up at me.
"Breakfast at Tiffany's, Cleopatra, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Gone With The Wind, and Casablanca?" she gripped me in a hug, "Thank you, Sunny!"

She let me go, "Open the other one!" I urged.

She tore open the portable DVD player. Her jaw dropped.

"Sunny..." she looked over at me, "this is a lot," I shrugged.

"It was actually cheap, ma," she hugged me again, "you can watch movies at the hospital; y'know if you work extra late, or if the snow is too heavy to drive home," she nodded.

"Thank you, Sunshine!" 

"Your welcome, ma."

Mom stood up from the couch and walked over to her bedroom. I was instructed to throw the wrapping paper away while she got my present. I shook my head at her and obeyed.
She came back to the couch, "My gift was expensive and I been saving since last year," I raised my brow at her, "here it is," she handed me a long, black jewelry box, for necklaces.
There was a little purple bow wrapped around it; I untied it cautiously. I opened the lid and looked at it. It was a gold locket, in the shape of a heart.

"Ma, this is amazing," she smiled sheepishly.

"Frankie helped me," she told me.

I pulled it all the way out and opened it. Inside was a picture of my parents; right before I was born.

"Is this..." I swallowed and she nodded, "I love it ma," I hugged her, "this is too great."

"You deserve it, and this way you can at least keep your dad with you," I nodded and felt like tearing up.

"I can't even...I'm speechless," she waved it off and helped me put it on.

"Just for you, Mija."
-

Normal came a while later, with a thin wrapped box, catching mom on the way out. 

"Wait, Mrs. Romero," Nor caught her arm.

"Yes?" my eyed her.

"I got you something for x-mas," mom shook her head.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Marilyn."

"Yes I did, because you gave birth to that wonderful person the couch," I rolled my eyes at her.

"Alright, what is it?" mom asked taken back.

Normal pulled out a small, white envelope from her pocket, "For that monster outside," mom raised her brow.

Mom opened the envelope and her brows flew up. I looked at Normal confused.

"It's $1,000 worth of repairs on my Nissan," mom said softly, "Marilyn this is too much," Mom tried to hand it back, but Normal shot her hands up.

"It's for you, you work hard...and Sunny told me the engine and lights were messing up," mom smiled over at me.

"Thank you, very much," mom hugged Nor and let go, "I'll use this, this weekend."

"Have a good day ma," I waved as she hurried out the door.

"Bye girls!"

Normal sighed happily and took her coat off. She tossed it on the armchair and sat beside me.

"Trying to show me up in front of my mom?" I asked jokingly.

"Mama Romero deserves it," she grinned, "what'd she get you?" I showed her the locket around my neck, "Nice!"

"Frank helped her pick it out," I said; thinking how weird that was.

"What'd you get Frank?"

"He told me not to get him anything, he said I was all the present he needed.

She smirked, "Freaks...What'd you get me?" I rolled my eyes and grabbed her gift from underneath the coffee table.

"What do you get the girl who has everything?" I asked handing her a small, wrapped box.

"Love?" I rolled my eyes again.

"No," I teased as she tore the paper off, "Gift cards!" I said as she opened it up.

"To the bookstore, iTunes and Starbucks," she smiled and hugged me, "thanks Sunshine."

"I really didn't know what to get you," I admitted.

"It's alright," she shrugged, "here is yours, lovely," she put the thin box on my lap.

I tore the wrapping paper off and opened the lid. Inside was lingerie and a 24-pack of condoms. I looked over at her.

"You're almost as bad as Frankie," I shook my head at her.

"Just keeping the bedroom activities fresh," she shrugged again.

I put the condoms on my lap and pulled out the skimpy outfit. It was red with black trim and was almost see-through.

"Naughty girl," I put the outfit back in the box.

"Oh, dig deeper," she advised with a sneaky look.

I stuck my hand in the box, underneath tissue paper. I pulled out handcuffs with red, fluffy coating.

"Oh my God," I laughed.

Normal burst out laughing and we didn't stop for a good 5 minutes.

"Cameron came with me to pick it out," she informed, making me blush hard.

"He probably thinks I'm a pervert," I muttered putting everything back in the box.

"You should have been there, he almost passed out," I giggled some more and shook my head.

I was about to speak when the door bell rang. Nor looked at me and I at her. I got up and opened the door. 

A man, handsome young man in a delivery uniform with a box underneath his arm stood there. I smiled nicely.

"I have a delivery for a Carmen Romero," he smiled.

"Uh..." I raised my brow at the name, "That's me," he handed me a clipboard.

"Sign here, miss," I signed quickly and he handed me the thick box.

"Thank you," I was really to close the door, but he stopped me.

"There's one more," he said with a turn.

I raised my brow as he walked down the porch and to awaiting delivery truck. I looked back at Normal and she came over. I handed her the box as the delivery man came back. He had a bouquet of white and red roses; he handed them to me gently.

"Who is this from? There's no return address," Normal cut in.

The man looked at his clipboard, "Uh, for one Carmen Romero from a Frank Iero..." he pronounced Frank's last name wrong, "have a Merry Christmas, ladies," we said our goodbyes and I closed the door.

"Carmen?" she inquired with a smirk.

"I told him my middle name," I shrugged off.

Normal followed behind, "Is there a love note?" she teased as we entered the kitchen.

"Lemme see," I put the flowers down; ready to set them in a vase, "I can't find it," I separated the flowers, then I spotted it, "oh, here it is," Normal snatched it from me, "hey!" she waved me off.

"Put the flowers away, I'll read it aloud," I rolled my eyes and picked the roses up.

I went to the cabinet, Normal cleared her throat, and found a long, empty vase.

"'To my Sunshine:," she started to read in a manly voice; causing me to giggle, "'I hope my baby girl is having a warm, Merry Christmas. I can't wait to see you', awe!" I shook my head and filled the vase, "'love Frankie', awe!" she muttered again; I turned to her.

"You are so weird, Nor," I went back to the table and set the vase.

"You guys are so in love!" I shook my head, with a smile, and put the roses in the vase.

"These are wonderful," I admired, setting them in the middle.

"I am jealous," she mumbled with a smile, "Frank is so romantic," she frowned jokingly.

"He's the best."