Can You Keep a Secret

I curled up next to Eric on the coach. It was almost nine and night and we were just starting to unwrap gifts. Henry was in charge of handing out gifts again. He stood beside the tree while everyone else filled the living room. 

"Rick, scoot down," Ray instructed. 

"If I scoot down anymore, I'm on Eric's lap," I responded. We had somehow fit six people on the couch. The couch was only meant for four at most. 

"So? Do you mind, Eric?" Ray asked. 

Eric chuckled. "Of course not," he said slowly. 

I glared at him. "Good. Now move!"

Ray shoved me over before I could prepare myself. Eric held me on his lap. "So. Come here often?" he asked by my ear. 

A chill went down my spine. "Nope."

"Why not? It's so much fun," he stated, running his finger tips up my spine. 

I shivered away from his hand. "Eric, I hate you," I stated. 

"How could you hate, Eric?" Heather asked jokingly. 

"Hun, remember who you're talking about?" Jordan asked. 

"Oh, right. Nevermind," she continued. 

The three of us laughed while Eric just shrugged it off with a smile. "You're just jealous I'm the favorite and the oldest," he told his brother. 

"That's right. You get old and weak first."

I leaned back as I slowly got more comfortable with my spot. I glanced around the room as Henry began his duty. I was happy everyone was there. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas Eve. Marc and Lindsey were sitting together on the recliner. I could see the love in his eyes every time they exchanged any words. 

What it would be like to have someone like that... 

"Ricky?" 

I looked over at Henry. He tossed a box at me. I fumbled with it before resting it on my lap. I unwrapped the box, discarding the paper on the floor behind the couch. Eric watched over my shoulder as I broke the tape. 

I pulled a stack of DVDs out of the box. I grinned at all of the DVDs I hadn't seen yet. "Thank you, Jordan and Heather," I said. 

They both smiled at me. "Thought you might want some new movies to watch since you seem to have seen every movie you own a million times already," Heather told me. 

I laughed and turned a case over to read the back. "Which movie is that?" Eric asked curiously. 

"The Messengers," I answered. 

"Looks creepy," he replied. 

I nodded. "It's a scary movie. We'll watch it when you get back from your away games after Christmas," I decided. 

"Eric!" We both looked up from my movies when Henry called the name out. 

Henry handed a box over to his son. I set the DVDs on the floor beside the couch to make more room on the sofa. Eric held one arm on either side of me as he juggled opening his gift. 

He pulled a show box out of the bigger box. He flipped open the lid to reveal a pair of running shoes. He "oo"ed at them. "I figured you might like them since you always wear that brand," Marc called out. 

Eric nodded. "I was needing to go get a new pair soon, too. Thanks bro," he called out happily.

I smiled as Eric toyed with the shoe like a little boy with a new tractor. Ray was soon handed the gift I had gotten for him. I bit my lip, waiting to see his reaction. 

Ray's eyes stared down at the framed photo in his hands. I watched him run his thumb over the faces. "Where did you..."

"I called around back home. Someone happened to have one. I blew it up so it would fit the frame for you," I explained. 

Ray pulled me into a tight hug. I awkwardly twisted on Eric's lap to hug my brother back. "Thank you," he whispered. 

I nodded. "I knew you've always wanted it." He let me go before sitting back to stare at the photo of our parents. 

I would have never wanted the picture, but Ray always wished he had one. We hadn't had any photos of our parents after they passes away. Ray had the hardest time with that because he didn't have anything left of them it felt like. He had been close to our parents. They had been good parents to him. They enabled his every dream. They helped him get to where he was now. 

Eric gave me a half smile, rubbing my arm. I sank back against him. I hated seeing their faces again, but I knew Ray appreciated it. It meant a lot to him. 

"Another one for Ricky," Henry announced. 

I took the bag from his hands with a thank you. It was from Eric. I gave him a suspicious look over my shoulder. The tissue paper was poorly placed in the bag, barely covering the gift. 

"You didn't..." I muttered. A small smile took place on my lips. 

Eric was trying to die of laughter as I pulled out Computers for Dummies. Everyone else began laughing. My dislike and small comprehension of computers was well known to all of them. 

I smacked his arm with the book. "And I got you a good present. Jerk!" I teased. 

He laughed before pushing the book away from him. "Calm down and keep looking. There's more. That was just a joke," he told me. 

I sighed before looking back to the bag. Eric's hands rested lightly around my waist. I ignored the feeling in my stomach and pulled out an envelope. 

I opened the envelope to pull out a picture. I frowned in confusion at it. "They're hiding right now. I knew if you got them you would start reading," Eric explained. 

My jaw fell. The picture displayed several books, probably fifteen. They were all classics and in a collectors edition hard cover.

"You said you wanted to start a collection like those matching classic novels, so I figured this would be a good start," he explained. 

I turned around to put my arms around his neck. I didn't know what to say. I was so excited. I had always wanted to start my own collection and now I had the start of one. "Thank you so much," I whispered in his ear. 

His arms tightened around my waist. "No problem. I'm glad you're excited."

Everyone went on unwrapping gifts. Ray had bought me a few more movies, which I was excited for. Nearing ten thirty, we got down to our last two. 

Jordan unwrapped Eric's gift. Eric had paid for a pair of new skates, but left it up to his brother to pick out which pair he wanted. Knowing Jordan, it would be the same brand as before and a similar style. 

"Alright. Last gift. Goes to..." Henry began, trying to read the name. He paused. "Us," he finished slowly. He looked at all of his sons suspiciously. 

Henry and Linda sat beside each other as he unfolded the Manila folder. Everyone in the room was grinning. I could feel Eric's arms around my waist tighten in anticipation. 

Linda's hands flew to her mouth. "You boys didn't..." she began softly. I could see the tears welling in her eyes. 

Henry fought back his smile. "Thank you, boys," he said. His voice was rough when he spoke. 

Two weeks, all paid vacation in Paris. The four brothers had put together everything and planned it all. They had the hotel, transportation, and a few tickets to see certain things paid for. The admission tickets for the Louvre were already inside the packet. 

Granted, it was mostly the girlfriends that had planned things, the boys had all pitched in some help. Their parents would leave in a week to fly to Paris first class. 

I settled back against Eric, smiling to myself. Linda wiped at her eyes ferociously as they read through each paper in the packet. Henry wrapped his arm around her in a comforting manner. I think everyone was delighted to see them both so happy. The two deserved it with everything they had done in their lives. They were good people.