Still the One

‘Sorry it took so long to answer the door! I was just finishing up and Gemma's in the back.’

‘You look beautiful!’ Libby looks down at my mum's bright red dress, ‘how old are you? 24?’

My mum lets out a loud schoolgirl type squeal, clearly flattered.

My mum absolutely adored Libby. She supported my past relationships as any good mother would but she genuinely likes to be around Libby. She was always inviting her over just to chat before we broke up. And even during the break up she would constantly ask how Libby was or if I was going to get back with her.

‘Thank you dear. Gemma! Harry and Libby are here!’

‘Libby!’ Gemma squeals running through the kitchen snatching Libby into a tight hug.

‘Gemma!’

As if I'm not standing there. Just like my mum, Gemma adores Libby. They've hung out without me loads of times. They get on together so well thankfully With Gemma and Libby i didn't have to force friendship on them. It just came naturally.

‘Where's your lover?’ I ask Gemma.

‘He and Robin went out to collect wood for the fireplace.’

‘Looks like we got here just in time.’ I whisper into Libby's here. She attempts to hide her small giggle leaning into me.

It was freezing here in London, actually freezing and snowing. The last thing on earth I would want to be doing is shuffling through snow for logs. My shoes definitely wouldn’t have appreciated it. Libby insisted on that I wore a pair of black shiny dress shoes I rarely took out the closet. I remember her surprised yet pleased expression when I picked her up this morning. She went on and on in the car about how they looked on me. I acted slightly annoyed when she said I should wear them more often but honestly it made me feel good I guess.

‘Looks like I came just in time then.’ I joke pulling Libby toward the kitchen. I raise the lid on a random dish and pop something into my mouth.

‘Mum! Harry’s sneaking food.’ Gemma exclaims.

My mum comes in and swats my hand, ‘we have to wait for Connor and Robin.’

‘I doubt they’d mind if I had a bit of this pasta.’ I attempt to raise another lid but my hand is swatted again.

‘They’ll be here any minute. Go sit and wait.’

‘Fine.’ I take Libby’s hand in mine and take her upstairs.

‘I thought we’re supposed to be sitting and waiting.’ Libby whispers as if anyone could hear us.

‘She didn’t say where.’ I shrug pulling her into the bedroom I stay in whenever I come to Holmes Chapel. ‘So let’s sit…’ I say pulling her down onto the bed, ‘and wait.’ I didn’t waste any time to kiss her lying on the bed. I pull Libby on top of me where she sits herself on my stomach. Her legs are on each side of my body. I use my pillows to prop myself up while I let my fingers graze her body.

‘We should stop.’ Libby says in between kisses. ‘Your mum might come in.’

I stiff out a laugh trapping her lip in between my teeth.

‘Ow.’ She laughs biting my bottom lip.

It hurt in the best way. I felt like an addict when I kiss Libby. Every little bit I get I want more and more.

‘Harry! Libby!’ Gemma’s voice echoes in the hallway.

‘Yeah?’ I ask with my lips still connected to Libby’s.

‘Connor and Robin are back!’

Libby deepens the kiss before sliding off my lips. I try my best to hide the foolish smile spread across my face as I follow Libby down the stairs. I place my hands on her hips guiding her down the stairs and into the kitchen.

‘Hey you two. Merry Christmas.’ Robin says pulling Libby from my arms. She hugs both Robin and Connor before returning to me.

‘Everyone ready to eat?’

‘Yes.’ I immediately answer finding two seats at the table.

Robin leads us into a prayer before we all begin to pass around different dishes of food.

‘How was this morning?’ Robin asks. ‘Did you two have a good time?’

I think back to this morning where I had the pleasure of meeting Libby’s mum. We went to the institution she was staying early this morning for Christmas. We were meeting her brother, Tanner and dad there to meet us. At first I thought everything was going fairly good. I mean she shook my hand and smiled. She didn’t waste any time to cut me down. She asked if I was using Libby for sex, which was the most outrageous thing, I’ve heard in a while. I didn’t want to be rude so I just told her how she didn’t know me at all or the relationship we have. Libby was gutted and embarrassed by her mum but I didn’t take it with too much offense. I’m very protective over Libby and always skeptical about whom she lets around her even more so since that girl Lanna leaked all of her private life. I get where her mum was coming from.

Libby moves over in her seat uncomfortable probably thinking back on today too. ‘It was interesting.’ I finally answer, looking over to my own mum for help.

‘So, Gem, Harry when are you two going to your father’s?’ she asks changing the subject, thank God.

‘We were thinking New Years.’ Gemma answers for the both of us.

I was thinking of bringing Libby with me to my father’s country home outside of the city for New Years this year. It was a tradition we tried our best to keep every year. I just hadn’t ran the idea past her yet.

‘We always go to my father’s for New Years. He lives just outside the city. There’s a lake right behind his home where we shoot off fireworks above it.’ I look over and inform Libby. ‘He does a little grilling too.’

‘That sounds like a lot of fun.’ She smiles genuinely.

‘You should come with me. Connor you’re going right?’

‘That I am.’ Connor nods finally taking his eyes off of my sister.

‘Don’t make me a third wheel.’ I stiff out a laugh, ‘are you in?’

‘I’d love to go.’ Libby agrees.

‘Everyone to the living room for gifts.’ Mum says once we all finished eating our food.

‘Do you need help getting them out the car?’ Libby whispers quietly to me.

‘No, it’s freezing out there. I got it.’ I pull my coat on and take the keys from the dining room’s coffee table. I hurry out to the back of the black Range Rover and lift the trunk of the car. There were several packages and perfectly wrapped boxes. We still had all of everyone else’s gifts. I really should’ve given all the lads their gifts before they went home for the holidays. I grab everything labeled mum or Anne, robin, Gemma, and Connor and walk as slowly yet quickly as I can. When I make it to the living room everyone is sitting around the tree. I place the gifts on the floor and squeeze into the recliner with Libby.

‘Here you are Libby. It’s from Robin and I.’ Mum hands a small package to Libby, ‘here’s yours Harry. Gemma, Connor, here you are.’

‘You really didn’t need to get me anything.’ I say as she thrusts the box into my hands.

‘None of that. Just open it.’

Libby and I tear into our gifts at the same time, tossing papers as we went.

‘Wow.’ I look down at a shiny watch I’ve never seen before, ‘it’s really nice.’

‘It was your granddad’s.’ mum says with a wide smile, ‘Robin and I had it repaired and engraved.’

Sure enough on the inside of the watch there was a line of small words.

We are so proud of you.

‘I love it. Thank you guys.’ I smile putting the watch inside of its box and carefully setting it aside.

‘Wow, thank you Anne and Robin so much. I absolutely love this.’ Libby speaks up. Knowing Libby she was waiting for me to finish talking about my gift. Always respectful and polite. Libby was holding a box of different colored perfumes.

‘You’re always talking about perfume.’ Robin laughs offering Libby a friendly smile. Mum and Robin got Gemma a silver locket and Connor tickets to the upcoming football game.

‘Baby brother.’ Gemma hands me a wrap package from what I could feel, it was definitely some sort of clothing, ‘and for the lovely Libby. Both from Connor and I.’

‘Thank you.’ Libby says carefully pulling off the bright pink ribbon. ‘Oh my goodness!’ Libby exclaims, obviously pleased. ‘The coat I mentioned I wanted! You two remembered!’

Thank goodness I didn’t get her that jacket. I saw it in Top Shop one day but my better judgment told me either my mum would get it or Gemma would. I tear into the Christmassy paper and pull out some kind of fleece material.

‘Since you call yourself working out, here’s something to run in and keep warm.’ Gemma explains. I realize the black material was a Nike jacket.

‘I will definitely use this, thank you. Here you are.’

Libby and I decided to get Connor a new camera since he’s into photography and all and for Gemma, Libby picked out a pair of shoes and coat she’s been wanting from one of her favorite shops. I watch as she squeals immediately trying on her new shoes and jacket.

‘See.’ Libby leans into me with a pleased smile.

‘Mum and Robin, Merry Christmas.’

For Robin Libby bought him some kind of personal tea maker for his office since he kept saying how much he needed a better one. I bought him one of the best watches out there, I knew it was something I couldn’t go wrong with. The man loves watches. For mum, Libby bought her some scarf she ordered in all the way from a small shop in France. I was surprised when it made it here in time. Mum gets tears in her eyes when she sees the pearls Gemma and I decided to go half on.

‘They’re beautiful.’ She sniffles standing up to hug both Gemma and I. ‘Thank you so much.’

‘You’re welcome.’ We say at the very same time.

‘We’re going to go now.’ I say after we finished our dessert. I could see Libby was getting tired, understandable seeing how she was up since eight this morning.

‘You two need to come by more often, okay?’ Robin hugs Libby as I go get her jacket for her.

‘We will.’ I hear her say.

I take all the gifts to the car and start it up before coming back to say goodbye to everyone.

‘Bye.’ Mum waves once again before finally closing the door.

‘Did you have a good time?’ I ask her backing out of the long driveway.

‘Loads of fun.’ She smiles tiredly at me.

I don’t ask any more questions, allowing her to fall asleep, as I knew she would. Just so I could admire the beauty beside me. She was breathtaking without even trying. The drive back to London was three hours long, a bit tiring but long enough to admire Libby every few miles. We make it to her flat where I help her inside of the house and suddenly she’s wide awake as I turn to leave.

‘Don’t go, please. We could make some cocoa and watch some movies.’ I was actually relieved she asked me to stay. With the three hours to Holmes Chapel and the three hours back, I was fairly exhausted and sick of driving.

‘How could I say no to that?’ I laugh kissing her forehead, ‘just let me get the stuff from the car.’

‘I’ll boil some water.’

I hurry to the car and grab all her gifts including the small black box snugged in the corner of the trunk. I leave my gift to her on the coffee table while she was back in her room. Once she comes out I realized she’s changed out of her dress and into a pair of shorts and a familiar white tee shirt.

‘That’s mine.’ I comment with a stupid grin on my face.

‘You left it here so it’s mine.’ She smiles back at me. ‘Let me get you a pair of Tanner’s sweats.’ With that she’s gone again. She comes back with a pair of grey sweatpants tossed over her shoulder, ‘they should fit pretty well. He’s almost as tall as you.’

And he was. Her brother may be fairly young but he was exceptionally tall for his age. I gladly take off my dress shirt and jeans leaving them on the chair in her room before joining her on the sofa.

‘Merry Christmas.’ she hands me a large wooden back covered up by wrapping paper, ‘it may be a bit cheesy.’

I pull off all of the wrapping paper and let my eyes graze over the basket. Inside the basket was a blank cd entitled “US”, pretzels, a stack of polaroid’s, my favorite bottle of, peanuts and chocolate, a pint of my favorite beer, a Packers mug, “love coupons”, body wash, an electric razor, something to time my distance when I’m running, and a new pair of gloves. My stomach gets this tight overwhelming feeling as I look at all of the Polaroid’s. These were pictures of us in America, Australia, and Japan. The love coupons were for things like free kiss, free hug, free homemade dinner, and free half an hour massage.

‘Lib-…’ I stop myself looking at the basket again, ‘this is incredible. Honestly, this is one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever gotten. Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’ She lets out a sigh of relief. ‘I’m just glad you like it.’

‘Here’s your gift.’ I hand her the black box from the coffee table.

She takes the small box in her hands and flips open the lid, ‘Harry.’ She breathes out running her fingers over the heart shaped necklace. ‘It’s so pretty. Thank you.’ She leans over and presses her lips to my cheek, ‘I love it.’

‘Merry Christmas.’ I wrap an arm around her, holding her close to me.