Mikey came running back into the room looking embarrassed. "I must have forgotten to put the rest of in when I was rapping it," he then placed the rest of his in my lap then sat back down in his seat and waited for me to look at what he had given me.
When I looked down at my lap I saw a blue bonnet and a pair of pearl earrings. The bonnet of the same quality as the dress, but that didn't make any difference to me I still loved it.
The pearl earrings matched the necklace I went to take out my silver studs my father had given me last year to put the pearls in. "They are amazing! I love them, thank you."
"You're welcome, your smile makes all the effort worthwhile." "Okay now open mine next!" Said Ben. "I thought we agreed to let her pick what order she opens them," snapped Ray. "I know, but she took so long opening Mike's and just can't wait any longer."
"Hush now you two, Sue will decide what order to open her gifts not you." Ray and Ben both sighed in defeat. "Yes ma'am," they both muttered. "Now before you pick Sue, allow me to throw my hat into the ring."
Mother then got up and walked towards her bedroom. When she came back she had large blue box tied with a blue ribbon in her hands. She then placed it on the table right Mikey's gift once was. After that she took Mikey's gift from my lap. She placed the torn wrapping paper neatly on the floor beside my wheelchair and then placed the clothes on top of the liquor cabinet. She then went back to sit where she had been before. "Go ahead Sue pick one."
"I want to open this one next," I said, while pointing at the rectangular box with the blue wrapping paper. I really wanted to open Ben's next, but after he did that, I knew if I did, I would be hurting Ray's feelings, so I decided against it.
Ray hurriedly placed the box in my lap for me. I then to opened it and found a framed drawing of a willow tree. to anyone else it may just look like any old willow tree, but I recognize this one right away. It was a drawing of the willows tree on the far side of the mountain. It was right next to a pond where father and I would go fishing from time to time. It was a beautiful spot and Ray knew I loved it there.
"I knew you wouldn't be able to go back to that spot for quite some time so I figured I'd bring the spot to you kind of," he said while blushing and looking down at his feet. Ray never liked to admit that he liked drawing. He said it wasn't very manly of him to enjoy doing such a thing. None of us ever made fun of him for, but couldn't get past his insecurity. The fact that he did so for me was very touching.
"Thank you so much, Ray. I love it. It's almost like I'm there." he blushed even harder after I said that. "Oh sweetie, there's nothing to be embarrassed about your drawings are amazing!" "Thank you mother and thank you as well, Sue I'm glad you like it." "I don't just like it. I love it. It's truly amazing!"
"OK now pick your next present Sue." Said Ben, who is being uncharacteristically excited. I knew he knew I was going to pick his present next. I always save mother and father's gifts for last on my birthday. I didn't really care which brother I picked first or last, but I always saved theirs for less because no matter what I knew, their gifts would be good. With my brothers, it was never guarantee, but with mother and father they always got me something I wanted or needed. In order to always end on a happy note, I would open their last.
As much as I didn't want to teach Ben lesson for being impatient, I asked to open his. I could see A disappointed, but not at all surprised look on mother's face eagerly picked up the handcarved box and set it on my lap.
I rolled my eyes at him, but he still just sat in his seat, staring at me with a smile on his face, impatiently waiting for me to open the box. Before I did that, though I looked at the beautiful box itself. It was stunning. It had a rabbit carved on lid and beautifully carved flowers on the side. I had already known he was amazing at carving flowers, but I had never seen him carve a rabbit before. In fact, I had asked him if he would for me in the past, but he said he didn't think he could. He thought it would be too hard.
"I thought you said you didn't car rabbits?" "I didn't, but after you fell into that deep sleep, I started practicing after several months I started getting very good at it." as he was talking, I opened the box.
Inside was a small wooden rabbit. I was speechless when I saw it. It was obviously crafted with Care. It looked like it would hop away at any moment that's how realistic it was.
"Oh my goodness Ben! This is amazing, thank you so much I don't even know what to say!" He smiled at me, "You don't need to say anything. All I wanted was to see you smile again and after waiting over a year, I finally did."
"Alright now it's time for you to open my present it's from your father as well of course, you know he would be here to give it to you himself if he could." Mother seemed saddened by the last part of what she said, but she tried to hide it. "Of course mother I understand. I can't wait to see what it is!"
I then excitedly untied the ribbon and took off the lid to the box. Inside the box was a stuffed rabbit. It was built like the stuffed teddy bear I used to carry around when I was much younger, but this stuffed rabbit was much larger than that there was. It had brown, plush fur, and a big brown stomach. It did not have the real proportions of a rabbit, but that made it all the more huggable. I gave a big squeeze and smiled at my mother. My family definitely knew my favorite animal was a rabbit. "Thank you so much mother I love it!" I said, as I grinned ear to ear. "I'm so glad you like it, sweetheart. Now that you have opened up all your presents why don't we eat some cake?"