Chapter X - Friendship Gifts

While they were watching the movie, Chelsea noticed Pamela entered the living room and smiling at them but she didn't comment on it. The old woman left quietly, not disturbing, and leaving them to enjoy watching.

Evening came by quickly and it's time for Tom, Chelsea, and Rebecca to have moments with the Severn family. They were having their last dinner with the family on Christmas day.

"Thank you for having us," Chelsea said with a smile facing the family.

"Yup! I really enjoyed staying here," Tom added to Chelsea's statement. "Even someone invaded one's privacy," with this, he glared towards Michael and Chelsea. The two looked at each other and snickered, remembering the events that happened earlier.

"I'm glad that you had fun here," Pamela said smiling at them. "I hope for more visits from you," she added to Chelsea and Tom.

"We will," Tom said answering for the both of them.

They continued to finish their dinner and proceeded to talk with each other peacefully. Tom noticed the shining object from Chelsea's wrist and planned to question her about it later when they were in a private place.

After they had finished eating they fix themselves, finally leaving the house but before that Chelsea dragged Michael into a private place to talk to him.

"What you want to talk about?" he asked waiting for her to answer his question.

"Ummm," she started. "Your mother said earlier that the rest of your family will be celebrating New Year in another place and mention that they didn't include you?" she continued confused by him not joining his family.

"I said to mother that I rather liked it in here to celebrate," he said, nodding to confirm her question. "She agreed and let me be," he continued. "Why you asked?" he questioned her.

"I was wondering if you would like to join celebrating it with us," she said looking hopefully at the man in front of her.

Michael smiled widely at her, seemingly happy about the invitation. "I would like to," he answered her which made her smile back at him.

"Then, it settled," she said and Michael nodded at her. "See you at my house," she continued and started to walk away from him to get back to Tom and Rebecca.

"See you," Michael whispered to himself and he waved to Chelsea saying goodbye to her. When Chelsea came back outside she saw Pamela, she decided to thank her again for everything she had done for them.

"Pam!" Chelsea called the old lady which made Pam turned around to face her.

"Yes?" Pamela asked raising her eyebrows.

"I wanted to thank you again for the generosity and kindness that you had shown to us," Chelsea said sincerely. Pamela grabbed her right shoulder with her left hand.

"You became like a daughter and friend since we had fun in the fast-food restaurant," Pamela said looking directly to Chelsea. "Rebecca is also like a grandaughter to me and... Tom is such a fun person to meet," she continued and patted Chelsea's shoulder.

"And you were like my second mother and a friend," Chelsea said smiling at Pamela. She decided to hug her which she did and Pamela hugged her back. "Thank you," she whispered, meaning her words.

They broke their hug and smiled at each other after having a heartfelt moment. "Go on now. I can see Tom getting impatient," Pamela chuckle and encourage Chelsea to go to Tom for them to leave.

Chelsea nodded. "Have a safe trip on your New Year," she said and finally leaving Pamela. "See you next year, Pam!" she shouted at the distance, turning her back to the old woman to see that she was chuckling while she's waving her hand to say goodbye.

Chelsea entered the passenger seat while Tom took the driver's seat. Rebecca was quietly sleeping at the back of the car, still tired from the early activities she experienced. Tom started the engine to began driving back to Chelsea's house. While Tom was driving, he suddenly remembered the object on his best friend's wrist.

"Are you going to tell me where you get that thing?" Tom started a conversation, looking straight to see where the car headed to.

"What thing?" Chelsea asked, confused about her friend.

"The thing on your wrist," he said, getting to the point.

"Oh," Chelsea realized. "Michael gave it to me earlier after you kicked us out in your room," she continued, smiling at first looking at the bracelet then glared at him.

"It's not my fault you trespassed my own space," he said looking briefly at her but got back to focus on driving.

"You're not answering the door," she said looking at her window. "Then, we heard you screaming," she continued and looked back at her friend with a smirk.

"That's not screaming! That's singing!" he gasped feeling rather offended by Chelsea's narration.

"Oh?" she question, her smirk getting wider.

"Yes," Tom confirmed. "and how dare you say that my singing was a scream," he huffed still looking at the road. "I'm talented at singing," he proudly said to her with a smug look.

"Tell that to yourself," Chelsea commented which made Tom ruined his smug face.

They were silent for a while and Tom started talking.

"So... the bracelet," he reminded Chelsea, waiting for her to elaborate the story behind it.

"He gave it to me as a Christmas gift," she explained.

"And..." Tom added, knowing that there's more to it.

"and an appreciation to our friendship," she finished her statement while looking outside her window side.

"You know," he started. "I think Michael like you," he admitted making Chelsea instantly looked at his baffled at his words. "Even you're still married, 'cause he didn't know about his own feelings," he conspired about their situation.

"Tom," Chelsea said looking at his friend with a serious face on her. "Don't be ridiculous," she added. "Michael was just being a supportive friend like you," she continued explaining the connection between Michael and her. "No need to be jealous," she said which made Tom's expression looked like he ate sour food.

"I'm not jealous," he said. "Why would I be?" he asked her taking a quick glance at her.

"I don't know," Chelsea admitted. "Maybe... because I have another friend to spent my time with and that might affect you?" she guessed answering his question.

Tom didn't make any comment and continued driving until they reached their destination. They got out and Tom carried sleeping Rebecca back to her own room to finally have her proper sleep while Chelsea carried the things that they brought earlier to their visit. Chelsea went to the living room to sit and waited for Tom.

"Are you going back to your home or stay for this evening?" Chelsea asked Tom who just came back from Rebecca's room.

"I might stay here," he answered looking at his watch. "It's late," he added.

Chelsea nodded, understanding his situation. "The guest room is always available for you," she informed him for him to know where he's going to stay.

"Ok," he said with a nod. "I better go there, I'm tired," he continued. "Night, Chel," with that, he started to walked towards his room and leaving Chelsea alone seating on the couch.

Chelsea decided to have her rest for the day. She went to her room, changed her clothes, and lay down on her own bed. She closed her eyes and started thinking of the things that had happed yesterday and earlier, how she had to meet new people, developed a deeper connection, and simply having fun on Christmas day.

She remembered the words that Tom mentioned earlier when they were in the car. It really doesn't make sense for her. Michael liking her? She thought it was really ridiculous. She only saw Michael being a person new to friendship. He was supportive, empathetic, and funny. Traits that have in a friend, but how sure was she in measuring friendship when she didn't know the difference between a kind friend and a lovely attraction. And besides, she's married. Michael respected that and was a gentleman towards discussing about it.

After her internal argument, she finally got tired and welcome the darkness that waiting for her.

New Year

Michael arrived at Chelsea's house in the afternoon, carrying a cake for them to eat later on the upcoming New Year. He thought that bringing a cake might be a great idea, he hoped.

He knocked on the door three times only to be answered by Tom who's greeting him with a fake smile. Tom was still not fond of Michael and having a hard time getting peaceful with him and have normal communication.

"Come in," Tom said, stepping aside for Michael to enter.

"Hello, Michael," Chelsea greeted him with a smile which he returned. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "You bought a cake! That's wonderful," she continued, noticing the cake he was carrying. "I don't have to worry about baking," she said with a relief tone attaching to her words. "Thank you, Michael. You're a lifesaver."

While Chelsea's speaking, she led him to a seat in the living room and snatched the cake he was holding for her to put on the table. He watched Chelsea left him alone in the living room but someone suddenly came through the door.

"Michael!" Rebecca exclaimed and run towards Michael to hug him. Since her mother and Michael became close, Rebecca was now looking at Michael as an Uncle to her and not an instructor at the theater when they were not working. Of course, they must maintain professionalism when they started acting and teaching.

"Reb!" Michael said with the same energy, hugging back Rebecca. "How was your morning?" Rebecca broke their hug to face Michael clearly to see his face, smiling widely at him.

"It was great!" she answered. "I'm excited for the new year," she added.

"I'm excited too," Michael commented.

"Hey, Reb?" Tom called for Rebecca. "Can you come here, dear?"

"Coming, Uncle Tom!" she replied. She stepped backward to retreat and run towards where Tom was. Michael was left alone again and feeling bored, finding nothing to entertain himself. She decided to go to the kitchen to see what Chelsea has been up to. He saw her preparing for New Year, cooking foods and fixing the table for later.

"Do you need help?" Michael asked her.

"Nope, I'm good," Chelsea replied looking at him while she wiped her sweat on her forehead with her right wrist. "I prefer working alone," she confessed to him. "But we can have a chat while I'm doing my work," she added noticing that Michael was bored.

"What can we chat about?" he asked, finding a topic to talk about.

"How were your family doing, is their travel safe?" She started by asking him, while she looked for a container.

"They traveled safely when they got there," he informed her. "They were a bit ecstatic about the venue," he added looking bored watching her divided a mixture of foods.

"I'm glad that they are safe," she said with a smile and busied herself with her tasks.

They continued to talk with each other, getting Michael's boredom to disappear and Chelsea to finish her work which she was proud of.

"Finally," Chelsea said with a sigh, finishing her job. "Hey, Chol!" she shouted. "Can I call you Chol? Since it's a shorter term for your middle name, Nicholas. And... your sister called you Chael, I don't want to ruin her original nickname for you. Also... Chael and Chol only have a little difference..." she rumbled not sure if he will agree, fidgeting both of her hands from nervousness and not knowing why she was acting that way.

"Why not?" Michael shrugged at her, not minding calling him in that name. "You're the first one to create a nickname from my middle name," he smiled at her which made Chelsea released the tension in her body and be able to ease the situation.

"Yey!" Chelsea cheered happily, having the privilege of calling him by her own created nickname for him.

"So... Chol" she said, getting back at her original purpose by calling him. "Do you remember this amigo?" she continued, raising a basket of lemon from the ground for Michael to see.

"Oh, God... Not again," Michael whispered to himself and watched Chelsea laughed loudly at his reaction.

"I'm going to make lemon juice with these lemons later," she informed him with a teasing toned lace on her statement, smirking at him.

They continued to tease, chat, and laugh with each other until evening came. Tom and Rebecca were busy entertaining themselves by playing and watching movies. Michael and Chelsea joined them after they all had eaten their dinner. They all watched until the new year greeted them with fireworks displaying above the sky.

Rebecca returned to her bed, tired because of her late schedule of sleeping while Tom was already sleeping on the couch, bored from watching too many movies. Michael and Chelsea was the only one who's awake and decided to have another conversation.

"I have to get something," Chelsea said immediately, not seeing the nod that Michael gave her and left him alone thinking of what Chelsea had planned. She returned quickly which shocked Michael.

"You run fast," Michael commented which earned a smirk from Chelsea.

"So as I promised," she said, revealing a beautifully wrapped gift from her back. "Ta-da," she said, presenting a gift to him.

"You don't have to, Chelsea," he said looking appreciative of her. "But thank you," he said holding now the gift which Chelsea handed to him.

"Open it," she said excitedly. Michael did what he was told and opened it to discover a gold chain necklace. He looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes and a genuine smile on his lips. "Thank you."

"You deserve it," she said to him. "For a strong friendship this year and more years!" Chelsea exclaimed, raising her right hand imagining holding a glass of wine proposing a toast. Michael imitated her and raised his right hand.

"For strong friendship!" he shouted and they joined their hands and chugged their invisible wine. They laugh at their foolishness and looked at each other with happiness in their eyes.

Michael suddenly yawned, not escaping from Chelsea's view. She smiled at him with a raised eyebrow. "You should sleep," she commented. "You can stay in the spare room I fixed earlier so, you don't have to worry about inhaling dust," she informed him to know where he's staying and sleeping in.

"Can you lead the way?" Michael asked her.

"Of course," she said and turned her back and started to walk for Michael to follow. "You're the guest here and didn't know this place," Chelsea informed him and also talking to herself while they were headed to their location.

"I agree," Michael said chuckling at her statement when they arrived in front of a white door.

"Good night then," Chelsea said to Michael seeing his droopy eyes.

"Yeah, Good night," he smiled faintly and opened the door for him to enter then closed it.

Chelsea watched him closed the door and stare at it for a moment. She came to her senses and noticed that she was getting sleepy too. Deciding that it was a good thing to retire for the day and sleep peacefully for the first time this year.