Ch. 12
Ann's stomach growled as she caught a whiff of the delicious aromas coming from the kitchen. Her father and brother were working together in the kitchen to prepare a special birthday breakfast for her. Popuri was helping too, setting the table. Ann was seated in the next room, waiting and sniffing the air.
There was a small pile of presents on the coffee table. Ann picked them up one by one, feeling their weight, then gently shaking them. She was pretty sure that Gray's gift was a book, and had a sinking feeling that Popuri's gift was the amazing Technicolor scarf she'd been working on. Ann picked up the smallest present. It was from her father.
“Jewelry,” she muttered with distaste and set the box back down on the table. Just then Cliff came in the room, carrying a small brown paper bag, which he handed to her.
“What's this?”
“It's a present,”
Ann lifted the bag so that it was level with her eyes. It was an ordinary paper bag, stapled shut, slightly heavy for it's size. She sniffed it.
“...is this some sort of joke gift or something?”
“It's a real present and if you don't want it, I'll take it back,” Cliff reached out for the bag, but Ann pulled away.
“Why did you get me a present?” Ann's voice was soft, very different from the harsh tone she usually used when talking to Cliff.
“We kind of got off to a bad start, so it's a peace offering”
“Um...well, thank you,” Ann's face was red. She set the bag on the table, then picked it back up. “Can I open it now?”
“It's your present,” Cliff said with a shrug.
Ann opened the bag and pulled out a small ceramic horse. She gasped softly. “Saibara...? But that would cost so much!”
“Nah,” Cliff took the horse from her and turned it slightly. “See the neck? It got cracked. It's been repaired, but Saibara still marked the price down.”
He handed the horse back to Ann.
“Thank you,” she mumbled. Her cheeks were bright pink.
“Breakfast is ready!” Doug called from the kitchen.
~*~*~*~*
After breakfast, everyone gathered in the next room to watch Ann open her presents. She opened the present from Gray first. It was a book filled with photos of different breeds of horses. Ann gave her brother a quick hug, before opening the next gift, Popuri's scarf. Seen up close, the colors were dizzyingly bright and the colors clashed badly. Ann manages a polite thank you to Popuri, and moved on to the next gift, which was from her father. It was fairly large, but lightweight. With a heavy heart, Ann opened it...
“A dress?” she wailed. “Dad, how could you?” Ann shoved the dress back in the box with such force that the box fell off her lap and onto the floor. Popuri knelt down and picked it up.
“It's not that bad,” she said, holding it up for Ann to see. “It's not really a dress, it's a denim jumper. It's not that different from the overalls you usually wear.”
Ann scowled. “It's a dress and I won't wear it. You can have it if you like it so much.”
“I don't think it will fit me. You wear a smaller size than I do.” Popuri handed the jumper back to Ann, who scowled even deeper as she shoved the garment back in the box for a second time. Face flushed with anger, Ann opened a different gift. Inside this new box was a pink shirt.
“Pink!” Ann exclaimed. “Pink?”
“I thought it was pretty,” Doug said slowly. “It's not that different from the blouse you're wearing now, just a different color. It won't hurt you-”
“-To be more feminine?” Ann interrupted. “I don't want to be more feminine! I like myself the way I am! I can't believe that even Cliff thought more about his gift than you did!”
“I put plenty of thought into my gift,”
“You only thought about what you thought I should want, not what I actually wanted!” Ann threw the two boxes on the floor and picked up the last present, the smallest one, and threw it too, before running upstairs. A few moments later, she slammed her bedroom door shut.
Doug picked up the small box, and handed it to Gray. “You may as well have this. Maybe someday you'll have a daughter who'll appreciate things like this,” he said and then left the room.
Gray rolled the box around in his hands, then shifted it from hand to the other a few times. Finally, he removed the wrapping paper and opened the box. Inside lay a small daisy shaped broach. The petals were mother-of-pearl and the center was topaz. Popuri and Cliff leaned over.
“Pretty!” Popuri breathed.
“You know, my mother had something like that. It was a pendent and a different flower, but it was a similar style.”
Popuri leaned over further to get a better look, her long hair brushing against Gray's face. She took the box from Gray, and removed the broach.
“Yeah, come to think of it, my mom has one like it too. It's blue...Mom said she'd give it to me when I get married. You know, it would be something old and something blue,” she said.
Cliff stood up. “I'd better get to work,” he said. After he left. Popuri handed the box back to Gray.
“There's a letter in here,” she said.
Gray pulled it out. It had been folded over and over into a tiny square in order to fit into the box, and the ink, already faded with age, was even more faded at the creases. He skimmed over it, a few phrases jumping out at him here and there, searching for the signature at the bottom. The letter had been written by his mother. He sat still for a few moments, then began to read.
As he read, he could hear his mother's voice again. Though the letter was intended for Ann, and was full of motherly advice for a young woman, Gray could feel his mother's love coming through. When he finished he swallowed hard, and tugged his cap lower over his face.
“I have to show this to Ann,” he said to Popuri. She nodded.
~*~*~*~*
Gray knocked on Ann's door. “It's me,” he said.
“It's open.”
Ann's room was not unlike Gray's. The furniture was similar in style, and the bed and dresser were in the same place. Ann's room was messier than her brother's. Dirty socks and underwear were gathered under the unmade bed, where Ann sat, sulking.
“I guess you come up here to tell me what a brat I am, and how I need to apologize to everyone,” she said.
“No,” Gray sat on the bed.
He held out the box and the letter. Ann's eyes widened with recognition when she saw the broach, then filled with tears as she read the letter.
“I didn't...why didn't Dad tell me?” Ann sniffled. “I was such a jerk before!”
Gray hugged his sister. Ann began to cry harder, clinging to him. He stroked her hair, and after awhile, Ann's sobs subsided. She wiped her nose with her arm.
“I guess I'd better go down and apologize,” she said. “And...I'll even wear the dress. But I won't wear the pink shirt!” she added, tugging at her long red braid.
~*~*~*~*
Author's NotesWhoa, an update?!
I'm still doing the comic, but the comic is taking so long! I felt bad about keeping you hanging, so...Yeah. Enjoy!
Anyway, constuctive criticism is welcomed!
[M:28]
[M:0]
I didn't even realize that! 
