I Love You More Than

by Kortni Renea

  She found herself being taken to task a lot lately if she commented, remarked or thanked Harrison for something that was a normal behavior. But because of her past, his actions seemed like he was going above and beyond. He didn’t want her gratitude for doing something any man worth his salt would. He just wanted her love.

  Chapter Thirty

  Christmas morning came too soon as far as Felicia was concerned. They didn’t get back from the Kincaid’s until after midnight. After the kids went down, they stayed up until almost three in the morning wrapping and assembling their toys. Three hours later brought the girls into their room jumping up and down on the bed announcing ‘Merry Christmas’. Accompanied by ‘get up sleepyheads’.

  “Alright, alright, alright. I’m up, lets hit it!” a very tired and sleepy Harrison grumbled. Felicia was still in the bed silently hoping they’d forget about her and she could drift back off to Lala land. She felt a hard stinging slap on her ass. So much for that.

  “Get up! If I have to get up, you do too.” Felicia had no time to reply as she was being swept up in Harrison’s arms and carried out into the great room. Reaching the seating area that surrounded the Christmas tree, Harrison finally set her down. Brushing her hair out of her eyes, she looked grumpily up at him.

  “Girls go ahead and get started. Coffee! I need Coffee.” She announced as she walked half sleep to the kitchen to brew a Keurig cup of coffee.

  “Make me a cup too babe!” Harrison called as he helped to direct the girls on which gifts to hit first. Felicia didn’t acknowledge his request, so he wasn’t sure he’d be getting a cup of brew.

  Five minutes later, Felicia emerged from the kitchen. She looked much more alert and was carrying two cups of coffee. Felicia walked over to where he sat on the arm of the chair, videoing Dana and Elena. They were currently crawling around the tree like banshees ripping open the wrapping paper and throwing the shreds everywhere. All she could do was shake her head at the scene before her. Smiling at the giddiness and pure enjoyment the man she loved felt over the scene before them.

  Christmas’ past usually found them at her family’s house, which they would be going to later. But because David always slept in the living room and was never an advocate or participant in Christmas, the girls would have to wait until nine to open their gifts. Yet something else Felicia could add to her list of regrets.

  Harrison could always tell whenever Felicia started thinking about the past and wishing she had done things differently. She would retreat and withdraw into herself. Shutting everything out and became extremely tense. That was always the telltale sign.

  “It’s Christmas! A time to be thankful, joyous and celebrate the blessings we have in life. Stop beating yourself up about the past. What’s done is done. There’s nothing you or anyone can do to change it. If you could go back and change things you probably wouldn’t have given David the time of day. That would leave you without the first true loves of your life.”

  Felicia was so grateful to have Harrison in her life. He was always there to give her a push back in the right direction when needed. He didn’t let her sit and harp on the fact that the father of her children was missing in action. Instead he reminded her that he was there to step in, in any way, shape or form needed. All she had to do was ask and it was hers.

  The girls loved their Christmas gifts. Especially the one gift Harrison was permitted to buy for them. From the excitement, wonder and surprise coming from her little ones, she knew he found a way to outsmart her. Harrison had gifted them each an iPad. But he didn’t stop there. He’d also loaded each of them with games and learning apps that he knew each of them would love.

  “I think they like their gifts.” He observed as they had been quiet for five consecutive minutes. Turning to him Felicia let him see the look of credulousness on her face.

  “Really? You think so?” she asked letting the sarcasm drip all over her words.

  “Yes I really think so!” Harrison responded choosing to ignore her sourpuss mood. He had played fair and adhered to the rules. She said one gift and that’s what he got them. Harrison bought them each a 128GB iPad that he loaded with books, games, movies, learning tools and whatever else he could find that he thought they could be interested in. He had one for Felicia too, but he thought it best to hold onto that for a while.

  “Come on,” he cajoled, “don’t be like that. Does mommy want her gift?”

  Felicia would be lying if she told him that she didn’t want it. But a part of her was scared to see what he’d gotten her if he got her girls their own iPad. She’d told him not to get her anything. He struck that down as soon as the words had fallen from her lips.

  “Girls why don’t you start taking your gifts up to your room and go on and get dressed so we can go over your cousin Hailey’s house.” Harrison suggested as he started trying to make piles of the trash, making sure no gifts were pitched.

  “Okay. Come on Dana. I want to show Regan my iPad. Now we can text and FaceTime!” Dana of course was already going through the library of the kindle app wanting to see what goodies Harrison had downloaded for her.

  “Alright!”

  “I need to take the pies out of the fridge. I’ll grab you a trash bag too.” Felicia came back with two garbage bags. She didn’t know how she had ended up buying as much as she did. Typically she didn’t get much because the girls would get gifts from her parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. So there was never a need for her to buy a lot of gifts. But this year she’d somehow forgotten all of that. Or was unknowingly trying to make up for the hell she’d put them all through.

  She held the garbage bags as Harrison dumped boxes, bags, tissue and wrapping paper inside them. Once the seating area was cleared of the festive clutter Felicia sat down and took a long sip of her tepid coffee. Didn’t matter to her at this point, as long as it was still packed with caffeine. It could’ve been ice cold for all she cared. Felicia watched Harrison walk over to the tree and wondered what he was looking for. All the gifts were gone. She’d assumed he had her gift hidden in his room. Reaching his hand and half his arm inside the tree he pulled out a long envelope.

  Walking over to her, if that’s what you could call it. Felicia felt as if she was in the jungle and Harrison was the big bad wolf coming to eat her alive. Pushing the ottoman forward with his leg until it was situated in front of her, he walked around and took a seat.

  “I know the past few weeks have been rough for you. Although nothing in comparison to the last decade. So when I was wracking my brain on what the hell to get you…a thought occurred to me. I called Analia and confirmed my suspicion and I knew without a doubt it was the perfect gift.”

  “Harrison…” Felicia started, she couldn’t handle it if he got her an expensive electronic device. As it was, he’d already upgraded her iPhone three to a six and nothing was wrong with her three. But he’d insisted there were new features she just had to have. She could really utilize the phone with her permanent role as a lead designer. He’d convinced her it was his gift to her for the promotion she’d officially received. And somehow, convinced her it made sense to go ahead and add another line on for the girls. Getting the free iPhone four. She would never admit it, but she did love her new phone. Probably a little too much for Harrison as she was able to stay constantly connected to work. But it was his doing after all.

  “Stop looking at me like that. It’s not a tablet I promise.” He declared holding an innocent looking envelope out in front of his face. He kept extending it and taking it back repeatedly until Felicia couldn’t take not knowing what was inside any longer. She snatched the envelope away from him.

  “That’s not nice.” Harrison reprimanded her while appearing as if his feelings were hurt by her actions.

  Felicia leaned forward and giving him a quick kiss and a radiant smile to make up for her orneriness. She then tore the envelope to shreds trying to get to what waited for her inside. Harrison laughed at her antics. Now he knew for certain where Dana and
Elena got their wild abandon for gift opening from.

  “They get it honest I see.” He commented unable to keep quiet any longer. The only acknowledgement he received that she’d heard him was the tongue she stuck out at him. Other than that, she was too busy occupied reading what was in front of her. Inside was the printed confirmation that she was going to the Dominican Republic! Punta Cana to be exact.

  “OH MY GOD!” Felicia screamed as she launched herself at Harrison knocking them both back onto the ottoman. “Are you serious? We are going to the Dominican? Harrison! Oh my gawd.” Felicia reigned kisses all over Harrison’s laughing face.

  “If I knew you’d react like this, I would’ve got you this years ago.”

  “Hush! I can’t believe it!! I’ve never been out of the country.” Her eyes got big and round, “I don’t have a passport.”

  “No need to worry about that. We don’t leave until February. We’ll expedite it. You like your gift baby?”

  “Like it? I love it! And I love you.” She gushed glowing all over. Gone was the tired, cranky lady that had got up two hours earlier.

  “Good. I was hoping it would put a smile on your face.” He told her as he stared up at her. Felicia was absolutely the most beautiful woman that existed to him. She wasn’t just beautiful on the outside, her spirit and soul were genuinely pure as well. She was the type of person that only wanted the best for everyone she knew and loved.

  Felicia looked deep into the eyes of a man she knew loved her and her children. She’d never felt so happy and blessed before. She sometimes found herself scared to close her eyes for fear that it would all turn out to be a dream when she reopened them.

  “You put a smile on my face Harrison. Just you. But unfortunately you don’t get your gift until we are on our way back from Analia’s. We’ll have to stop by Kincaid’s’ to get it.” Harrison raised a brow at that, but didn’t question her.

  “Let’s shower and get ready.” Harrison told her slapping her on the butt.

  “Really? Are we really going to just take a shower and get ready,” she asked knowing better.

  “Let’s go do what we do in the shower and then get ready.” He amended to a laughing Felicia as he rolled them onto the fur rug.

  ****

  By time Felicia and Harrison got ready to leave, they were running a little behind. An hour to be exact. But everyone had smiles on their faces as they entered Hailey’s house and were greeted by the warm smiling faces of her family.

  “What took you guys so long? The kids have been driving me crazy waiting on you.” Analia asked as they were unloading the bags of gifts Felicia had brought for her little cousins. Felicia gave Hailey a side eyed look and continued on as if she hadn’t heard her.

  “I bet I know what took them so long. I heard about what you got for Christmas from your man Li!” Felicia looked around her surroundings to make sure their parents weren’t in the room or listening. “I understand girl. If I would’ve gotten a trip to the Dominican…y’all would still be sitting outside waiting to get in.”

  “That’s right. My baby is talented!” Vincent announced to the group.

  “Vince don’t nobody care about what skills Hailey has! With four kids we would automatically assume that she was skilled, FYI.”

  “Alright let’s get things started! Who’s playing Santa Claus this year?” Jacob asked breaking up the conversation the kids were having. Every year the adults took turns playing Santa and distributing the gifts. Their parents claimed they’d put their time in with them and had since retired from the pool. So it was between the cousins on who would get to play the role.

  “Don’t everyone speak up at once.”

  “I was Santa last year, so I’m out!” Felicia announced in a surly mood. Analia burst out into laughter from the memory.

  “Didn’t you almost sprain you ankle?” she asked as tears were pouring down her face at the memory. Hailey joined in bending over and holding her stomach.

  “Those kids are dangerous and hazardous on Christmas. I value my life too much for it. So which one of you is going to do it? We haven’t had a male Saint Nick in quite a while.” Felicia stated as she looked back and forth between Calvin and Vincent. Catching on quickly they both looked to the other before looking at Harrison.

  “You know what Felicia you’re right. It should be one of us men this year. And seeing as how Son here is the newest member of the clan, I think we should let him have that honor and privilege today. What do you think Vincent?” Clapping Calvin on his back Vincent looked at Harrison with unleashed humor.

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea Calvin. What better way for him to get to know our brood?”

  Felicia watched with utter amazement as Calvin and Vincent still managed to find a way out of playing Santa this year.

  “You two are a bunch of punks!” Felicia told them under her breath. “You’d rather a stranger,” she squeezed Harrison’s hand to make sure he knew she didn’t really mean the words she’d just spoken. “Come in and play the role than for you two to do it?”

  Calvin and Vincent looked at each other deep in thought and turning to Harrison and Felicia in unison replied “Hell yeah.”

  Felicia couldn’t have imagined a more perfect holiday. Harrison fit right in with her family as she knew he would. Whether it was talking football, basketball, golf or fishing, he was able to not only maintain a conversation but engage one as well.

  Calvin and Vincent had both given her their nods of approval. Stating that Harrison was ‘good people’. She knew the moment he had her aunt, uncle and parents undoubtedly wrapped around his little finger…

  Elena was having problems trying to get to the next round of a game on her iPad. None of the big kids would take the time to help her get past the level. They were too busy playing with their new electronics to be bothered. The football game had just tied and the Rams had one minute and thirty four seconds on the clock to run the ball back.

  When Elena told Harrison her issue, he didn’t send her to Felicia or tell her to wait until after the next play. Instead he swooped her up into his lap and proceeded to help her make it to the next level. Of course he’d get distracted whenever the men and Felicia would start yelling at the television. But Elena had eighty percent of his attention.

  Looking over at them sitting next to her Felicia saw, Elena was knocked out. She was splayed all over Harrison as he carried on a conversation with her uncle about restoring cars. She’d have to tell Harrison he better watch it or he’d never get any work done if the guys were always coming down to see what he was working on at the shop. Besides, she liked going to see her man at his shop and not having to share his time and attention.

  It was going on eight and Harrison still had to stop by the shop to get his Christmas gift. Felicia’s parents had given them a joint gift, they were keeping the girls while they went to the Dominican Republic for ten days.

  “Baby we need to get going. We still have to stop at Kincaid’s so you can get your gift.” Harrison turned his head to face her on the couch.

  “Okay Babe. You want to go get Dana or do you want me to?”

  “I’ll get Dana and grab your coats on the way back.” Harrison started to rub and pat Elena’s back, gently waking her up. Elena turned her face burrowing deeper into Harrison exposing a huge drool stain on the front of his shirt. Harrison wasn’t fazed by it in the least.

  She went off in search of Dana and their coats. Stopping in the kitchen on the way back, she grabbed their leftovers. After saying goodbye to her cousins, her parents had gone home hours ago, they piled into Harrison’s pickup and headed down to Kincaid’s.

  Felicia had wracked her brain for the longest time on what to get Harrison and then it occurred to her. He had mentioned that as soon as he had the time to search, he was going to buy and restore a 1959 Harley Davidson Touring. Felicia elicited the help of Harrison’s father Winston. She could do the research, but she didn’t want to get him a piece of junk that couldn’t
be brought back to life. The buying process would be easier if a man worked out a deal. She wasn’t sexist in anyway, but she was realistic. She knew nothing about cars, bikes or anything else motorized. And that sometimes even included her vacuum cleaner.

  CK thanked her at least twice a week for giving her husband something to do that kept him out of her hair. She couldn’t wait for her son to see his surprise. CK was also sad when the search came to an end. Felicia had a feeling Mr. Kincaid had dragged the search out a little longer too. Retirement was hard for him in the winter time. He couldn’t get out on the green and hit balls to take up some of his spare time. A hobby that kept both he and his wife extremely happy in the summer time.

  Emma and CK had told her not to worry about setting up for the presentation, they’d take care of it. There was no way Felicia would have been able to shake Harrison to come and do it herself. When they pulled up to the stall he used, you could see the night illuminated by the light coming from inside. A wide smile spread across his face and he turned to her.

  “Well, well, well. Someone has been a busy little bee. I wonder what’s inside.”

  Felicia maintained her look of innocence “I don’t know, why don’t you open the door and see?”

  “Yeah! Open the door.” Dana chimed in. Up until then they had been quiet as church mice in the back seat.

  “Open the door. Open the door.” Elena began to chant. Laughing, Harrison let up the garage door to see what looked to be a rusted dirty beaten to death 1959 Harley Davidson Touring.

  “You didn’t!” He shouted as he threw his truck gear into park and rushed out. “Felicia! Babe! I can’t believe you found the Touring for me.”

  Felicia was glad she’d bought the bike for Harrison. The joy that was reflected on his face right now, couldn’t be put into words. The girls were laughing at him and with him as he continued to talk to himself while circling round and round the bike.