Free Rock'n Tapestries by Shari Copell Page A

out of
the question. You’ll pack some things and stay overnight with us. I think we
both have to work early on Christmas Eve, but we close at noon. You can just
ride home with me.”
    A
hopeful spark lit his eyes from within as he glanced up at me.  I could see
that Asher was lonely, though he took great pains to hide it from everyone.  I
wondered if that was why he’d taken the job at Tapestries.  Even though you’re
on the clock, working at a bar is somewhat like a party.
    “If
you don’t think your parents would mind, I’d like to spend Christmas with you.”
He grinned.  “So...when can we go shopping?”
     

     
    Asher
dragged me from one end of Pittsburgh to the other the next weekend.  He was
like a little boy discovering Christmas all over again.  It made me want to cry
as I watched him dart in and out of stores with bags in his hands, his eyes
alight with pleasure.  To think that he’d spent several Christmases by himself
made me heartsick.
    He
got my dad a Lowe’s gift card and a scarf with a guitar on it, just like the
one he often wore.  He got my mom a foot massager, an apple-scented Yankee
Candle and some things from Bath and Body Works.  I didn’t do much shopping
that day. I was content just to watch him.
    “Do
you want me to take your packages home with me and wrap them for you?” I took
some of his bags from him as we walked toward the exit of the Monroeville Mall.
The handles on the bags were strangling his fingers. Several of them were
already blue.
    “You
can take them home, but make sure you hide them.” Asher spun around and walked
backward in front of me.  “And I don’t want you to wrap them.  Can we do it
Christmas Eve, when I come over?  I want us to do it together. I’ll buy the
wrapping paper.”
    “What?
You think we don’t have any wrapping paper at my house?” I smiled as my heart
soared into the air and exploded like a roman candle, just as warning bells
sounded in my head. He was so very fucking adorable, but that was as far as it
could go.  I didn’t dare let him get under my skin.
     

     
    We
had a light crowd on Christmas Eve morning at Tapestries. Mostly, our patrons
just wanted to come in and have a shot or some eggnog and wish us Merry
Christmas before they rushed off to their own celebrations. It was snowing
slightly, which added to the happy atmosphere. Everyone was all smiles, even
Marybeth. She was seeing a new guy, and it was apparently going well.
    She
was cleaning up behind the bar in preparation for quitting time. “Yeah, Sam and
I are going to a party then heading to my place to open gifts.  I’m making
lasagna for Christmas Day....”
    “ Lasagna?” Willow and I said it at the same time before glancing at each other.
    “Yes, lasagna .” Marybeth sounded annoyed, but she was smiling.  “Who said
dinner on Christmas Day had to be turkey or ham? I’m half-Italian, you know. We
have our own way of doing things. What are yunz doing tonight?”
    “Asher’s
coming home with me to celebrate with my family. I didn’t want him to be alone.
We’ll probably just eat, drink, and laugh all night,” I said as I pushed a wide
broom across the gleaming hardwood floor. 
    Tanya
Simons, a new hire at Tapestries, walked by me just then. “Lucky girl! Asher’s
a hottie!”
    “It’s
not like that, Tanya.  Not anymore,” I told her.  Marybeth just smiled her
”wise witch” smile and continued to clean up.
    Soon
enough it was noon. We locked the door and had a small employee Christmas party
then headed out about 2:00 p.m., each of us to celebrate in our own way.
     

     
    My
mom was already home from her job at State Farm Insurance when we got to the
house.  Dad called to say he was just closing up the small machine shop we
owned and would be home soon.
    Asher
and I grabbed some tape, scissors, and gift wrap and stole away up to my room,
giggling like children. I was glad to have him there.   The Whitaker family
Christmas Eve always