Becca pretended to think, “Hmmm…. I’ll try my best not to!” She curled up, laying her head on the duffel bag and using one of the four sweatshirts Raelynn had packed as a blanket.

She tried to settle down and drift off to sleep, but her mind wouldn’t stop.

 

In a rush to get out of the car, she’d forgotten to give her mother the package of presents she’d wrapped earlier in the day.

 

She’d already unwrapped two of them and figured her mom would re-wrap them.

 

She eyed the others wondering what they were and if they were for her.

 

If they weren’t, they didn’t need to be, they were nothing more than presents she was going to give to other people so she wouldn’t get in trouble.

 

Sighing, she knew there was no way she’d find out without unwrapping one of the other presents.

 

Hesitantly, she reached out, grabbing one of the gifts with the large tag hanging off of it.

 

It was a large bow made out of pink bubble wrap, “Found this under the tree and decided to take it home with me.

 

It seems pretty cold here so maybe it’ll help a little.” She looked around to make sure her mom wasn’t watching.

 

“This is your Christmas present.” She opened the parcel and gasped as she removed the small tissue-wrapped box.

 

Inside, a box covered with different-sized clear boxes glittered back at her.

 

She removed the last box, being careful not to break it.

 

Inside the third box, she found something she didn’t expect.

 

A picture of her mother wearing a white and red swimsuit, holding a dog next to a little girl.