Late Christmas shopping

After getting a shower and getting changed into an orange sweater and a red skirt, I try to think about what Christmas present to buy for my work friend Bree. I want to buy a gift that will impress her because I want to be more than just her friend. I want to be her girlfriend even though I know it will take a while for that to happen even if she does like me. I just hope that I haven't misinterpreted her sexual preference. She has told me once that she thought Nick our boss was hot, but I think she was saying that because she thought I was interested in Nick and she wanted to spark a fire in me. I am reasonably sure that Bree has brushed up against me in a flirtatious way twice. I hope that it wasn't just an accident. I do know that we danced at the office Christmas party and it felt great. My brain is in a fog as I walk down the stairs and sit on the living room couch. I can do nothing but think of my late Christmas present dilemma until a gentle hand touches my shoulder. I look up and I see that my concerned mother has brought me out of my funk. I also see that Nick, Charles, and Dylan are looking at me as if I was some sort of carnival attraction.

"Are you okay?" Mom asks.

"I was thinking of what Christmas present to buy," I commented.

"You dropped the ball on that one," my brother jibed at me.

"It's for someone in New York if you really must know, Scout," I snapped back.

"Would this present be for Bree by any chance?" Nick probed.

"Yes," I said with a small frown since my boss has the annoying habit of always knowing what is inside my head. I wonder if he knows that I want more from my relationship with my work buddy.

"Just make sure that this doesn't interfere with work," Nick cautioned to demonstrate that he did indeed know everything inside my head.

"It won't," I promised.

"Would you want some help?" Mom offered.

"Yes, please," I accepted with a grateful smile.

"What is Bree into?" Mom asks.

I am drawing a blank at first so I don't say anything.

"Have you been in her apartment?" Nick presses.

"A couple of times," I answer.

"Is there anything in her apartment that she has a lot of?" Dylan joins in.

How could I have been so stupid? Why couldn't I figure this out for myself? The answer was staring me right in the face and I couldn't see it.

"She has three shelves filled with ceramic figurines!" I exclaim while lightly slapping my head with my right hand.

"Don't do that too hard," Dylan playfully suggested. "You might give yourself a concussion."

"Shut up!" I bit back to keep the light banter going.

"Is there anything else that she is into?" Mom wondered.

I lay back in the couch and thought about it. There is one thing about Bree's apartment that I can't believe that I forgot. Every time that I visit my work buddy in her apartment, her tabby cat Caramel insists on rubbing against me. Caramel is one of the friendliest cats that I know if not the friendliest. Now that I think about it, I wonder if that kitty was trying to tell me something. Maybe that cat was trying to do a bit of matchmaking between me and its owner. I am getting this idea because of all the matchmaking that I did for my family during the holiday season. Thinking about my buddy's cat has put the final piece of the puzzle into place. I know what gift to buy Bree.

"Why couldn't I figure it out?" I wonder in frustration.

"You were too close to the problem," Nick guessed.

I am not capable of contributing too much to the breakfast conversation because I have way too much on my mind. I eat my scrambled eggs and bacon as fast as I can without making my mother mad at me. Even though I am a fully mature woman, I am still a little scared of my mommy. As soon as I finish, I grab my black purse and coat so I can head out into town. Fifteen minutes later, I head into the town antique shop Out Of Time and find a middle aged brunette working the cash register who is staring at me.

"Hello, Cynthia," the unknown woman greets me.

"Huh?" I blurt out since I have absolutely no idea who the woman is.

"Oh, sorry," the woman apologizes while extending her right hand for me to shake. "My name is Bianca White and my son Jack has told me a lot about you."

"Well, that clears that up," I reply in relief while shaking Bianca's hand.

"How much longer will you be staying?" Mrs. White probed.

"I leave for New York tomorrow," I revealed.

"How may I help you?" Jack's mom pressed.

"I was wondering if you had any ceramic figurines in the shape of a cat," I question.

"Right this way," the cashier advised.

I followed my helper to the back of the store where there were a number of ceramic cats staring at me which made me a little nervous. There were a number of cats in various poses and colors, but none of them spoke to me. The gift that did catch my eye was a white ceramic cookie jar in the shape of a fat cat that had a red heart on its belly. The red heart just might be a clue to Bree that I want more from our relationship. I quickly buy it and ask Bianca to gift wrap it for me. A smile appears on my face as I take my purchase home with me.