Lynn and Leif Forevermore Ch. 33

***

They slept so long that it was almost eleven when they woke up. They took separate showers rather than together at Lynne's insistence. She was afraid if they showered together, they'd end up fooling around until the late afternoon.

After they dressed, they walked across the property to the big house, and Lynne was glad to see that Leif's family was just waking up.

Lynne and Linda quickly went into the kitchen, fixing breakfast for the family.

They were all laughing, and cutting up, and everyone loved Lynne's biscuits. Leif had brought in all three or four of the jellies that they sampled in the woodshed.

"Lynney loves Jam, so I gave her a few to take home. She was concerned that you'd be mad," said Leif teasingly.

"Of course I'm not mad. Take what you want! Are you sure that's all you want? Your father has a sample pack with all the flavors that we sell in a gift basket. We'll give you one to take home. We make honey too," said his mother.

Lynne smiled at his mother. She was so sweet and kind.

"Yeah I remember the honey. You gave me a huge sample of it when I had that cold. It was fabulous!" said Lynne.

"Yeah. I don't know about needing jam samples either. She's real greedy for jam. She ate a bunch of that jam in the woodshed," said Leif with a devilish twinkle in his eye.

Lynne glared at him. She shared a secret glance with him remembering the trouble the jelly got them in, and reddened. Jam wasn't the only thing that got sucked on in their woodshed. They'd marked it with a steamy memory forever now.

"You plied me with that Jelly. I said no, I'd wait for breakfast! You kept asking me if I wanted to taste it, and giving it to me, feeding it to me even, and now you're trying to call me out in front of our folks. I'll deal with you later," said Lynne, her hand on her hip.

Lynne pinched his meat hard in his side and he yelped and then chuckled.

"But baby, I love when you punish me, that's not upsetting me at all, it's okay if you love jam, you're like a greedy little kid," said Leif looking at her with playful blue puppy dog eyes.

"I'm going to be sick around you two, is what's going to happen! If you two decide to have kids, you'll cut it out, they'll keep you too busy for all this foolishness, just like with your father and I," said his mother playfully as they all chuckled.

**

Lynne was so excited for her first Christmas. She couldn't wait to open presents, and to see Leif's expression when he saw the Christmas presents she was giving him, especially his guitar. Her sweet man had wanted her to make a list for Santa. Even though he knew she was much too old to believe in Santa, he wanted her to experience making her own list. He playfully told her that if she was good, she'd get everything on the list, plus more if she sat in his lap while she read her list. He called himself Leify Claus. Lynne had laughed so hysterically she snorted. She playfully accused him of being up to no good, with the Leify Claus business.

But, she didn't make a list, even though he'd given her his moleskin notebook and a pen, and he was dead serious. She felt too silly to make a list at twenty-three. He told her, list, or not he was going to spoil the hell out of her, and find out just what she wanted, like with her engagement ring. And, next year, if she didn't produce a list, he'd promised her a firm spanking. He wanted her to see what it was like to make a list and get excited for what was under the tree. And, he told her it was very good practice for when they had their own children, and gave them Christmas.

Everyone got their presents from under the tree. Lynne couldn't believe how many presents she had under the tree. There were a dozen presents, and she was both embarrassed and delighted by the spoiling.

"Leif there are so many! I don't want you to spend so much on me baby...we need to start saving for our married lives together," said Lynne.

But her eyes were so watery with emotion. He adored her, and he didn't care who else saw it either! Didn't care if his family knew she was his spoiled princess. Being spoiled rotten was new for Lynne!

"Oh Lynney, don't be such a tight ass with our finances. And, anyway, nothing in your gifts is all that expensive. Okay so a few of them are, but most of them are cheap things that I know you love. And, I wrapped some things I didn't need to. I just want you to have a lot of fun opening your presents baby," said Leif.

"I want you to have fun too! It was just as much fun for me too, selecting things I thought you would like, and even getting things for your family. You're gonna make me so rotten Leif," scolded Lynne.

"That's the plan. I told you, you were gonna be rotten if you were my girl. I meant it, so now you see it," he said sweetly.

He pulled her full on into his lap for her to open the presents. Once she was in his lap he put his mouth close to her ear.

"I...I'm trying to make up for twenty three years of no Christmases. There are twelve presents here, and I'll get you twelve gifts next year...so you'll have one for each Christmas you missed. Then you're even," he whispered.

Lynne appreciated him whispering that last part to her. It embarrassed her the way she hadn't had Christmases, and other normal things, and she didn't want to call attention to it around his family yet. Still, his private reasoning filled her soul so full, she didn't know how she was going to make it through this Christmas morning without crying because her heart felt full of happy, special feelings.

She was so touched she just sort of stared at the presents and turned them each around once, looking at the intricate wrapping paper. He'd gotten Christmas tree wrapping paper, Santa Claus wrapping paper, little elves, just all sorts of designs. Each present had a different kind of wrapping paper and different kind of bow. Clearly he wanted to make her first Christmas memorable. She was so overcome with emotion she couldn't even remember to open them. Her hands trembled as she picked up each present, shaking the box. Trying to figure out what was inside. What fun! Damn she loved her thoughtful man.

Thankfully his own family was busy having a good time opening their presents, ripping the paper off of their own gifts and throwing it into the pile in the middle of the floor. It was quite plain that they loved Christmas, and it brought out the child like fun in everyone even though they were all grown adults. It made Lynne feel much more comfortable about her own giddiness with her first holiday.

"Go on and open them, we don't have all day Lynney," he said gruffly, feigning annoyance with her, and he smacked her ass playfully as she sat in his lap.

But Leif's voice was husky. She was not fooled by his gruffness. He was touched, because he could see how much his attention to details, the little things, special wrapping paper, and so many presents was making her first Christmas so special. He was gruff, because he was afraid of being overcome by his own emotion.

"You're such a phony! Fake meanness. You're happy that I'm happy," she whispered huskily into his ear, and she bit his earlobe playfully as he chuckled.

"No, I'm not faking meanness, you're just slow little tortoise. You're slow about starting everything, Always have been slow. But once you get started on something, look out, it's amazing and beautiful, just like our love is. Open your fucking presents sweetie, everyone else has already started," he teased pinching her ass.

Oh shit, the warmth and affection between them made her aroused, even in front of his family. She squirmed in his lap, and prayed no one could detect the special heat that flowed below at his doting and playful affection.

She laced her fingernail under the wrapping paper. She slowly unwrapped her first present with a glimmer in her eye.

"How can you stand to open that shit so slow Lynney!" groaned Leif.

"I like to savor stuff. And I'm saving the wrapping paper. We might be able to use it next year," she quipped.

He chuckled.

"You're a mess!" he teased.

She finally opened her first present from Leif, a vintage Queen Album. One that she did not have! He knew she loved all kinds of music, and the fact that he knew what she had, and what she didn't have touched her.

"Wow, it's in great shape too!" said Lynne.

There were other records wrapped up for Lynne, and she guessed by the shape of the packages which were records, and she opened them each in succession.

He'd gotten her a Barbara Streisand Record, another that she did not have, a Bad Brains Record, and a vintage Aretha Franklin record. He knew her eclectic all over the board taste, and he'd been spying at those vintage records she already had on her massive album shelf.

"Baby, I love records....and all people that I love. So sweet!" she said, her eyes full of water and she kissed his cheek.

"Well of course you love records sweetie, any artist, any person as diverse as you are, loves to feed on that shit. But I got you lots of stuff that I know you love Lynney, so don't get side tracked. Keep up tortoise," he added, moving the wrapping paper aside, and sticking more gifts in her lap, like she was his spoiled princess.

"What about your own gifts. Leif I've got you some nice stuff too, I want to see you open some," she said sweetly.

"I can stand to wait. I had Christmas growing up. You never had it. I'd like to enjoy seeing you so happy with your gifts. Scoot," he added playfully in her ear slapping her ass.

"You know what sometimes Leif, I think everything is an excuse to smack my ass," said Lynne starting on her next batch of presents, slowly, with a fingernail.

"Hell yeah, it is. I've been looking for excuses to smack it since I met you. And, anyways, you love to tease. I got your number. You like to do things slow as hell Lynney. And we can be slow a lot of the time, but when you're my wife, you'll have to enjoy some things a little more speedy as well occasionally. You'll learn good," he said saucily in her ear.

In part, Lynne was glad she'd waited so long for Christmas. Opening presents in his lap while he purred all these innuendos in her ears, his voice barely above a whisper while her cheeks flushed, was such a delightful experience. A hell of a lot more fun than being a little kid waiting for Santa. Leif was her grown up Santa, and he had something special for her waiting in his lap that was already rising a little, she felt it poking slightly into her thigh.

She unwrapped the few presents slowly, carefully setting aside the wrapping paper while Leif sighed. He was getting anxious watching her unwrap the presents because he wanted to see her delight. Meanwhile, she was loving teasing him by being slower than she would have been were he not goading her to do the opposite. She loved the cat and mouse games they played as much as Leif did.

She opened the boxes to two of her presents. And she was so overcome she started crying into the boxes.

"Don't cry near that shit, I don't know, might ruin the lacy stuff," he said gruffly.

"My vintage clothes Layaway! You got that shit out!! I was paying on it a little at a time. I was going to be able to get it out by March, but I wanted those clothes so much! How did you know!" asked Lynne.

"Oh come on woman, that shit was unbelievably easy! You go in there all the time, trying on shit and asking my opinion, and sometimes Janelle's opinion. That woman is making a fortune on you. And, you always give her something to hold. So, one day I just went over there when you weren't there, and asked about what you were putting on hold. I described you. I stretched the truth a little and said I was your husband. When she told me how much the layaway was, I said, ouch, but I got it anyway. I well figured you wanted those clothes out pretty badly, and a lot of those clothes are wintery...I just didn't want you to wait until March baby. I just think you've waited long enough to be happy, and...where possible, I want you to have what you want. And I want to be the man to give it to you. That makes me feel like a man and shit. Giving my woman something she wants," he added as though an afterthought.

And he did truly give her something that she wanted. Lynne had never been deprived materially before, but the gifts her parents gave her, and that her ex gave her, were gifts that represented the kind of person that they wanted Lynne to be. They did not represent the woman that Lynne truly was. Leif gave her gifts from his heart for her to genuinely enjoy, not as a part of molding her as a person.

"You are a real man! And you make me feel like a real woman too! A real, beautiful woman, who is so loved by her man! I can't believe you snuck over there and got my clothes out of Layaway. It's like the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. That you'd spy on it like that, to make me happy. That you'd get those clothes out because you wanted me to have them now, rather than pay on them a little bit at a time. I love this lace top! It's antique lace too! And the skirt! And the Fur hat! And you wait until you see what I do with this on stage! Oh Leif, baby I love you so much! Now I can't wait for you to open your own presents," cried Lynne.

"I will, but one more present for yourself slowpoke. It's actually my favorite, so please open in a hurry," he added sitting two small boxes in her hands.

Lynne quickly opened the box, and was stunned to see a vintage black and white Gameboy.

"Leif! I never had one of these growing up. My dad thought the portable game would take too much attention off my schoolwork, and he couldn't control it like the Nintendo in the family room, when I was growing up, so....so I always wanted one and never got around to getting it since I've been grown....but...I never expected to get one like this!"

"I know....we had this talk, you always get outbid on the Gameboy at the last second on ebay. I know. I got in cahoots with Linda on that one. She's a pro ebay bidder. I told her you wanted one for Christmas, she bid for me, and I sent her the money. Piece of cake. If you need something on ebay, and you keep losing it Linda's your ally, so now you know," said Leif with a grin.

Now Lynne opened the next box feverishly because the Gameboy had stoked her curiosity.

"I can't believe there's still another gift! I love my gifts already! I never thought I'd be getting such cool stuff. I thought I'd get a sweater from you and some gift cards. Not stuff I've wanted some of it, for my whole life!"

"Well now you've gotta be a good girl, or next time you'll get the coal you promised me earlier when I teased you about those pretty ass Christmas cookies you made," he added playfully.

"Games! And the Gameboy magnifying glass and light! I loved that goofy ass shit," said Lynne chuckling.

"Yeah, I remember everything you say Lynney. Dreaming about that dumb ass light so that you could play the Gameboy at night, in bed, when you're supposed to be asleep just like you play those lame ass iPhone games, when you're supposed to be sleeping beside me peacefully at night. Yep. Exactly sweetheart, you need that nightlight. Plus you can't play that thing without games," he teased.

After she'd opened everything, she enthusiastically threw her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek again and again.

"Someone's happy with her Christmas presents," said his father.

"Yeah, I'm real happy!" chuckled Lynne.

"Is that Gameboy in good shape Lynne, because I'll be sure to leave a poor review if it's not," said his mother.

"I haven't played with it yet, but it looks like it's in Great shape," said Lynne.

"Come on Leif, now it's your turn!" cried Lynne.

She didn't have as many presents to give him as he gave her, but she hoped that he liked what she'd given him, especially getting him back the guitar.

She slid out of his lap and placed his gifts at his feet.

"So now I get to see what's in that big ass box! I can't believe it's for me. Biggest fucking box ever! I should already be kissing you for such a big present. What the hell is it babe?" asked Leif.

He rubbed his hands together and his sexy blue eyes glimmered with delight.

"You have to open it to find out silly, that's the point," said Lynne smiling at him.

He slapped her ass playfully, and tore into the wrapping paper with none of the delicateness that she'd shown earlier when opening her own presents.

"Is that....is that...is that the guitar!" stammered Leif.

Lynne looked at him shyly, licked her lips and nodded.

"Hot Damn!" exclaimed Leif, with a happy chuckle.

He slapped his own thigh.

He pulled it happily out of the guitar case. He carefully picked it up, turned it around, and examined it, as though he was making sure that nothing had damaged it since he'd last seen it.

"It's the sweetest guitar ever, and you got her back for me. Best damn present I ever got besides you Lynney!" he exclaimed.

He embraced her so hard it almost felt like he was lifting her off the floor.

"See, just how you respond, saying shit like that, about how I'm the best present you ever got, that makes me want to give to you more, and more. That's the guitar you wanted, but if I could get you one of those five thousand dollar vintage ones like Slash plays I'd buy it for you. You deserve all that, and so much more. All the things that make you smile Leif. I'm happy to be one of those things," said Lynne brightly.

"You're the most important thing," murmured Leif kissing her forehead.

"You still have other presents," said Lynne, pointing to the stack of boxes on the couch.

Leif got busy opening his other presents, a guitar center gift card, extra strings, and a very nice, thick, cable knit sweater.

"Baby I love my presents. Now come get in my lap, so I can get all my gifts gathered around," teased Leif, scooping her up in his lap and piling up the presents around his lap like a little boy.

"Linda, snap me a photo with all my Christmas presents! My favorite one, dead center in my lap," cried Leif with a happy chuckle.

Linda did as Leif obliged.

Then she said with a smile,

"You two aren't done with your gifts yet. We all pitched in....Lyle, Martha, your father and I, when we found out about the wedding. We figured we wanted to give you some money to help you get started. Use it for your wedding or whatever you want," said his mother, handing Leif an envelope.

The envelope contained a check for five thousand dollars.

Lynne was so touched that she hopped up from Leif's lap and threw her arms around his mother. After he saw the two of them embracing like mad women, Leif chuckled and then threw his arms around his wife-to-be and his mother.

"Now you can plan your wedding!" said his mother slapping Lynne a high five.

Because the bride's family traditionally paid for the wedding, and Lynne was not getting any support for her family, and thought she should be keeping her savings for the rainy day that might come for she and Leif, Lynne was extremely touched by his parents generosity.

"Leif you've been a good son, and I'm sure Lynne will be a good daughter in law, so if you need something else, and you make a good case for it, we're happy to give you some extra help besides that check. I remember when we were young, struggling, in college, and desperately in need of help, and we got no help whatsoever, because we'd gotten pregnant by mistake. I said, if I ever got out of the shithole we found ourselves in, I'd be different. So, I always believe in helping my family where we can, as long as they are helping themselves," added his father.

And, that simple statement, which made Leif smile, meant more to Lynne than he'd ever know. Before, the visit with his family, she felt cut loose and sailing through the air without any familial support or parachute, and the positive reception of his family had changed her perception that quickly, and helped her strength and courage, even though she knew there would be a difficult road ahead with her own family.