Two days later Ali was released from the hospital and able to go back Kirsten and Davids. Kirsten and David told her that her surprise was a little late and would arrive the day she got home from the hospital. Taylor stayed everyday and everynight with Ali and refused to go home. He took showers in the public bathrooms but didn't care. Him and Ali had become very close friends and even a little more than friends. It was 3 days until Christmas and Isaac was taking her and Taylor shopping for presents. Isaac was able to drive after a couple days and the man that hit them was in some deep shit. Ali was sitting in her room listening to her Nirvana CD when her Aunt appeared in the doorway. Ali was wearing a tight cream shirt with a navy pair of twill pants. She had her hair pulled back in a messy bun and was counting out her money. Her Aunt sat on the bed next to her. "Hey, your early Christmas present arrived this morning." Once she said that Ali's face had the widest grin ever on it. She ran to her CD player and stopped it. "Where's it at?" She asked staring wide eyed at her Aunt. Kirsten smiled and pointed to the door. Ali gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and ran down the stairs. She stopped suddenly at the bottom and screamed in delight. Tara sat on the edge of the couch with tons of bags around her. Tara ran to her and they hugged. "What are you doing here?!" Ali asked pulling away. They were both smiling. "Well Christmas isn't much fun by yourself so Aunt Kirsten and Uncle David invited me as a surprise." They hugged again and Tara pulled away. "How do you feel? I was gonna come two days ago but I heard what happened and you know me and hospitals." Tara shuddered. Tara was holding her brothers hand when he died in a hospital from a freak car accident and refuses to set foot in one. "I'm doing great! I couldn't be happier." They seperated and David approached. "Well I hope you two don't mind sharing a room." He said sarcasticly. He knew we were tight and didn't care about something like that. Tara picked up her bags and followed Ali upstairs. After Tara was done unpacking Ali looked at the clock. "Well I'm scheduled to go shopping with Tay now. Would you like to join us? Isaac is about your age. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Tara opened her bookbag and pulled out her wallet. "Yeah, sure. Besides I haven't done any Christmas shopping for you or Aunt Kirsten and Uncle David." Ali smiled and they walked down the stairs and out the door. ********** Tara and I walked across the front yard to where Isaac and Taylor were already sitting on the porch. Isaac looked up and stared at Tara. Tara had her lond blond hair back in a messy bun like mine. She had on a pair of flare jeans with a tight green Gap shirt. Taylor hit Ike in the stomach and Ike's face got red. They both stood up. "Isaac, Taylor, I want you both to meet Tara. I've told you about her." Isaac stuck his hand out first. "Nice to meet you." He said very politly. Tara flashed him a liking smile and he let go. Taylor did the same and we all climbed into Ike's jeep. Isaac seemed to be managing well with a bad foot. He could walk fine and didn't complain about any pain. Tara and I sat in the back and Taylor sat in the passenger seat. We pealed outta the driveway and made our way to downtown Tulsa. Taylor wore a tiht cream shirt with a button down green and blue long sleeved shirt over it with some tan cords. He had his hair pulled back into a ponytail with most of it coming out. Isaac had a blue sweater and tan dockers on and his hair was also pulled back but not near as messy as Tay's. "So Tara I hear you play keyboard." Isaac said. He was trying to strike up a conversation. "Yeah, I do." Tara looked over to me and pointed to Isaac. She mouthed the word H-O-T and I blurted out laughing. Taylor and Isaac stared at me while Tara's face went red. Once I was fine Taylor and Isaac both stared at me with the most confused look on there faces. "Sorry, inside joke." I said with a smile on my face. Taylor smiled back and looked back out the side window and Isaac looked onto the lane. Tara gave me an evil look and did a sign telling me never to do that again. We pulled into a parking spot at the Tulsa Mall and got out. We all walked in to the mall to be greeted by two little green elves walking around with booties. I giggled to myself at how embrassing it would be to be one of them. They both smiled and handed us all a coupon book for certain stores in the mall. We all walked into the middle of the mall and sat down by the huge fountain. Isaac looked at his watch. "How about I show Tara around and we'll all meet back here in about say 3 hours." He asked us all. We all agreed and Isaac and Tara walked off to our right without another word. Taylor stood up and stretched. "Where shall we go first?" He asked me. I pulled a little list from my back pocket ans scanned it. "How about Lazurus? I need to get my Aunt a vase. You know how much she loves collecting those." Taylor laughed at my comment. "Yeah, she nearly ripped my head off when I almost knocked it off the coffee table last month." I stood up and looked around. I didn't know my way around this mall all that well. Taylor took my hand and led me down the entry way to the left. We walked hand in hand not really saying much except for possibly commenting on what someone was wearing or carrying. We walked into Lazurus and looked at all the vases. Taylor seemed to enjoy looking at each and every one like a kid in a toy store. "Hey Al, come here." He said motioning me to the far side of the department. I walked over to where he was and what he was pointing to. Once I got there I stood in ahh. It was a vase with different flowers painted all over it. It was purple with pansies, gerber dasies, carnations, and roses on it and my Aunt just loved spring when flowers bloomed. I thought I just have to get her that. It stood about 3 feet high which is pretty big but I knew she would just love it. Taylor looked at the price tag dangling from the base. "Holy Smokes! That's gonna eat a hole in your pocket." He showed me the tag. "206 dollars!" I almost yelled. Several faces turned my way with a disgusted look on them. I stood staring at the price for a moment. She would really love it but I had about 400 dollars with me. That was suppose to include Aunt Kirsten, Uncle David, Dad, Cordelia, Tara, and just now including Taylor. I looked at the vase again. After a moment I finally decided just to take the extra money out of Dad's present since he didn't really deserve it. "I'm gonna get it for her." I told Taylor. He stared wide eyed at me and then shok his head as if to belive what I'd just said. "I don't even carry that much cash with me." He said. I knew not many people did but I did all the time. Taylor stood straight up and helped me carry the vase to the counter. I paid for it and had the lady hold it for me since it wasn't like I could carry it all day with me. We walked around the mall a little longer before we stopped at a Computer Software Store. Taylor showed me a special program my Uncle had wanted to get but it was to close to Christmas for him to buy it for himself. So I got him that and we went on to pick something out for Tara. Tara's taste in things differ greatly so I figured on a gift certificate to a place in the mall would be just fine since she would have plenty of time to use it while she was here. I got her a certificate for Lazurus since she could really get anything she wanted there. I only had about 50 dollars left so I decided not to buy for my dad here. Besides it wasn't like he really desreved anything. Still Taylor had spent no money but yet he seemed to enjoy walking around and looking. "So, where to next?" Taylor asked me. I looked at him. "Well your the only one left on my list. What do you want?" I said smiling. He had the cutest look of confusion on his face until he spoke. "Why me? I didn't do anything." I laughed as if he were joking. "You spent three nights in the hospital for me and refused to leave at any given time. Now try saying you didn't do anything." Taylor just stood staring at me. "Besides I owe you for that at least." He took my hand and walked me down the rows of stores swinging our hands like he was trying to think. We rounded the courner only to see Taylor's worst nightmare. Chapter 8 Back Home
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