Buying the Birthday present
544 Words
JJ was getting excited, in a few months he would be 11. For some reason he felt like this was going to be big one. Neither his mum or Luke had said anything but deep down in his gut he knew something great was going to happen.
Today was Saturday and Uncle Luke has promised to take him shopping to have a look for a birthday present. Luke wanted to get him something extra special.
10:30am Luke let himself into Tania and JJ’s flat.
“Come on JJ, let’s go, the shops wait for no one.” Luke called.
“Coming Uncle Luke” JJ called back, grabbing his phone from the night stand.
“Do you know what a towel is?” Luke joked as he tussled JJ’s still wet hair.
“Yes, but when mum had me doing extra training this morning and I had to ride my bike back here with Gigi, all because we are going shopping” JJ huffed.
“Okay chill dude I was only teasing you. So anyway where would you like to start? Did you have something in mind?”
“Can we start at the clothes shop? Not necessarily for my present but mum gave me some money to get new clothes, mine are getting too small”
“That is because you are a growing boy! Haha my mum was always having to get new clothes for your dad and I. Mostly because we grew so fast but also because we destroyed a lot of them”
JJs ears pricked up, Uncle Luke was in a very good mood if he was willingly talking about JJs dad and even their mum, his Grandmother.
“How exactly did you destroy your clothes?” JJ probed without asking too much. He knew from past experience that if he went in with too many questions Luke shut down.
“Simple... fighting. Like you, your father and I trained a lot as we grew up. I remember one day when your Dad ripped his own T-shirt off during a fight just to impress the girls watching. He then did the same to mine. Mother was not pleased at all. She scolded him for being so vain.”
“Hahaha, really? That’s not what mum says about him. Not that she talks about him much” JJ hung his head, he desperately wanted to knew more about his father and what he was like. Was he dead or was he just somewhere else like Mum always said.
“Oh he was until he met your mum. I knew straight away that he had met someone, but not just anyone. He was different when it came to your mum. He lost his bravado he had around everyone else but me. It was refreshing to see him so happy. That’s one of the reasons your mum and I are such good friends. She was the only other person to see him for who he really was.”
Luke had a sad expression on his face and JJ could tell that was all his uncle would be able to share for today. But it was something new for JJ to think about.
“Okay so what clothes should I be buying with this money from mum?”
“Something that will last” Luke laughed. He started the car and headed off in the direction of the shops.
- Writer
