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Merlin grinned as he opened a new browser tab to Amazon. He’d just had the most perfect idea for his girlfriend, Morgana’s, Christmas gift. A stuffed Stitch. One of Morgana’s favorite Disney movies was Lilo and Stitch. He liked the movie well enough but didn’t get her obsession with it and all its spinoffs.
As he selected a large stuffed Stitch and went to checkout, he noticed the words, “shipped from China.” Normally this wouldn’t bother him, but it was December first and he wondered if it would get to him in time. He shrugged and clicked the button. He could always find something else later if he wasn’t going to get it on time. The shipping page assured him he would, so he checked out and went about his day.
Every time Merlin checked the delivery date, it kept getting later and later. Finally, it was Christmas Eve and they’d be exchanging gifts in a few hours. Merlin was well and truly panicked. He had to get Morgana something, and everything he saw paled in comparison to the stuffed Stitch.
Finally, he drove to the mall, where everything in every store seemed picked over. He scoured the place for something that wouldn’t say, “I shopped at the last minute,” but it was too late. At a travel shop, he picked up a pair of leather gloves and said, “These will have to do.”
He took them to the gift-wrapping station, where an exhausted-looking worker wrapped his lame gift. He thought the worker might be judging him for the gloves’ lameness, but he couldn’t be sure. All the workers there had the same-looking face.
Ready for a nap himself, he hurried to the restaurant where he was supposed to meet Morgana for dinner. After he parked and walked inside, he saw Morgana waiting for him at a table. She was so beautiful, and he was a terrible person for getting her this crappy gift, but what could he do?
She stood as he approached and held her face up for a kiss. He made it a good one, hoping to make up slightly for his gift. He didn’t deserve this gorgeous, wonderful woman, but for some inexplicable reason, she had chosen him. “How was your day?” she asked.
“Oh, it was okay,” he lied. He didn’t want her to know about the hours of drudgery he’d just gone through. “How was yours?”
Her eyes sparkled. “I had that brunch with Father and Arthur. Father bought me this beautiful diamond necklace,” she gestured to it, “And Arthur got me an animation cell from Lilo and Stitch. It’s so cool!”
Merlin’s grin froze on his face. How could he forget that Morgana’s family was rich? Oh boy. She was going to break up with him after opening the lame gift. He wanted to cry, but managed to say, “Those are fantastic gifts.”
Morgana smiled. “It makes me wonder what you got for me.”
Noticing the waiter approaching their table, Merlin deflected that thought by saying. “Let’s exchange gifts after we order.”
“Oh, so we can do it while we wait for our food. Good idea.”
The waiter stopped at their table. Merlin ordered the first entrée his eyes fell upon, while Morgana ordered something that sounded delectable. Now was the time for his downfall. He swallowed hard as Morgana picked up a large gift bag. “I’ll go first, unless you want to.”
“No, that’s okay.” He accepted the back and dug through the tissue paper to pull out a super soft maroon sweater. “Wow, it’s gorgeous.”
“It’s cashmere.” She grinned. “I’m so glad you like it!”
“I do.” He wondered briefly at the cost before putting it back in the bag and setting it down at his feet. Then he reached inside his coat pocket and pulled the package out. He was horrified to note that it was slightly crushed. Before handing it over, he hesitated. “I can get you something else if you hate it.”
“Nonsense. I’m sure I’ll love it, whatever it is.” She held out her hand.
He placed the package in her hand and watched as her eyes lit up. She slowly unwrapped the box and looked at what was inside. “Gloves. An interesting choice.”
“I’m so sorry! I have the most amazing present on order for you and it didn’t get here in time! I promise I didn’t just get you this crappy present. Please don’t break up with me.” He wanted to crawl under the table and die.
“Merlin, relax. I believe you.”
“You do?”
“Yes, and furthermore, I happen to need a new pair of driving gloves. So thank you—these are lovely.”
Merlin breathed out a sigh. “I’m so glad you like them. And thanks for not breaking up with me.”
Morgana giggled. “Why would I do that? You’re everything a girl could ask for in a boyfriend.”
“Thank you. You don’t know how much I appreciate that.”
At that moment, their dishes arrived. They enjoyed their food while talking about Christmases past. After they finished, Merlin asked, “Want to come back to my place for coffee and dessert?”
“Sure! You know how much I like coffee and dessert.”
She followed him to his apartment, where he found a surprise waiting for him at his front door—a box with a label from China. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! It came!”
“What is it?”
“Let’s go inside, and you can open it.”
Merlin opened his door and they walked inside. Merlin found his boxcutters and handed them to Morgana. “Time to see what your real present is.”
Puzzled, Morgana took the boxcutters from him and slid them over the box’s tape. She opened the box and shrieked. Inside, wrapped in paper, lay the stuffed Stitch he’d ordered. “Oh Merlin, thank you so very much. I love it!” She took it out of the box and hugged it to her chest. “Just like I love you.”
“You love me?”
“Of course I do. How could I not love a man who went to such lengths for me?”
He enveloped her in his arms. “Oh Morgana, I love you too. This has got to be my most favorite Christmas yet.”
“I agree.”
He bent down and kissed her for what felt like an eternity. They were in love, and that did indeed make it his best Christmas ever.