The best gift I had gotten for the entire year

Even in its animosity, I knew who had given it. I brushed the tears that welled up in my eyes as soon as I received the package then sat on my bed to unravel the mystery.

Source
I had been lying casually in my house a couple of days to when I had to travel for the Christmas break when the vibration accompanying my ring tune caused my heart to skip. I picked up the phone, murmuring my displeasure as I accepted the call.

It was from a delivery guy who wanted descriptions of my house. At first, I thought it was one of my friends who was fooling with me, but the thick Ibibio accent that came along with the caller's voice made me rethink.

“Please I don't remember ordering any package, or your service for that matter, I'm sure you have the wrong person.”

The delivery guy called out my full name and said he would have ridden straight to my house, but he didn't get the house number. I was more confused than worried, so I gave him directions, leading him within the estate but not to my house, while I dressed up to go out and see whoever it was.

Indeed, there was a delivery guy waiting at the exact spot I had described. I waved him over when our eyes met.

“Hello, good afternoon.”

He nodded, busying himself with alighting from the motorcycle and opening the box that contained whatever he had for me. He soon brought a medium-sized gift box and handed it over to me. It felt weighty, arousing more confusion within me.

“Excuse me please.” I stopped him when he was about leaving “Can I know who sent this package to me?”

He turned his head this way and that in the negative.

“He said when you open it, you will know.”

He?

I sighed, thanked him, and headed back home.

My mind ran through several possibilities as I began the walk back home. There was Ukeme who had been trying to woo me since I set feet in the university, but he had never gifted me before, why today? I scrapped that option out.

Then there was Godwin, he had bought me lunch once when I was ill but besides having casual conversations and walking home together on some days, we didn't share anything intimate enough to warrant a gift from him. I scrapped his option out too.

I thought about my older brother, the king of surprises. He had gifted me a new phone on my birthday in the most unsuspecting way, maybe he was at it again, but what was the occasion?

It wasn't making sense.

As soon as I arrived at the house and dropped the package, he came to mind. Then the tears came to my eyes.

I remembered speaking with my best friend, David about a week before. I was running late for a class that day, and so was running to get to the class venue when I tripped, and my sandal gave way.

It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, mutters of “Sorry…take it easy…oh no….” Filled the air as I headed back home, the bad sandal in hand. It was then David saw me. He too was running late so we just waved at each other and walked past.

After school that day, David and I walked back home together,

“Did you get a cobbler to fix the bad sandal?” I shook my head in the negative.

“I think I have to take it to the market when next I go there. I've seen cobblers there from time to time.”

He nodded absently.

“So, what's your plan for yourself this festive period?”

Plan for myself? Apart from going home to meet with my family so I could eat and sleep, I didn't make plans for the holidays, and I told him so.

“So, you don't have these plans I see girls draw up? Get a hairdo, fix your nails, you know, the general glow-up. Maybe even get yourself a gift. Something to appreciate yourself for the year”

I shook my head, allowing myself to laugh lightly. He had said nothing more then, but now, I was faced with a box of two paperbacks I had been dying to read, then a pair of white sandals on top of it. There was a note tucked somewhere in between too, and when I opened it, it read;

“This is a little token of appreciation for the amazing person you've been throughout the year. P.S., there's a pair of sandals to make up for the one you're yet to fix. Merry Christmas and happy new in advance”.

That was the best gift I had gotten the entire year.